According to a report in Saturday’s Daily Mirror, Ian Botham is set to receive a knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honours next month, in recognition of his tireless campaigning for Leukaemia Research, for which he has raised more than £10million through 11 arduous charity walks over the course of 22 years.A senior Whitehall source told the Mirror: “Ian Botham was a fabulous cricketer but his selfless charity work is out of this world. His fund-raising is first-class and no one, absolutely no one, deserves an honour more than him.”At a time when the honours system has been in the spotlight, his knighthood will be deserved recognition of outstanding public service.”Botham was inspired after visiting a hospital in Taunton, Somerset, to have treatment for a broken toe. He walked into a children’s ward and was told they were dying of leukaemia. The fatality rate was 80 per cent then, but these days it is 20 per cent, thanks in part to research his efforts have helped to fund.His first charity walk was in 1985, a 900-mile trek from John O’Groats to Land’s End, and he was on another last year, after turning 50, when Cricinfo’s Andrew Miller joined him for the London leg.Miller recalls: “Botham’s natural walking pace would put most of London’s joggers to shame. By the end of the walk, Piers Morgan [the former Mirror editor] looked redder and sweatier than the victim of a tabloid sting, and my shins felt as though they had been pounded by a jackhammer.”Botham is already an OBE, as well as receiving the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004.
Inzamam-ul Haq, Pakistan captain, will lead a Test-strength side against an Asian XI for two exhibition matches in Saudi Arabia in an effort to promote the game in the region. The matches are scheduled for May 25 and 26.The matches will be played at the Al-Ahli stadium in Jeddah on artificial turf, and officials expect both to be fully sold out. Supported by the Saudi Cricket Centre, formed by expatriates from Pakistan and India, it is hoped that the event will convince the government and locals that interest in the sport is growing in the region.Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Imran Farhat, Abdul Razzaq and Mohammad Sami are all set to play for Pakistan, whose side will essentially be their Test XI.Four Sri Lankans and four Bangladeshis join five Indians to form the Asian XI, which will be captained by VVS Laxman. The team also includes Ajay Jadeja, the former India batsman, who has served a five-year ban imposed for match fixing in 2000.Pakistan XI: Inzamam-ul Haq (capt), Imran Farhat, Salman Butt, Younis Khan,Mohammad Yousuf, Abdul Razzaq, Kamran Akmal (wk), Arshad Khan, Mohammad Sami,Umar Gul, Danish KaneriaAsian XI: VVS Laxman (capt), Gautum Gambhir, Ajay Jadeja, ShahadatHossain, Venkatapathy Raju, Wasim Jaffer, Shahriar Nafees, Roshan Mahanama,Romesh Kaluwitharana (wk), Kumar Dharmasena, Dilhara Fernando, Mohammad Rafique,Aftab Ahmed
Seldom does an A tour act as a forerunner to a Test series. That unexpected opportunity has been given to 29 cricketers from Sri Lanka and West Indies when the first of three four-day unofficial Tests starts at the Rangiri Dambulla Stadium tomorrow.The 14 players named for Sri Lanka A and the 15 that comprise the West Indies A squad are being given the chance of making the maximum use of the series. They have the opportunity to enhance their chances of getting selected for the senior teams ahead of the two Test series between Sri Lanka and West Indies, which is scheduled to start on July 15.The players certainly won’t be short of motivation knowing full well that all they have to do is to produce some eye-catching performances with bat and ball to attract the selectors’ attention.From the Sri Lankan side there is a lot to prove for players like skipper Russel Arnold fast bowler Dilhara Fernando and Kaushal Lokuarachchi, the legspinner. They have been drifting in and out of the senior team for various reasons ranging from lack of form to injuries. Then there are the fringe players such as Jehan Mubarak, Michael Vandort, Prasanna Jayawardene, Avishka Gunawardena and Gayan Wijekoon who need to show consistency at this level to gain selection into the senior side.Sri Lanka A are beset with a few injury problems and have put back finalising their final XI until the morning of the match. Fernando who had recovered from a long standing back injury, and had been bowling well in the practice games, is fighting a bout of flu. Ian Daniel, the opening