Jamie How, who will captain New Zealand in the first two tour games in England next month, said leading the team would be a great honour, but he has talked down his chances of being next in line behind Daniel Vettori. Five players have been given permission to join the tour late to appear in the Indian Premier League and How will be in charge for the first week.”It’s obviously an honour, but I am the first to admit there’s a massive chunk of experience missing from the side with the guys away playing in the IPL,” How told . “Half the team is away. It’s a pretty unique circumstance but it’s great the selectors have the confidence in me to do the job in the first couple of games.”Vettori, Brendon McCullum, Ross Taylor, Jacob Oram and Kyle Mills will be missing from the national team while undertaking their lucrative Twenty20 duties. How, a top-order batsman who has played in nine Tests, said there was no pressing need to consider future full-time leaders.”There’s a lot of water to go under the bridge before I would ever be considered a possible captain of this side,” he said. “Let’s not forget that both Dan and Brendon are young guys despite the fact they’ve played a lot of cricket.”Everyone dreams of playing for New Zealand and I guess one day captaining New Zealand would be the ultimate. That’s a long way down the track and I’m still primarily focused on securing my spot.”Richard Hadlee, the chairman of selectors, said the move was a “stop-gap measure” and How was the logical choice. “Jamie is starting to cement his place in the side now,” Hadlee said, “and hopefully he can handle the two roles for a short period of time.”
In terms of ratio, the civilian population and hence the cricketers of theFalkland Islands are amongst the most protected in the world.Just 35 miles from the British overseas territory’s capital, Stanley, around2000 members of the British Armed Forces at Mount Pleasant Military Basestand ready in case Argentina seeks a 20 year anniversary reinactment of itsinvasion of the South Atlantic outcrop, protecting a population of 2,800.The ‘Civvies’ demonstrate their gratitude by usually losing the biggestevent in Falkland Islands cricket, the annual South Seas Ashes match betweenthe Governor’s XII and the Combined British Forces XIIThe 2002 version took place last month under the keen observation ofterritorial Governor, Mr. Donald Lamont and a smattering of players’ friends& relatives.The Mount Pleasant Oval Cricket Ground, with matting laid over a cementpitch, is situated at the Army base of the same name. It is arguably theworld’s second most southerly cricket venue, after Chile’s Punta Arenas(although it may rank third if rumours of an annual match at the Mawson Basein Antartica are true).The 2002 South Seas Ashes match got underway with CBF XII captain, FlightLieutenant, Dave Howey winning the toss and electing to bowl.The ‘Civvies’ found the military discipline of British Forces opening attackof Phillips and Farr overwhelming, the pair bowling very tightly to have theGovernor’s XI reeling at 25-4 after the first 10 overs.It was left to Welsh born power station worker and alleged wildlifeexpert/conservationist, Mike Bingham, to stop the procession of wickets andthanks to him the Governor’s XI avoided lowering their previous lowest totalof 63 to finish 77 all out in 26 overs.Bingham’s 35 was the second highest individual score in the 10 year historyof the South Seas Ashes. He received support from Mike Barton with 11.The Civilian pace attack then embarked on a first innings total defencewhich initally resembled Western Australia’s famous Gillette Cup semi-finalwin in 1976 protecting just 76.Barrister, Richard Marlor, aided by Barton, Steve Tyldsley, and Bradfieldreduced the British Forces to 22-5 in 12 overs. Marlor was to finish withthe figures of 5-1-5-3.Alas, there was to be no Dennis Lillee-like performance to finish the jobfor the Governor’s XII at Mt. Pleasant last month and the British Forcesproceeded to the target without losing another wicket in the 21st over.Health (31) and Green (11) led the recovery for the British Forces.Most personnel of the British Forces are stationed in the Falklands for afour month tour of duty, so like many non-Test countries and territories,the game’s true health is reflected in the performance of the permanentresidents.The progressive Falkland Islands Cricket Association (FICA), keenly aware ofthat, has linked up with the International Cricket Council’s DevelopmentProgramme, and is hoping an ICC representative can visit next year.FICA officials are planning a tour to Puntas Arenas on the turbulent Straitsof Magellan and are seeking a fortnight long visit from a First Class coachnext southern summer to complement their development work with juniors.
