Tag Futebol

Veteran left arm spinner and skipper Diana Edulji and opening bowlerSunita Kanojia put Railways on course to retaining the Nationalwomen’s cricket championship for the CricInfo Trophy at the Jorhatstadium in Jorhat on Sunday. Replying to Railways’ first innings totalof 353, Air India, last year’s runners-up, were all out for208. Railways then extended their 145-run first innings lead to 158 byscoring 13 for two in their second innings by close.In the face of an imposing total, a good start was imperative but AirIndia did not get it. They lost openers Anju Jain (9) and Anjum Chopra(0) with only ten runs on the board. Mithali Raj (30 off 84 balls withfour boundaries) and skipper Poornima Rau (65) then initiated arecovery process by adding 57 runs off 22.3 overs. Mamatha Maben (4)did not last long but Poornima and Smitha Harikrishna (31 off 68 ballswith three fours) kept Air India’s hopes alive with a fifth wicketpartnership of 56 runs off 20 overs.At 138 for four, Air India were still in the game. But then Diana whohas been in women’s cricket for nearly quarter of a century showedthat she still retained much of her skill. She broke the stand byhaving Smitha caught behind by the wicketkeeper. And a little later,in three successive overs, she broke the back of the innings by takingthe wickets of Poornima (65), Manju Nadgoda (4) and V Kusumlatha(2). The experienced Poornima batted 193 minutes, faced 154 balls andhit ten of them to the ropes. But suddenly Air India were now 153 foreight and facing a follow on.Sunaina Mehan (33 off 86 balls with four boundaries) and Seema Pujare(11) however added 40 runs for the ninth wicket off 17.2 overs. ThenSunaina and Usha Bogade (8 not out) averted the follow on by adding 15runs for the last wicket. Diana finished with four for 45 off 22 overswhile Sunita had three for 46.Railways lost two quick wickets late in the day. Reshma Gandhi (1) wascaught behind off Smitha Harikrishna and Poornima Choudhury (6) wasrun out. Opener Rajani Sharma (6) and Rajani Venugopal (0) were at thecrease at stumps.

With Mark Noble’s 17-year West Ham United career coming to an end this summer, as the 34-year-old is hanging up his boots after making over 500 appearances for the Hammers, the club captain’s departure will leave a rather significant hole in the middle of David Moyes’ midfield.

Indeed, while the £900k-rated man has been far from a first-team regular in recent seasons, having so far made just four Premier League appearances in the current campaign, as well as starting eight league fixtures last term, the veteran has nevertheless played an important role for the Irons from the bench, as well as in the various domestic and European cup competitions.

As such, this role would appear to be perfect for one of the club’s up and coming central midfielders next season, allowing them to gain valuable first-team experience in the cups, while also being used as a substitute in the Premier League.

And, considering just how impressive Conor Coventry has been while out on loan at Milton Keynes Dons this term, the 21-year-old would very much appear to be the prime candidate to replace Noble this summer.

West Ham’s next Noble?

Following his January switch to Liam Manning’s MK Dons side, Coventry immediately established himself as a starter for the League One club, having played the full 90 minutes in each of his side’s last seven league fixtures.

However, not only has the £270k-rated midfielder been a near-constant presence in the middle of the park, but he has also highly impressed over his eight appearances for the Championship hopefuls, registering one assist and creating one big chance for his teammates, as well as making an average of 44.8 passes – 0.8 of which have been key – 0.5 interceptions, 1.6 tackles and winning 4.8 duels per game.

Arguably the West Ham loanee’s best performance for MK Dons came in the recent 2-0 win over Charlton Athletic, in which Coventry enjoyed 95 touches of the ball, completed 79 passes – at a success rate of 93%, with two being key – made two tackles, won six duels and registered one assist.

These returns saw the £5.4k-per-week midfielder earn an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.7, ranking him as the best player in the match, while the MK Dons Twitter administrator stated after the victory: “Conor Coventry is EVERYWHERE.”

Furthermore, ExWHUemployee recently revealed that the 21-year-old is extremely highly thought of by a number of Moyes’ backroom staff at the London Stadium, as well as suggesting that the youngster could be given a shot in the Hammers first team next season.

