Day 2 Close Queensland Academy of Sport Invitation 201 and 153 for 7 (Payne 52, Kapali 4-24) lead Bangladesh 203 for 9 dec (Kapali 55, Hopes 4-35) by 151 runs ScorecardAlok Kapali starred with both bat and ball as Bangladesh gained a slight upperhand over Queensland Academy of Sport Invitation at the close of the second day’s play. In a low-scoring match which looks certain to end inside three days, Bangladesh declared their first innings at 203 for 9 – just two runs in the lead – and then restricted the Queensland side to 153 for 7.Kapali top-scored for Bangladesh, hitting six fours and a six in a spunky 55. Then, he caused plenty of damage with his legspinners, running through Queensland ASI’s middle order to return figures of 4 for 24.Resuming their innings at 86 for 3, Bangladesh were quickly reduced to 112 to 6, with James Hopes’s medium-pace doing most of the damage. He snared the first two wickets of the day, dismissing Al Sahariar (4) and Mohammad Ashraful (39). When Damien MacKenzie, right-arm fast-medium bowler, dismissed Sanwar Hossain for 6, a Bangladesh lead looked unlikely, but Kapali and Khaled Masud, the wicketkeeper, stitched together a 60-run partnership for the seventh wicket which put the innings back on track.Kapali was finally dismissed by Hopes, who finished with figures of 4 for 35, but Bangladesh managed to sneak ahead of the Queensland ASI total.The Queensland team’s opening pair saw off Bangladesh’s new-ball attack, adding 54 for the first wicket, but the problems for the home team began soon after. Despite a spirited 52 from Daniel Payne, the right-handed opener, Queensland ASI lost wickets at regular intervals. Kapali ripped through the middle order, and among his victims was Nathan Hauritz (9) and Payne.The eighth-wicket pair of MacKenzie and Lee Carseldine saw off the last six overs, but Bangladesh still had reason to be pleased. If their batsmen keep their wits about them, Bangladesh could well make a winning start to their Australian tour.
Teenage batsman Bilal Shafayat has become the first player to graduate from the new Nottinghamshire Cricket Academy by signing a three-year staff contract with the club.The 17-year-old Nottingham-born A level student was offered the deal aftermaking a hugely impressive start to his first team career this summer.Said Notts Cricket Operations Manager Mick Newell: “We are very happy to getBilal on board. We know he has a lot of potential and expect him to make a big impact at Notts in future years.”Shafayat was one of 14 inaugural members of the Notts Academy and this season became the only 16-year-old ever to represent the club in Championship cricket.He scored 72 in his maiden first class innings against Middlesex andsubsequently played in two more Championship matches as well as five NorwichUnion League games.Currently a sixth form student at Bluecoat School, in Aspley, Shafayat is due to travel to Australia and New Zealand after Christmas to play for England in the Under-19 World Cup and will join the Notts staff full-time on completion of his A¹ level exams.Three more Notts players, Andrew Harris, Richard Logan and Darren Bicknell have all agreed contract extensions to keep them at Trent Bridge until the end of 2003.