Another learning experience? Give me a chance with that foolishness, you hear?In the aftermath of the West Indies tour of New Zealand, now is definitely not the time for the empty platitudes about absorbing the lessons of the latest disappointments, or that ever-popular ditty about leaving those setbacks in the past and looking forward to the next series.Even in the midst of a 4-1 whipping in the one-dayers and a 2-0 loss in the Tests, there have been encouraging signs. But those signs will not lead to real long-term progress unless everyone of influence in West Indies cricket is prepared to take the action necessary to build on whatever has been achieved during the seven weeks in the sport’s furthest frontier.Yes, there is a World Cup looming on the horizon. Yet even if it seems that any and everything being done in the region at the moment has some association with that monumental event less than a year away, the fact of the matter is that everything else in West Indies cricket does not come to a grinding halt until after that extravaganza is completed on April 28, 2007.Zimbabwe, whatever their internal troubles, are due here at the end of the month for five one-day internationals. They will want to show they are emerging from the mire that has resulted in their self-imposed suspension from Test cricket for a year.India, the increasingly aggressive power-brokers of the game, follow the southern Africans for another five ODIs followed by four Tests.With Trinidad and Tobago’s historic World Cup finals appearance coinciding with the Test series, it will be understandable if most attention here is focussed on the global footballing showpiece in Germany in June rather than on the cricketing contests in Antigua, St Lucia, St Kitts and Jamaica.Last year, there was no World Cup to divert attention, yet fans stayed away by the thousands for Pakistan’s Tests at Kensington Oval and Sabina Park. Caribbean impatience, frustration and anger had long been tempered by the conviction that somehow, sometime soon the beloved regional team would halt its steep decline since 1995 and begin the long journey back to respectability.Now that conviction has been replaced by widespread cynicism and, worse still, an increasing disinterest. To have to endure defeat after embarrassing defeat is bad enough. But for those losses to be cast against a backdrop of an administration crippled in debt, locked in a damagingly divisive sponsorship dispute with the players and-as ever-wracked by self-serving internal wrangling presented a repulsive image that forced many to turn away in disgust.And yet, after all of that, the West Indies could have come away from New Zealand with a shared Test series if they had held their nerve in Auckland, and what a tremendous lift to the spirit that would have given. That it didn’t happen, that the hugely advantageous positions in the one-dayers in Queenstown and Christchurch were not converted into victories, should confirm once and for all that this is not so much an issue of ability but mental toughness, of learning how to win again after a decade of relentless licks.Cultivating that habit once more on the field, and in the boardroom, requires strong leadership. How much more evidence is needed before it is realised that Shivnarine Chanderpaul has been harnessed with a burden he is incapable of carrying and, even worse, has taken an obvious toll on his ability to contribute with the bat?Who really believes that the hasty assessment of Bennett King, the head coach and his Australian staff was anything other than a smokescreen to divert attention from the captaincy issue?That the West Indies Cricket Board should commission such a useless, indeterminate exercise-on the eve of a tour of all times-suggests that Ken Gordon is as helpless as any other recent president in effecting real change in an organisation that continues to be populated at its decision-making level by members who see no further than the boundaries of their own constituencies.There is no quick fix, with King, Gus Logie or any other coach for that matter. But getting the ship back on course requires people at the helm who are agreed on the direction they should be heading.That direction must be towards rediscovering the commitment, discipline, dedication and pride that has defined West Indies cricket, until recently, as a standard to be admired, romanticised and emulated.Brian Lara’s berating of the New Zealand media for what he perceived to be their disrespect of West Indies cricket might have been justified. However, if the truth be told, the apparent disdain for the current team is due in large part to the fact that many of the local writers covering the tour were shocked and saddened by the performances of a team that was a pale reflection of a revered legacy.The organisers of the 2007 World Cup speak often of the legacy of state-of-the-art infrastructure and administrative efficiency as one of the most meaningful rewards of the event. But systems and structures are essentially hollow without pride and passion.As with any other endeavour that we hold dear to our hearts, it is the people who make the difference. People who can lead. People who can inspire.Real leaders. This is what we need to make a real difference in West Indies cricket.
Shoaib Akthar has expressed his disappointed after being excluded from the Pakistan squad for the West Indies tour and has hit back at the selectors, saying he was not given a chance to prove his fitness before the team was picked.”I am very upset and disappointed that they have not picked me for the West Indies tour,” Shoaib told , a Mumbai-based tabloid. “Missing the Indian tour due to injury was a big blow for me and I was very keen to make a comeback in this series. They could at least have called me and asked me to go through a proper fitness test and medical check-up before taking a decision.”Shoaib, 29, was not part of the 17-member squad announced on Monday, despite showing an impressive return to form with 5 for 23 in a Twenty20 game, as the selectors felt he was overweight and needed more time to regain full match fitness. However, he felt that the selectors’ assessment was a bit over the top. “I don’t think I am overweight,” he said. “It is just that I have not played enough first-class games since recovering from my injury because the domestic season has come to an end. But in the matches that I have played I have bowled my full overs and taken wickets.”