Regarding Coventry, the West Ham insider said: “I can’t understand why we signed [Alex] Kral, especially when we had Conor who had done really well in pre-season. I think the plan was to give him more games so he can come back even more experienced, but I think he would have gained as much from staying with us and getting that Europa League experience than perhaps going to MK Dons.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

“But, if MK Dons get promoted, which they’re looking like they will, either via the play-offs or via an automatic spot – now, that’s a good experience to have. And, hopefully, he can come back in the new season and prove himself, which I believe he will be given the chance. Coaches like [Kevin] Nolan and [Paul] Nevin especially, really rate him and I think they will give him a go.”

As such, should the player who Darragh MacAnthony dubbed a “wonderful talent” go on to replicate the form he has shown at MK Dons for West Ham early next season, Moyes could well already have found Noble’s long-term successor in East London.

In other news: Moyes must finally axe Pellegrini’s “aggressive” £4.2m WHU flop, he’s stealing a wage

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Kyle Mills served up a damaging blow to Bangladesh’s chase when he took three wickets in two overs © Getty Images

The second one-dayer in Napier turned out to be hopelessly one-sided as New Zealand’s batsmen made best use of a placid surface to help register a 102-run win to take the series 2-0.Jamie How, Peter Fulton and Jacob Oram scored half-centuries to power New Zealand to 335 for 5 and Bangladesh’s chase hit a dead end as soon as Kyle Mills struck with three quick wickets in the early stages. Bangladesh were already out of the match when rain stopped play after 43 overs.Captain Daniel Vettori took the opportunity to give his batsmen a shot at notching up some runs and confidence and they obliged. How took the aggressive route with a 77-ball 74 at the top while Fulton’s innings was more workmanlike, running the singles and keeping the fielders on their toes in the middle overs. Oram then clubbed four sixes in his 31-ball 55 and led his side’s late charge towards a total that proved way out of reach for the opposition.Fulton and the middle order thrived on another productive opening stand between How and Brendon McCullum, who added 82 at more than a run a ball with a mixture of flamboyant strokeplay and electrifying running. McCullum stood a foot outside the crease to pick the ball on the full. While he regularly charged down the track and shuffled across the stumps, How preferred to stay put at the crease and respect the coaching manual, still ensuring that the poor deliveries were rightfully dispatched.Bangladesh, however, were at the receiving end of a poor decision when a genuine outside edge off How’s blade convinced everybody except the umpire Peter Parker. To add further insult to injury, How bludgeoned the next ball through the covers and hung around to add another half-century stand, this time with Fulton. He brought up his fifty with an off drive off Farhad Reza, but his pursuit of the elusive three-figure mark ended when he was trapped in front of the stumps by Abdur Razzak.Fulton, who came in during the third Powerplay, made good use of the restrictions by fetching four boundaries. With the slower bowlers operating from both ends, Fulton and Scott Styris settled down by rotating the strike. Fulton was constantly on the lookout for singles and his efficient half-century was characterised by firm punches past cover, flicks to midwicket and cheeky paddle sweeps. The fact that there were no boundaries between the 26th and the 38th overs almost went unnoticed because the scoreboard kept ticking away.Styris fell seven short of his fifty after succumbing to a slower ball from Reza, scooping to short third-man. Ross Taylor too enjoyed a good hit in the middle, clubbing Razzak for consecutive boundaries over midwicket before getting down on his knees and slogging Mortaza high over long-on. Towards the end, not a single bowler was spared and the one to suffer the most was Razzak, who conceded 75 off his ten overs, a rare bad day for a bowler known for economical spells.Reza was at the mercy of Oram’s blade as he conceded two huge sixes in his ninth over, the first over midwicket and the second over long-on. Oram found time to deposit two more over the same region, as if teeing off like a golfer.Bangladesh’s only noteworthy passage of play with the bat came at the start as Tamim Iqbal and Junaid Siddique added 63 at just over five an over. A boundary past the covers got the chase off to an emphatic start and the pair showed good application in getting behind the line and driving on the up past the infield on the off side. Tamim was the more dominant partner, picking Mark Gillespie for a six over backward square-leg and following it up with a trademark flat-batted biff past the bowler after advancing down the track.

