Michael Vaughan has hit out against the busy scheduling in England’s one-day series against West Indies. After playing the first game last Sunday, England now face six matches in 12 days, starting with a double-header in Trinidad this weekend.The fixtures were designed to maximise the revenue for the West Indies board by guaranteeing full houses, prompting Vaughan to suggest that money was more important than the good of the players. “It isn’t ideal, but as players we realise the position the boards are in to try and sell out grounds and make their money,” Vaughan said. “I guess we are used in a way, but we accept that as players. We have to get on with it, we don’t have another option of doing anything but going out and playing. It’s tough and it’s hard but we can only go out and do what’s put in front of us and that’s six games in 12 days.”Vaughan has always made it clear he wanted his players to be as fit as possible, and he stressed that it’s these sort of situations that it’s needed the most. “It will be tough on the mind, tough on the body and I guess that’s why we’re doing all our fitness work to allow our bodies to withstand this kind of mount-up of games,” he said. “As players we’d have loved to have played a game yesterday with a couple of days break and then play again on Sunday, but the way it’s scheduled is to allow the grounds to be full which is why we have the back-to-back games over the weekend.”
India v Namibia:Dinesh Mongia (IND) needs 128 runs to complete 1000 ODI runs Javagal Srinath (IND) needs 118 runs to complete 1000 ODI runs Anil Kumble (IND) needs 158 runs to complete 1000 ODI runsSaurav Ganguly (IND) 80 runs to complete 500 World Cup runsWest Indies v Canada:Carl Hooper (WI) needs 8 wickets to join the 200 ODI-wickets clubBrian Lara (WI) needs 128 runs to complete 1000 World Cup runs Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI) needs 90 runs to complete 500 World Cup runsCarl Hooper (WI) needs 8 wickets to join the 25 World Cup wicket-club
Sussex slumped into trouble on a frustrating rain-interrupted day in theCheltenham and Gloucester Trophy tie against Lancashire at Old Trafford.They struggled to 119 for seven in 38 overs after being put in by JohnCrawley in cold, wet and miserable conditions.Play did not start until 3.30, and even after that there were two more raininterruptions before bad light ended play for the day at 7pm.John Wood returned to Lancashire’s one-day team in place of Glen Chapple,who was again ruled out by injury. And the former Durham seamer soon had Sussex in trouble, taking a wicket in each of his first two overs.First Richard Montgomerie edged to first slip, where Mike Atherton took agood low catch, then the left-handed Michael Yardy was bowled off an insideedge.Chris Adams joined Murray Goodwin to steer Sussex to 41 for two at thefirst rain break, but shortly afterwards the Sussex skipper edged PeterMartin to slip, with Atherton again taking the catch.Goodwin moved on impressively to 39 from 55 balls with two fours and aflicked leg-side six off Wood.But the Zimbabwean became the third man caught by Atherton, this time off Andy Flintoff. And Flintoff then had Bas Zuiderent lbw first ball to put himself on a hat-trick.Jamie Carpenter denied him that but Lancashire then turned to MuttiahMuralitharan on his last appearance before going home to Sri Lanka and he had Matthew Prior lbw.And when Mike Smethurst had Carpenter superbly caught by Chris Schofieldlow down at backward point, Sussex were facing an uphill struggle to setLancashire much of a target – with a home quarter-final against Durham onoffer for the winners.
Manchester City are in the Premier League title race. They are just two points behind Arsenal, and whilst the side at the top of the table at Christmas does win the Premier League more often than not, this City team will not lie down and will be completely ruthless.
To do that, they may well look to sign one or two players in January. Antoine Semenyo is a player strongly linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium, with the club deciding whether or not they should activate his £65m release clause, which expires on the 10th of January.
But why exactly are City looking at signing Semenyo?
How Semenyo can help City
Few players have been as good as Bournemouth winger Semenyo in the Premier League this season. The Ghanaian has been on fire for Andoni Iraola’s side and has been a real driving force for the Cherries going forward.
He’s bagged eight goals already this season, which includes scoring twice at Anfield on the opening day of the Premier League season and a goal at Old Trafford. Semenyo also has three assists to his name, highlighting his final third threat.
