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Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has been challenged to a race by Alica Schmidt – the German sprinter dubbed “the world’s sexiest athlete”.

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Norwegian forward boasts plenty of paceGerman sprinter ready to take him onHummels beaten in previous raceWHAT HAPPENED?

Haaland was clocked running at 22.5mph during the 2022-23 campaign – in which he helped City to a historic Treble – and is famed for his pace and power in footballing circles. He hit 52 goals last season and boasts the kind of acceleration that would trouble any defence.

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Schmidt has been in action at the 2023 World Athletics Championship in Budapest, with the 400m her go-to event – as she averages a speed of 17mph over that distance. The 24-year-old, who is also a model and boasts 4.3 million followers on Instagram, believes that she could take Haaland during a race around one lap of the track – although concedes that she would find it “more difficult” over 200m.

WHAT THEY SAID

Schmidt has told of potentially lining up against Norwegian hot-shot Haaland: “Hmm, I don't know – maybe. I think, on 400m, yes. On 200m, it would be more difficult. But I would be happy if the race takes place. I don't know, I have to ask him. But I'm always ready. So, Haaland, if you're ready to race, I would be happy. Let's see who's faster!”

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Schmidt previously posed a similar challenge to Borussia Dortmund’s World Cup-winning defender Mats Hummels back in 2021 – a race she won comfortably, with Hummels admitting that his fellow German “makes it look so easy”. Hummels was, however, 32 at the time and Haaland is only 23.

ESPNcricinfo has been named Online Publication of the Year for the third year running in the ECB’s annual County Journalism Awards

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Nov-2014ESPNcricinfo has been named Online Publication of the Year for the third year running in the ECB’s annual County Journalism Awards. With increased video coverage to accompany detailed match reports and the ever-popular County Cricket Live blog, the site was described as being “without peers” in the online category.Vithushan Ehantharajah, one of ESPNcricinfo’s regular county reporters, was named Christopher Martin-Jenkins Young Journalist of the Year, while Tim Wigmore, another contributor, was highly commended in the same category. Ehantharajah receives a £5000 prize supported by the .For the second year running, the collected the National Newspaper award, while the also retained the Regional Newspaper crown. Richard Rae, of BBC Radio Leicestershire, won the Christopher Martin-Jenkins County Broadcaster of the Year award and also collects £5000.The awards, which recognise outstanding contributions towards the coverage of domestic cricket during the county season, were judged by three journalists – Mark Baldwin, chairman of the Cricket Writers’ Club, Pat Gibson and David Lloyd (who, in the interests of disclosure, also contributes to ESPNcricinfo) – and the ECB’s director of communications, Colin Gibson. Former BBC Test Match Special producer Peter Baxter adjudicated the broadcast award.The presentations will be made on Thursday evening at the ECB’s Business of Cricket Awards, which will be attended by representatives of all 18 first-class counties and the MCC.”The print, online and broadcast media play a vital role in the wider promotion of our domestic game and we were delighted to see such strong competition for this year’s awards across all categories,” the ECB’s chief operating officer, Gordon Hollins, said. “We congratulate all our winners and also thank the Times once again for supporting the Young County Journalist of the Year award.”Baldwin added: “The awards are designed to recognise outstanding coverage of county cricket and there was no doubt, as in 2013, that the Cricket Paper produced the most comprehensive and consistent coverage of every level of the domestic game. ESPNcricinfo was also without peers in the Online category, particularly impressing with the depth and breadth of its domestic coverage across multi-media platforms despite operating within tight budgetary constraints.”It was most heartening to see the strength, and depth, of the field in the Christopher Martin-Jenkins Young Journalist of the Year award, and Vithushan Ehantharajah can be proud of his achievement in coming out on top in this category.”I would also like to congratulate Richard Rae on heading a similarly-competitive Christopher Martin-Jenkins County Broadcaster of the Year field, while The Yorkshire Post was a deserved winner of the Regional Newspaper of the Year award by rising to the challenge of chronicling Yorkshire’s triumphant County Championship campaign besides providing outstanding all-round coverage.”

