Cricket South Africa’s chief executive Gerald Majola has admitted that the board made a mistake in allotting the Boxing Day Test against West Indies to Port Elizabeth instead of the traditional Kingsmead in Durban, owing to the poor spectator turnout. The board’s decision to switch venues, in a bid to boost crowd numbers, backfired and Majola said the scheduling will be reviewed for the forthcoming seasons.”It was definitely a wrong move,” Majola told the South African-based . “We blundered badly. We wanted to try something new this season by moving the Test matches around. However it did not work as there were hardly any spectators at the Port Elizabeth Test.”The match was attended by roughly 11,000 in total over four days. The first day saw a crowd of around 4000 but the number dipped over the next three and an average of 2500 showed up. The deciding Test in Durban was an improvement with an aggregate of 19,000 over three days, with the home side achieving a series victory after losing the first Test.Matches in Port Elizabeth are traditionally held in mid-January and the board took a gamble to see if the response would be better during the holiday season. He admitted that the board overlooked the fact that Kingsmead would draw better crowds as people flocked to the popular beach destination.”We felt that if the crowd support in mid-January was good then it would be better if we had a Boxing Day Test in that city,” he said. “However people living at the coast love the beaches during the Christmas and Boxing Day period, hence we did not attract the crowd for the West Indies Test. We will have to go back to the drawing board.”South Africa head to Australia later this year so their next home Boxing Day Test will be in the 2009-10 season against England.
Inzamam-ul-Haq, the Pakistan captain, acknowledged that the 2-1 series loss to South Africa was one of the more disappointing of his career and that his side’s top-order batting simply hadn’t been good enough.Imran Farhat and Mohammad Hafeez struggled through the series, making only one fifty between them, while Yasir Hameed, at one-down, also failed to make a real impact. “I believe in the theory that if you keep giving your batsmen enough opportunities, they would perform but there are times when you cannot be patient enough,” Inzamam said.”I was really disappointed by the way some of our batsmen played in the final Test, especially in the second innings when we could have easily achieved a 250-run lead. It was a difficult wicket but I still believe we could have scored 250 to 300 runs in the second innings, something that would have helped us win an important series.” Farhat has already paid the price and becomes the fifth member of the squad to be sent home as he will play no part in the ODI series.Despite a valiant fight, Pakistan couldn’t stop South Africa from reaching the target of 161, thus losing the series. Given the surfaces they played on and what should’ve been a strong bowling attack, but one eventually ravaged by injury, Inzamam recognized this as a golden opportunity lost.”We have lost a golden opportunity to win a series overseas against a top side. It is one of the biggest disappointments of my career. We have won many Tests at home, but to be ranked among the best you have to win overseas,” he said.”The fitness problems with the bowlers didn’t help, but it also showed that the team had grown together and learned to compete well.”Mohammad Asif (19 wickets) and leg-spinner, Danish Kaneria (15) carried much of the bowling for Pakistan, bowling over 300 overs between them. “Asif has immaculate length control and a natural ability to swing the ball both ways. He is also quick to spot a weakness in a batsman and work on it. Kaneria has improved his bowling and has the ability to take 500 Test wickets.”Inzamam himself left the field on the final day of the Test with a return of the back pain that has troubled him intermittently over the last two years. He has been advised rest for four to five days and said only that, “Hopefully I will be available for the one-day series.”Meanwhile, Imran Khan added his voice to those expressing disappointment at the series result, arguing that dropping Shoaib Akhtar for the series was Pakistan’s first big mistake.Shoaib was flown to South Africa after injury to Umar Gul, and destroyed the South African top order on the opening day of the second Test match, which Pakistan won. He then pulled a hamstring after bowling just 11 overs and was later sent back home for treatment and rehabilitation.”Pakistan committed the blunder of not taking Shoaib from the start of the tour and his injury at Port Elizabeth could have been because he wasn’t match fit,” Imran told AFP. “Some good things have also come out and now the team management realise Tests can only be won through matchwinners.”For Pakistan’s other matchwinner, Asif, there was further praise. “Asif is well on his way to become one of the greats. If he gains a little bit of pace through weight training he can be more lethal.”Imran was also critical of Inzamam’s decision to bat at six and Mohammad Yousuf at five. “Yousuf is the best batsman alongside Australian Ricky Ponting at the moment but how many times Ponting has batted below three? And Ponting always leads from the front,” Imran pointed out.