Peter Fulton top scored with 83 © Getty Images

With very little in the pitch to assist the bowlers, only a momentary lapse in concentration could have yielded a wicket and Siddique succumbed, falling to a miscued pull. Mills, who came back well after the early pasting, plucked out Tamim in the same over, inducing an edge outside the off stump. Ashraful fell in controversial circumstances, standing his ground after Ross Taylor claimed a low catch at cover but the umpires upheld the appeal.Following his dismissal, Aftab Ahmed and Tushar Imran went on the defensive, struggling to find the boundaries as New Zealand tightened the noose. Aftab, obviously bogged down by the situation, waited for the third Powerplay in the 35th over to free his arms but it was a little too late. A flurry of boundaries, including a cheeky scoop over fine-leg for six, hastened his progress to a half-century.Mills returned to dismiss Shakib Al Hasan, caught hooking to fine leg, and finished with commendable figures of 4 for 40. Aftab continued to assert himself but didn’t last too long after his fifty, holing out to a diving Oram at deep square-leg. The rain only cut short the inevitable.

A quickfire half-century from Albie Morkel led the Nashua Titans to victory by four wickets off the last ball of their Standard Bank Pro20 match against the Gestetner Diamond Eagles at SuperSport Park on Sunday.A target of 170 looked to be out of the Titans’ reach as they bumbled to 108 for 5 after 15 overs, but that was before Morkel bashed the second-fastest half-century in Pro20 history, off 23 balls, to steer them home against the defending champions in another thrilling match.Morkel’s tremendous firepower brought him two fours and five sixes as he blazed 56 off just 28 balls to leave the Eagles stunned and beaten. The Eagles looked to be in control when they removed the Titans top-order by the 14th over, with their slower bowlers serving them especially well after Francois du Plessis had punished the new ball to the tune of 33 runs off just 19 balls.But the introduction of Nicky Boje and Thandi Tshabalala changed the course of the innings, Tshabalala producing two wonderful pieces of flight and dip to remove Gulam Bodi for a run-a-ball 23 and Gerald Dros for 14, the ball after he had been hit for six.But once the spinners left the scene, Tshabalala taking two for 27 in four overs, Morkel bared his teeth. Victor Mpitsang bowled his first over for just three runs, but then Morkel ripped him to shreds as he took 20 off the 17th over.More heroics followed in the 18th over from Johan van der Wath, in which another 20 runs were scored, leaving 15 required off the last two overs.Morkel’s superhuman effort ended with two runs needed off three balls when he holed out at long-on off Van der Wath, but Farhaan Behardien, who scored a gritty, valuable 23 not out off 18 balls, had spanked the first ball of the over through the covers for four and, with the scores tied, a wayward over ended with a wide.The Eagles, who had won the toss and chosen to bat, were given a rapid start by opener Jacques Rudolph, who top-scored with 61 off 44 balls, slamming six fours and three sixes.Morne van Wyk (27) once again shared a fine opening stand with Rudolph – 69 off 53 balls – but the Eagles then threw away wickets with something approaching gay abandon.Boeta Dippenaar (14), trying to run a single to alert wicketkeeper Heino Kuhn, and Ryan McLaren (10) were both run out, while Ryan Bailey (12) and Van der Wath (18) both made starts before holing out off poor deliveries.The Titans kept their composure well in the field and Brendon Reddy (4-0-23-1) and Dale Steyn (4-0-26-1) deserved their fine figures as they bowled the last four overs of the innings for just 21 runs.