Bangladesh A held their nerve to beat Bangladesh by 12 runs in the first of three T20 matches

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Dec-2013
ScorecardImrul Kayes top-scored for Bangladesh A with a 36-ball 45•Getty ImagesBangladesh A staged a late comeback to defeat Bangladesh by 12 runs in the first of three matches in the Bangladesh T20 Challenge Series in Mirpur.Chasing 172, Bangladesh were well placed at the drinks break, needing 63 from 42 balls with nine wickets in hand. But Nasir Hossain had Mushfiqur Rahim caught behind for 33 in the first over after resumption, to break a 55-run partnership with Shamsur Rahman. Shamsur had also put on 55 with Anamul Haque for the first wicket. Bangladesh lost momentum after losing Mushfiqur, with Shamsur departing for 48 off the first ball of the next over and Mahmudullah and Soumya Sarkar falling not long after, as only 50 came from the last seven overs. Left-arm spinner Arafat Sunny gave away just 16 in his four overs, and took the wicket of Mahmudullah.Bangladesh A had produced a strong batting performance after winning the toss, with opener Imrul Kayes making a 36-ball 45. He put on 38 off 23 balls with Mominul Haque, who scored a 17-ball 31, before left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak brought Bangladesh back with the wickets of Mominul, Nasir Hossain and Sabbir Rahman. Bangladesh A kept scoring quickly, though, and Razzak’s final figures of 4 for 36 in four overs told the story of the innings.

West Indies Women avoided a whitewash against England but took their full 20 overs to chase down 140 at Arundel.

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Sep-2012
ScorecardJuliana Nero held her nerve to get West Indies Women over the line•Getty ImagesWest Indies Women avoided a whitewash against England but took their full 20 overs to chase down 140 at Arundel. England had been a class apart in the opening four matches of the series but this victory sees West Indies travel to the World T20 with confidence.Deandra Dottin was the star with the bat for West Indies, clearing the ropes five times in a brutal innings of 62 from just 34 balls. But she was bowled with 17 still required from 20 balls. A tight over and another wicket from Danni Wyatt saw 11 needed from 12 balls and six from the final over. Juliana Nero kept her cool to guide West Indies over the line.England tinkered with their batting order with Tammy Beaumont and Wyatt opening the batting. But again it was Sarah Taylor at No. 3 that led the innings with 34 from 30 balls. Katherine Brunt also made a valuable contribution, top scoring with 35 but England’s 139 for 7 proved not enough as they lost their first fixture in 21 matches.”We were just undone by an unbelievable innings by Deandra Dottin, credit to her for a match winning performance,” England’s captain, Charlotte Edwards, conceded. “But we’ll be taking a huge amount of positives from the series; there have been key contributions from a lot of our players over the five matches which is always good with World Cups ahead. We’re going to Sri Lanka with confidence and are really looking forward to the next few weeks.”

CSA’s board is set for an overhaul after the current administration agreed to accept all the recommendations of the Nicholson Committee in principal.

Firdose Moonda30-Mar-2012CSA’s board is set for an overhaul after the current administration agreed to accept all the recommendations of the Nicholson Committee in principal. The board appointed a committee of eight people, four of them independent, at their quarterly meeting on March 30 to “lead discussions regarding the restructure”. They also agreed to approach the Chairperson of the Bar Council to appoint an advocate to preside over suspended chief executive Gerald Majola’s disciplinary hearing.The Nicholson commission was set up by sports minister Fikile Mbalula to investigate CSA’s handling of the bonus scandal, which centred on an amount of R4.7 million (US$611,000) paid to 40 staff, including Majola, in unauthorised bonuses after the 2009 IPL. In addition to dealing with the Majola matter, Nicholson recommended that the current structure of 24 board members be sliced in half and only 12 people sit on the board. Nicholson also suggested that three-quarters of the board, nine members, be independent directors, for better governance.Throughout the almost 20-month scandal, CSA have said they are committed to improving their governance but this is the first step in that direction. CSA Acting President Willie Basson called the restructure a “matter of urgency” and said he hoped the plans for the new board will be put in place by the next annual meeting in September. “The key approach has been to make principled decision with a sense of urgency and at the same time acting in the best interests of CSA,” Basson said.Basson is one of four board representatives on the committee. The other three are Archie Pretorius, Chris Nenzani, president of Border cricket president and Vuyo Ntswahlana, president of Eastern Province. The four independent members have all been involved in cricket over their careers: former convenor of selectors Rushdie Magiet; Shawn Christiansen, a former Western Province cricketer who works for the country’s labour dispute resolution body, the CCMA; former South African team manager Alan Jordaan; and Ashwin Desai, a sociologist who has worked on CSA committees previously.The restructure has already been given the thumbs up from the South African Cricketers’ Association who said they “want the administration of the game in the best hands”.The board did not announce any date for Majola’s hearing but stressed that the issue is at the top of their priority list. Majola has been suspended for as long as it takes to conduct the disciplinary the process.

