Shane Warne launched another attack on his former coach John Buchanan, who he said was responsible for Australia’s CB Series loss to England on Sunday. Warne said Buchanan must be held accountable for Australia’s gruelling taper-training program, which appeared to leave the side flat at the end of the one-day program.”From what I hear, the boys trained really, really hard, probably too hard and it affected them,” Warne told . “They got tired for the finals and didn’t perform really well so John Buchanan has to take responsibility for that.”Warne famously questioned the worth of coaches in general last September, with the line: “I’m a big believer that the coach is something you travel in to get to and from the game.” He said such hard practice sessions were not ideal preparation for a team constantly aiming to perform at their best.”If you’re playing international cricket, all you want to be is fresh and happy,” he said. “You don’t want to be trained into the ground. But that’s the way he wanted to do it but it didn’t work out. Hopefully it will hold them in good stead for the World Cup.”Buchanan admitted the heavy workload and Australia’s desire to be well prepared for the World Cup had affected their performance during the CB Series. He also said complacency and an expectation the side would keep winning contributed to Australia’s decline.
Over eleven hundred runs scored, only eight wickets taken and over half the number of scheduled overs lost to rain and bad light; only two subjects were ever going to be talked about at Inzamam-ul-Haq’s post-match press conference – the pitch and the weather.Inzamam denied rumours that Pakistan’s batsmen had asked for a flat pitch. “I always want to have sporting wickets, where fast bowlers, spinners and batsmen all have a chance,” he said. “In today’s Test matches, it’s not just that one team scores 400, another team scores 400 and the match is drawn. ODI cricket and the pace means that batting is so quick, if you get90 overs in a day then there shouldn’t be draws. The wicket has to be better than this.”But Inzamam was also quick to point out that the pitch shouldn’t take any credit away from the batsmen, six of whom scored centuries and three of whom did it at more than a run a ball. “On this type of wicket, it is difficult to contain run-making but the credit should go to the batsmen aswell because even though it was so flat, they have to bat well and score runs.” But he insisted that batsmen won’t have it this easy in the remaining Tests. “They will have some confidence definitely but I don’t think a wicket like this will be seen again for this series.”He also pointed out that his bowlers didn’t perform as well as they might have done, although it is unlikely changes will be made. “The wicket wasn’t so flat that over 400 runs are scored for the loss of only one wicket, the bowlers will also have to bowl a little better than this. Wewill keep the same team for Faisalabad. ” Ultimately, however, too many questions – most of them not dissimilar – prompted Inzamam to reveal that “I am a captain not a groundsman.”As both teams now make the short journey to Faisalabad, Inzamam said his bowlers will take their pre-series confidence with them, despite the hammering they received here, but also hinted that the weather may yet continue to play its part. “The weather was a disturbance obviously andFaisalabad isn’t too far away so there is a chance of disruption there as well. There were so many stoppages here that we weren’t getting any rhythm but I don’t think there will be any effect on the confidence or morale.”He also had praise for Virender Sehwag, although typically, it was brief and to the point. Pakistan have yet to find a way to mute Sehwag’s boisterousness and he has now made over a thousand Test runs against them, including a triple century and two double centuries in consecutive Tests.”We have tried to find ways of stopping him, but it isn’t working. If a batsman like him gets a wicket like this, then it is difficult to contain him.”
ScorecardStuart Williams put Leeward Islands in a reasonably healthy position at the end of the first day of their match against Guyana. Williams had his work cut out for him after Leeward Islands were reduced to 67 for 4, but found an able and willing partner in Wilden Cornwall. The two added 127 runs for the fifth wicket. While Cornwall (72) was dismissed by Mahendra Nagamootoo, Williams ended the day unbeaten on 92, in sight of a century. ScorecardJamaica struggled to 69 for 3 from 36.4 overs on a wet day at the Beausejour Stadium. Windward Islands struck through Deighton Butler (1 for 20) and Rawl Lewis (2 for 19), the former Test legspinner, and it took the resistance of Tamar Lambert, the Jamaica captain, and Maurice Kepple. Donovan Pagon, who lead the scoring with 23, had been dismissed caught and bowled by Lewis. ScorecardTrinidad and Tobago gingerly tip-toed to 102 for 3 from 50 overs on a rain-truncated first day of their Carib Beer Cup match against Barbados at Crab Hill, Barbados. After more than three hours were lost due to rain Tishan Maraj, the opener, played a steady hand, making an unbeaten 33. But, his was a lone hand. Daren Ganga, the captain, was dismissed for the next best score, 22. At the end of the day Maraj was still at the crease, with Imran Jan.