batsman, will undergo a fitness test after dislocating his right finger, during the three-day practice game, at the R. Premadasa Stadium last week.Lalith Kaluperuma, the chairman of selectors, explained that in the event of Daniel failing the fitness test Vandort would move up to open with Gunawardena and Malintha Gajanayake would fill the middle-order slot. Kaluperuma said: “Daniel may not have a problem batting, but the question is whether he is able to field with an injured finger.”Fernando, who bowled in the nets yesterday despite running a temperature, is expected to be fit to spearhead a three-pronged seam attack. This would leave the selectors with the choice of who to leave out between newcomer Danushka Lokuhettige and Priyankara Silva with Wijekoon taking on the role of the second seamer.Silva is a late addition to the squad, replacing Test fast bowler Ruchira Perera, who is awaiting a disciplinary inquiry on his behaviour during a practice session. Unfortunately for Perera the inquiry was not held as scheduled on Wednesday, following the sudden death of the chairman of the disciplinary committee Walwin Goonatillake.The Sri Lanka A bowling line-up is expected to comprise three seamers and two spinners. The spinners vying for places are Lokuarachchi, offspinner Suraj Mohamed and left-arm spinner Sajeewa Weerakoon.As West Indies A captain Daren Ganga indicated at the press conference, on Monday, there are several players in his side also vying for places in the West Indies Test team. With the West Indies selectors leaving room for two players to be included from the A squad, by choosing only 13 for the Sri Lanka tour, there is bound to be stiff competition among individual players.One hopes that selfishness does not creep into their play for places at the expense of team performances. And that applies to both sides.Sri Lanka A (from) Russel Arnold (capt), Avishka Gunawardena, Ian Daniel, Michael van Dort, Jehan Mubarak, Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), Gayan Wijekoon, Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Suraj Mohamed, Dilhara Fernando, Priyankara Silva, Danushka Lokuhettige, Sajeeva Weerakoon, Malintha Gajanayake.West Indies A (from) Daren Ganga (capt), Narsingh Deonarine, Carlton Baugh (wk), Ryan Ramdass, Xavier Marshall, Marlon Samuels, Dwayne Smith, Runako Morton, Dave Bernard jnr, Dave Mohammed, Nikita Miller, Dwight Washington, Tino Best, Jermaine Lawson, Kerry Jeremy.
Bangladesh A won the deciding game of the five-match series after posting a challenging 240 for 8 in 40 overs. Zimbabwe lost wickets regularly and were all out for 188. Manjarul Islam played a pivotal role in both innings, first with his unbeaten 40, and then with two wickets that knocked the wind out of Zimbabwe A.Al Shahriar, opening the innings for Bangladesh, was at it again with his third consecutive fifty, and he partnered Alok Kapali in a third-wicket stand worth 46. Kapali’s all-boundary innings of 24 ended when Thinashe Panyangara trapped him in front of the stumps. Islam’s innings followed, and late order cameos boosted the team total.Trevor Gripper’s (35) dismissal highlighted the difference between himself and the other batsmen. After he fell, Zimbabwe’s batsmen all but surrendered, and only Richard Simms (36) showed the stomach for a fight. However, it required a greater collective effort if they were to win it. But Bangladesh’s spinners, Abdur Razzak, Jamaluddin, and Islam, denied them any chances, picking up two wickets each to restrict the team to 188.***Zimbabwe A levelled the five-match series at two-all with a 16-run victory over Bangladesh A after putting up 275 for 9. Faisal Hossain smashed an unbeaten 74 off 62 balls, but the constant fall of wickets left him short of partners at the end, and Bangladesh A got to 259 all out.Alester Maragwede, Zimbabwe A’s captain, elected to bat first. His openers justified the decision by putting on 67 within 10 overs before Abdur Razzak broke through, having Piet Rinke stumped. Brendon Taylor went on to 72, hitting eight fours and a six before being run out. Elton Chigambura then struck a half-century and struck a vital partnership with Richard Simms, who scored 49. Razzak was the most successful bowler for Bangladesh, with 4 from 54 from 10 overs.Bangladesh lost an early wicket, but Al-Shahriar struck his second consecutive fifty. A collapse followed his dismissal, but Hossain took over with his whirlwind knock and took his team close. His knock, which contained seven fours, earned him the match award.