Virat Kohli’s 23rd ODI century – in only his 157th innings – was the cornerstone of India’s series-levelling victory in Chennai and it was also a sign of his evolution as a batsman according to captain MS Dhoni.”Virat is somebody, right from the very start – and not today, I’m talking about the ODIs when he started – he was always someone who was very keen on improving his game,” Dhoni said after the win. “And even when he would get out scoring a 60 or a 70, he wanted to convert it into a hundred.”Just watching how he plays his 50 to 60 and 100 to 110 – because a lot of times these are the brackets where you see a lot of batsmen getting out – so once he crosses that, with the kind of mindset he has he will always play a big innings.”On the surface Kohli’s 138 off 140 balls implies an innings that befits the pace of modern cricket. But it was achieved using old-fashioned values. He was back at No. 3 and was forced onto the scene in the fifth over. Then in the eighth he watched another wicket fall to leave India at 35 for 2.The new ball zipped off the Chennai pitch, so Kohli had to mind the bounce on offer. Later on, as the ball got older and softer, he had to adjust from weathering the pace on the ball to making the pace himself. This is one-day cricket after all and runs need to be made at a fair clip.But that doesn’t necessarily mean it had to come from flashy strokes. Kohli, as per the team’s strategy, fed his innings through singles and twos. They accounted for 84 (66 singles, nine twos) of his 138, a whopping 61%. He kept the ball along the ground. He trusted a strength – his wrists – and subsequently a lot of his runs came through on-drives and flicks to square leg and midwicket. He was severely efficient against spin – 77 off 62 balls faced from Imran Tahir and Aaron Phangiso.”I felt he was rotating the strike really well and again the important thing is when you play such a long innings, the middle overs when you put pressure on the fielders is the key,” Dhoni said. “You can’t play a big innings by playing only the big shots. With the amount of heat that’s around, you have to put pressure on the bowlers especially when they are fielding out on the boundary and that’s how you get them tired.”When they come to bowl their second spell or third spell they will commit that error and give you a few balls to hit. I felt he is very good that way and he was just brilliant when it comes to pacing his innings and how he played the full quota of overs.”One-day cricket in India is no longer the same as it once was. Slower pitches are not readily conducive to hit through the line. The extra fielder – five as opposed to four – on the boundary allows fielding sides to restrict the flow of runs even in the death and South Africa’s tall and extremely pacy bowlers have been able to extract reverse swing as well. So Dhoni felt this knock was a clear sign of Kohli’s evolution from when Australia visited India in 2013, when Kohli clinched the record for the fastest ODI ton by an Indian.”Also if you see, the wickets have been very different. You can compare his hundreds to the hundreds he scored in the Australian series. There was a bit of dew, the ball was coming on nicely to the bat and it was big-scoring games – we chased down 350 twice – so that’s why I felt it was an important innings because on a slow wicket what happens is the batsman who is set will always find it slightly easy when compared to the new batsman coming in and playing the big shots.”However, with AB de Villiers in the opposition nothing can be taken for granted. Moreover, India were without R Ashwin, whom Dhoni called “his main bowler.” But Harbhajan Singh made sure India’s attack was not bereft of threat.The old loop is back. The drift away from the right-hander is palpable. Harbhajan produced a beautiful offspinner that beat a fluent Quinton de Kock in the air and had him caught at second slip. Then he set up another left-hander in David Miller by sneaking the arm ball through and trapping him in front.Although they were only two wickets, Dhoni from behind the stumps, could see Harbhajan’s rhythm was very good.”At times we always assess bowling in terms of wickets. If somebody is getting wickets we say he is bowling well,” Dhoni said. “But a lot of times, and especially being a keeper, you have the advantage of seeing what the bowler is doing, seeing what he is extracting off the wicket. I think he is bowling really well.”Losing Ashwin right at the start of the series, that is a big blow because especially in these conditions he is our main bowler. I can use him in the first ten, I can use him in the middle overs, I can use him in the slog, wherever I have to he is always there. That did put a bit of pressure on me.”But it was good that Harbhajan, the way he has bowled so far in the series, that eases a bit of pressure because I can use him in the first ten, couple of overs in the first 10, then today also I used him in the last few close to the 40th over onwards. He has eased off the pressure.”
Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart has maintained that his side can still win the Premier League title.
The Etihad Stadium outfit have had a blip in form and are now five points behind leaders Manchester United, but the England international is refusing to give up just yet and wants a win against Wolves this weekend.
“There is no point in us turning up on Sunday if the title race is over,” he told Sky Sports.
“We’ve still got to believe, we’ve still got to fight for every single point available.
“I don’t think Roberto Mancini means that the season is over. I think he is just trying to play it down a little bit and let us get on with what we need to do. There is no way any of us would give up until it is mathematically impossible.