The scheduled series between West Indies and Australia immediately following the 2007 World Cup has been indefinitely postponed after the West Indies board expressed concern over hosting two major tournaments in such a short time.”The West Indies have concerns about having two marquee events back to back, they would prefer to spread them out, and frankly that makes sense,” Cricket Australia’s Peter Young said. However, he insisted the board was committed to its agreement to tour the Caribbean every five years.Rearranging the series could be more of a problem as Australia appear to have agreed to play India home and away every four years, and West Indies fixtures are not the draw they were a decade ago and could be shoved behind more fashionable and lucrative alternatives. The recently-concluded series in Australia was played at the start of the season and was downgraded to three Tests.The news will be a further blow to the ICC, whose Future Tours Programme is looking rather sickly. Last week the Indian board indicated that it might consider ditching the FTP, and it appears to have gone some way down that route by its deal with Cricket Australia. Today, the Indian board announced that its series against New Zealand scheduled for February 2007 had been postponed after discussions with its New Zealand counterparts.Earlier this week Malcolm Speed, the ICC chief executive, was concerned enough to write to Niranjan Shah, the Indian board’s secretary, to remind him of his country’s responsibilities to the game.
Cricket Scotland has won three of the nine European regional awards in the ICC Development Programme Awards for 2004.The high profile multi-media campaign “It’s Going to be a Big Hit” – mounted by Lloyds TSB Scotland and created by Edinburgh agencies Elaine Howie PR and Family – won the award for the best cricket promotional campaign. The campaign, which was launched with a special-build 48-sheet poster featuring a cricket ball bursting through it, is credited with having significantly raised the profile of the game north of the border.The award for the best overall cricket development programme went to the Stanley Morrison Trust ‘Adopt a Primary School Scheme’, which has been running in Scotland for the past 15 years, and has introduced the game to over 75,000 youngsters all over the country.The inaugural Lloyds TSB Scotland Women’s International Cricket Festival, held in Scotland last summer – involving teams from Holland, Warwickshire and Durham – won the award for the best women’s cricket initiative.Roddy Smith, chief executive of Cricket Scotland, said: “Last year was a memorable one for the national team, which won the ICC Intercontinental Cup, and these awards make it even more so. The work undertaken by our sponsors, particularly Lloyds TSB Scotland, to enhance their relationship with Scottish cricket has taken our profile to a new level.”
Pakistan, the world’s leading six-a-side team, will be seeking a hat-trick ofvictories in this weekend’s Cathay Pacific/Standard Chartered Hong Kong Sixes atthe Kowloon Cricket Club – an annual biff-bang-wallop tournament that includeseight international teams.”Hopefully we will be able to win it again,” said Moin Khan, the Pakistan captain, soon after the team’s nine-hour flight from Lahore. “This is a really fun event and the prize money is good. We are back with a talented side and if we play to our ability we should be able to defend our title.”But although Pakistan – winners in 1992, 1997, 2002 and 2001 – are favourites with another star-studded line-up that includes Moin Khan, Azhar Mahood, Abdul Razzaq, Imran Nazir and Imran Farhat, they may be pushed harder this year it what promises to be the most competitive tournament in history.This year the organisers have invited New Zealand and Kenya in place of the UAEand Australia, who showed little interest in the tournament last year with theselection of a veteran XI. With both New Zealand and Kenya sending strong teams,the pool stages will no longer be a formality for the top seeds.Pakistan should stroll to victory against Hong Kong – who have been bolstered by the news that their most famous cricketer, Dermot Reeve, will be making a star appearance – but have a tricky game against New Zealand on the first morning and a heavyweight clash against arch-rivals India in the afternoon.India’s team is bolstered by Vinod Kambli, the playboy of India cricket, who keeps telling the world that he is ready for one final fling in an Indian shirt. But hopes of winning their first-ever title have been dampened following a