ScorecardEngland were denied the chance to build on the psychological advantage of their 100-run at Lord’s when rain washed out the second one-day international against India, at Shenley, after just 16 overs.It was India, in fact, who were better placed when the rain arrived after restricting England’s early scoring. Charlotte Edwards followed her duck at Lord’s with just four this time around before edging Jhulan Goswami. Caroline Atkins, batting at No. 3 in place of Claire Taylor was soon trapped lbw. aylor missed this match after suffered a sore arm, the result of her unbeaten 156 at Lord’s. Therefore, India were sensing their opportunity.However, a series of heavy showers sent the players heading to the pavilion and although the sun appeared during the afternoon, the outfield had become too wet for any further play.
England have named an unchanged team for the second Test against Bangladesh, which starts at Chester-le-Street tomorrow (Friday, June 3), following their innings-and-261-run win at Lord’s. After that comfortable victory England will again be expecting a maximum of just over two days’ work in Graham Thorpe’s 100th Test, barring any intervention from the fickle north-eastern weather.All eyes will be on Steve Harmison as he performs in front of his home crowd, and one thing is certain: homesickness will not be a problem for him. Gareth Batty will be hoping for a more active Test than he experienced at Lord’s, where he was not required to bat or bowl. He may get to the crease in this match, but as far as bowling goes, it could be another quiet game for Batty.Jon Lewis again misses out on a Test debut, but England’s pace attack will be targeting an improved performance, now they have some overs under their belts. Michael Vaughan highlighted the first ten overs of the Lord’s Test – when Bangladesh managed to put on 31 for the first wicket, helped by a lot of no-balls – as the one time when they were not at their best.England 1 Marcus Trescothick, 2 Andrew Strauss, 3 Michael Vaughan (capt), 4 Ian Bell, 5 Graham Thorpe, 6 Andrew Flintoff, 7 Geraint Jones (wk), 8 Gareth Batty, 9 Matthew Hoggard, 10 Simon Jones, 11 Stephen Harmison.
Until the end of the Indian tour of Pakistan, we will be running a daily Paper Round of what newspapers in India and Pakistan, and from around the world, are saying about this series. This is what the media had to say today:The Board of Control for Cricket in India has reserved the right to abort the tour of Pakistan at any time, in the event of crowd trouble. This comes to light in a report appearing in Pakistan’s The News. The report quotes a senior PCB official as saying, “The Indian board had in the MoU [Memorandum of Understanding] put a clause that even if any crowd trouble takes place at any venue — be it Karachi or Lahore — they have the right to abort the tour for security reasons.”Rameez Raja confirmed that the MoU had been signed by the Pakistan Cricket Board. “Apparently, their players have the fear of the unknown while venturing on this tour and we can understand that. Their players have asked for certain security assurances from their board which in turn put the clause in the MOU which we signed and sent back today.”Raja assured readers that the PCB spared no effort in the quest to ensure the players’ security. “We are taking all possible security measures to ensure there are no incidents on this tour which is so important for all of us and relations between the two countries. The government is also taking keen interest in the security arrangements. We are very confident that the security and administrative measures we are putting in place for this tour, it will go off smoothly. But no one can predict the future.”* * *An agency report appearing in The Times of India says that Imran Khan will have a brainstorming session with the Pakistan team on February 29 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The theme of the session will be preparation needed to take on India. Imran was captain of the Pakistan team when the two sides last met for a full series in Pakistan, in 1989. He was also captain of the victorious team that toured India in 1987.* * *Javed Miandad, Pakistan’s coach has fired several warning shots in an interview with Kolkata’s Telegraph newspaper. He began on a conciliatory note, saying, “Frankly, agar waisa nahin hua [if it didn’t happen like that], then we shouldn’t be playing at all. Be it your Prime Minister or our President, everybody has linked cricket to the improvement of relations… Therefore, both teams have to set the perfect example… They certainly won’t be at war…”He has a word of caution for Rahul Dravid, who was so successful in India’s recent tour of Australia. “He’s good… But, when he takes guard for the first time, he is going to start on zero… In fact, each innings will be a fresh beginning… Whatever Dravid’s reputation, he has to prove himself in Pakistan.”He also refused to compare the current Indian or Pakistani teams with their counterparts from the past. “I doubt if comparisons serve much purpose. Bottomline is how a particular side plays, how it absorbs pressure. Greats have been known to flop. At the same time, unheralded players have done wonders… Yeh sab cricket ka kamaal hai.”* * *Playing Pakistan is not as much of a challenge as playing Australia. At least that’s what Reuters quotes Sourav Ganguly as saying. “Pakistan is a challenge, but I am sure it is not going to be as big as Australia. Australia are definitely a superior side. We are pretty confident after our tour of Australia,” he said. “To be honest, we are going to Pakistan in a much better frame of mind.”Ganguly also brushed aside the suggestion that security concerns will be a serious distraction for India’s cricketers. I don’t think the boys should have any problem in focusing on cricket. They know their performances will be watched all over the world.” He also thought India and Pakistan should play each other more often. “It will definitely help to reduce tension and hype over cricket,” he said. “I don’t think the crowds and tension in Pakistan are going to be that bad.”