Australia may have won their two-Test series against Zimbabwe at a relative canter, but the matches failed to grab the public’s interest and both games were played out against backdrops of banks of empty seats.Part of the problem was that a weak Zimbabwe side was never going to have widespread appeal, and also the matches were played very early in the Aussie summer – the international season doesn’t usually kick off until the beginning of November – and Steve Waugh believes the timing was the major turnoff. "Obviously the culture’s not there of watching Tests in the off-season," he shrugged. "I mean, it’s a pretty good side to watch, and I don’t know why they didn’t turn up. They’re going to have to do it a bit differently next year."The series was also competing with end of the Australian Rules football season and the start of the rugby World Cup. The last day of the Sydney Test was watched by around 1300 spectators (an total of 18,500 paid to see the four days), leading Waugh to joke that he was thinking about going round and thanking them individually at the end of the game.Officially, Cricket Australia is putting a positive spin on events, but privately it has to be not best pleased. James Sutherland, CA’s chief executive, admitted that gates were "disappointing", but said that outside factors had materially affected interest. "I think that there were a lot of things that were conspiring against us for this series, and I would hope that in the future that we wouldn’t have things conspire against us."The Sydney gates were of particular concern, but Sutherland flat-batted suggestions that the matches were played in the wrong place at the wrong time. "Sydney is a market that has in the past supported Test cricket very well. But we have to recognise that it was out of season or out of time, and there were other reasons for that."CA’s other experiment, the Top End Tour – staging Tests in the north of the country during the close season – was also a mixed success. Again, the opponents – Bangladesh – were poor box office, but it was still predicted that 11,000 would turn out for Darwin’s inaugural day of Test cricket. In the event, almost 7000 attended the first day and the crowds tailed off on the following two days. It was a similar story at Cairns. The acid test as to the viability of matches outside the season will come in July 2004, when the Sri Lankans, a more attractive draw, visit.
Bangladesh is continuing their poor batting display in Wellington too. In Hamilton they batted 58.1 overs in the first innings and 46.2 in the second, which revealed their inability to stay in the crease with needed Test temperament. They batted as if they were playing a one-day match scoring more than 3.5 runs per over. Was that necessary? They attempted too many shots against the New Zealand bowlers and lost their wickets imprudently. These batsmen from the top-order are failing repeatedly. While they are asked to bat patiently they are perfectly doing the opposite in the field. The credit does not go to the opposition bowlers always. The Bangladesh batsmen, who unwisely and childishly tend to go for silly shots that cost their wickets, thus gifting most of the wickets to the bowlers.We saw it in Multan when they batted 41.1 overs in both innings and in Colombo they packed up within 36.4 overs. In both cases the wicket was easy and batting-friendly. There were ample opportunities to score some runs (at least more than what they did) if they could apply their smallest amount of cricketing sense.They escaped luckily in the Test at BNS against Zimbabwe this November. The first innings total was 107 and they managed 122 for 3 in the second when the rain interruption saved them. In the second Test in Chittagong Habibul Bashar was the most successful batsman who scored a century in the first innings. But they way he lost his precious wicket in the second innings was a horror. It was a sheer disappointment for every one as he threw his wicket irresponsibly while he was approaching another century (76).Due to their short lasting innings Bangladesh had to except humiliating defeats – thrice they had to leave the field within day-3 including the Test in Hamilton.There are two things very common in Bangladeshi batsmen. Firstly, they are lacking adequate concentration that is needed to play the longer version. Secondly they are repeatedly failing to apply the very common cricket senses.Today their first innings total of 132 proves it once again.
Hyderabad advanced to the semifinals of the KSCA DiamondJubilee tournament for the Coromandel Cement Trophy beatingIndia Cements by four wickets at the Chinnaswamy Stadium inBangalore today. The match was put off by a day as a mark ofrespect to S Nijalingappa, former Chief Minister of Karnatakawho died on Tuesday. Rain once again cast its shadow over thematch after India Cements were dismissed for 182 from thepenultimate ball of the 50th over. The revised target forHyderabad was 146 from 40 overs and they were home with nineballs to spare.Hyderabad won the toss and invited their opponents to pad up.India Cements struggled at the beginning as Hyderabad seambowler Mohiudeen (3/39) grabbed three quick wickets. Theirbest batsman Sridharan Sharath fell for 12 to leave them indire straits at 38/4. When the seventh wicket fell at 90 inthe 31st over it looked as though the innings would be wrappedup soon. But Sadashiva Iyer and MR Shrinivas put up somestubborn resistance in a seventh wicket stand of 75 whichhelped them reach a position of some respectability.Wicketkeeper Iyer finished unbeaten on 61 off 102 ballswithout a single boundary which showed how difficult the goinghad been.All the Hyderabad batsmen chipped in with the top score beingAnirudh Singh’s 26. Shivaji Yadav (18 not out) and SantoshYadav (21) added 41 for the sixth wicket to take Hyderabad tothe doorstep of victory before the latter was out with justone run needed. Test left arm spinner Murali Karthik and MRShrinivas took two wickets apiece for the losers.In the three day semifinals beginning August 11, Hyderabadtake on Chemplast at the RSI Sports Ground while India Pistonsplay Indian Airlines at the Chinnaswamy stadium.
Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane loves his new manager Antonio Conte after a promising behind the scenes update emerged this week…
What’s the word?
The England international came close to leaving his boyhood club last summer, being involved in an intense and controversial transfer saga with Manchester City, who were keen to sign him on top of their £100m man Jack Grealish.
A move failed to materialise and Kane started the season in dire form, failing to find the net in the Premier League until his seventh appearance, whilst he scored just once in 13 outings, via Transfermarkt.
Now under the Italian, he’s bagged six goals across ten games, including a last-gasp winner at the Etihad Stadium, leading to murmurs of a new contract in the pipeline.
And according to Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge, the 28-year-old is very happy at Spurs again and loves working under the one-time Premier League and FA Cup winner.
“Everything I’m hearing about Kane at the moment is that he’s really happy and he loves playing under Conte, so long may that continue,” he told GIVEMESPORT this week.
Positive signs
Indeed, Kane has looked a different animal on the pitch since the north Londoners replaced Nuno Santo with Conte and that’s hardly much of a surprise given the negative brand of football on offer under the Portuguese.
And the fact that the 52-year-old is a born winner who is hungry for success – just like Kane, who wants to add silverware to his glowing goalscoring record at the club he’s risen through the ranks at.
Ten of Kane’s 17 goals across all competitions this season have come since Conte was appointed in mid-November.
His £200k-per-week contract expires in the summer of 2024, meaning chairman Daniel Levy probably has only one or two chances left to cash in on the superstar – if he’s that way inclined – though that would seem an unlikely scenario following Bridge’s recent claim.
That should leave many supporters around Hotspur Way absolutely delighted and the manager too because a happy Kane is one performing at his best for the club and they will not want to lose him, regardless of what happened last summer.
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They won’t find or generate a better centre-forward than Kane anytime soon, if ever.
If he’s truly happy behind the scenes, then there’s every chance he sees out his career in a Lilywhites shirt and that has to be a very exciting prospect to fans and Conte alike.
AND in other news, Forget Japhet: 19 y/o “rising star” who has impressed Conte could save Spurs millions…
Steve Harmison is in line for his first Test appearance since the West Indies series in June, after Peter Moores, England’s coach, conceded that Matthew Hoggard’s prospects of being fit in time for Sunday’s second Test at Colombo are extremely doubtful. Though Hoggard batted in England’s training session at the Premadasa Stadium on Friday, he has not attempted to bowl since injuring his back during Sri Lanka’s second innings at Kandy, and Moores conceded that time was running out.”His back’s still sore,” said Moores. “It’s got better as backs do, but tomorrow’s the key day. He’s going to have to bowl tomorrow to be available for selection.” The likelihood of that happening, however, is slim in the extreme, and worryingly for England, Hoggard is not the only seamer in the wars. Ryan Sidebottom missed training with a stomach complaint, while James Anderson bowled with strapping on the left ankle he injured during the warm-ups.Both men are still expected to be fit for selection, which leaves a straight choice between the experienced Harmison and the rookie Stuart Broad, who has yet to make his Test debut. From the evidence of their performances at nets, there was only one man showing any relish for the contest. Harmison was listless for long periods of his spell, and spent several minutes between deliveries discussing his action andrun-up with Moores and the bowling coach Ottis Gibson. Broad, on the other hand, plucked out Michael Vaughan’s middle stump with a seaming delivery, and was lively and eager to impress throughout.Even so, the indication from the England camp is that they are prepared to trust in the greater knowhow of Harmison, for what has become a must-win match. “We’ve seen Steve over the last two weeks, not just in the last few net sessions,” said Moores. “He’s an experienced Test-match cricketer, and in Steve we’ve got someone whocreates bounce, creates pressure, and is someone who Sri Lanka won’t like to face.”The final point is the crucial one as far as England’s permutations go, because their seam attack at Kandy was lacklustre once the friendly first-day conditions had evaporated. “Our line and length wasn’t too bad, but we’ve got to be a bit more savvy and streetwise,” said Moores. In Harmison, England have a cricketer whose reputation for devastating menace precedes him. If he doesn’t play in this contest, there seems little point in ever calling on his services again.Moores, though, gave the impression of a man who was prepared to disregard the evidence before his eyes, and trust Harmison’s big-match instincts to kick in on the day. “Whenever you play someone in a Test match, you never quite know what you’re going to get,” he said. “There’s always an element of risk. Steve worked hard during the last Test match, but one of the challenges during Tests is that you bowl by yourself in the middle. He needs time against batters, so netting today was good.