late pull-out by strike bowler Javagal Srinath who is injured. His place has been taken by Venkatesh Prasad.England, the runners up last year and the winners in 1993 and 1994, are expected to top Pool 1 with an experienced team. Led by Matthew Maynard, the team includes Glen Chapple, Chris Silverwood, Kabir Ali, Darren Maddy, Dougie Brown and Robert Croft.South Africa are another top seed. Led by Andrew Hall, who was sent home fromSouth Africa’s recent tour to Pakistan because of two-Test ban, their squadincludes Loots Bosman, Justin Kemp, Justin Ontong and Monde Zondeki.Sri Lanka, despite their reputation for flambuoyant strokeplay, are consideredoutsiders. Last year they suffered a shock defeat against Kong Kong. However,their squad includes several relatively unknown but effective allrounders,including Dulip Liyange, the skipper, Gayan Wijekoon, Chinthaka Jayasinghe, Indika de Saram and Saman Jayantha.The short boundaries at the Kowloon Cricket Club, a pristine green oasis amidst an sprawling urban jungle, and the even bounce of the artificial strip that will be used, traditionally favours the big-hitters. Bowlers concentrate on holding their nerve, avoiding the yips and bowling stump to stump.”There are not many tactics in this game,” according to Khan. “As a batsman in the sixes you go out to bat with the intention of hitting every ball for four or six. It is important to enjoy yourself and we have come with that intention.”
What shaped as a David and Goliath battle was transformed into the Shane and Sean show as two outstanding young players helped Tasmania slay Queensland by an innings and 50 runs in an amazing finish to the teams’ Pura Cup clash here in Hobart today.Where Tasmania has been a generous host in previous matches this summer, all-rounder Shane Watson turned inhospitable today, producing an electric display of pace bowling to reverse the tide of poor form that has washed over his side of late. With it arrived the incredible figures of 11/78 inside a day as the Tigers gained sweet revenge for a two-day defeat of their own in Brisbane last month.Sean Clingeleffer, a wicketkeeper-batsman of immense promise, meanwhile led a spectacular exhibition of catching with a performance that established a new record for his state.Suitably stunned into committing an uncharacteristic string of errors, the Bulls crashed to be dismissed for 130 in their first innings before folding for a dismal 101 as they followed on.”I’m very happy about that; it’s still a bit of a weird feeling at the moment,” commented Watson of his first-ever ten-wicket haul in a first-class match.”Eleven wickets is a big tally but everyone bowled really well; I had good support at the other end which really helped me out a lot.”The former Queenslander was only introduced into the attack shortly before lunch but his impact was almost immediate. In his second over, he found the outside edge of the bat of Stuart Law (2), therein claiming a wicket that delivered the near-ultimate in satisfaction.Law, who had been less than flattering in his assessment of both Watson and the nature of his defection before the corresponding fixture last summer, groped at a brisk leg cutter and feathered an outside edge to Clingeleffer.”It’s been a good rivalry between me and Stuart and I was really pumped to try and get his wicket to lift our team. He’s a very good player and it was definitely a key wicket,” added Watson.Just for good measure, the Queensland captain then succumbed exactly the same way as his team’s game began to fall apart again in the second innings. His wicket appeared to be the catalyst of Queensland’s slide in both innings.Six of the last seven first innings wickets fell Watson’s way – in the midst of a collapse that saw eight wickets crash for a mere 53 runs. Another five came in the second as he magnetically found outside and bottom edges as well as the gate between bat and pad.The strongly built 20-year-old enjoyed a meteoric rise to the top tier of Australian domestic cricket as a teenager last summer, performing with brilliance as Tasmania took advantage of Queensland’s reluctance to blood him into state ranks at such an early age.Clamour for his inclusion in an Australian senior team has been building steadily in Tasmania ever since. A favourable effort in an appearance for Australia ‘A’ earlier this month couldn’t have harmed his cause. And national selectors Trevor Hohns and David Boon must have been further moved by what they saw first-hand here at a sun-drenched Bellerive Oval today.His bowling, the velocity of which sometimes