Bangladesh have won the final of the Under-19 Plate Championship, after edging out the overwhelming favourites Australia by eight runs in a thrilling match at Fatullah.After batting first, Bangladesh posted an impressive total of 257 for 9, thanks to a rock-solid start from their top-three batsmen, Nafis Iqbal, Naeem Islam and Aftab Ahmed, all of whom scored half-centuries. The lower-order couldn’t quite build on that start, but it proved to be sufficient as Enamul Haque sliced through Australia’s batting with 5 for 31, including two wickets in the decisive final over.Over 15,000 fans provided continuous vocal support for the Bangladeshis, with a pulsating rhythm of beating drums adding to the atmosphere. Throughout the tournament Bangladesh had been bowling well but it was their batting that had let them down. When it mattered most, however, every aspect clicked together.After winning the toss and batting first, Nafis and Naeem got Bangladesh off to a dream start, putting on 124 for the first wicket before Nafis was caught and bowled by Stephen O’Keefe for 59. Islam went on to a well-paced 66 before being bowled by Australia’s captain, Tim Paine, but Aftab maintained the tempo with 57 from 58 balls. With 10 overs to go, Bangladesh were 204 for 2 and motoring.But inevitably, Australia fought back in the closing overs, with five different bowlers picking up wickets. Even so, Bangladesh’s total was – on paper – ample. No side in the tournament had successfully chased 250, and at 108 for 5 in the 27th over, Australia looked dead and buried.But then Ahillen Beadle and Stephen O’Keefe rallied Australia, as the nerves set in for Bangladesh’s bowlers. Both men passed fifty to tilt the balance in Australia’s favour, but then three run-outs in four balls changed the match. It plunged Australia from 233 for 5 to 235 for 8 and suddenly they needed 23 runs from 15 balls.But Enamul, who made his Test debut against England last year, held his nerve to wrap up a sensational victory. However, Bangladesh’s Australian coach Richard McInnes refused to get carried away. “Once we realized we weren’t going to make it to the Super League we wanted to make sure we won the Plate Championship,” said McInnes. “To be honest I thought we should have scored more runs than we did, but 180 for 2 was a new situation for us and we will learn from it for the future.”At one stage it looked like it might be a repeat of the New Zealand game and in the middle overs we didn’t bowl well, but I’m pleased to say that this time we managed to win the match with some very good fielding and bowling at the death.”Australia’s coach Bennett King was full of praise for the victors. “Congratulations to Bangladesh, they played well. It was a high pressure situation and it could have gone either way and on this occasion we lost the match,” he said. “We have several promising players but they’ve still got a lot to learn.”
Test batsman Misbah-ul-Haq played a sterling knock as Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) inched towards a semifinal berth in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Cricket Championship at National Stadium on Thursday.By close of an enthralling third day’s play in this quarterfinal, KRL led by 185 runs with six wickets still standing after National Bank of Pakistan (NBP)’s left-arm fast bowler Zahid Saeed grabbed three wickets in 26 balls at the start of KRL’s second innings.Having obtained a slender but vital 16-run lead on the first innings, KRL lost Mohammad Ramzan, who carried his bat for 110 in the first innings, Saeed Anwar Junior and Intikhab Alam before Misbah joined Saeed bin Nasir to restore parity in a fourth-wicket partnership of 89.All three of Zahid’s victims were out in almost identical fashion, taken behind by Test wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal. Kamran, however, blotted his excellent work by giving KRL skipper Ali Naqvi a life in the final hour of the day. This error may cost NBP dearly on the last day.NBP are certain to be without Imran Nazir’s services on Friday. Imran badly gashed his right hand while fielding in the slips. The injury necessitated a couple of stitches.One failed to understand the logic behind Imran standing close to the bat. Normally in Tests and One-day Internationals he has