One of the real positives about the Bournemouth number 24 is that he is so versatile. Should Guardiola choose, he would be able to play him on either flank, with the winger predominantly right-footed, but also more than capable on his left, too.
On top of that, he’d be a weapon in different game states. City are mostly going to have to break down low blocks, with most sides choosing to sit deep against them. Whilst Semenyo can be a threat against teams who sit deep, he is also a “powerful carrier on transition” according to scout Ben Mattinson, adding another string to his bow.
Of course, City are not the only team interested in signing the 25-year-old. If they do miss out on him, there is perhaps an ideal option waiting in the wings.
Man City's dream Semenyo alternative
If City do fail to sign the Bournemouth star this winter, then next summer could see them make a sensational move for Real Madrid attacker Vinicius Junior.
According to TEAMtalk, the Citizens ‘have been keeping very close tabs’ on the Brazilian, who is reportedly keen on a move to the Premier League. This would not be a cheap deal, with one report suggesting he’s worth a whopping £131m. That would make him the most expensive player in Premier League history.
It goes without saying that Vinicus would be an astronomically good signing for City. Described as a “world-class” footballer by Owen Hargreaves, he has 11 goals and assists in 18 La Liga games this season.
The former Flamengo player has been in even better form across his career, too. In the 2022/23 campaign, for example, he grabbed 35 goal involvements in just 39 games. One of those came in the Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund as Real Madrid lifted the trophy at Wembley.
As well as Semenyo has played this season, Vinicius’ underlying numbers are unsurprisingly far better. For example, the Brazilian is averaging 2.93 completed dribbles and 0.75 goal-creating actions per 90 minutes, compared to the Ghanaian’s 1.56 successful take-ons and 0.44 goal-creating actions each game.
Vinicus vs Semenyo key stats 25/26
Stat (per 90)
Vinicius
Semenyo
Key passes
1.77
1.13
Progressive passes
4.29
3.56
Goal-creating actions
0.75
0.44
Dribbles completed
2.93
1.56
Progressive carries
7.89
3.69
Stats from FBref
The Brazilian winger himself has highlighted some of his real strengths, which would certainly add a lot to the City team. He said that sometimes, “opponents don’t know how to defend against me” because of his ability to drift into central areas from out wide.
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Vinicius is a real weapon against low blocks as a result of this, because he is able to quickly shuffle the block and find openings to exploit. He would certainly be a huge asset to City in that sense.
£131m is a huge fee, but Vinicus is one of the most reputable players in the world. If they miss out on Semenyo, City could do a lot worse than the Los Blancos star.
New Haaland: Man City plot move for "one of England's best young prospects"
This Man City target is already a prolific goalscorer
Andrew Hall will appeal against the ECB’s decision to decline his registration for the 2008 season. The board refused to use its discretion to allow him to turn out for Northamptonshire as he had played for South Africa A in August.Andrew Fitch-Holland, who represents Hall, told Cricinfo that the appeal would be lodged after the weekend. The hearing, which will be in front of a three-man panel, has to take place within 28 days, during which time Hall will not be allowed to play.A lawyer representing the ICL, Jeremy Roberts, told the BBC that the players whose registrations had been declined would appeal to the ECB, and if their appeals were unsuccessful then court action was inevitable.Fitch-Holland added that the ECB had been unable to give any clarification whether the same issues of registration would again arise in 2009 with players who turned out for the ICL after the end of the current season.