MS Dhoni has admitted that five straight losses away from home have hit the self-belief of his side a bit, but that to write them off no-hopers on fast pitches would be premature

Sidharth Monga02-Jan-2012MS Dhoni, captain of the beleaguered Indian side in Australia, has admitted that five straight losses away from home have hit the self-belief of his side a bit, but said that to write them off no-hopers on fast pitches would be premature. Responding to Australia coach Mickey Arthur’s comments that his side had dealt India a few psychological blows, he said his side had hoped to make Australia “walk the walk” too.”That’s what you think [that India are not good in testing conditions],” Dhoni said. “If you see the kind of players we have got, that will be a very premature statement to make. What we have seen is, we have always bounced back and the Australian team will have to keep the pressure on the batting line-up and the bowlers. It’s just that we have not performed in the first Test, and we’ll look to improve in the second.”India’s ability to come back from early losses was the hallmark of the side that rose to the No. 1 ranking, but it went missing when under constant pressure in England. Dhoni noted that the big difference from that tour is that all players are fit. He also said it was important not to get bogged down after a poor year in Tests.”It does affect it [the belief] a bit, but it’s not something to get bogged down about because we all know the reasons as to what exactly happened,” Dhoni said. “You learn a lot from the mistakes you make so we are looking at the positives. In the last five Test matches abroad that we have lost, we have still had plenty of positives in those particular games.”One of his worries has been Gautam Gambhir’s form at the top. “Opening is a very crucial thing for us,” he said. “Whenever we have done well, we have relied a lot on the opening pair. We don’t really want to put pressure on the opening batsmen, because if you see, [Virender] Sehwag is the kind of batsman who loves to go out there and play his strokes and looks to put pressure on the opposition and in the same way, Gautam equally complements Sehwag because he’s someone who takes his time to get in. But if it’s in his area, he loves to play his strokes so overall, both the batsmen really complement each other, run really well between the wickets, so it’s not a big concern.”It’s always good to leave deliveries because initially it [the Kookaburra ball] does a bit more, and after the first 15 or 20 overs we have seen that it doesn’t do the same amount as the new ball does. That’s something we’re definitely working on, but again, you don’t want Virender Sehwag to leave too many balls because he’s someone who relishes his cut shot, so if it’s in his area he’ll play his shots.”Even in Australia, Sachin Tendulkar has hardly gone anywhere without being reminded of the 100th international hundred. Local papers feel it’s almost preordained for him to get it during the SCG Test, the 100th at the venue. Dhoni insisted it wasn’t putting any extra pressure on Tendulkar.”Well, he’s always close to a milestone,” Dhoni said. “If you see his career in the last three years, whatever he has done, somehow he has been very close to a milestone, whether he’s playing the most number of ODIs or Test matches or the 100th hundred or all the things. Playing for 21-22 years and being at the top always, it’s bound to happen. You’ll be overtaking all the records or, if not, there’ll be something you’re creating, so it’s not something that puts pressure on him.”I don’t think he personally thinks about it a lot. Of course, the quicker he achieves it, it will ease off whatever the so-called pressure is on him. He doesn’t really talk about it and it never feels as if he’s under any sort of pressure when it comes to scoring the 100th hundred.”Dhoni said the back-to-back Tests didn’t bother him. “Personally, I’ve been a big fan of less gaps between games because that helps to keep you glued to the cricket and to see exactly what’s happening . I think we’ve still got enough time between Test matches.”

