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Jamie Siddons, the Bangladesh coach, has said that his team will target Australia’s new captain, Michael Clarke, during the three-ODI series, which begins on April 9 in Dhaka

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Apr-2011Jamie Siddons, the Bangladesh coach, has said that his team will target Australia’s new captain, Michael Clarke, during the three-ODI series, which begins on April 9 in Dhaka. The Australian team left for Bangladesh today and they will play a warm-up game on April 7 before the series begins.”Every team targets the captain and we will be wanting to get rid of him [Clarke],” Siddons told the . ”If we get to him, it means we will have got through the openers and [Ricky] Ponting, and we’ll be happy to have a crack at him. Obviously if you cut off the head the rest will fall. That’s the theme – to take the captain out.”Bangladesh will focus on stalling Australia with their spinners, and Siddons was hopeful that the left-arm options at his disposal, and the captain Shakib Al Hasan in particular, would play a crucial role in the series.”He [Shakib] doubts himself very little against the best players in the world and he is probably the best left-arm spinner I’ve seen. He and [Daniel] Vettori are very close. [Shakib] spins the ball a lot more and as far as street-smarts go, he is the same as Vettori, I reckon.”I’ve got a long memory so I remember all these things from when I was on tour with the [Australian] boys. We just think we can hold them up a bit with our left-arm spinners and make some inroads into their batting order.”Bangladesh had a disappointing World Cup: they were eliminated from Group B after winning only three league matches, though one of those victories was against England. Siddons’ contract as Bangladesh coach is up for renewal in June but in the event it is not renewed he said he would accept a position at Cricket Australia’s Centre of Excellence.

Plays of the Day from the first day of the third Test between England and Pakistan at The Oval

Andrew Miller at The Oval18-Aug-2010Debutant of the day
Wahab you been all this time? Wahab Riaz’s last competitive outing came against Leicestershire a month ago, and with just five ODIs and a solitary Twenty20 in his international career to date, he was something of an unknown quantity coming into this game – especially having picked up a meagre 14 wickets at 41.50 for National Bank in the recent Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. But no matter what the state of their overall team may be, Pakistan have never been short of fast-bowling reserves, and Wahab tore onto the offensive with four wickets in his first nine overs as a Test cricketer, and 5 for 63 all told. One cautionary footnote, however. He is the ninth Pakistani to claim five wickets on debut, but with the exception of Shahid Afridi, who was primarily selected as a batsman, none of them went on to achieve greater deeds.Failure of the day
There were plenty of failures to choose from, but few were as abject as that of Alastair Cook. With 100 runs in seven innings to date this summer, he was retained for this contest as much out of pity as anything else – with England breaking the habit of a lifetime by naming their 11 a full three days in advance of the Test to give him as much reassurance as possible. A carefree 38 from 22 balls in Essex’s t20 semi-final hinted at a reinvigorated mindset, but from the moment he edged his first runs of today through gully for four, it was clear that all was not well in his game. Sure enough, he failed to see out Mohammad Asif’s first over of the day, as Kamran Akmal snaffled the first of four catches behind the stumps.Revival of the day
Aside from the lunchtime scoreline, the most remarkable aspect of Pakistan’s performance was the sharpness of their fielding, which (with one notable exception – see below) could not have been further removed from their woeful effort at Edgbaston last week. And no-one better epitomised that improvement than the keeper, Kamran, who showed Cook a thing or two about the benefits of a break from the firing line. Had it not been for Zulqarnain Haider’s finger injury, he would not have been playing in this match either, but instead he fronted up with a display that matched the assurance he showed during Pakistan’s victory over Australia at Headingley. His day started inauspiciously, with two byes fizzing through his legs from the third ball bowled, but that was as bad as his day would get.Stand of the day
Matt Prior and Stuart Broad are a pair of players who fancy a scrap, but to be brought together at 94 for 7 in the 32nd over was a brawl beyond even their pugilistic appetites. Nevertheless, the severity of the situation focussed their minds superbly, as they doubled the score and more in a calculated and stroke-laden 119-run onslaught. In so doing they surpassed England’s previous eighth-wicket record in Tests against Pakistan, which stood at a meagre 99, and in keeping with the current Ashes hype, also nudged ahead of a trio of notable landmarks against Australia – the 117 that Botham and Dilley added in the great Headingley turnaround of 1981; the urn-sealing 109 that Pietersen and Ashley Giles compiled on this ground five years ago; and the 108 that Broad and Graeme Swann compiled out of the wreckage of last summer’s rout in Leeds. Omens aplenty …Shy of the day
When Stuart Broad hurled the ball at Zulqarnain during the Edgbaston Test, his actions attracted widespread condemnation and accusations of petulance. When Asif did the same to Prior, striking him painfully on the heel towards the end of his excellent 84 not out, it drew a sharp intake of breath from around the ground, followed by a cacophony of pantomime boos, but that was more or less the end of that. It helped that Asif’s gesture of apology was rather more fulsome than Broad’s casual shrug had been, and the shy itself was also rather more justified, seeing as Prior had advanced down the track and was stretching for his crease as the bowler fielded in his followthrough.Drop of the day
At the age of 35, and with hardly a hint of competitive cricket since the tour of Australia back in January, Mohammad Yousuf comes across as an unlikely saviour with his grey-flecked beard and slightly portly demeanour. And while all that may well change when he picks up his bat tomorrow, for the time being, the most notable moment of his comeback Test came from the penultimate ball of England’s innings, when a spiralling top-edge from Prior left him looking as doddery as Cha-Cha Pakistan in a tape-ball knockabout. Prior was already walking off when the chance plopped straight through Yousuf’s fingers. Fortunately for Pakistan, Steven Finn was nailed lbw one delivery later, having survived 64 balls without dismissal in the series.