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details Australia put the seal on the most dominant campaign in World Cup history, securing their fourth title and their third in a row since 1999 thanks to Adam Gilchrist’s scintillating 149 from 104 balls. But that, sadly, is not what the final of the ICC World Cup West Indies 2007 (to give it its full and fully deserved title) will be remembered for. In a display of cack-handedness that heaped new levels of farce upon a farcical seven weeks, the final overs of a broken contest were played out in near-darkness, penetrated only by the glow of the pavilion lights and the bewildered blinking of 20,000 flash bulbs.Whatever went on in those overs is anyone’s guess. It was too dark for the fielders to see anything, let alone any of the fans in the stadium or the press in the gantry, and besides, the Australians had already celebrated their moment of victory. That came after the sixth ball of the 33rd over, when the Sri Lankans – to all intents and purposes – accepted an offer for bad light, and appeared to have conceded the game with an improbable requirement of 63 from 18 balls.What happened next will doubtless be the subject of blame-games, buck-passing and recriminations. Australia’s celebratory huddle was broken up by a tap on the shoulder from the umpire Aleem Dar; the groundstaff who had been unpegging the onfield logos were told to nail them back down and reposition the pitch markers, and out trooped the players to block their way into the twilight. It was asinine, undignified, and entirely appropriate for a tournament that long since detached itself from the origins of sporting contests.But let’s concentrate on the onfield action, because – surprising as it may seem amid such a torrent of embarrassment – there was some pretty good cricket on display until officialdom stepped in to wreck everyone’s memories. For all the romantic notions that Sri Lanka brought to their second final appearance in four tournaments – the mysteries of their bowling attack and the impishness of their batsmen – Australia’s ruthlessness was absolute, as they extended their unbeaten run in World Cup matches to 29 since May 1999.And it was Gilchrist who stormed to the fore, demonstrating an eye for the big occasion that is the preserve of few. This was his third scene-stealer in consecutive World Cup finals. Against Pakistan at Lord’s in 1999, he cracked 54 from 36 balls; four years later against India at Johannesburg, he made 57 from 48. But nothing quite compared to this. Once the sun had come out and Gilchrist had gauged the pace and bounce of a rock-hard and true surface, there was no reining him – or Australia – in.Gilchrist’s innings was the highest ever made in a World Cup final, beating the mark of 140 set by his captain, Ricky Ponting, four years ago, and it was launched in a stand of 172 for the first wicket with Matthew Hayden, who made 38 from 55 balls before picking out Mahela Jayawardene in the covers.Hayden’s innings took his tournament tally to an incredible 659 runs at 73.22 – second only to Sachin Tendulkar’s 671 in the 2003 World Cup – but today he was as anonymous as at any time in the past seven weeks. It did not matter a jot, for his performance as a quick-sprinting second fiddle was second-to-none. By the time of Hayden’s dismissal, Gilchrist was already sitting pretty on 119, having faced almost five more overs than his partner.Adam Gilchrist might have had a quiet tournament until the final, but when it really mattered he smoked 149 of the best runs•Getty Images
Though Jayawardene had prevaricated at the toss, admitting he had been in two minds as to what he’d have done if he had won, Australia were in no doubt whatsoever. Five times in this tournament they had batted first and posted scores in excess of 300, and that would have been six in a row in a full-length contest. Gilchrist set the tone by clubbing Chaminda Vaas for four and six in the second over, while Lasith Malinga – the deadliest weapon in the Sri Lankan armoury – opted for accuracy over explosiveness.Malinga went for just six runs in his first spell of four overs, but he was clocking an average of 84 mph, a good 10mph slower than in his devastating semi-final performance. It meant that the early breakthrough Sri Lanka so needed never materialised, especially when Dilhara Fernando – who began tidily enough from round the wicket – dropped a sharp return chance down by his shins when Gilchrist had made a run-a-ball 31.The moment was lost and with it went Sri Lanka’s best hope of controlling the tempo of the match that had been reduced to 38 overs by early rain. Fernando was a broken man after that – his next three deliveries were clubbed for four, four and six, the last of which very nearly took out the fire engine next to the 3Ws stand at long-on. It can only have been there to douse the ardour of Australia’s batsmen, because Gilchrist was absolutely smoking. He brought up his 15th ODI hundred from just 72 balls with a drilled four over long-off, and thereafter heaved through the line with impunity, trusting his eye, the surface and the fact that the fight had gone out of his opponents.Sri Lanka’s batsmen did their best in the face of a spiralling run-rate, swinging the blade with gusto even as the cameras in the crowd betrayed the fading of both the light and their hopes. While Kumar Sangakkara and Sanath Jayasuriya were adding 116 for the second wicket, the contest was alive, but Sangakkara miscued Brad Hogg to Ponting at midwicket, before Jayasuriya, in the final appearance of a competition he has graced since 1992, was bowled by a flatter, faster delivery from the part-time spin of Michael Clarke.Glenn McGrath, another man making his final bow, then seized another segment of the limelight by striking with his penultimate delivery in international cricket. It was not his greatest ball by any means – a legside full-toss that Russel Arnold (another retiree) popped off his hip to a diving Gilchrist. But it took his tournament tally to 26 wickets – a record – and his overall World Cup tally to 71 – another record.Australia were the deserved winners of this contest, and in truth Sri Lanka were worthy runners-up – they plugged away with composure in the face of overwhelming odds, and the margin of Australia’s victory was their slimmest in both the tournament and in their three latest World Cup wins. But the manner in which the victory was signed and sealed will continue to grate long after the teams have flown home. Such is the nature of the modern-day game of cricket.