A sizzling counterattack by New Zealand captain Ross Taylor produced a high-speed century that was the spark that led to an improved display from the visitors on the opening day of the second Test against India

The Report by Sharda Ugra31-Aug-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsRoss Taylor got to his hundred at over a run a ball•Associated PressA sizzling counterattack by New Zealand captain Ross Taylor produced a high-speed century that sparked an improved display from the visitors on the opening day of the second Test against India. At stumps, New Zealand, who had elected to bat, were 328 for 6. Led by Taylor’s incandescent 113, New Zealand’s batsmen had, in the course of a single day, scored more runs than they had in both innings in Hyderabad.Play was stopped due to bad light and eventually called off for the day about half an hour before the scheduled close, the umpires offering light to the batsman after Umesh Yadav bowled half of his first over with the second new ball. Kruger van Wyk and Doug Bracewell strode off, van Vyk batting on a deftly engineered 63 and Bracwell on 30. The two had found themselves at the crease after Taylor’s departure, and within an hour had put on 82 for the seventh wicket.Taylor’s seventh Test century formed the bulk of the New Zealand batting effort. It was buffeted by two fifties, one by Martin Guptill at the top of the order which ended in dismay and the other by keeper van Wyk. It ensured that New Zealand could dismiss the innings and 115-run defeat in Hyderabad as a nightmare that need not be repeated.After the departure of New Zealand’s top three batsmen before lunch, Taylor let his aggression and intent take over. It was a fearless innings, the runs scored both robustly and in fine style. Taylor slog swept Ashwin for six before the lunch interval and when he returned, cranked the scoring up a gear. The India bowlers were hit all around the Chinnaswamy Stadium, with lusty slog sweeps, crisp straight drives and spanking shots through cover. New Zealand, or rather Taylor, was scoring at nearly seven runs an over in the hour after lunch. The hardworking Ojha was punished with four boundaries in his second over after lunch, Zaheer for two including a disdainful straight drive in his second spell, Ashwin was guided fine down to the boundary past leg slip. Taylor got to his century in 99 balls, cutting Ojha to the point boundary and two balls later, hit him down the ground for his second six over long-off.For a captain who had a miserable first Test – losing the toss, dropping catches in slip and scoring nine in two innings – Taylor’s innings on Friday was a more just exhibition of his batting abilities. On New Zealand’s miserable tour of the West Indies in July, it was Taylor who had scored the sole New Zealand century, in the fourth ODI in St Kitts. New Zealand’s previous Test century had come six months ago from Kane Williamson in a drawn Test against South Africa in Wellington.Taylor’s innings lit up the Bangalore crowd that grew through the day; his aggressive mode of batting had also been welcomed at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, when he had played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL. The reception he received after his hundred against India, also, didn’t lack in either enthusiasm or warmth.Smart stats

Ross Taylor’s century is his seventh in Tests and his third against India. He is one among five New Zealand batsmen to score three Test centuries against India.

Taylor’s strike rate of 88.97 during his knock of 113 is his second-highest for a fifty-plus score. It is also the fifth-highest strike rate for a visiting batsman in India (centuries only).

The 107-run stand between Taylor and Daniel Flynn is the fourth-highest fourth-wicket stand for New Zealand against India. It is, however, their highest fourth-wicket stand in India.

The 82-run stand between Kruger van Wyk and Doug Bracewell is the fifth-highest seventh-wicket stand for New Zealand in India.

Pragyan Ojha, who picked up 4 for 90, became the first specialist Indian spinner to open the bowling in a Test. The last Indian spinner (non-regular spinner) to do so was ML Jaisimha in 1969.

New Zealand’s run-rate at the end of 80 overs (3.95) is the fourth-highest for a visiting team in Tests in India. The highest (80-over run-rate) is Australia’s 4.28 in Nagpur in 2004 followed by Sri Lanka’s 4.11 in Mumbai (Brabourne) in 2009.

