The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced that it is prepared to host the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy. The tournament is supposed to be held by India, but if the Indian government does not provide a tax exemption for it, the ICC may decide to shift it to Pakistan.According to the Press Trust of India, Abbas Zaidi, the PCB’s director of media and public affairs, has said that the PCB has been promised a tax exemption for the event by their prime minister, Shaukat Aziz. Zaidi was quoted as saying: “The prime minister has assured us that if Pakistan has to host the tournament the government would not tax the tournament earnings which go to the ICC.”India was supposed to host the last ICC Champions Trophy as well, but it was shifted to England after the Indian government refused a tax exemption. Zaidi felt that that scenario might well be repeated here.”We are just waiting and watching,” he said. “India has the right to stage the tournament but in case we’ve to host it, we are prepared and we would be happy to do it for the ICC. But frankly speaking I don’t think India would like this tournament to go to Pakistan. It’s a prestigious event and the BCCI could succeed in getting tax exemption from their government.”The Indian board is doing all it can to get the required exemption. Ranbir Singh Mahendra, BCCI’s president, and Jagmohan Dalmiya, the ex-president, met India’s prime minister Manmohan Singh a few days ago to plead for an exemption. Manmohan promised to consider the matter, but no timeline was offered for a decision.Also read: A taxing problem
Cricket Australia has agreed to postpone the Pura Cup game between the Victorian Bushrangers and the South Australian Redbacks in view of the tragic death of David Hookes yesterday. Both teams had requested that the match – which was scheduled to start on January 23 at the MCG – be moved back, and Cricket Australia took note, rearranging the fixture for February 8 at the same venue.The decision was taken as a mark of respect to Hookes and his family, and also in recognition of his iconic status in both camps. Hookes made his name as a hard-hitting batsman with South Australia, and as coach, he had led the Bushrangers to the top of the Pura Cup standings this season.The Redbacks were expected to return to Adelaide on Wednesday.
Kicking off their Deodhar Trophy campaign on the right foot, North Zone beat West Zone by an eight-wicket margin at Amritsar, overhauling a target of 182 in just 44.2 overs.Winning the toss, West skipper Jacob Martin opted to bat. The openers put on 42 runs for the first wicket, but apart from one, none of the other batsmen, including Martin himself, could contribute significantly with the bat. West Zone collapsed to 181 all out in 45 overs, hit largely by Delhi bowler Amit Bhandari’s figures of 4-29.The exception in West’s batting line-up was Hrishikesh Kanitkar. Batting as well as he could amidst the ruins, Kanitkar made 73 off 95 balls, hitting four fours and two sixes in the process. His was the eighth wicket to fall, and West Zone tailenders added only 11 more runs after Kanitkar’s dismissal.Gautam Gambhir has come off a fine double century against the visiting Zimbabwe team, but he must be wondering what he has to do to make it into the national team. His knock of 45, however, was as even-tempered as ever, coming off 62 balls and featuring four fours.Gambhir fell with the score on 94, and Dinesh Mongia followed him back into the hut 20 runs later. But opener Manish Sharma took the support of Mithun Manhas to hit an unbeaten 99 off 146 balls, striking nine fours and two sixes. He tragically missed out on a century, but his innings was pivotal in taking North to its target in fine style.
It’s a long way from Nairobi to Wellington, and it has been just as long between One-Day International victories for New Zealand, but their eight-wicket win at WestpacTrust Stadium tonight was more like the form expected from the side by a discerning cricket public.The win set up the chance for a great series finale in Auckland on Sunday with the New Zealanders showing tonight what exciting potential they have, if they can get their match requirements on song.Zimbabwe scored 236/7 in its 50 overs after deciding to bat first and while captain Heath Streak felt it was 30 runs short of what was needed, the innings of 111 by Alistair Campbell, who scored the first century at the new stadium venue, had shown conditions were good for batting.New Zealand claimed the win with 28 balls remaining. Nathan Astle was 89 not out while Mathew Sinclair scored 85.