Imran Farhat’s hundred against the Indians earned him a Test spot © AFP

Imran Farhat’s 107 for Pakistan A against India has earned him an expected return to Pakistan’s squad for the first Test against India. In a 15-man squad relatively free of surprises, Pakistan have included four fast bowlers as well as Abdul Razzaq who has only recently recovered from typhoid. Razzaq missed the Tests against England with an elbow injury and was considered doubtful for the first Test after he was admitted to hospital.Iqbal Qasim, a member of the selection committee, told Cricinfo that the squad was a straightforward one to pick. “It wasn’t too much of a problem. I would say most of the squad picked itself and only a few little areas needed some consideration. You don’t want to disrupt a winning combination too much.”Farhat’s recall is notable; he was dropped in December 2004 after the Melbourne Test against Australia. At that time, he had played in 11 consecutive Tests as the first-choice opener for Pakistan, an extended run that few openers have been granted in the recent past. “But I was never disappointed during the last year because such up and downs come in your career,” said Farhat of his exclusion to AFP. He spent most of the year performing solidly on the domestic circuit, where in eight matches this season, he averages over 60. His performance ensured that rumours of an alleged bust-up between Farhat’s father-in-law, Mohammad Ilyas, and Bob Woolmer over Farhat’s continued exclusion from the Pakistan side last year were overlooked. A timely century against India in the warm-up game sealed his return.”Imran has performed very well domestically since he got dropped and he was rewarded for that by being picked for the Pakistan A side. By scoring a century he has taken his opportunity very well and he deserves a place in the squad,” added Qasim. Although his inclusion means Pakistan now has two specialist openers in the squad – Salman Butt is the other – the mood within the camp suggests he is unlikely to find a place in the starting line-up. As Pakistan continue their search for a settled opening pair, it seems likely the Shoaib Malik experiment as opener will continue for the time being. Woolmer is thought to be keen on giving Malik another opportunity while, according to Wasim Bari, the chief selector, Inzamam prefers Malik for the balance he provides with his offspin.Many thought Umar Gul, who played such a vital role in Pakistan’s win against India in Lahore in 2004, would find a place in the squad but Mohammad Asif edged him out. Qasim admitted picking between the two was a tough decision. “They have both done well recently. Ultimately we had only one place available and we just felt, given how he did against England on his ODI debut, and how he has improved over the last year and performed domestically, that he deserved a chance ahead of Umar. But it was a very tough choice.”Asim Kamal also finds himself out of Pakistan’s squad for the first time since his debut against South Africa in October 2003. With eight fifties in 12 Tests, he could consider himself unlucky but he has been woefully out of form in the last few months, as Qasim acknowledged. “We are monitoring him but he’s unlucky because he has been out of form for a while now. Even before the England series, he seemed out of touch, domestically and in warm-up games. He remains in contention, however, as he has proved himself capable of handling international cricket.”Yasir Hameed and Riffatullah Mohmand have also been released from the squad although the former, stricken with typhoid, will curse his luck. After missing out on the Test series against England, Hameed was recalled for the last ODI of the series in Rawalpindi, where he responded with a controlled half-century. He is likely to be out for at least a week now.Pakistan
Salman Butt, Imran Farhat, Younis Khan (vice-capt), Inzamam-ul-Haq (capt), Mohammad Yousuf , Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal (wk), Abdul Razzaq, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Sami, Shoaib Akhtar, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Danish Kaneria, Arshad Khan, Mohammad Asif.

David Hookes suffered fatal injuries outside a St Kilda hotel on January 18© Getty Images

David Hookes threw two punches at a bouncer before he was allegedly knocked to the ground and suffered fatal head injuries, a court heard today. The altercation between Hookes and the bouncer occurred after Hookes had been thrown out of a Melbourne pub on January 18 this year.Hookes, 48, died the next day from injuries suffered in the alleged assault. Zdavko Micevic, a 22-year-old bouncer, is charged with manslaughter and assault over the incident outside the Beaconsfield Hotel in St Kilda.At the opening of Micevic’s committal hearing in the Melbourne Magistrates Court today, Terry Forrest QC, the accused’s lawyer, said his client would give evidence that Hookes had thrown two punches at him before he retaliated. Mr Forrest also said evidence would show that Hookes had a blood-alcohol content of 0.14 at the time of the incident.The court heard Hookes and several members of the Victoria and South Australia teams had been celebrating at the Beaconsfield Hotel after a match that day at the MCG. Mr Forrest said witnesses would testify that the group became rowdy when asked to leave at closing time and Hookes, in particular, had argued with security staff.The court heard that a local resident would give evidence that a group of up to 14 men was involved in a loud argument outside his house. He told magistrate Ian McGrane that one of the cricket group is alleged to have told a bouncer that his “head would roll tomorrow” and that “you won’t have a job”. The court also heard that a witness saw a group of men arguing and throwing punches outside the pub.But Darren Lehmann, today’s only witness, said that despite being in the pub and being close to the group outside, he hadn’t seen anyone throwing “a violent series of punches” or noticed any boisterous behaviour. Lehmann presented a stoic defence to questioning about his role in the altercation with the bouncers and his observations of the night’s events.Lehmann repeatedly told the court he either hadn’t seen various incidents described by Mr Forrest or could not recall what was said or done by other members of the group at almost any stage of the night. He could, however, remember how much he’d had to drink.Asked by Mr Forrest if he’d had a lot to drink, Lehmann said he’d drunk only three beers and a vodka during the two-and-a-half hours he was at the pub. He’d also had two beers in the dressing rooms after the match and another at his team’s hotel before leaving for the Beaconsfield. He said he didn’t believe Hookes had drunk too much on the night.Asked if Hookes had been argumentative with hotel staff, he replied that he couldn’t recall. Lehmann gave the same answer when asked if he’d heard women who were with his group screaming and again when asked if a female with the group had jumped onto a bouncer’s back.While Lehmann agreed that he had telephoned for an ambulance, he had not seen how Hookes ended up on the ground or what he had been doing prior to being felled. In response to questioning by Mr Forrest, Lehmann denied he had collaborated with others before making a statement to police or that he had “sanitised” his evidence.Mr Forrest earlier told the court that after being charged over Hookes’ death, Micevic’s house had been burned down, he had received death threats and his car had been vandalised. The Beaconsfield Hotel, which has since ceased trading, was also vandalised.”Needless to say, the past 24 hours have been very difficult,” Lehmann said. “However, it is all behind me now, and I’m looking forward to helping Australia win this Test series. The case is still before the courts, so it is inappropriate for me to make any further comment on the matter. As I have said though, it’s great to now be back with the boys, and I’m really looking forward to getting out there on Thursday.”The committal hearing, which is scheduled for eight days, continues tomorrow.