* * *Erapalli Prasanna remembers the 1978-79 tour of Pakistan well. It was his last in an Indian cap. Now in Kolkata, Prasanna told The Indian Express some very interesting things about that series.”We didn’t bowl as well as we could have, and that decided the series. It seemed surreal at times and our manager Fatehsinghrao Gaekwad was so bent upon creating goodwill that we forgot at times we were there to compete against arch rivals. He kept emphasising it was a goodwill tour, we needed to be pleasant and we were sucked into that atmosphere,” he says. “We couldn’t summon the ferocity which was needed to quell Pakistan’s advance in a historic series. Gaekwad did what he needed to do in his capacity and created a lot of goodwill in Pakistan but cricketwise it softened our edges.”Some of the Pakistan cricketers who played that series may not warm to Prasanna’s comments. Zaheer Abbas, who scored 583 runs at an average of almost 195, will take particular exception. “It was a Zaheer Abbas series — he made many runs on that tour. But I don’t have the slightest doubt we could have contained him effectively. He was a very good batsman but we made him appear a master batsman by not bowling as well as we were capable of. We allowed him to run away with big scores.”* * *Tickets for the India-Pakistan series are now being sold online. Click here to book yourself a ringside seat.
The inter-provincial one-day cricket tournament began with Manicaland hosting Mashonaland in Mutare, while Matabeleland and Midlands met on neutral territory at Harare Sports Club. Midlands were surprisingly insipid as they went down by nine wickets to Matabeleland, following up good bowling with an outstanding opening partnership between Charles Coventry and Mark Vermeulen.At the start of the match in Harare, it looked very much as if ZCU threw a party and nobody came. There was a long queue in the ground as the match started, which made it look as if crowds were eager to get in. But the stands were almost deserted, and the crowds were not there for bread or petrol, either: they were buying World Cup tickets. The players were in coloured clothing (Matabeleland dark and light blue, Midlands dark blue and red) and music blared between the overs, but there were few to appreciate it – or otherwise.Matabeleland won the toss and surprised by putting Midlands in to bat, as there was little or nothing in the shaven pitch, or in the weather, which was hot and sunny – none too common for January, which is usually in the middle of the rainy season. But Pommie Mbangwa’s decision was to pay off.Heath Streak, who has just returned to competitive cricket after his road accident in Sri Lanka, opened the bowling at just above medium-pace, concentrating at first on accuracy and gradually building up speed. His first contribution was as a fielder at long leg, easily pouching a lofted hook by Vusi Sibanda (4) off the bowling of Mluleki Nkala. A superb throw by Barney Rogers from the gully region removed Travis Friend (7), run out at the bowler’s end by a direct hit, and Midlands were 31 for two.Craig Wishart opened the batting for Midlands, a sign that this might be his role again in the World Cup. He nearly ran himself out on 17, as the accuracy of Streak and captain Pommie Mbangwa tied the batsmen down. But he was not able to take control, and with 29 to his credit he pulled Mbangwa to Charles Coventry near the midwicket boundary.Doug Marillier and Sean Ervine concentrated on working the ball around the field for ones and twos, but the overall scoring rate barely touched four an over. The stranglehold remained as Ervine (20) holed out to long-off, with off-spinner Gavin Ewing claiming the wicket. In the 26th over Midlands were 100 for four.When Streak came on again, Marillier drove him daringly through extra cover for two fours, and a fascinating duel developed. At the other end Gavin Rennie trapped Dirk Viljoen lbw for 10, and then another cover drive off Streak brought Marillier his fifty off 81 balls. But Streak came off, Nkala replaced him and Marillier immediately skyed a pull to midwicket to depart for 56.The later batsmen scarcely looked like reaching a total of even 200, but thanks to some late hitting by English professional James Cornford (19) and Alester Maregwede (38). The final total was 222, with a tight run-out ending the innings with the last ball of the 50 overs. Nkala took three wickets for 46, but more impressive was Mbangwa’s two for 27 off his nine overs.Coventry and Vermeulen were soon batting as if the target was all too easy; in fact, over-confidence looked a danger as they both played several uppish attacking strokes not too far from the fielders. Midlands’ international opening attack of Friend and Ervine held no terrors for them. Certainly they made run-scoring seem much easier than Midlands had done, and after ten overs the score was 93 without loss, with Coventry, despite picking up cramp that necessitated the use of a runner, actually outscoring Vermeulen.Coventry, now hitting superbly, reached his fifty, mostly off bowlers with international records, off 38 balls and celebrated with a six into his own team’s dressing room. Vermeulen quickly followed with his own fifty, off 53 balls, and the Midlands bowlers’ spells tended to be short and sharp. Coventry looked set for a century when, on 86, his runner was run out attempting a second run and Matabeleland were 184 for one. In this new competition, it is a partnership record that could stand for a long time.Gavin Rennie came in and played quietly, but there was not time for Vermeulen to reach his century. He finished with 86 not out when Rennie hit Ervine for the winning boundary, and it had proved surprisingly easy for Matabeleland.