“The real challenge comes when he pulls on an England shirt again and goes out to play for his country,” said Moores. “We all know that nets are different. You get fantastic net players who can’t translate that in the middle, so we can only take so much from that. You have to take stuff from how the player is around the team – how he’s talking, how he’s feeling. Steve’s doing everything right, both on the fitness and technical side, and if he’s the best man for the job, he’ll play.”Another omission for Broad would be a tough break for a player who has been waiting patiently for his debut since the start of the English summer, but at the age of 21, there is no question that his chance will come before long. Moores, though, wasn’t going to be rushed into giving him that first call-up. “The challenge with Stuart is to know when to release him into Tests,” said Moores. “There’s no doubt he’s pushing very hard. He’s playing well and offers some options with the bat as well, and he’ll be very much talked about in selection, as will everyone.”Broad’s willowy frame is a concern for the team management, however. He has the height to be a fast bowler, but so far lacks the meat on his bones that will make him a durable England prospect. “He’s adaptable, he’s got a knack of getting wickets, and he’s getting stronger all the time,” said Moores. “But part of Stuart’s thing is getting the physical strength to deliver his skill over a decent length of time, in what are pretty harsh conditions.”He’s earned his right to be in this squad because of how he’s performed,” said Moores. “He’s probably physically ready to bowl three spells a day over five days, but he’d be pushing the limits of it, to be honest. Mentally, for a young bloke, he’s very strong and I think he’s got a Test match in him, but whether he’d be able to play three on the bounce, I don’t know yet.”Both men could yet be called upon if Sidebottom and Anderson fail to recover fully from their respective ailments. England do have previous in that regard, having purged their entire new-ball attack between the first and second Tests in Sri Lanka four years ago, but Moores implied that Hoggard’s enforced absence would be sufficient change among the seamers. “I saw enough from the England team that we can still win the series,” he said. “If we play to our ability, and put them under pressure. The challenge is to do that, and sustain the pressure over longer periods with bat and ball.”
John Bracewell hopes England’s string of defeats to Australia will improve New Zealand’s chances of a strong CB Series campaign, which they begin in Hobart on Sunday. The competition starts in Melbourne on Friday with Australia playing England and Bracewell, whose team has landed in Australia, would like another defeat for the tourists.”[England is] a side we hope have taken a dreadful towelling and will be blown apart in terms of morale by the time we arrive,” Bracewell said in . “But I doubt it somehow because they have some quality batting within their side and if [Andrew] Flintoff stands up they’re a dangerous team.”All three teams will be focussing on the World Cup starting in West Indies in March and Bracewell expects New Zealand will have an edge over England because of their all-round make-up. “[England are] a side that’s reliant on the vital few as opposed to the group, the greater number, which we rely on,” Bracewell said. “If that vital few hit form at the right time, they are in with a shout. If they don’t, then they really haven’t got a price.”
Mohammad Sami, the Pakistan fast bowler, has said he would play against India with a positive outlook and the will to prove his critics wrong that his temperament was not suited for international cricket. Sami, 24, said while carrying out bowling exercises advised to him by former Pakistan captain and great Imran Khan on Friday that he had been boosted with the positive remarks about him made by Imran. “It has not been easy for me. People tend to look at my averages but don’t see how many Tests I have played abroad or at home on generally batting tracks. They don’t see the number of times luck has simply not supported even some good wicket taking balls,” he said.But Sami said he had always been encouraged and supported by his captain, coach and teammates and Imran’s visit to pass on some advice to him had come as a big confidence booster for him before the series against India. “It is a big series for me, no doubt about that. I know there are expectations from me and I need to take more wickets. But I have had some good spells and after some tips passed on by Imran I am positive about the coming series,” Sami said while targeting one stump with the new ball.Imran specially visited the Pakistan camp at the National Cricket Academy here on Friday and spent over an hour working with Sami, whose selection has been criticised by many critics and some former players who point out to his Test bowling average of 46. Sami has taken 65 wickets in 24 Tests and another 105 in 74 One-day Internationals. Sami said getting advice from Imran had come as a big help and he learnt one or two new things from the former fast bowler. “But he made it clear to me what line of attack I should adopt and spoke about the importance of being disciplined in the basics of fast bowling,” he added.Sami said he was looking forward to the Tests against India despite their strong batting line-up. “I am preparing myself for the challenge because they have some quality batsmen. But I am confident because I have bowled a lot to them in the last two years and I have got a feel of their individual batting traits at the crease.”