Mark Boucher has admitted to having mixed feelings over South Africa’s decision to cancel their tour of Pakistan. The South Africans were scheduled to depart for Pakistan on Sunday, but the board pulled out of the tour on Saturday in the wake of a bomb blast in an office block in Karachi on Friday. “It’s a sad thing for an international cricket tour to be called off because it’s not safe for players in a different country,” Boucher told .”I feel sorry for the Pakistanis. Apart from the Bangladesh tour they haven’t been able to play a home series for ages, and I know we wouldn’t enjoy having to play all of our matches away from home. Some of our guys who haven’t played in the sub-continent are missing out, but I’m sure they will get the chance again.”That said, the cancellation couldn’t have come at a better time for Boucher and his team-mates. “We’ve just come off a long tour, three months away in England,” Boucher said. “We had 10 days between the tours. That’s just about enough time to get your washing done and start packing again. That’s what I mean when I say I have mixed feelings about it.”However, Boucher was at pains to point out that the team was committed to the tour before the Karachi blast. “It wasn’t the players’ decision [to pull out of the tour], it was the UCB’ s,” he said. “The players were worried because there was a safety issue, but we were ready to go.” The cancellation followed an earlier decision to proceed with the tour that was taken after a UCB safety delegation visited Pakistan. That decision was conditional on the security situation in the country not deteriorating before or during the tour. “We agreed that if the risk assessment changed the decision to go would be reconsidered,” Boucher insisted.The chief executive of the South African Cricketers’ Association, Tony Irish, was quoted in a Sunday newspaper as saying the players were “hugely relieved” the tour had not gone ahead. Boucher confirmed that view. “Let’s not beat around the bush, the sub-continent isn’t the best place to tour,” he said candidly. “There is a big culture change and you are confined to your hotel most of the time. But it is an important part of a player’s development. It does your skill levels the world of good to play there.”Boucher said he would make productive use of most of his unexpected time off. “I think I’m going to play a bit of golf, and I’m looking forward to doing some pre-season training with Border. It’s an opportunity for us to play in our domestic competitions, because as national players we have a responsibility to our provinces as well.” Followers of provincial cricket, at least, will not feel short-changed by the international non-event. “Our first match is against Western Province, which means you’ll have Makhaya Ntini, Monde Zondeki and Charles Langeveldt up against Herschelle Gibbs, Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis,” Boucher said.

Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan inspired a dramatic West Indiancollapse on the second day of the opening Test in Galle and then warned thetourists that they are yet to see him at his best.Muralitharan, who has been working hard in the nets on a new mysterydelivery designed to counteract pad-thrusting batsmen, claimed 5-21 in theday to finish with 6-125, as West Indies lost their last six wickets for 25."Initially, it was tough, as Brian Lara, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Carl Hooperplayed really well on a really good batting track," he said afterwards,clearly delighted with the turnaround, which had pulled the home team backinto the game."But we always thought that if we could get Lara we could get the otherwickets quickly, as they had some inexperienced batsmen to come.The 29-year-old off-spinner, who has now taken 356 Test wickets in only 67matches, has been receiving ice-treatment on a sore shoulder."I did have a little shoulder injury, which I picked up whilst doingweights," he said. "I had stopped bowling in the nets and struggled inSharjah."Gradually, I started to bowl again. During the first day my rhythm was notquite there, but today it was coming out really nicely. Hopefully, it willget better and better as the series progresses."Muralitharan, ever the optimist, believes Sri Lanka can still win despitethe West Indies piling up 448 in their first innings."Unfortunately, Lara got a big one, but this is a batting wicket and stillwe can get a result if we can make a big score. By the fourth and fifth daythe ball is going to spin a long way."He is particularly looking forward to having another crack at Lara."It is a pleasure to bowl at Brian (Lara)," he said "He is such a wonderfulplayer. Unlike other players he doesn’t have any restrictions and can playshots all-round the wicket, so it is always a challenge to bowl at him.First round to Lara after the Trinidadian superstar smashed a brilliant 178,but Muralitharan warned him: "As a bowler I have an advantage. I can makeseveral mistakes, but if a batsman makes one then he is finished and I win."

Match facts

Wednesday 28 October
Start time 1.00pm local (1100 GMT)Craig Ervine has a poor record in T20 internationals, but Zimbabwe are likely to persist with him due to the lack of a credible alternative in their squad•AFP

The big picture

The final home international of Zimbabwe’s busiest season in more than a decade draws to a close with the second Twenty20 against Afghanistan at Queens Sports Club. Zimbabwe have little but pride to play for, but Afghanistan will be chasing another historic first. Afghanistan’s win on Monday was their first over a Full Member in Twenty20 internationals, and if they complete another victory on Wednesday they will have achieved another notable first with a win over a Full Member in a Twenty20 series.That is partly indicative of the fact that Associate teams tend to play Full Members only during major tournaments, but perhaps Afghanistan’s most important achievement on this tour has been to effectively blur the line between the bottom rung of the Full Members and the top Associates – something that Ireland just failed to do, despite playing in three fantastically exciting games.Many have been left asking how it’s possible that Zimbabwe have regressed so quickly, after all the gains that have been made this year, and both the media and fan pages are awash with theories as to what is ailing them. Pride has been pricked, alarm and despondency unleashed. But that is missing the point just a little. Zimbabwe appear to have been caught off guard by the intensity of competition offered by Afghanistan, and the real story is how much Afghanistan have progressed, rather than the other way around.If there’s one area in which Afghanistan have truly surpassed Zimbabwe, it’s the enjoyment they seem to derive from every act of the game. Raees Ahmadzai, a former Afghanistan captain, remarked that the one-day series win was celebrated at home as though Afghanistan had just won the World Cup, and there were tears in the eyes of the cricketers as they celebrated that victory. Afghanistan’s passion for the game is self evident.It would be churlish to suggest that Zimbabwe’s cricketers don’t play with pride and passion of their own, but it is clear that there is a spark missing. Perhaps, after what will have felt like a humiliating defeat, they need to rediscover what it was that drew them to the game in the first place. Wednesday’s game must be seen as an opportunity to do that.

Form guide

(Last five completed matches, most recent first)
Zimbabwe LLLLW
Afghanistan WWWLW

In the spotlight

There are no television cameras to capture it, nor speed guns to measure it, but Dawlat Zadran has looked leagues above the other seamers on either side with the old ball during this tour. Dawlat was clocked at just over 145kph at the Asia Cup last year, and he has certainly looked swift in every match here, but more impressive than his pace has been the direction of his yorkers at the death, and his controlled use of reverse swing. Dawlat picked up a career best 4-22 in the deciding ODI, and his late burst on Monday turned the match for Afghanistan. He will be expected to keep Zimbabwe’s batsmen leashed once again.Zimbabwe appear beyond the point where a single individual might stand out and make a difference for the team. The impressive efforts of the spinners Tendai Chisoro and Wellington Masakadza weren’t enough to turn the ODI series for them, and Sikandar Raza (86) and Sean Williams (102) both contributed heroic innings in vain. The entire Zimbabwean team is going to have to coalesce if they are to raise themselves out of this funk. That’s difficult to do when you’re not winning much, but it’s the only real path back to success for them.