NathanAstle Photo CricInfo
Coach David Trist said: “We produced an emphatic all round performance that was very pleasing, very necessary and obviously takes the side forward to Eden Park in a positive frame.”The greatest bonus was in getting a solid start with the batting, but there was much to savour in a tidier bowling performance.It is 32 matches since New Zealand has managed a century opening partnership in ODIs. That was the first ODI in India in November 1999 when Astle and Craig Spearman opened the innings.Tonight was only the third time Astle and Sinclair have opened the innings.It was Sinclair’s first half century in ODIs, his previous highest being 19 against Australia, while Astle scored his 25th half century.Sinclair raced to his 50 from 65 balls, hitting seven fours, while Astle took 67 balls and hit three fours and two sixes.They recorded the highest opening stand since the 115 against India and went on to better the 147-run record against Zimbabwe achieved by Llorne Howell and Astle at Napier in 1997/98.When parted at 153, they were five runs runs short of the all-time New Zealand ODI record of 158, scored against Bangladesh in Sharjah by Martin Crowe and John Wright.It was the highest ODI opening partnership since 1996/97 when Astle and Bryan Young scored 155 against Pakistan at Mohali.Sinclair was run out when on 85, scored off 120 balls with nine fours and a six. He was in control tonight and looked as free in his strokeplay as he has since his epic debut innings in Test cricket against the West Indies last summer.A century looked on the cards but momentary hesitation in the running allowed Guy Whittall to gather the ball back in and return it to Heath Streak who rebounded the ball onto the stumps to catch Sinclair well short.Trist said openers in the past have not taken the time to assess their options and were guilty of being bold and often not thoughtful enough before launching into their assault during the first 15 overs.Astle carried on to become only the second New Zealander to pass 4000 runs in ODIs. He achieved the milestone when reaching 64. Martin Crowe scored 4704 in his 143 ODIs.Today’s match was Astle’s 123rd.Trist said New Zealand had learnt from both matches of the series to date.”We respect Zimbabwe and we are pretty pleased to come out of the game with a result like that.”If we had a greater focus and desire to win then so be it. I don’t think our disicplines change greatly and our desire to win and produce good performances, we just had a shocker [in Taupo] and we don’t want to go back along that road again.”Skipper Stephen Fleming required order and partnerships from the side and James Franklin and Scott Styris had provided that when taking the ball to bowl at the start of Zimbabwe’s innings.”Later on everyone who stepped up to the plate bowled tidily and used the conditions pretty well and although we didn’t quite get the finish right, which has been a worry, there was an improvement in the all-round bowling and the fielding matched it,” he said.Scott Styris was also promoted to No 3 and hit a quick fire 48 off 43 balls.”He showed that if he sticks to quality cricket shots he’s a threat to be taken aware of by all international sides,” Trist said.Styris was regarded as a shaker by the side’s management.”He continues to flatter at times yet we know he’s got a lot to offer. We’re optimistic about where he is heading,” he said.New Zealand’s effort was most notably improved in the field and bowling where there was a greater sharpness in everything the side did. This seemed to set the trend for the rest of the day.
Rajasthan Royals legspinner Pravin Tambe, and a host of players from various other countries, who participated in a private T20 tournament in New Jersey that also featured banned Bangladesh player Mohammad Ashraful, could avoid penalties because of the nebulous state of affairs at the USA Cricket Association (USACA).A day after ESPNcricinfo revealed that Tambe, who has also represented Mumbai in the Ranji trophy, had played with Ashraful in the Laurel Hill Cricket Twenty20 tournament in the last week of July, officials familiar with the code of conduct set up by the ICC watchdog ACSU said Tambe had not breached any regulations. Both the Mumbai Cricket Association and the BCCI have not yet given a formal reaction though.”He has not violated any code of conduct,” a BCCI official well versed with the anti-corruption code said. Though the ICC did not want to comment on the matter, a source revealed the prevailing view was that Tambe had not broken any code by playing alongside Ashraful.The BCCI official said that normally the blame for Ashraful’s participation would lie with the host country, but because the USACA had been suspended by the ICC in June, the case was not so straightforward. “Normally it is the responsibility of the host association to ensure that no banned player participates in any match organised by them. In this case it is not known if this match was played under the aegis of USACA.”According to him the BCCI or ICC communicates information on bans imposed to the affiliated associations only. “Hence there may be occasions when players are actually not aware of every player they are playing with or against.”He said Tambe could not be blamed directly. “If it was local club cricket and Tambe claims he did not know that Ashraful was participating, then we have to take Tambe’s word for it unless proved otherwise.”When asked if Tambe was at fault for not seeking a no-objection certificate from the MCA, the official said that it would not have been aware of Ashraful’s presence in any case. “Even if MCA had given him a NOC, MCA themselves would not verify the players playing. It is the duty of the host association to see no banned players are participating in the tournament.”On June 26, at the end of its annual conference in Barbados, the ICC announced it was suspending the Associate membership of USACA. The ICC thus became the adjudicator for sanctioning official tournaments in the USA. Other than the overseas players, when asked whether any of the USA or Canada players picked for an ICC Americas tryout scheduled for September in Indianapolis could face local sanctions for playing in the same tournaments as Ashraful, an ICC spokesperson replied in the negative.”The ICC is aware of the issue you have raised and will be reminding its members and other relevant parties of the regulations regarding players who have been banned by other boards,” an ICC spokesperson said in an email. “This matter will not affect players selected in the [Indianapolis] Combine.”