It was vital for New Zealand that their batting continued forcefully, after Martin Guptill had shaken off the early dismissal of Brendon McCullum in the morning. Guptill played the aggressor in his 63-run second-wicket stand with Kane Williamson. After being troubled by Ojha and dropped off Zaheer on 17, Guptill found his groove, his innings resolute in judgement and positive in strokeplay. He struck three boundaries off Yadav in a single over and two off Zaheer, including a cracking backfoot drive through extra cover. Less than half an hour before lunch though, Ojha pulled in the fielders, tossed one up and lured Guptill. It was the perfect bait: the ball didn’t turn, Guptill’s intended shot on the on-side ended up in Gautam Gambhir’s hands at midwicket. Despite India’s slow bowling tradition, Ojha was the first specialist India spinner to open the bowling in a Test match, and took four of the six New Zealand wickets to fall today.Taylor, who owned the second session, was out in the fifth over after tea, forced to sweep against Ojha with the off side plugged. The ball was tossed up and Ojha hit Taylor in front of off and middle. His innings of 113 off 127 balls had slowed down only at the fall of Daniel Flynn’s wicket, bringing to an end New Zealand’s biggest partnership on this tour: 107 runs for the fourth wicket. Flynn had hung on gamely over an hour for 33, but for the third time in three innings, was leg before trying to sweep Ashwin. The loss of James Franklin – he hit a full toss from Ojha to a diving Suresh Raina at midwicket – had New Zealand stuttering at 215 for 5.But inspired by Taylor’s bold batsmanship, the undefeated 82-run seventh-wicket partnership between van Wyk and Bracewell added 32 runs in five overs following the captain’s departure. Van Wyk’s was an innings almost patented by chirpy, pocket-sized keepers; he was only 12 when Taylor was out and took charge, happy to have the quicker bowlers bowling at one end. Zaheer Khan was guided past slips, van Wyk taking 13 off the 16 balls he faced off him, and the quick-but-struggling Yadav went for 14 runs in six balls, including two fours an over. The partnership took New Zealand past 300, but they will be sobered by the knowledge that in the previous Test held in Bangalore in 2010, Australia had scored over 400 in their first innings and still lost.

Mohammedan Sporting Club confirmed a place in the second phase of the Dhaka Premier League with a 40-run win over Kalabagan Krira Chakra

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Nov-2013Mohammedan Sporting Club confirmed a place in the second phase of the Dhaka Premier League with a 40-run win over Kalabagan Krira Chakra. Ezaz Ahmed’s maiden List A hundred set up a formidable 305-run total.Ezaz hammered five fours and six sixes in his 120-ball 109 after they were sent in to bat by Kalabagan. He rode out the loss of two early wickets, after which he added 165 runs for the third wicket with Habibur Rahman, who made 64 off 85 balls with two fours and three sixes. Rahmat Shah blasted a 26-ball 42 which took the Mohammedan total past the 300-run mark.Kalabagan’s reply started well with Mithun Ali scoring 41, and Bilal Shafayet 43. Naeem Islam kept everything together with 82 off 83 balls with six boundaries, but found little support afterwards, with only Farhad Hossain making 25 off 23 balls.Mohammedan legspinner Rahmat Shah took five wickets while Delwar Hossain picked up two.

Sam Robson is a prolific young batsman but he will rarely face a less searching examination than a Warwickshire attack depleted by Lions calls and injuries