A win was the last thing on the minds of captain Sourav Ganguly andcoach John Wright ahead of India’s first Test against Zimbabwestarting in Bulawayo on Thursday with the duo emphasising that it wasthe performance of the team that mattered more than the result.”We are not looking at the 2-0 scoreline. We want to win sessions (ofplaying days) and if we play good cricket, the results will take careof themselves,” Ganguly told reporters after the team’s practicesession on Wednesday.”We are looking to play 10 days of good cricket. We don’t want to lookthat far ahead (at the result). It is like a batsman walking out (tothe crease) – he is not looking at a hundred straightaway,” he said.Wright was more clear. “Personally, I don’t like talking aboutwinning. What’s really important is that we play the first two hourswell, then the next two hours and the then the next two hours.”But that they were not totally oblivious of the ultimate objective ofwinning the first series win outside the sub-continent in 15 years wasevident when Ganguly said, “We have to set our records straight inthis series otherwise all our previous records will boil down tozero.”And he underlined it with “the bottom line is: play good cricket towin Test matches”.Ganguly refused to accept that India’s poor performance on foreignsoil was because of the fast and bouncy pitches. “I don’t think thewicket has got much to do with our performance abroad. If you gothrough the record of our top batsman – probably Das is playing forthe first time and Ramesh – but the rest of us nearly average 50 perinnings abroad. Sachin (Tendulkar), Rahul (Dravid) and I average morethan 50 abroad, more than what we have managed at home. So I don’tthink the wicket has been an issue,” he said.”I have been involved with touring Indian sides for five years now andI would not say we were never in a position to win abroad. We cameclose to doing it in the West Indies, in Wellington, in South Africa.Indeed the Barbados defeat was the saddest since we couldn’t get 120runs in the last innings. But this team looks to have it in them.”Then he went on to outline why he believed India would do well in thisseries. “We are now a unit. We have got together as a team which hasprobably been our strength in the last six months. I also think wehave the bowling strength to get sides out twice. We have struggledfor a third seamer on previous tours, and I think we probably have thesolution here. The team probably looks more solid than it has everbeen before. I don’t believe in harping on the past but the way I wefought in the Australia series and the way we came out of difficultsituations, I think, that has given me more confidence than thevictory (against the Aussies) itself. I think that’s going to help usand stand for us in tough situations.””I am also very confident about Bhajji (Harbhajan Singh). I think heis match-winner on any surface. But then he has to prove it,” Gangulysaid.What he probably left unsaid was that India have one of the bestbatting line-ups in the world despite some doubts over the performanceof openers Shiv Sunder Das and Sadagopan Ramesh.Wright was ready to give the duo a clean chit though. “I am happy withthe way they have shaped up. We would have liked them to play reallybetter in the first game. Opening is a critical position. We want togo through the first two hours and the first three batsmen are veryimportant.”The coach too was happy with India’s pace bowling options. “Obviouslythings are more optimistic now. We have the players who can get fourfive wickets. It is good because conditions here are different thanIndia. So seam bowling and catching will be important areas.”Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak was banking on his battery of young pacebowlers to exploit the Indians’ perceived discomfort against fastbowling on fast and bouncy tracks. Andy Blignaut and Baton Watamba areZimbabwe’s newest finds who along with Travis Friend and the skipperhimself form a potent attack.”They are young and don’t have much experience but they have gotgenuine ability. Only, they have to remember where they should bebowling to specific players… not to be overawed by names andreputations and who they are bowling at.”Streak chose Friend, who would be making his debut tomorrow, forspecial mention. “He has good pace and bounce and has the ability totake wickets on any kind of surface at any time. I think he would be agood prospect for us. It is a huge game for us, a huge series. We hada very tough one when we played in India but quite a few positivethings have come out of that. Obviously, playing at home we know theconditions a little better and we can give them a run for theirmoney.”Coming to the danger man, Harbhajan Singh, Streak said: “We watched alot of him playing in the Australian series. Obviously the wicketsthere were more conducive to spin. Each person has thought out his ownway (to tackle Harbhajan), and we have got some feedback on him andhow he has bowled in the two warm up games at Mutare and Harare. Not alot of guys have faced him, but hopefully, we have discussed how toplay him.”