Plays of the Day from the first day of the second Test between Pakistan and Australia at Headingley

Nagraj Gollapudi and Brydon Coverdale at Headingley21-Jul-2010Chalo Chalo Headingley chalo …
…read one of the advertising boards. It was a good slogan, written in the green and white Pakistan colours, urging the fans to fill Headingley. It was fitting, too, considering the Pakistani domination on the first day. Sadly the ground remained 75% empty despite the heroics of Pakistan’s fast bowling pack in the morning. Perhaps that had something to do with the tickets selling for a prohibitive 30 quid, a big deterrent for devoted fans across England.Hilf, the hat-trick halter
When Ben Hilfenhaus strode to the crease to face the hat-trick ball from Mohammad Aamer, it was a familiar feeling. Hilfenhaus is in only his 11th Test but he had already needed to negotiate a hat-trick delivery, at The Oval last year when Steve Harmison was aiming to regain the Ashes with three wickets in three balls. On that occasion, Hilfenhaus blocked the ball solidly away and he also survived this time around, though with a little less conviction. Aamer had just knocked back the stumps of Steven Smith and Mitchell Johnson with the first two balls after lunch, and another delivery on line would have given him a great chance of the hat-trick. But Aamer angled it across Hilfenhaus, who played and missed.Smart move
Salman Butt took a leaf out of Ricky Ponting’s book of captaincy when he introduced Umar Amin, part-time medium pacer, five overs before lunch. It did seem a little strange considering Umar Gul’s short spell lasted just five overs and Danish Kaneria was yet to bowl. But just like Marcus North had struck on the stroke of lunch at Lord’s, Amin got the crucial breakthrough in the penultimate over before the end of the first session when he drew North forward and induced a thick edge off a neat outswinger which was snapped brilliantly by the steadily improving Kamran Akmal.Gul’s bunny
When it comes to long vigils, Michael Hussey has shown on several occasions that he has the mental fortitude necessary to cling, limpet-like, to the crease in a tough situation. But Umar Gul has managed to breach Hussey’s supreme powers of concentration more than anyone else in the past year. Today Hussey was the victim of a rare bad decision by Rudi Koertzen after HawkEye predicted Gul’s inswinging delivery, which hit Hussey flush on the front pad, would miss the leg stump. But in the past 12 months Gul has got the better of Hussey on five occasions across three formats and can proudly hold the Australian as one of his bunnies.