George Dobell at Edgbaston08-May-2013
ScorecardMiddlesex opener Sam Robson made his second century in as many innings•Getty ImagesIt is most unlikely that Sir Alex Ferguson has relinquished his position at Manchester United with a view to pursuing a career as a county cricketer. But, if he had done, he might be encouraged by what he saw at Edgbaston yesterday: on the strength of this, a 71-year-old Scotsman could yet take the new ball for the County Champions.Such is the paucity of options at Warwickshire at present that anyone with a pulse and bladder control will be considered if they have another injury. And they will compromise on those qualities if necessary.Quite what Ferguson would have made of his beloved Manchester United being devastated by call-ups to a B international during the Premier League season is anyone’s guess. It seems safe to assume that his reaction would not have been resigned and phlegmatic.Yet Warwickshire were obliged to go into this important Championship match – a match which pits the second-placed team in the table against last year’s champions – without so many first-choice players that the integrity of the event has been compromised.While no-one can do much about the raft of injuries Warwickshire have suffered, the decision to take three players away on Lions duty does seem punitive. To exacerbate the situation by allowing Steven Finn to play for Middlesex is simply rubbing salt in the wound. Middlesex, it should be noted, were also without Toby Roland-Jones (on Lions duty) and James Harris (injured).Few would dispute the value of the Lions programme. Players who have graduated from county to international cricket have spoken in glowing terms of the assistance the Lions scheme gave them in making the step-up in quality.Even fewer would dispute that Finn, who admits he “needed a bit more bowling,” should be involved in this game if it helps him go into the Test series against New Zealand in good form. The success of the England team is vital to the funding of county and recreational cricket and, within reason, everything that can be done to that end should be encouraged.But does scheduling Lions games in the middle of the Championship season really help? Or does it create as many problems as it solves? By creating another tier between domestic and international cricket, the Lions team is equally creating a greater divide between the two levels.Had the likes of Chris Wright and Chris Woakes been involved in this match, the Middlesex opener, Sam Robson, would surely have faced a more searching examination of his skills and, as a consequence, would have been better prepared for his possible future elevation to Test cricket. By weakening the Championship, the foundations of the England team, the ECB are actually creating a problem which the Lions then have to solve.There is a strong argument to suggest that Lions games should be limited to the off-season. Besides, quite what England will learn about Woakes from another Lions game – he has played 28 times for the Lions and 14 times for the full England side – remains unclear.Such was Warwickshire’s predicament before this game that serious consideration was given to selecting Neil Carter, who retired from county cricket at the end of last season (he continues to represent Scotland) and is currently in Birmingham staying with his old friend Jonathan Trott.Among the three Warwickshire first team players absent on England Lions duty are first-choice bowlers Chris Wright and Chris Woakes (opening batsman, Varun Chopra is the other player with the Lions). But Warwickshire are also missing their other new ball bowler Keith Barker to injury, while allrounder Rikki Clarke is recovering from injury and was able to bowl only four overs at a reduced pace.Potential replacements such as Oliver Hannon-Dalby, Chris Metters and Paul Best are also injured, as is their other opening batsman, Ian Westwood. But the spectacle of Jonathan Trott coming on to bowl the 15th over with his gentle medium-pace said it all: this Warwickshire side bears no comparison to the one that won the Championship title last season. The rain that fell shortly after tea came as merciful relief to Warwickshire.”We’re down to the bare bones,” Warwickshire’s director of cricket, Dougie Brown, said. “If we had one more injury, I’m not too sure what we would do.”In the light of such issues, Robson’s second century in successive Championship innings – his second in five days – does need to be put into context. He is, without doubt, a high-class player who has every chance of going on to play Test cricket. He has the technique, talent and temperament to flourish against good new-ball attacks and a love of batting that is the hallmark of some of the very best players. He drives, off front and back foot and on both sides of the wicket, beautifully, and leaves unusually well.The regularity with which he bats for whole days is testament to his desire and his concentration. This innings – his fifth score above 50 (two centuries and three half-centuries) in seven Championship innings takes his campaign average to a Bradman-esque 100.Like Bradman, Robson hails from New South Wales. Unlike Bradman, he has a mother from Nottinghamshire and, on the surface at least, has committed to playing for England. But, as things stand, Robson does not qualify for England until this time next year and until he actually represents England, he remains eligible for Australia. Bearing in mind the shallow reserves of young batting they currently have, it seems most remiss of them not to at least attempt to lure Robson back. In selecting 35-year-old Chris Rogers, not 23-year-old Robson, for the Ashes, they may well have picked the wrong Middlesex opener.There were a couple of uncomfortable moments for him. He was dropped on 73 by Clarke in the slips as he attempted to run one from Tom Milnes down to third man and, on 52, he was beaten by a brute of a ball from Boyd Rankin that took the shoulder of the bat and flew between the slips and gully for another four.That apart, this was surely the most straightforward of his seven first-class centuries. On a decent pitch offering decent pace and carry, Warwickshire over-pitched and, at times, struggled with their line. Tom Allin, a 25-year-old whose father Tony, played for Glamorgan, was making his first-class debut and bowled respectably without ever threatening; Milnes, 20-years-old and as green as the outfield, was taken for 32 from his opening four-over spell – over-pitching often; and Rankin, on a comeback from injury, failed to harness his considerable weapons often enough to create meaningful pressure.Rankin showed flashes of his menace, though. He caught Rogers a horrible blow on the elbow which caused a lengthy break for treatment and eventually made the breakthrough when the same batsman edged an attempted cut.Joe Denly fell when he came down the pitch and played for spin that was not there, while Dawid Malan was trapped leg before by a quicker one. It makes not a jot of difference if Malan was hard done-by – he clearly thought he was – but he can consider himself very fortunate if his show of dissent afterwards does not earn him penalty points from the ECB.But this was Robson’s day and, given the toothless nature of the attack, the good character of the pitch and his insatiable appetite for batting, and there is a fair chance that the second day might be as well.