West Ham United have reportedly offered former Liverpool and Southampton centre-back Dejan Lovren a two-year contract with David Moyes keen to add to his defence this summer.
What’s the story?
According to Italian outlet Tuttomercatoweb, the Hammers are reportedly ready to save the current Zenit St.Petersburg defender from any serious complications following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
It’s even thought that the Irons have offered him a two-year deal to come back to the Premier League.
FIFA have opened a one-month transfer window to sign players from Ukraine and Russia which closes on 7 April, although it is believed that the Premier League could block any attempted transfers in order to maintain sporting integrity.
The East London club are currently light on options at the back and will certainly need to add to their defensive arsenal this summer.
Angelo Ogbonna was ruled out for the season in November with an ACL injury whilst Issa Diop has been unreliable at times, making Kurt Zouma and Craig Dawson the current first-choice pairing.
West Ham must avoid signing Lovren
The 32-year-old Croatian would undoubtedly add experience to the West Ham ranks, however, based on his spell at Liverpool the defender may not be the answer to the Hammers’ predicament at the back.
Lovren was subject to criticism on numerous occasions whilst at Anfield, notably from NBC Sports pundit Kyle Martino in 2017, who labelled the defender as “a serious liability.”
Former Liverpool centre-back Jamie Carragher also had strong words to say on the Croatian, highlighting him as the Reds’ weak point during a Merseyside derby against Everton, stating: “He’s too emotional, that’s always been his problem. He always feels he has to win a fight, has to win a challenge.
“I used to play that position as a centre-back and at times you have to accept someone may be stronger and quicker. You have to get yourself in positions and try and hold them up.
“I said before they were too often they were putting the ball right down Virgil van Dijk’s throat but as soon as Lovren’s come on they’ve been hitting that channel and that is the channel to hit.”
Lovren left Liverpool for Zenit in August 2020 for a fee believed to be around £10.9m and you would’ve been forgiven if you thought that would be the last time the Premier League would see the defender.
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West Ham will undoubtedly need to add to their current options at the back, however, having been linked with the likes of Sven Botman and Duje Caleta-Car, the prospect of signing a player who was certainly unpopular at Liverpool will underwhelm Hammers supporters.
With Diop, the Irons already have a defender who has been subject to criticism, particularly after his performance in the FA Cup against non-league Kidderminster Harriers, and therefore don’t want to add another calamity at the back.
Moreover, at 32 the Croatian wouldn’t be a long-term solution, with Moyes keen to build a project at the London Stadium. It would be wise for the East London club to look elsewhere.
In other news: West Ham must swoop for £75k-p/w monster who Moyes will love, he’s “the new Vidic”
Glenn McGrath finished playing for Australia a year ago but he remains in the mind of Stuart Clark, who has looked at vision of his former team-mate to prepare for the West Indies series. Clark operates in a similar way to McGrath and he believes his predecessor “found the key” to success in the Caribbean.In ten Tests in the West Indies McGrath captured 50 wickets at 20.70 and he finished his career by winning the Player of the Tournament award at the World Cup. His 26 victims in 11 games were crucial to Australia claiming the trophy for the third consecutive time.”He obviously found the key over here,” Clark, who is preparing for his 16th Test, told AAP. “From the footage and the vision we have looked at, he was successful by keeping it pretty simple and being consistent and patient on these wickets.”Clark also plans to tie down the West Indian batsmen, who are led by Chris Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, and expects them to be a tough proposition at home. “They like to score runs quickly,” he said. “So I suppose I have to try and go against that and try to keep it nice and calm and force them to make the errors.”Australia’s only warm-up for next Thursday’s first Test starts on Friday against a Jamaica XI and Clark will be one of a number of players looking to adjust to the conditions. Balls leapt at the batsmen during a net session at Sabina Park on Wednesday, including one from Brett Lee to Ricky Ponting, who was struck on the glove.Ponting was unhurt, but the Australians will be happy to return to the safer conditions in the middle. Andrew Hilditch, the chairman of selectors, is with the tour party and will decide whether Simon Katich and Ashley Noffke get a chance to impress in the practice game as the team management considers its options in case Michael Clarke, who stayed at home due to a family death, doesn’t arrive in time for the first Test.