It wasn’t pretty, but Arsenal got back to winning ways on the road last night.
The Gunners ran out 1-0 winners against Everton and, in the process, secured their place atop the Premier League table for Christmas.
It was a crucial match for the under-fire Viktor Gyokeres as well, as, even though he still left a little to be desired, he did bury the all-important penalty and end his goal drought.
However, with a League Cup quarter-final against Crystal Palace on Tuesday, Mikel Arteta has to make several changes, including dropping a starter who was even more underwhelming than Gyokeres against Everton.
The Changes Arteta could make for Crystal Palace
Starting between the sticks, and while David Raya has been brilliant this season, it’s only right that Kepa Arrizabalaga comes back into the team after starting the last two rounds.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Things get a bit more interesting when it comes to the defence, as injuries and availability might force the manager to start a couple of players he’d otherwise leave out.
However, one player who simply has to come into the side is Myles Lewis-Skelly, who was instrumental in one of the goals in the last round.
Moving into the middle of the park, it should almost go without saying that Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice should be rested for this game.
The two internationals are vital to the club, and with Mikel Merino and Christian Norgaard ready to step in, what would be the point in risking them ahead of a jam-packed Christmas schedule?
It’s a similar story on the wings, as Noni Madueke would be the perfect replacement for Bukayo Saka in this game, and Gabriel Martinelli could come in for Leandro Trossard.
Finally, perhaps the most interesting choice Arteta will have to make for this game is who leads the line.
On the one hand, Gabriel Jesus has generally looked impressive coming off the bench in recent weeks and could do with the game time.
On the other hand, Gyokeres finally got his goal against the Toffees, and therefore it might do him good to keep his place and build on that.
With that said, whatever the manager decides to do up top, there is another player who he should be taking out of the side, someone who underwhelmed on Saturday night.
The Arsenal star Arteta should drop
With most of the team already covered, it should come as no surprise that the player in question is Martin Odegaard.
Now, before the pitchforks and torches come out, the captain wasn’t terrible against Everton and is often scapegoated by fans, but he also wasn’t particularly good either.
In fact, the Norwegian international was probably the most underwhelming of Arsenal’s starters, including Gyokeres.
Odegaard vs Everton
Minutes
88′
Expected Assists
0.13
Assists
0
Big Chances Created
0
Crosses
1
Dribbled Past
1
Shots
0
Dribbles
0
Tackles
0
Duels (Won)
3 (0)
Fouls
1
All Stats via Sofascore
For example, in his 88 minutes of action, the former Real Madrid gem produced an expected assists figure of just 0.16, played one cross, failed to create a big chance, was dribbled past one, failed to take a shot and lost 100% of his duels.
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In all, it was just a frustrating display from the 26-year-old as fans know just how good he can be when he’s in the swing of things.
Therefore, his lacklustre showing and the need to protect him should see Arteta drop him for Tuesday night’s game.
Fortunately, the Spaniard has two excellent players who could come in to replace him.
Should he prefer more experience, he could opt for Eberechi Eze, who has already scored against his former club this season.
However, should he want to inject some more energy and unpredictability into the side, the manager could go for Ethan Nwaneri, who needs more minutes this year.
Ultimately, Arsenal are still on track for a stellar season, but Odegaard still needs to do a bit more in games.
116 touches & 87 passes: Arteta's 8/10 Arsenal star was better than Saka
It was yet another stellar performance for the Arsenal star, who played even better than Bukayo Saka.