had been fielding in the point region, where he is arguably the best fieldsman in the country.Misbah continued his prolific run with the willow this season by confidently helping himself to 70 not out in almost three hours. Unperturbed by several unnecessary appeals by NBP fielders, the upright right-hander displayed the kind of assurance that earned him Pakistan colours not long ago.Saeed bin Nasir also caught the eye with a fine contribution of 44 before he was harshly adjudged LBW by Test umpire Athar Zaidi. That ball from medium-pacer Mohammad Javed was heading outside the leg-stump.The 110-minute stand between Saeed and Misbah not only revived KRL’s flagging innings but also ensured a tense day’s play on Friday when NBP will be pressing for victory against heavy odds.Misbah, who has so far hit 11 boundaries, holds the key because KRL, currently 169 for four, are still not of the woods at this stage.Earlier, NBP added 61 more runs to their overnight score of 190 for seven with all-rounder Yasir Arafat taking all three wickets with his brisk medium-pacers to finish with five for 74.Naumanullah, on whose broad shoulders NBP’s hopes rested, scored seven more before he was caught in the slips for 67. Mohammad Javed struck some lusty blows until he was brilliantly held at second slip by Misbah for 34.ScoreboardKRL (1st Innings) 267 (Mohammad Ramzan 110 not out; Shabbir Ahmed 5-93);NATIONAL BANK (1st Innings, overnight 190-7):Salman Butt c Zulfiqar b Ali Naqvi 13Hanif-ur-Rehman c Misbah b Asif 6Shahid Anwar lbw b Asif 10Naumanullah c Ramzan b Yasir 67Sajid Ali c Yasir b Ali Naqvi 4Imran Nazir c Zulfiqar b Yasir 21Kamran Akmal c Intikhab b Asif 49Imran Javed c Saeed Jr b Yasir 10Mohammad Javed c Misbah b Yasir 34Zahid Saeed not out 12Shabbir Ahmed c Zulfiqar b Yasir 5EXTRAS (B-1, LB-12, W-1, NB-6) 20TOTAL (all out, 102 overs) 190FALL OF WKTS: 1-10, 2-31, 3-31, 4-46, 5-67, 6-158, 7-185, 8-208, 9-233.BOWLING: Jaffar Nazir 12-1-38-0 (1nb); Mohammad Asif 32-12-49-3 (1nb); Yasir Arafat 24-3-74-5 (4nb), 1w); Ali Naqvi 25-12-42-2; Naeem Akhtar 8-2-35-0.KRL (2nd Innings):Mohammad Ramzan c Kamran b Zahid 1Saeed Anwar Jr c Kamran b Zahid 2Intikhab Alam c Kamran b Zahid 9Saeed bin Nasir lbw b M. Javed 44Misbah-ul-Haq not out 70Ali Naqvi not out 21EXTRAS (LB-7, W-5, NB-10) 22TOTAL (for four wkts, 50 overs) 169FALL OF WKTS: 1-3, 2-9, 3-30, 4-119.BOWLING (to-date): Shabbir Ahmed 14-2-51-0 (1nb, 1w); Zahid Saeed 14-2-39-3 (4nb); Mohammad Javed 12-0-40-1 (3nb); Imran Javed 10-1-32-0 (2nb)
According to reports in The Sunday Mirror, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp wants to sign £60m-rated Napoli playmaker Lorenzo Insigne if Philippe Coutinho does join Barcelona before the transfer window slams shut at the end of the month.
What’s the word, then?
Well, Coutinho showed his desire to leave the Reds by handing in a transfer request on Friday and even though the Merseyside outfit had earlier released a statement saying he wouldn’t be sold, it remains to be seen whether that situation could change with The Sunday Mirror saying that the Brazilian expects to get his move away.
The Sunday Mirror says that if Liverpool could bank around £100m for the Barcelona target, that they would be able to make a move for Insigne, who Klopp is a long-term admirer of.
The report adds that the Serie A giants have insisted that the 26-year-old is not for sale ahead of their Champions League campaign and bid to win the Italian top flight title.
How did Insigne do last season?
Football Soccer – Real Madrid v Napoli – UEFA Champions League Round of 16 First Leg – Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain – 15/2/17 Napoli’s Lorenzo Insigne celebrates scoring their first goal Reuters / Susana Vera Livepic
The Italy international was one of Napoli’s stand-out performers as they could only secure a third-place finish in Serie A behind Juventus and Roma despite picking up an impressive 86 points throughout the campaign.
The 26-year-old, who usually plays on the left wing but can also play as a central attacking midfielder, managed to score an incredible 20 goals and produce a further 12 assists in 49 appearances in all competitions last season, with 18 of those coming in 37 Serie A outings.
Would he be a good Coutinho replacement?
He certainly would be.