rivals that of the stiff breezes which blow across the nearby Derwent River, was exceptional.As far as impressive efforts from players on the fielding side were concerned, he was not alone.Fellow pacemen Damien Wright, Shane Jurgensen and David Saker also bowled with venom. Wright beat the bat on countless occasions; Jurgensen maintained his reputation for impeccable line on a pitch that offered the same variable bounce as it had done yesterday; and Saker, as Watson later suggested, has probably never bowled better in close to two years of cricket with Tasmania.And, where their bowlers opened up chances, Tasmania’s fielders emphatically capitalised upon them. Their catching was of a consistently high standard and in no-one was the trend better emphasised than Clingeleffer. A brilliant one-handed overhead mark as he seized a rocketing edge from the bat of Wade Seccombe (0) in the first innings was the highlight among the total of nine catches which helped him set a new mark for the most taken in a first-class match by a Tasmanian fieldsman.In the face of Tasmania’s multi-faceted assault, opener Jimmy Maher (20 and 41) bravely defied the odds both times for the Bulls. But he encountered precious little in the way of support.Tasmania unhappily tumbled into last spot on the competition table after it lost in Brisbane and a period of soul-searching has followed. All to the accompaniment of a general lack of respect for the team from various quarters.But Watson and Clingeleffer both confirmed that the spirit of enthusiasm and commitment displayed on the field today has been spreading at an infectious rate in the dressing room all week.Cricket can truly be a remarkable leveller at times.
Cricket’s excursion indoors in Melbourne today may have afforded the sport one of its more novel developments of recent years but there was no escaping at least one familiar refrain. In the midst of a match riven with a heavily futuristic touch at the state-of-the-art Colonial Stadium, seasoned campaigner Australia encountered very little resistance on its way to a triumph over South Africa by a margin of ninety-four runs.To say that there was something surreal in a general sense about today’s proceedings would be more than just a slight understatement. ‘Outdoor’ cricket was not only being played indoors (the first time ever for a one-day international) but being staged in Australia in August and commencing before almost as many empty bays of seating as spectators themselves. That all came after the twenty-two players were introduced to the audience as part of a fifteen-minute light show. It was all very unusual to say the least.For all of the oddities before an audience which eventually swelled in number to 25785, though, there was as much to admire in Australia’s game – and, in particular, the contribution of two of its star players, Michael Bevan and Steve Waugh – as is frequently the case these days. A diet of unremarkable South African medium pace bowling, and the pair’s insatiable appetite for one-day international runs, lifted the Australians to a commanding total of 5/295 after they had been inserted. Their opponents never really came close to the point of finding an answer.It was a position of strength that had seemed unlikely when the Australians tumbled toward the precarious mark of 3/37 in the tenth over of the day. By that stage, the combination of some fine new ball bowling from Shaun Pollock (1/46) and Roger Telemachus (2/54), the manifestation of early life in the drop-in pitch, and some over-extravagant strokeplay from Mark Waugh (17) and Ricky Ponting (16), had consigned the locals to a plight from which recovery did not look easy. The early departure of new vice-captain Adam Gilchrist (1) to another familiar sight – Jonty Rhodes causing a run out with a direct hit from point – also shaped as a major blow.Easy though Bevan and Waugh made it look with an association which helped them rewrite the record books on a day when much history was already being made around them. Bevan (106) was the dominant partner early, racing to his half-century with a succession of artfully played shots on both sides of the wicket. Waugh (114*) then exploded during the closing stages of the innings, drawing to his century in the forty-fifth over precisely one delivery after his fellow New South Welshman had raised his own such landmark. Before a miscued Bevan off drive at Pollock was brilliantly clutched only inches above the turf by Jacques Kallis (racing in from long off), they had mounted a new record mark for fourth wicket stands