Team news

Craig Ervine’s form has tailed off dramatically in his last four matches, and he is yet to convince as a Twenty20 batsman, with a strike rate of 80.50 from 13 matches. But the only replacement for him in the squad is the uncapped Kevin Kasuza, whose domestic T20 record is also modest. Zimbabwe will thus probably go with an unchanged XI.Zimbabwe (probable): 1 Chamu Chibhabha, 2 Sikandar Raza, 3 Sean Williams, 4 Elton Chigumbura (capt), 5 Craig Ervine, 6 Malcolm Waller, 7 Richmond Mutumbami (wk), 8 Tendai Chisoro, 9 Wellington Masakadza, 10 Taurai Muzarabani, 11 Chris Mpofu.Afghanistan’s XI performed solidly as a team on Monday, and there is no pressing reason for them to consider changes to their side.Afghanistan (probable): 1 Usman Ghani, 2 Mohammad Shahzad (wk), 3 Karim Sadiq, 4 Asghar Stanikzai (capt), 5 Mohammad Nabi, 6 Najibullah Zadran, 7 Shafiqullah, 8 Gulbadin Naib, 9 Rashid Khan, 10 Dawlat Zadran, 11 Amir Hamza.

Pitch and conditions

Zimbabwe’s effort with the bat on Monday was probably about 20 runs under par, and the short boundaries and hard ball should theoretically make run-scoring fairly easy in this format, in these conditions. Having played on every one of the surfaces on the square during this tour, both teams will have a good idea what to expect from the surface. Spin will continue to be important, though the battle between bat and ball should remain an equal one.The day before the match was blustery and cloudy, but the weather should clear by Wednesday.

Stats and trivia

• Zimbabwe have won only seven of the 39 T20Is they have played, and three of those wins were against Canada, Netherlands and UAE.
• Afghanistan have won 18 of the 32 T20Is they have played, but their victory over Zimbabwe on Monday was their first over a Full Member.
• Najibullah Zadran has hit more sixes (16) than fours (14) in T20Is.
• Sean Williams is Zimbabwe’s leading runscorer in T20 cricket this year, with 177 runs from seven innings at an average of 35.40 and a strike rate of 122.06.

Quotes

“Psychologically, Zimbabwe are under a lot of pressure now, especially after losing the ODI series.”
“Queens is a flat track, and if we bat first again we have to put on much more than 150.”

Roy Hodgson has rejected claims that England are gearing up to play long ball with his inclusion of Andy Carroll in the starting line-up, with Ashley Young operating behind him. Hodgson responded that by saying that Rinus Michels, the man behind the famed ‘Total Football’ philosophy, always insisted on having a big man upfront who would be utilised in a more direct style if needed during games. Hodgson insisted that even the most possession-obsessed sides mixed up their styles and if it was good enough for them it would be good enough for England.

Elsewhere in the news Roberto Martinez is set for further talks with Liverpool; Manchester City won’t be a top seed in the Champions League, while Chelsea are planning to make their move for Pep Guardiola.

Headlines

Roy Hodgson has urged his England players to prove they can cut it at top level international football – Guardian

Roberto Martinez is set to return for further talks with Liverpool in the coming week with a view of him succeeding Kenny Dalglish – Guardian

FIFA will insist that referees will also undertake drug tests to ensure they aren’t using any performance enhancing stimulants – Guardian

Chelsea are planning to make a move for Pep Guardiola after being heartened by reports that he maybe wavering over his plans to take a year-long break – Daily Telegraph

Manchester City face the prospect of a ‘group of death’ in the Champions League next season as their failure in the competition last year means they won’t be included among the top seeds – Daily Telegraph

Clint Dempsey has hinted that he may leave Fulham this summer in pursuit of Champions League football – Independent

Jan Vertonghen has warned Tottenham to move quickly to wrap up a deal to sign or risk losing him – Sun

Luis Suarez says that his ‘conscience remains clear’ with regards to his race row with Patrice Evra – Independent

Joey Barton won’t appeal his 12 match ban as QPR look set to launch an investigation into his actions and whether they will look to retain his services for next season – Daily Mail

Ray Wilkins has emerged as a rival candidate with Claudio Ranieri for the vacant job at the Hawthorns – Daily Mail

Kyle Walker believes that Tottenham can challenge for the title next season, providing they keep hold of their best players – Sun

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Newcastle United is on the trail of the highly-rated Venezuela international Roberto Rosales, according to the player’s agent – Newcastle Chronicle

[divider]

[divider]

[ad_pod id=’unruly-2′ align=’left’]