Shahid Afridi, the Pakistan captain, has said that he wanted former captain Younis Khan in the squad for the tour of England but various issues, such as form and discipline, had prevented the batsman’s selection

Cricinfo staff23-Jun-2010Shahid Afridi, the Pakistan captain, has said that he wanted former captain Younis Khan in the squad for the tour of England but various issues, such as form and discipline, had prevented the batsman’s selection.”I wanted Younis to be in the team but, besides the issue of his recent form, there was also a bit of a disciplinary issue with Younis,” Afridi told . “One must understand I don’t pick the team alone. The input of the coach and selectors is also involved in this process.”Younis, whose ban had been overturned by the PCB after an appeal, was not included in Pakistan’s Test or Twenty20 squad for the trip to England. Ijaz Butt, chairman of the board, said last week that Younis’ return would require clearance from the board, an issue that wasn’t deemed to be an issue at all with Shoaib Malik, Afridi and the Akmal brothers, who had all apologised for their mistakes.Afridi also said that fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, who made a comeback in the Asia Cup, would only play limited-over cricket for now. “We don’t want to waste him or damage his remaining career by playing him in Test cricket,” Afridi said.Although Pakistan made an early exit from the Asia Cup, after beating only Bangladesh, they competed hard against Sri Lanka and India. Afridi’s performances were impressive in the tournament: he scored centuries against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and took three wickets at an economy-rate of 4.60. “The truth is that in the Twenty20 World Cup, I had taken the pressure of captaincy which affected my individual form as well, but this time I focused on my own performances,” he said.Afridi will make a return to Test cricket after four years when he leads the team in Pakistan’s ‘home’ series against Australia in England this summer.

A big claim has been made on Newcastle United and their transfer plans…

What’s the talk?

Journalist Santi Aouna, along with fellow reporter Dahbia Hattabi, has revealed two players that the club are looking to snap up at the end of the season as PIF attempt to bolster Eddie Howe’s Premier League squad.

Aouna Tweeted: “Info with @DahbiaHattabi: Newcastle wants to recruit two French people next summer: Benoît Badiashile, whose price set by Monaco is around €40m. Moussa Diaby from Bayer Leverkusen.”

St James’ supporters will be delighted

The St. James’ Park faithful will surely be delighted with this news as both players would be fantastic additions to Eddie Howe’s squad.

Badiashile is worth roughly £34m – according to Aouna – and Diaby is reportedly valued at £75m by his current club Bayer Leverkusen. This means that the pair could cost as much as £109m to sign this summer, although PIF could work their magic and negotiate more favourable deals to make them both viable targets instead of potentially obliterating the budget on two players.

Diaby, 22, has been sublime in the Bundesliga this season and would add an extra level of attacking threat to Howe’s team. He has produced 12 goals and nine assists in the division as he has been able to show that he can consistently deliver at the top end of the pitch.

Meanwhile, Newcastle’s top scorer in the Premier League has six goals and their top assister has set up four strikes so far. The Frenchman would, therefore, be an upgrade on what Howe currently has to work with in terms of scoring and creating goals.

Badiashile would also be a top signing as he would bolster the centre-back options at the club. The 21-year-old has averaged a solid SofaScore rating of 6.91 across 20 appearances in Ligue 1 as he has shown that he can put in excellent displays on a regular basis despite his young age.

His experience, and performances, at this stage in his career also suggest that he has the scope to develop further and improve as a player in the years to come. This means that Newcastle would be signing a player with potential as well as someone who can make an impact in the immediate future, which is also the case with 22-year-old Diaby.

Therefore, the supporters will be delighted with the club’s interest in both of these players and they will surely be hoping that PIF can get both of them over the line.

AND in other news, 71% duels won: £19k-p/w NUFC titan brought his “passion off the pitch” onto it vs NCFC – opinion

Few venues in world cricket are as evocative as the WACA. From the days of Dennis Lillee thudding the ball into Rod Marsh’s upturned gloves, to the sight of Curtly Ambrose claiming seven wickets for one run in a legendary spell in 1992-93, it is a ground