for their country in this form of the game. They had also moved to within two runs of eclipsing the all-time highest partnership for Australia in one-day internationals – namely, the 224 added by Dean Jones and Allan Border against Sri Lanka in Adelaide in 1984-85. Run out chances went begging with Waugh on 23 and 24 respectively and, with them, essentially disappeared the visitors’ aspirations of victory. Otherwise, the two players’ bats were impassable, their defences impregnable, and even across a patchy, partly soggy outfield, their shots were controlled expertly.Throughout the afternoon, a look of sameness in the bowling of Lance Klusener, Nantie Hayward, Andrew Hall and Kallis very much worked to Australia’s advantage. From early in their mammoth stand, Bevan and Waugh were able to dictate terms to the bowlers and they never relinquished their advantage. The Proteas, for their part, consistently erred for length, bowling too short in the middle stages before pitching the ball too full as a rule toward the end.When it came South Africa’s turn to reply, Gary Kirsten (43) and Kallis (42) hit some fine strokes as they led a determined effort. But, against an attack that far more keenly recognised the importance of confining itself to bowling just short of a driveable length and on or around the line of off stump, the task was always too challenging. Although he went wicketless, Glenn McGrath (0/28) was possibly the pick of the home team’s bowlers; back in their home town, all-rounder Ian Harvey (3/41) and a relaxed-looking Shane Warne (2/39) also acquitted themselves well.”We got the momentum going our way and South Africa couldn’t seem to pull it back,” enthused Waugh after the match. “We were very good in the field … if we play that well again, we’re going to be very hard to beat.”In truth, this was a game which never reached any great heights but its historic significance still brought to it much interest. Certainly, the stadium itself seemed to survive the experiment well. A few of the players acted much like charged particles would do in any confined space – taking a while to come fully to grips with the concept of playing under a roof – but they were soon bubbling away happily in their new surroundings. Even against the strains of the cacophony of music which greeted incoming batsmen, changes of bowler, wickets, fours and sixes, there were also at least the occasional moments of entertaining cricket before a lid of another kind – the one on South Africa’s coffin – was formally nailed shut.
Stuart Dallas struggles to ‘cope’ with the demands of playing as a full-back for Leeds United, former Whites goalkeeper Paddy Kenny has told Football Insider.
The lowdown
The 30-year-old started as a right-back in Jesse Marsch’s first game in charge of the Whites against Leicester City on Saturday. It was the 21st time that he has started on either side of the back four this season (11 on the right, 10 on the left).
Over the course of his career, Dallas has played most of his minutes as a left midfielder, but like his predecessor Marcelo Bielsa, it seems that Marsch views him as a versatile option.
The latest
Kenny has urged Marsch to restore Dallas to a midfield role, warning that he is easy meat for ‘top wingers’ at full-back. The 43-year-old also suspects that the Northern Irishman is finding the experience ‘a bit embarrassing’.
The former Premier League goalkeeper told Football Insider: “He’s better in midfield rather than full-back. Yes, he’s got loads of energy and dynamism, but you can tell he’s spent most of his career as a winger at times.
“Look at his body positioning, he gets squared up by top wingers and too flat-footed, which is a bit embarrassing at times.
“His skills are best in midfield, where he is good on the ball and a runner who does the dirty week. He couldn’t cope always at full-back.”
The verdict
Against Leicester, Harvey Barnes did find a lot of joy on their left flank, completing four out of his six dribbles, winning five of his seven ground duels and scoring the winning goal (via SofaScore).
However, it’s worth noting that Dallas was only playing at right-back because Luke Ayling had moved into the heart of defence following an injury to Diego Llorente.
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In an ideal world, Leeds would perhaps have two natural senior right-backs, but instead Dallas is the utility man. Until he gets a chance to reinforce the squad in the summer, Marsch can only work with what he’s got, even if Kenny has his misgivings about the 30-year-old in that role.