Coutinho has shown over the years at Liverpool that he loves to dribble, create chances for his teammates and score spectacular goals and Insigne is very similar in that respect.
Standing at just 5’4″ tall, the Italy international created 66 chances in 37 Serie A appearances for Napoli last term while he showed his ability to run at and beat defenders by successfully completing 59 take-ons.
Would Liverpool get him for £60m?
It’s difficult to say.
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Napoli certainly won’t want to lose one of their key players ahead of another Champions League campaign but they could find an offer like that hard to turn down.
One concern if he did move to Anfield would be his height though, with the Premier League being a notoriously physical league, although that hasn’t affected the likes of Coutinho, Eden Hazard and Sergio Aguero in recent years.
Scorecard The Titans, after posting a mediocre 112 for 8, shot out the Lions for 81 to claim victory in their low-scoring Standard Bank Pro20 encounter in Centurion.The win gives the Titans, who were staring at elimination after three successive defeats, a place in the semi-finals.Superb new-ball bowling by Andre Nel (2 for 13) and Ethy Mbhalati (2 for 16) saw the Lions’ top order come undone as they crashed to 27 for 4. There could not have been a better time for leg-spinner Imran Tahir to be introduced, on hisPro20 debut, and he quickly ran through the middle order with 3 for 13. The Lions’ innings lurched to 51 for 8, before Cliffie Deacon and Friedel de Wet hit out with some meaning in a doomed attempt to save the visitors from their lowest ever total in the competition.The Lions’ dismal batting robbed Garnett Kruger of the glory after he had set things up with his spiteful new-ball bowling. Kruger came hard at the Titans batsmen from the outset, taking three wickets in his first two overs to leave the home side in tatters.But opener Gulam Bodi, who scored a patient 28, and captain Pierre Joubert, who took responsibility for the tail with his 22 not out, ensured that there was a score to defend. Kruger’s inspired bowling saw him take 4 for 10, while left-armer Deacon was a scrooge at the other end, finishing with 1 for 9. Scorecard Dillon du Preez’s late-order batting display, followed by a three-wicket haul from seamer Jandre Coetzee, earned the Eagles third place in the Standard Bank Pro20 series after their 13-run win over the Warriors in Port Elizabeth.du Preez came in at No. 7 in the 16th over and blasted a career-best 40 not out which featured two fours and four sixes. His knock took the Eagles, who were in shambles at 95 for 5, to a respectable 145 for 5. Roger Telemachus, who was unbeaten on 15, gave du Preez support in an unbroken 50-run stand that was brought up in 27 balls.The Warriors were rocked early in their chase, falling to 28 for 2 after a Coetzee double-strike. Riaan Jeggels tried to stabilise their innings with 43 off 39, but with wickets falling in regular intervals, the Warriors never reached boiling point, and they eventually dwindled to 132 for 8.The Eagles went into the match assured of a semi-final berth, but they needed a win to secure third-place.
Ajit Wadekar, the former Indian captain has said that an Indian coach would be better suited for the requirements of the Indian team. He said that a foreign coach coming from a different cultural background generally encounters a communication gap while dealing with the team.”Personally, I believe because of the Indian culture, psyche and varied backgrounds of the Indian players, they can subconsciously form groups. A foreign coach may not be able to understand the nuances or work ethics as well as an Indian coach,” said Wadekar.The former captain was critical of Greg Chappell as the Indian coach and he said so in not unclear terms. “Well, if you look at the sharp dip in world ratings of Indian team, it shows that he failed. Perhaps, because he tried to implement what might have suited the Australian system,” said Wadekar.When asked about the ways in which Indian cricket could be improved, Wadekar, the first Indian captain to lead the team to series victories abroad, said that the best thing to do would be to prepare more sporting pitches in the country. He also said that participation of all star players should be made mandatory in domestic matches to help up-and-coming cricketers improve their game.Wadekar was not happy with the reactions which came after the Indian team’s shock defeat to Bangladesh in the World Cup. He said that the defeat was more of an exception. “That was only an aberration and after the recent Indian success we know where they stand in world cricket,” he said.Wadekar also voiced his worry over the frequent breakdown suffered by India’s young fast bowlers. “It is really disturbing that so many young fast bowlers are getting injured. There is something seriously wrong. The support staff and the physio should make comprehensive tests before declaring a player completely fit. On their part, the players have to be honest and never fake injuries. They should look up to the great Kapil Dev as the perfect role model,” said Wadekar.