Mahela Jayawardene, Sri Lanka’s captain for the tour of England, has expressed his pleasure at his side’s impressive start to the English summer. Though Sri Lanka failed to press for a win against the British Universities at Fenner’s yesterday, Jayawardene said he was determined to build on the experience later this week.Speaking to PA Sport, he said he expected his young side to benefit from their early exposure to English conditions. “Two guys got hundreds, and the bowlers all had a decent outing and kept asking questions by putting it in the right place. A couple of the other guys got starts and didn’t finish off,” he said. “But that is the main thing you must do in England, because you definitely can get a good ball any time. The guys learned that here, and it was a good lesson for them. It was seaming, and the weather was typically English – so it was the best practice we could get.”Jayawardene, who failed to get going in the match, said he would put in the hard yards. “I was feeling pretty good out there in the middle when I went in, but it was one of those things – sometimes you get a really good ball. If it gets you out you just have to forget about it and make sure you do the hard work out there next time you get in.”He also hoped that Muttiah Muralitharan, one of a few key players to be rationed ahead of the bigger games, would play in Sri Lanka’s next match against Derbyshire, beginning on Saturday. “Guys like Murali have been playing a lot of cricket, so it is always good to give them a break,” Jayawardene said. “We just need to be very sensible in how we manage the players.”Sri Lanka play three Tests and five one-day internationals against England.
Pakistan are likely to appoint two neutral umpires for their one-day series at home against England later this year. According to ICC rules, only one third-country umpire is required to stand for a one-dayer, with the other umpire being from the home country, but Shaharyar Khan, the chairman of the Pakistan board, said that they planned to go one step further.”Making errors is a human trait. But when a home umpire gets it wrong, it might ignite strong reactions. This situation is least likely to happen in case of neutral umpires,” Shaharyar told the BBC Sport website. “When we play against India, the struggle can be felt everywhere in the two nations. Any mistake by a home umpire may cause resentment not only among fans but teams as well.”The ICC rules currently state that while one neutral umpire is mandatory for ODIs, the home board can appoint two third-country umpires if both teams agree. “The ICC said if a member country wants to introduce neutral umpires, it will have to consult the visiting team,” Shaharyar said. “We have to consult England, but I don’t think they would disagree.”I am to meet ECB people on Friday. I will also write them officially in this regard and we hope to reach to a decision very soon. At least three months are needed for the appointment of neutral umpires by the ICC. Fortunately, we have this time for the England home series.”Pakistan have long been advocates of neutral umpires in international cricket. They were the first nation to appoint third-country umpires for a Test, when VK Ramaswamy and Piloo Reporter officiated in two Tests between Pakistan and West Indies in 1986-87, long before the ICC regulations came into place. More recently, Pakistan were also miffed at a few close decisions going against them in the VB Series in Australia earlier this year. That prompted them to table a proposal before the ICC executive committee asking for two neutral umpires in all ODIs as well. The committee rejected the proposal, but allowed individual countries the flexibility to appoint two neutral umpires if the countries so desired.England are scheduled to play three Tests and five one-day internationals in Pakistan in November-December 2005.