Andrew Miller at the WACA14-Dec-2010Few venues in world cricket are as evocative as the WACA. From the days of Dennis Lillee thudding the ball into Rod Marsh’s upturned gloves, to the sight of Curtly Ambrose claiming seven wickets for one run in a legendary spell in 1992-93, it is a ground that has promised riches for all bowlers who relish pace and bounce in their deliveries.Around the turn of the 2000s, however, the WACA lost its bite, as the tired old pitches gave up the ghost after years of being baked in the Western Australian heat, and the ground’s reputation took a hit as a consequence. But according to the curator, Cameron Sutherland, a return to the surfaces of old is on the cards for the coming Test, as part of an overall project to revive the venue’s aura.”We’ve totally redeveloped the wicket block,” said Sutherland. “We dug it up and started again three years ago, and have been doing it stage by stage. This is only the second first-class game on the Test wicket – we played the West Indies Test on it last year and were pretty happy. Every year as it settles and compacts, it gets harder and gets better, and we think we are on the right track.”With two days to go until the Test gets underway, the pitch is a remarkable sight, with live grass giving the surface a lush green tinge that Sutherland says is a deliberate bid to improve the battle between bat and ball, even if – to judge by the effect in recent Sheffield Shield fixtures – the actual impact of the covering is likely to be less dramatic than its appearance would suggest.”Most of the Shield wickets have been new-ball wickets,” said Sutherland. “In the first 10 overs the quicks get a bit of movement, with a bit of swing around. We are aiming for similar, and are quite happy to have a bit of grass and colour in it for the Test. It took WA a season to get over looking at the colour, because it probably doesn’t influence the way it plays. There will a bit of nibble, but it won’t go excessively either way.”In the five years since Sutherland has been the WACA’s head curator, there has been just the one drawn Test match, and that was his first match in charge, when Jacques Rudolph batted South Africa to an improbably comfortable stalemate after being set an unlikely 491 in the fourth innings. But despite some definite signs of life in State cricket, Sutherland admits that he hasn’t quite got the formula right for his five-day surfaces.”This is the last piece in the puzzle,” he said. “The comment comes every year that the Shield wickets have been pretty lively and quick but what’s happened to the Test wickets? It hasn’t been for the want of trying. Hopefully this year will be similar to what we prepare for the domestic season. We’re in a better place with the ground and the wicket development is going nicely. Hopefully in the next three or four years we will keep improving it.”Either way, Sutherland does not expect a repeat of the scenario that he faced during a second XI fixture between Western Australia and New South Wales in November, when a dramatic temperature change caused cracks of up to 4cm to appear on a good length. The match came close to being abandoned but in the end NSW were persuaded to play on so long as there were “no silly buggers” from the pitch – and so it proved as they mustered 244 in the fourth innings to lose by 234 runs.”That grass we had only put in six months ago and our root establishment was not as good as it could have been,” explained Sutherland. “Since then we have had two four-day games with temperatures of 38C all the way through, so the Test wicket has sat there and baked. We estimate we will get some cracking, but that’s a characteristic we want – the soil we use sets hard but also cracks, and that’s part of the WACA.”Given the WACA’s history we’re hoping for a result, but it’s up to the players to make the most of it,” he added. “I’ve listened to people on the radio from the Gabba and Adelaide saying ‘gee, I wish some wickets would deteriorate’. Our characteristic is cracking. How much it opens up will depend on the weather. You might bowl first, get the freshness out of the wicket early, and then the cracks might even the contest up later.”

Wolves could make Hwang Hee-chan’s loan move to Molineux a permanent one in the January transfer window, according to a fresh transfer rumour.

The Lowdown: Hwang impressing on loan

The 25-year-old joined Wanderers on a temporary basis from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig last summer, in order to earn regular minutes.

Hwang has impressed for Wolves since arriving, scoring four goals in 11 Premier League starts and adding real quality and pace alongside the likes of Francisco Trincao and Raul Jimenez in attack.

Wanderers have the option to sign the South Korean permanently this summer, but in order to stop another team from doing the same early, they may need to get the deal done this month.

The Latest: Permanent move imminent?

According to Bild [via Sport Witness], Wolves are keen on getting the move completed, with Hwang likely to cost €16.5million (£13.8m).

The report states that they are ‘considering pulling the purchase option’ in January, with that scenario also thought to suit Leipzig.