The pain of being labelled a “backstop” has helped drive Adam Gilchrist from being a gloveman who had to swap states to get regular first-class games to the world-record holder for dismissals. Gilchrist overtook Mark Boucher’s 413 on the second day against India and then spoke of his constant battle to prove himself to a small band of critics.”With my keeping I’ve always had to maintain the highest standards and if I didn’t people pounce on it very quickly,” he said. “I’m not sure if that’s because of my batting, people suggesting I’m just a batsman and a backstop. I’ve used that as incentive to help motivate me and feel like I’vemaintained a high standard.”Gilchrist’s work has slipped during the series and he has dropped four catches and missed two stumpings, including a regulation offering from VVS Laxman on the first day in Adelaide. He blamed himself for setting the poor tone in the field – Australia grassed seven chances as Indian reached 526 – but is not downbeat.”I’m probably the main culprit,” he said. “In Sydney I dropped about three or four and another one here [on day one]. That was disappointing. Sometimes they stick, sometimes they don’t, and it’s not something that’s a great concern.”His simple advice for improvement was to “close your hands around the ball” but he admitted his focus had left him down. “In a nutshell, it comes down to concentration,” he said. “Are you switched on for every ball? Very rarely, if ever, can I remember dropping a catch or missing a stumping, and when asking myself whether I was concentrating 100%, have I been able to sayyes. Normally I’ve had something on my mind and wandered off. You just get exposed.”Retirement is something Gilchrist, who is 36, is being asked about more often these days. He refused to open up on when he will step down or if he will reduce his duties. “It’ll be my decision,” he said. “At the end of the day you might try not to listen to comments and someone will text you and say: ‘don’t listen to them’. Then you listen and get angry. At the end of the day it’s got to come from within.”Gilchrist chose to leave his home state of New South Wales in 1994 to switch to Western Australia, unseating the popular Tim Zoehrer. When he replaced Ian Healy in 1999 there was similar angst from the home supporters, but he won most of them over as he redefined the role of the wicketkeeper-batsman.”I’m thrilled to be the world-record holder,” he said. “It’s a really nice, satisfying achievement. I might have got there a bit quicker if I’d gloved a couple a bit more cleanly.”
Sri Lanka steadfastly resisted the temptation to do what India did, which is to play below par against, at least on paper, a much weaker opponent. Showing no signs of shakiness whatsoever they blanked out Bangladesh in their match at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad. The match was, for all practical purposes, sewn up when Sri Lanka scored 318 after being put in to bat, but even the second half, interrupted by rain as it was, gave Bangladesh little hope as they caved in to a 198-run loss.Habibul Bashar’s decision to put Sri Lanka in was not the most straightforward one, and it’s now hard to see why he chose that way. Upul Tharanga and Sanath Jayasuriya seemed dead set on putting a big score on the board from very early on, when the ball was doing a bit in the air and off the pitch, especially for Syed Rasel.Tharanga punches well through the off side, and is equally comfortable opening the face of the bat and slicing the ball over the infield, and he was off the blocks early. Jayasuriya, of course, has every shot in the book, and on the day he was toying with the bowling. He focussed on picking off the ones and twos, and this encouraged the bowlers to attack. When they did, Jayasuriya countered beautifully, pulling fiercely, cutting hard, and thumping back down the ground for boundaries.Before Bangladesh were quite sure how to adjust tactics and control the flow of runs, Sri Lanka were off to a bright start, reaching 50 off 54 balls. There were a couple of close calls for run outs, but Bangladesh’s failure to hit the stumps direct cost them dear. It was not until the 15th over that they broke the opening stand, when Tharanga fell. Mohammad Rafique, coming into the attack first-change, dropped one a touch short and wide outside the off, and Tharanga could not keep the cut shot down. Aftab Ahmed juggled the catch but held onto it at point and Tharanga was gone for 26, with Sri Lanka on 98.Jayasuriya traipsed on merrily, interrupted first by the rain, and later by an injury, but never by the bowlers. When he turned quickly for a run, stopping awkwardly, Jayasuriya strained his left knee, and walked off the field on 83. That was a temporary blip in the radar for Sri Lanka, but Mahela Jayawardene ensured that the scoring rate did not dip. He began to take a few chances, and went after the spinners, clouting sixes straight back over the bowlers’ heads.But Jayawardene’s impetuosity would cost him. On 46 he walked down the pitch and chipped a catch to long-off, losing his wicket in a soft dismissal. Sangakkara relied less on touch than Jayawardene, striking some beefy blows across the line, but he too would not go on to make a big one, falling softly, lofting to long-on when on 56.In the meantime, Jayasuriya had recovered sufficiently to come back on the field, and he quickly raced to his half-century. A pick-up shot off the pads over square-leg for six got the blood flowing. Abdul Razzak was then launched over long-on to bring up the century, and was followed immediately by a six over long-off. But, off the next ball Jayasuriya played one big shot too many, attempting a reverse sweep and only managing to bob the ball up to fine-leg. Jayasuriya made 109.Chamara Silva capped the Sri Lankan innings with a typically audacious knock, hitting an unbeaten 52 off 48 balls. He went after the bowling with total freedom, and his knock ensured a score of over 300 for Sri Lanka.