“I know three of them definitely can be overturned – that is in our hands.
“Other than that, we’ve got to rely on other teams. We can only battle away and try and win every game and hope that United slip up,” he concluded.
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Glasgow Rangers have reportedly thrashed out a deal to sign Israeli striker, Toner Hemed.
The player’s representatives has apparently agreed personal terms with the club and the Maccabi Haifa star will fly into Glasgow to undergo a medical ahead of a free transfer to the Scottish giants in the next few days.
Hemed, who recently made his debut for the Israel national team in the recent Euro qualifier against Latvia, is keen to work for McCoist who he describes as one of the “great strikers in football.”
“I am excited by the prospect of signing for such a big club as Rangers and playing under a manager like Ally McCoist,” Hemed told the Daily Record.
“He is someone I very much admired in the past as one of the great strikers in football.
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“I believe if I got the chance to work with him he can develop my game further.”
Sunderland defender Phil Bardsley has signed a new long-term contract that will keep him with Steve Bruce's team until the end of the 2013-14 campaign.
The 25-year-old Scotland international's previous deal was due to expire at the end of this season but he has produced some of the best performances of his career this term.
Bruce said:"Obviously there's a decision myself and the board have had to make and, to be fair to Phil, he's done very, very well.
"The last thing we wanted to do was to let Phil run into a Bosman situation. He has played his part, he is a valuable member of the squad and he has been rewarded for that."
Bardsley added:"I'm delighted to be able to stay. Talks have been ongoing over the last couple of weeks and I'm really pleased to be here for the next three-and-a-half years.
"It's a club which I enjoy being at, I love living up here, the lads and everything about being here. Being part of the manager's plans is great and I'm enjoying my football."
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Bardsley has made 81 appearances for the Black Cats, having started his career at Manchester United.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Footballers are never people to shy away from the limelight, as they’re more than happy to have all the attention on them. From ridiculous haircuts to striking tattoos, as long as the crowd are looking at them, then they’ve got all the ammunition they need to go about wowing their supporters. Over the last decade or so, the easiest way to draw the attention of everyone in the crowd is with garish, eye-catching football boots.
It is all about making your boots you own, which is what you can do with the Converse Demin Collection…
Long gone are the days when having black football boots was the norm. In fact, black boots was all you could previously get, but now you’re seen to be a little bit boring, a middle of the road type character, if you don’t have the most colourful boots around.
Having colourful boots marks you out as being a flair player, or at least someone who has a lot of belief in their ability, a big ego if you like. It also marks you out to the opposition as someone who thinks they’re God on the pitch and as a result you can expect a few tasty tackles now and again.
Football boots don’t come much more colourful than the ones that current Sunderland and ex-Arsenal strike Nicklas Bendtner used to wear. His pink boots became infamous and his ability certainly didn’t match up to the boots. However, they did go to a good cause as he raised funds for a Danish cancer foundation by selling them on eBay.
More recently Tottenham left back Benoit Assou-Ekotto has gained notoriety, not necessarily for the colour of his boots, but for the fact that he wore odd boots that didn’t match. Was he doing this to be different? Did he want to stand out from the crowd?
No, it was simply a practical reason as he explained to Mirror Football: “I bought two pairs – one blue and one white. After three days, one of them split; and because I don’t have a sponsor, I wasn’t going to throw away a shoe that is brand new. So I took one of the other colour and played like that.”
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Ladder leaders Guangzhou salvaged a 1-1 draw with Changchun Yatai in the highlight of Sunday’s Chinese Super League action.Guangzhou went into the match undefeated while Changchun had managed just one win from eight matches.
But that did not deter the visitors as they took the game to Guangzhou at the Tianhe Stadium and grabbed a 30th-minute opener through Dori.
The visitors fought valiantly throughout the match and seemed to be heading for an important three points, only to be denied in the 88th minute.