Bermuda cricket is embroiled in another row after a clash in the Premier Division match between Southampton Rangers and St. George’s Cricket Club.In The Royal Gazette, Randy Raynor, the Southampton Rangers vice president, accused Anthony Fubler, one of the umpires, of “provoking” two of his team’s most senior players prior to the start.Raynor claimed that Fubler told some of the Southampton players that he was going to bag “a couple of wickets”, and that when he subsequently gave two lbw decisions against Kwame Tucker and Janeiro Tucker their reactions were partly caused by the earlier remarks.Both were reported by Fubler and are due to appear before the board’s disciplinary committee.”[Fubler] came into the dressing room and said to the players that he got six or so wickets the day before and that he was going to get a couple more today,” Raynor told the newspaper. “Janeiro told him to go away and that he shouldn’t be talking like that to players before a match. But Fubler told Janeiro that he wasn’t afraid of any World Cup players and that he was going to get them. No umpire has the right to do that.”He shouldn’t be doing things like that … it was as though his actions were premeditated and to think he was the one who gave these two players out really makes you wonder. And I think this is what led to the players’ reactions. It was wrong and unjust to say that to my players.”I don’t condone the players’ actions, but I think this all started when the umpire came into the dressing room before the match and said what he said.”
Corey Collymore, the West Indies fast bowler, has joined his captain Brian Lara and others in calling for faster pitches in the Caribbean. Collymore lamented the docile nature of the surface at Warner Park Stadium where the third Test was played and likened it to that of the Beausejour Stadium in St Lucia, the venue of the second Test.He pointed out that there must be more encouragement for young fast bowlers such as the Barbadian pair of Fidel Edwards and Tino Best and Jamaican Jermaine Lawson, all of whom bowl in excess of 90 miles an hour. “It is not an easy surface to bowl on,” the 28-year-old Collymore said. “There is not much difference to this wicket than the last wicket we played on (in St Lucia). I think it is something that we need to look at around the Caribbean if you have young fast bowlers.”You have Fidel who has just been injured, you have Tino, Jermaine Lawson and these guys, and if you need fast bowlers in the West Indies team, you need proper wickets to bowl on.”Edwards sustained a hamstring injury in the first Test and is unlikely to play for the rest of the series, while Best and Lawson are yet to make an appearance despite a strong call from Lara after the second Test for at least one of them to be included.This was Collymore’s first Test series after he was sidelined because of knee surgery during the 2005 tour to Australia, where he bowled impressively. “It has been going okay. I think my pace is still a bit down and it’s something I need to work on and get myself strong again, but so far I have been enjoying my cricket and enjoying myself.”There were fairly decent crowds on the first, third and fourth days but the turnout was quite disappointing compared to the virtual sell-out on May 23 when the first ever one-day international was played here, also featuring India.”Quite honestly, probably the crowd could be a bit disappointing but for me personally, it is not a matter,” Collymore said. “Crowd support is good obviously but for me personally, the crowd is not a problem. I am here to play cricket and cricket plays in the middle and not in the stands.”
Shoaib Akhtar, who pulled out of the Test series against India due to a hamstring injury, is hoping to recover in time for the one-day internationals beginning on April 2 at Kochi. Akhtar has set a target of three weeks to fully recover from the injury.”It is so disappointing to be sitting in Lahore while the team is preparing for the Test series in India. But there is nothing much I can do about the injury except try to regain my fitness as soon as possible,” Shoaib said in an interview to . “I have been training regularly with the board’s South African trainer Grant Compton and he says I should be fit in two-and-a-half weeks’ time. As soon as I am fit I will play in a match to test out my fitness before making myself available for the one-dayers.”Wasim Bari, the chief selector, had asked Akhtar to participate in a match to prove his fitness before being considered for selection for the six one-dayers. Pakistan’s bowling line-up has been weakened with the absence of Shoaib and the pace attack largely dependent on Mohammad Sami and Naved-ul-Hasan.Akhtar, whose commitment towards Pakistan cricket was questioned, said he’d give the series his best if selected for the ODIs. “If I can make it for the one-dayers in India I can assure you I will give more than 100% for the team. Playing against India and their batsmen is always a big challenge and I love to do well against them.”Akhtar holds an impressive record against India with 15 wickets in 4 matches at 27.66. His most renowned spell came in Kolkata in the Asian Test Championship in 1999, when he bowled Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar with consecutive late-swinging yorkers. He claimed eight wickets and Pakistan won by 46 runs.