When Bangladesh replied, it was bad news from the word go. Shahriar Nafees was the first to go, trapped in front of the stumps by Vaas for just 1. Tamim Iqbal, the young star of Bangladesh’s win against India, who turned 18 just yesterday, fished at one just outside the off when Malinga banged one in a touch short. Kumar Sangakkara snapped up the catch.Aftab, one of the players Bangladesh look towards to bat out long periods of time, could not do the job on the day. With only 20 on the board three wickets were down, and the road ahead looked bleak. Farveez Maharoof, coming into the attack first-change, prised out the fourth wicket, that of the doughty Mushfiqur Rahim. Maharoof dropped one short and Mushfiqur chopped hard and ball flew straight to Tillakaratne Dilshan at point. The smart offering was pouched and Bangladesh were 26 for 4 from 11.1 overs.Then, for a time, Bangladesh resisted, but Muttiah Muralitharan is the sort of bowler who you can’t resist for too long. Saqibul Hasan had batted all of 20 balls for 4 runs, but he failed to pick a doosra and had his leg stump pegged back. Soon after there was more trouble as a mix-up in the running left Habibul Bashar well short of his crease. From there to oblivion it was a short, if not swift, road. Bangladesh were all out for 112, and Sri Lanka had swept to victory.
Duncan Fletcher has praised the inexperienced England team for their performance in the first Test at Nagpur. The side included three debutants – Alastair Cook, Ian Blackwell and Monty Panesar – while none of the players were over 30 and the team was led by Andrew Flintoff, captaining England for the first time.”What is so pleasing is that these guys look as though they have really got a desire not just to play for England but to do well for England.” Fletcher confirmed that Flintoff will continue to lead England for the remainder of the tour, but he still has concerns over the workload for the allrounder.Flintoff bowled 46 overs at Nagpur and there are just three days between the Tests. However, Fletcher has talked to Marcus Trescothick in recent days and says there is ‘a very good chance’ that he won’t return for either the remaining Tests or the one-day series, while Michael Vaughan is unlikely to return for the one-day matches.”At the moment it is a lot to do,” said Fletcher. “Just as an all-rounder he had a lot to do. Adding the captaincy could be – you never know with the individual – what he needs to step his game up to another level. We will only find that out later on.”Fred, at this stage, will captain for the rest of the tour. He captained well. Considering the circumstances it wasn’t an easy game, being thrown in he had to grab hold of the reins straight away, which he did. You can see immediately he is a guy who wants to lead from the front.”England’s reshaped side performed above all expected with two of the debutants – Cook and Panesar – having outstanding games, while Paul Collingwood, who probably wouldn’t have played if Vaughan and Trescothick had been available, struck his maiden Test century.”I was very impressed with what I saw of Cook in Pakistan and that is why we got him back this time,” said Fletcher. “As for Monty, I was surprised with the control he had right from the word go, he didn’t seem to show any nerves. He has a good classical action and that is what we have been trying to get out of our bowlers instead of these mechanical actions which leave you fighting to get consistency.”Collingwood’s performance did not surprise Fletcher, who has always been a fan of England’s established stand-by batsman. Now he is demanding a position in his own right.”He is one guy who has shown some character. He has been given very few chances and yet he has grabbed them on nearly every occasion. He played two great innings in Pakistan and to come out and get that knock shows why I have wanted him around the side for some time. He has got that buzz about him which is very important. He has done a hell of a job and we have to take note of that.”The one negative of England’s performance was two dropped catches by Geraint Jones, the first of which would have broken the 128-run stand between Mohammad Kaif and Anil Kumble in the first innings, while the second came against Rahul Dravid on the final morning.But Fletcher, a big fan of Jones, has again fully supported him. “As I have said on numerous occasions, I have seen other guys put down chances. From our point of view he kept magnificently in Pakistan, he came here and missed two difficult chances. If he was putting down nine-to-five jobs then you probably would be worried but they were two difficult chances.”In a pleasing change of events for Fletcher, the England squad is all fit in the build-up to the second Test, which starts at Mohali on Thursday. Kevin Pietersen has been cleared of any serious problem after an x-ray on his elbow, which caused concern after a dive in the field on Sunday.
The Pakistan cricket team received a minor shock when they reached Ranchi as an unidentified person hurled a stone at their team bus. According to Saleem Altaf, the team manager, the stone narrowly missed Inzamam-ul-Haq, who was sitting near the window, as the bus came out of the airport complex in Ranchi.”The stone thrown by a miscreant shattered the window and the mood of the team,” Altaf was reported as saying in . “We were scheduled to have a nets session on Thursday in preparation for the third one-day international in Jamshedpur on Saturday. But after this incident Inzamam suggested we cancel the nets and allow the boys to take complete rest for the day.”The players were forced to alight at Ranchi as there was no airport at Jamshedpur, the venue for the third game of the series. The Pakistan players were already unhappy with the travel arrangements made for the one-day series with matches scheduled all over the country. However, the Indian board had defended their itenerary saying that smaller venues had to host the one-dayers according to the rotation policy.