Muriqui produced the equaliser, a goal which sees Guangzhou sit two points clear at the top of the league.
Hangzhou Lucheng could have overtaken Guangzhou on top but remain fourth after they were beaten 2-1 at home by Tianjin Teda.
Tianjin, who qualified through the group stages of the AFC Champions League, took the lead on the stroke of half-time through Yu Dabao.
But Du Wei responded for Hangzhou midway through the second half and the hosts looked to press for a winner.
Instead of coming up with all three points though, Hangzhou went home with nothing after Han Yanming struck a dramatic injury-time goal.
In other matches, goals to Zheng Long and Song Long helped Liaoning Hongyun to a 2-0 triumph over Qingdao Jonoon while Cristian Danalache’s first-half goal saw Jiangsu Shuntian beat Shaanxi Chanba 1-0.
Three goals in the last 30 minutes, two of which came from Han Peng, gave Shandong Luneng a 3-0 away win at Dalian Shide, while strugglers Nanchang Bayi and Henan Jianye played out a goalless draw.
Karim Benzema has ruled out all talk of a potential January swap deal involving Wayne Rooney.
Ever since Rooney declared that his long term future will be away from Old Trafford; speculation has been rife within the media about his next move. Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City have all been mooted as potential destinations for United’s No.10, as has Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid, who according to reports in Spain are preparing to use Karim Benzema as bait in order to lure Rooney to the Bernabeu in January.
However the French striker confirmed that he is not interested in leaving Real Madrid in the distant future and is determined to prove his worth at the Bernabeu.
“It’s only normal that players are linked to Real Madrid. This is a great team,
“Ferguson is a fantastic coach, but I play for Real Madrid.
“I feel more integrated now. My Spanish is better and I understand almost everything. I love Madrid.
“I am working hard to earn more playing time,
“Once I play people will see what I am capable of. I am sure I will succeed with Real Madrid. I don’t have a single doubt.
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“I have the mindset to play here. If I have to defend and run, I will. That is fine. I will work harder to play more and to prove to everyone that I am a good forward that can score a lot of goals and play pretty football.” (SkySports)
Karim Benzema has scored 10 goals in 41 appearances since his £30m move from Lyon back in 2009.
The first phrase uttered by Andre Villas-Boas upon his unveiling as the new messiah, tasked with reigniting Chelsea’s journey towards European domination. Despite an equally impressive record at Porto, he was keen to distance himself from his Portuguese predecessor.
There were no brash claims of superiority, instead he wanted “to create a dynamic group of everybody getting together.” Villas-Boas clearly understood the challenge ahead of him, but a constant struggle to exert himself in the dressing room has meant he is still the ‘self-effacing one’ rather than the ‘special one’.
Fast forward exactly eight months and Chelsea find themselves licking their wounds after a humbling defeat in Naples. The front three of Cavani, Hamsik and the sublime Lavezzi tore a Terry-less Chelsea defence apart with their intricate movement and deadly speed on the counter attack. The Blues failed to inflict the same misery on a equally susceptible Napoli backline, which has often been the case in front of goal this season.
It’s clear that alongside assistant manager Roberto Di Matteo there’s a potential to succeed, both have a deep understanding of the game but they both fail to create that presence on the touchline. AVB’s trademark crouch merely creates the effect of a man trying desperately to hide from the glaring spotlight.
Yet it’s evident that the landmark Chelsea figures are yearning for the return of Jose Mourinho, with reports of constant communication via text message serving only to fuel speculation. AVB strikes me as Mourinho without the bravado, a blessing for the neutral supporter but it means the egos at Chelsea are starved of the confidence Jose used to inspire within them. Regardless, how can a manager make his mark on a team of unprofessional professionals?