In other news, read this injury expert’s claim on Liam Cooper
Batsman of the day Before this match, Kumar Sangakkara was rated as the third-bestbatsman in Test cricket, but if you took his efforts in this past yearin isolation, there’d be no contest. Since surrendering the gloves tohis team-mate Prasanna Jayawardene, he’s been unstoppable, racking up1529 runs in 14 innings, at the staggering average of 152.90. He’smade seven centuries in that time, including a career-best 287, and ofthose times he’s reached three figures, he hasn’t been dismissed forless than today’s 152. The Asgiriya, incidentally, is where he playedall his cricket as a schoolboy at Trinity College. It’s fair to sayhe’s familiar with the conditions.Intruder of the day As the afternoon wore on and England’s ordeal became all the moreacute, any break from the grind – however fleeting – was gratefullyreceived by the fielders. Cue the arrival of the Asgiriya’s favouritemutt, who padded onto the pitch from the direction of the Barmy Armyenclosure (a coincidence?) and held up play for three precious minuteswhile he ambled from long-on to fine leg. Steve Harmison met him atthe boundary’s edge in front of the pavilion, but thought better ofdoing a Merv Hughes and carrying him off the pitch. Every secondcounts when your side is up against it.Intruder of the day Mk 2 Another interruption, though perhaps less gratefully received by theplayers on this occasion. Monty Panesar was just about to trot in forhis 41st over of the innings, when every single person on the field -including the batsmen and both umpires – flung themselves to the deck,as if the cry “doodlebug!” had gone up. The cause of the panic was aswarm of bees, mostly milling around by the sightscreen at theHunnasgiriya End of the ground. Speculation mounted that it was aplague on Murali, as dispatched by Shane Warne, but they buzzed offsoon enough.Band of the day There wasn’t actually any competition for this one. Murali’s personalskiffle band had serenaded the crowd so joyfully throughout the firstthree days, but today, with the record back where it belongs, theydecided their work was done. So it was left to the Barmy Army toprovide the atmospherics. They did their best in trying circumstances,but you couldn’t help but notice that both the trumpeter and thechanting sounded a little flat by comparison.
Drop(-kick) of the day Ian Bell could be excused for his first miss of the match, afringe-singeing flyer at slip that came in the midst of SanathJayasuriya’s 24-run over on Monday. There were no such mitigatingcircumstances this time around, however. For the first time in hisinnings, Sangakkara was looking genuinely edgy, having fallen in thenineties twice before against England. On 98, he fenced outside offand steered a sitter to Bell’s right at slip. But the chance wasmuffed, and a furious Ryan Sidebottom booted an imaginary Bell cleanover the monastery.Surprise of the day Paul Collingwood’s shock dismissal of Prasanna Jayawardene. Englandhadn’t looked like rattling the timbers for two days and 124 overs, soit was quite rightly assumed to be some sort of mistake whenCollingwood swung one in from outside off stump, straight through thegate and into the top of the off bail. The umpires conferred,wondering perhaps whether the ball had ricocheted off Matt Prior’spads. But no, it was all bona fide. Twelve deliveries later, andperhaps still reeling from the shock, Sangakkara clipped tamely tomidwicket to give Colly his second of the innings.Cheer of the day It wasn’t quite an ovation of Murali proportions, and there might evenhave been a tinge of irony involved. But when Alastair Cook tucked thefirst ball of England’s innings off his hips for four, he escaped thedreaded pair and gave the England supporters their most upliftingmoment of the day. It couldn’t last, however. Three balls later, hepoked uncertainly outside off, and the Sri Lankan voices were onceagain the loudest in the ground.
Danish Zaheer, an expert on the panel that overturned the drugs ban on Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif, has spoken out saying that the decision to lift the ban went against world doping guidelines. But he added that the original tests on the two bowlers were flawed as there was confusion over a urine sample and forms were not dated properly.Zaheer was the lone dissenting voice on the three-man panel that included Justice Fakhruddin Ebrahim and Haseeb Ahsan, a former Test cricketer. “I differed on the verdict simply because… those [reasons] given by the appellate may not be acceptable to the World Anti-Doping Agency [WADA],” said Zaheer “There were numerous major evidence-based departures from international standards while conducting tests on the Pakistani cricketers and due to these the whole procedure becomes null and void.”The forms had no names on them, said Zaheer, who is also the vice-president of the Asian Federation of Sports Medicine. “It could not be established whose urine sample it was, whether of Inzamam-ul-Haq or of Akhtar.”The panel had overturned the ban on the ground that the players were never warned or cautioned against taking supplements. “There was no proper notification to the players for the tests, as you need to give players written notifications before testing, but instead players were informed on the telephone,” he said. “The two bowlers did not know much about doping and that was why they refused to have their ‘B’ samples tested, which was very important.”The WADA filed an appeal against the panel’s decision in the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) based in Lausanne, Switzerland on December 22.