South Australia 129 (Flower 44,Nicholson 5-36) and 3 for 339 (Lehmann 149*, Manou 130) trail New South Wales 9 for 350 decl. and 4 for 299 dec. (Mail 152*, Phelps 62) by 182 runs Scorecard
Darren Lehmann returned to his cavalier best at the expense of Stuart MacGill as South Australia launched an audacious bid for a history-defying outright win over New South Wales in the Pura Cup match at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday.Lehmann, anxiously awaiting the naming of the squad to tour Sri Lanka tomorrow, belted 28 runs from eight MacGill deliveries – and kept dishing out the punishment thereafter – to help himself to a timely 149 not out.Set a seemingly impossible 521 runs for victory after New South Wales declared their second innings on 4 for 299 – and falling to 1 for 7 almost immediately – South Australia somehow conjured up a serious challenge to be 3 for 339 at stumps – just 182 runs shy of snatching an incredible result. No Australian domestic side has ever chased so many runs and won a Sheffield Shield or Pura Cup match, the existing record being South Australia’s 6 for 506 to beat Queensland in 1991-92.Lehmann’s 210-run partnership from 223 balls with Graham Manou (130), including 174 runs in a frantic middle session, turned the game on its head and ruined MacGill’s figures, leaving him with an unflattering 0 for 118 from 18 overs. It got worse for him, when Shane Warne, his rival for a Test spot, took 4 for 51 in Victoria’s outright defeat of Tasmania.MacGill dismissed Lehmann twice in three balls earlier in the week with long hops, but had no such luck today as Lehmann and Manou caned him all over the park. Lehmann hit MacGill for two sixes and four fours in eight balls to virtually seal his selection for Sri Lanka. MacGill and Warne too should be in the squad, setting up an intriguing battle to make the Test XI.New South Wales paid dearly for MacGill dropping Manou on 4, and Mark Waugh spilling a chance from Lehmann on 90. Andy Flower (21 not out) was also given a life just before stumps.Earlier, Greg Mail finished 152 not out – following up his 128 in the first innings – to become only the third NSW player to score a hundred and a 150 in the same Shield or Pura Cup game. Monty Noble did it in 1907/08, and Mark Taylor in 1988-89.Matthew Nicholson also continued to impress, picking up a quick wicket in the SA second innings, having Ben Cameron caught by Mark Waugh at second slip. An outright win for NSW appeared at that stage to be a fait accompli. But by stumps, the tables were turned.
Friday, February 14, 2003::: “It just requires a few deliveries for a bloke like Tendulkar to get into the groove and we have played him enough in the past to know what a great player he is. We are most worried about him.” Ricky Ponting, ahead of the Australia-India clash Source: Mid-Day, India”It has been a difficult period of my life and again I can only apologise. I don’t want to be branded a racist and those people who know me know I’m not. All I can say is that it won’t happen again, I can promise you that.” Darren Lehmann Source: The Star, South Africa”Everybody is here to win the cup, Kenya included. Our main aim was to try and get into the Super Six and that is still our aim.” Kenyan captain Steve Tikolo, after his side’s drubbing by South Africa Source: Allafrica.comTuesday, February 11, 2003::: “I still can’t believe that we qualified. In Guyana, I had to go on five or six television programs just to let people know where Canada stood as a cricket nation because nobody could believe that Canada made the World Cup.” Canadian cricketer Nicholas Degroot Source: The Globe and Mail, Canada”For us, things are clear on the Zimbabwe issue: unless we are told otherwise by the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) or the International Cricket Council (ICC), we are expecting to go to Bulawayo for our match and that is all there is to it.” Matthew Hayden Source: The Daily Telegraph, UK”I have never taken any performance-enhancing drugs or intend to do so. I am sorry this had to happen, but I wish the team all the best. I was shocked because I’ve never taken performance-enhancing drugs. I am proud to be in the shape I’m now but that’s nothing to do with drugs. It’s all due to my own hard work.” Shane Warne, in a press conference, after pulling out of the World Cup following a positive drug test Source: Rediff.com