Johannesburg and Durban will host India for an ODI and a Test each in December, while Centurion will also stage an ODI

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Oct-2013Johannesburg and Durban will host India for an ODI and a Test each in December, while Centurion will also stage a one-dayer. Cape Town has not received a single fixture in the itinerary for the three ODIs and two Tests, which the BCCI and Cricket South Africa announced today, ending months of uncertainty over India’s tour to South Africa.India will arrive in South Africa on December 2 and play the first ODI at the Wanderers on December 5. They will play a two-day game in Benoni after the one-dayers as a warm-up to the first Test, which begins on December 18, also at the Wanderers.”After the completion of our two Test matches against India we will have a further three Tests against Australia,” CSA president Chris Nenzani said. “This will allow all of our five premier Test match venues to host a five-day match. I would also like to assure all our stakeholders that we are working on plans to fill the gaps in our international itinerary for the 2013-14 season.”His remarks referred primarily to Cape Town missing out on a Test – Newlands traditionally hosts the traditional New Year’s Test, which has now been scrapped. A CSA spokesman said: “Because of the truncated nature of the tour it was necessary to centralise venues as much as possible. We are working on alternative plans to fill the gaps in our home international summer. This will not necessarily be at the New Year.”However, the decision seemed to have caught Western Province, the region where Cape Town is located.”To go from having Sachin Tendulkar’s 200th test to nothing is a big shock to us,” Andre Odendaal, CEO of Western Province, said. “We lose several million [rand] in revenue.”Fixtures

December 2 – India arrive in South Africa
December 5 – 1st ODI, Johannesburg
December 8 – 2nd ODI, Durban
December 11 – 3rd ODI, Centurion
December 14-15 – Two-day match, Benoni
December 18-22 – 1st Test, Johannesburg
December 26-30 – 2nd Test, Durban

One of the primary reasons the BCCI did not want India’s tour of South Africa to spill over into 2014 was the lack of a team sponsor. The current contract with Sahara ends on December 31 and neither Sahara nor the BCCI is keen on extending the decade-long association.Had India played a New Year’s Test in South Africa, the BCCI would have had to either request Sahara to continue as the sponsor for the entire series, or change sponsors midway. The Sahara option was not viable because of its dispute with the board, which resulted in the termination of the Pune Warriors IPL franchise.The itinerary announced today gave the BCCI a two-week window in January to invite and open bids for a new title sponsor between the South Africa and New Zealand tours. India are scheduled to leave for New Zealand on January 14.The shortened tour of South Africa will also allow the BCCI to keep their promise of giving the India players a break between two overseas tours, a point the board secretary Sanjay Patel had emphasised through the impasse with CSA. Some players will now also be able to play in the Ranji Trophy quarter-finals from January 8 to 12.While the BCCI didn’t mention the sponsorship issue during their negotiations with CSA, it has been learned that the players’ participation in Ranji Trophy quarter-finals was one of the reasons for India’s inability to play a New Year’s Test.That India would tour South Africa was confirmed only on October 21, ending an impasse that had begun in July, when CSA announced an itinerary that the BCCI objected to, claiming that the South African board had acted unilaterally.However, though there was no official statement, the sticking point seemed to be CSA’s appointment of Haroon Lorgat as its chief executive despite a series of run-ins between Lorgat and the BCCI during his tenure as ICC chief. CSA agreed that Lorgat would not be involved in affairs involving the BCCI and CSA until an independent investigation into the controversial comments made by the ICC’s former legal head David Becker, and Lorgat’s alleged role in it, was completed.