Club captain John Terry is without question the Braveheart character of the Chelsea backline and his performances this season have proven he can still go toe to toe with the very best. However, on more than one occasion the skipper has looked over to the bench and slung his arms up in air, an apparent act of despair as his defensive counterparts fail to match his expectations. A sign of understandable annoyance or immature petulance?
Frank Lampard sits alongside Terry as a key figure in the dressing room but he has endured much of this season as a spectator, which has won AVB few fans. Idolised on the terraces Lampard’s exclusion from the first team has left a severe lack of creativity in the heart of midfield. AVB is clearly making a point with his omission of Lampard, perhaps shining a light on his attitude in training or his reluctance to adapt his game at the manager’s discretion.
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Didier Drogba is no longer the pedigree racehorse that used to strut around the pitch at Stamford Bridge. His vast arrogance was usually tolerated as he swept aside any defensive pairing with his brute force and clinical eye for goal. Nowadays his pace and first touch appear to be filtering away, which has seen him drift to the wing in search of a timid, young full back, and to presumably keep Fernando Torres company. Napoli’s vulnerable rearguard would have been easy prey for the Ivorian in his prime but alongside Kalou and Malouda, Drogba has failed to recreate his exceptional and uncompromising performances for his new manager.
Although Drogba has dismissed reports that he wrestled the team talk from AVB at half time against Birmingham. The fact that these stories are emerging speaks volumes about the growing unrest at the club. Perhaps the best way to encourage this underperforming team is for the senior players to get behind AVB, both on the pitch as well as in the papers. I can’t imagine the likes of Rio and Rooney chipping in with their two cents after Fergie is done talking. Player power is rife at Chelsea and needs to be subdued before the club can move forward.
Perhaps the biggest ego in the dressing room sits at the top the tree, Roman Abramovich often sees fit to berate his team after every unconvincing performance. No good has ever come from a chairman interfering with the managers role at the club. What he should be doing is publically backing his expensive manager, rather than have the poor man answer questions about his future during every single interview. This sends a clear message to the fans and the press that he is here to stay, and would no doubt force a reaction out of any disgruntled players.
In AVB’s defence he has sought to remove the disruptive elements from his squad by putting the inconsistent Alex on the Eurostar to Paris whilst sending the infamous Le Sulk half way round the world to China. The January window provided an ample opportunity to address Chelsea’s defensive frailties but the apparent refusal to throw new signing Gary Cahill straight into an ailing defence would suggest this was another example of Roman’s influence on the team.
This brings me onto former-and-yet-current Genk winger Kevin de Bruyne, “a target decided by the club” who cost a reported £9m. Why an earth wasn’t that money given to Villas-Boas to fund one or two loan deals or a move for the likes of Chris Samba, who would almost certainly provide a solution (albeit short-term) to their fragile defence.
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The senior Chelsea players appear incapable of falling in line behind a man who’s shared a similar number of birthdays. Chelsea’s brightest lights have been the fresh-faced Sturridge, Mata and Ramires who are ten years younger than AVB not ten months. A quick glance at the Porto squad who enjoyed so much success under AVB, reveals just one player over the age of 30. That Player was goalkeeper Helton Arruda and we all know they get better with age. Is this evidence of an ill thought out decision by Abramovich, bringing an inexperienced individual to manage an ageing team, clouded by his desire to replicate the success under Jose Mourinho?
AVB has two main options, either succumb to the growing murmurs around him and stick with his established professionals or hail a new dawn by putting faith in the next generation. I for one would much rather see the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Daniel Sturridge spearhead the Chelsea attack rather than the impotent duo of Torres and Drogba. I mean, they can hardly score fewer goals can they?
Perhaps it’s time for Roman to shift his allegiance from his seasoned internationals to the young prospects that will help form the future of Chelsea football club. Only time will tell whether he includes AVB in that vision.
Did AVB pick the right team against Napoli? What changes would you implement ahead of Saturday’s must win game against Bolton? Leave a comment below or find me on Twitter @theunusedsub