The Verdict: Makes perfect sense

Admittedly, Hwang’s form has dipped a little in recent months, not helped by a current injury problem – he hasn’t scored since October, against Leeds United – but signing him permanently is still a no-brainer.

This is a player who has scored 52 goals and registered 35 assists in 131 career appearances as a centre forward and he has shone out on the left for Wolves too.

With Adama Traore potentially moving away from Molineux this month, the funds would be generated to easily acquire Hwang’s signature, so it may not be a financial issue in the slightest.

In other news, some Wolves fans are excited about a potential swap deal. Read more here.

Glamorgan made it four wins in a row by completing a crushing 10-wicket victory over Leicestershire with more than a day to spare at Grace Road

26-May-2010
ScorecardGlamorgan made it four wins in a row by completing a crushing 10-wicket victory over Leicestershire with more than a day to spare at Grace Road. After dismissing Leicestershire for the season’s lowest score of 71 in their second innings, Glamorgan then added to the home side’s embarrassment by reaching their victory target of 197 in under 34 overs without losing a wicket.Mark Cosgrove smashed a century off 104 balls and Gareth Rees hit an unbeaten 73 as the visitors clinched victory an hour before the tea interval. Their unbeaten partnership, coming after Glamorgan had trailed by 125 runs on first innings made this the largest ever deficit that has been turned into a ten wicket win. The previous record of 109 occurred in the famous match at Southport in 1981, when Warwickshire set the first-class record (broken only very recently) of the highest partnership (470) in a losing cause. It was an astonishing turnaround after 17 wickets fell on the second day, prompting the pitch panel to make a visit during lunch today.By then the visit was looking completely unnecessary with Glamorgan already on 79 without loss off 18 overs, having earlier taken Leicestershire’s last five wickets for 26 runs, and indeed after interviewing the umpires, the captains and coaches of both teams and the Leicestershire Head Groundsman, the pitch panel determined that the pitch should be rated “above average”.The home side started the third day on 45 for 5, but in a hapless performance only one batsman managed to reach double figures. That was James Taylor, who was left stranded on 34 not out as wickets tumbled around him. The next highest scorer in the innings was Paul Nixon, who made nine.Glamorgan’s seamers, James Harris and David Harrison, did the damage. Harris claimed 4 for 34 while Harrison took 4 for 17 off 12 overs to give him career-best match figures of 8 for 88. Leicestershire’s total of 71 was their lowest in a championship game since they were bowled out for 69 by Worcestershire at New Road in 1997.It left Glamorgan chasing 197 for victory and there were no signs of any pitch problems as Cosgrove and Rees flayed Leicestershire’s bowlers to all parts, hitting 31 boundaries between them.Cosgrove struck eight fours in his first 50, reached his century of 104 balls having hit another nine boundaries, and then smashed the winning four through midwicket to finish on 113 off 111 balls. Rees made 73 off 93 balls with 12 fours as Glamorgan completed a sensational recovery after being bowled out for 166 in their first innings to concede a lead of 125 runs.For shell-shocked Leicestershire it was one of their most humiliating defeats of the season and their fourth in a row in the championship having won the first two games. It was Glamorgan’s first win at Grace Road since 1986.

The Athletic’s Sam Lee has given his verdict following the news that Manchester City defender Joao Cancelo has signed a contract extension.

The Lowdown: Cancelo’s rise at City

The Portuguese defender became the most expensive full-back of all time in 2019 when he signed for Manchester City from Juventus in a deal worth £60m, with Danilo heading the other way for £34m.

Since arriving at the Etihad Stadium, the 27-year-old has played an integral part in Pep Guardiola’s side, having totalled 106 appearances for the Citizens. That includes 22 Premier League outings this season, where he has amassed one goal and five assists in becoming one of the team’s best performers, according to WhoScored metrics.

Cancelo signed a six-year deal when he joined the Sky Blues, keeping him at the club until 2025.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/man-city-latest-news-2/” title=”Man City latest news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Latest: Cancelo signs contract extension

Despite having three years left on his contract, City have been looking to tie down Cancelo on a long-term deal. On Tuesday morning, the club announced that the full-back has signed a two-year contract extension, which will keep him at the Etihad until 2027.

The Athletic’s Man City reporter Lee shared this news on Twitter along with a link to his corresponding article, beaming that it is ‘a fitting reward’ for the 27-year-old’s impressive form.

He proclaimed: “New deal for Joao Cancelo, a fitting reward for his emergence as a key City player and his phenomenal form over the past few months in particular”.

The Verdict: Great business

Cancelo is currently one of the most valuable full-backs in world football, with Transfermarkt estimating his value at a cool £54m.

When the initial lockdown happened, the defender struggled to adapt to life in England and thus wanted to leave the club. However, he overcame this to duly become one of the key components of Guardiola’s side.

Former City midfielder Nigel de Jong has offered some effusive praise of the 27-year-old, saying: “We can have a healthy discussion and debate on who is the best right-back in the world and Cancelo is certainly up there for me. It’s not only his versatility but also the fact he is as strong defensively as any right-back or left-back in the world.”

Taking everything into account, this seems like a brilliant bit of business by City, and it’s no wonder that Lee has voiced his firm approval of Cancelo’s contract extension.

In other news: These Manchester City fans approved of one prospective successor to Pep Guardiola

Tamil Nadu’s wall S Badrinath stood between Rajasthan and their dream of a first Ranji final at end of a fascinating third day at Jaipur

The Bulletin by Sriram Veera05-Jan-2011
Scorecard
S Badrinath came in the eighth over of Tamil Nadu’s innings and batted solidly to leave the game fascinatingly poised•ESPNcricinfo LtdTamil Nadu’s wall S Badrinath stood between Rajasthan and their dream of entering the Ranji final at end of a fascinating third day in Jaipur. The equation is simple if no team takes the first-innings lead: Tamil Nadu, if they don’t get bowled out, will have to score 272 runs in 90 overs on the final day to go through based on net run-rate. Badrinath came in the eighth over of Tamil Nadu’s innings, after Hrishikesh Kanitkar and Ashok Menaria hit hundreds to push Rajasthan to a strong 552, and faced 184 balls for his unbeaten 78.There were several dramatic moments in the day: When Badrinath was on 57, there was a huge shout for a catch off Sumit Mathur. There was some noise as Badrinath prodded at it but there was no visible deflection. Badrinath was also earlier involved in an incident with the umpire Tim Robinson. Rajasthan’s players complained that Badrinath was not getting ready to face and was repeatedly pulling out when their bowlers were running in to bowl. “You have to be ready when the bowler is ready to bowl,” Robinson told Badrinath who said he won’t get ready until the fielders behind the wicket stopped chattering. Badrinath edged the next delivery to his pad and scrambled across for a quick single and was involved in a discussion with the umpire.It was that kind of a day. There was lot of chirping from the fielders – Aakash Chopra was the acting captain in the absence of the indisposed Kanitkar – and the seamers, Pankaj Singh and Deepak Chahar, bowled their heart out on a docile track. While the rest of the top order wilted around him, Badrinath stood firm.His foot movement was precise- he was fully committed on the front and back foot- and drove and cut at every opportunity. He cut and drove the spinners well and was equally fluent against the seamers. There was a lovely cover drive against Pankaj but his best shot was a gorgeous extra cover drive off Chahar late in the day. It perfectly captured his assured knock: He leaned well forward, the front elbow was high and he caressed through the line of the delivery.Rajasthan attacked the rest of the batsmen with purpose. Chahar followed couple of bouncers with a full outswinger and the opener Arun Karthik dragged his attempted cover drive to the leg stump. Abhinav Mukund, the other in-form batsman, strived to get forward at every opportunity but Pankaj went round the stumps to nail him with a delivery that seamed in to trap him lbw. Dinesh Karthik, who has a solitary fifty this season, tried to look positive, cutting the legspinner Vivek Yadav for three successive boundaries. However, Yadav got one to slide on straight and Karthik was caught in front, pushing well outside the line. K Vasudevadas lent support to Badrinath and the pair added 50 runs in 20 overs to leave the game fascinatingly poised.Tamil Nadu have R Sathish, who hit a match-saving hundred against Haryana in the quarter-final, to follow and Rajasthan will have the opportunity to take the new ball in 11 overs. That new cherry could well decide the fate of the game.