After surrendering so meekly on the lively tracks in New Zealand,skipper Sourav Ganguly sounded philosophical about the dismalperformance by the Indian batsmen. Ganguly found support from theNew Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming, and even from the CEO of NZcricket Martin Snedden – about the nature of pitches prepared forthe one-day series.Granted that the conditions were not friendly for the Indianbatsmen in New Zealand. Even the most cynical Indian supporterwas willing to give them the benefit of doubt after that debacle.But what about looking like wannabes against the Dutch at Paarl?One could be forgiven for thinking that it was starting-troublefor the Indian batsmen against the Dutch.So they travelled to Centurion to take on the world championsAustralia. There were enough reasons to hope that India would putup a better performance at Centurion. We still had faith in theseven-batsman theory, though there were enough signals in ThePeople’s XI to suggest that Sourav Ganguly and Mohammad Kaif havebeen put on notice. Ganguly picked up only 76.69% of votes andwas placed at # 8, and Kaif finished at #11 – picking up 61.81%votes.<!–.sch {font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,MS Sans Serif;font-size: 10px;color: #000000;}.hah {font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,MS Sans Serif;font-size: 10px;font-weight: bold;color: #999999;}th {font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,MS Sans Serif;font-size: 10px;color: #FFFFFF;}
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The People’s XI for the game against Australia at Centurion
Sl.No
Name
Percentage
1
Sachin Tendulkar
99.39%
2
Zaheer Khan
98.56%
3
Virender Sehwag
98.18%
4
Yuvraj Singh
98.10%
5
Rahul Dravid
97.95%
6
Javagal Srinath
97.80%
7
Harbhajan Singh
97.72%
8
Sourav Ganguly
76.69%
9
Anil Kumble
69.63%
10
Dinesh Mongia
62.49%
11
Mohammad Kaif
61.81%
12
Ajit Agarkar
49.43%
13
Sanjay Bangar
45.41%
14
Ashish Nehra
23.84%
15
Parthiv Patel
23.01%
View in graphic formatGoing by the vote pattern in The People’s XI, Ganguly and Kaifhad a lot to prove with their bat at Centurion. Ganguly failedagain after spending 27 minutes in the middle, hitting oneboundary in making nine runs. He was again caught behind,sparring at a delivery outside the off stump. When the skipperstruggles so badly, the rest of the team follows suit.
The India XI for the game against Australia at Centurion
Sl.No
Name
1
Sachin Tendulkar
2
Sourav Ganguly
3
Virender Sehwag
4
Rahul Dravid
5
Yuvraj Singh
6
Mohammad Kaif
7
Dinesh Mongia
8
Harbhajan Singh
9
Anil Kumble
10
Javagal Srinath
11
Zaheer Khan
But there can’t be any excuses for the way Mohd Kaif has beenbatting lately. Today he scored just the solitary run beforefinding the fielder placed at deep backward square leg withuncanny accuracy – with a hook shot. That makes it 90 runs in thelast eleven outings at an average of 8.18Even though the selectors can’t give the failing batsmen a shocktreatment in the middle of a tournament, they have full right tocall up the team management and ask them to get things right – atthe earliest. As far as India’s chances in the World Cup go, theycannot afford to lose a game from here on.This was the playing XI at Centurion – and all they could gatherwas 125 runs, and the seven-batsmen theory was put to shame onceagain. For the tenth time in a row India failed to bat out thefull compliment of 50 overs. Now that is some dubious record!Here is your chance to make your opinion heard loud and clear.Even before the selectors get together and even decide to talk tothe team management, cast your votes for The People’s XI. It isthe people’s choice – whether the likes of Bangar and Agarkarshould play ahead of Kaif or even Ganguly for the next gameagainst Zimbabwe at Harare.India hold a 2-1 advantage over Zimbabwe in all one-dayers playedat Harare Sports Club. The last time India played a one-day gameat Harare, they lost to West Indies in the final of the Coca-ColaCup, with Sachin Tendulkar making a duck! Another battingcollapse at Harare is something India cannot afford.Vote for The People’s XI to play against Zimbabwe at HarareSports Club in Harare on 19th February 2003.The People’s XI for the India v Netherlands game at Paarl (Analysis)
A splendid opening partnership of 152 between Scott Richardson and Matthew Wood helped put CricInfo Championship leaders Yorkshire into a strong position against second-placed Kent at Headingley.Yorkshire closed on 287 for six with a lead of 75 and they would have been even better off but for an excellent 12-over spell from Kent captain Matthew Fleming in which he picked up four wickets for 32 runs.After getting off to a cautious start in which they were each dropped behind the wicket, Richardson and Wood gained rapidly in confidence and Wood twice pulled Martin Saggers for big sixes.Wood looked to be heading for his first century since the opening match of last season but when he had made 90 off 188 balls with eight fours and two sixes he edged left-arm spinner Min Patel to James Hockley at slip.Richardson, who had earlier completed his maiden half-century, moved smoothly to 69 before wretched luck brought about his dismissal. His second wicket partner, Craig White, blasted back a fierce drive to Patel who could not make the catch stick but saw the ball deflect into the stumps with Richardson stranded out of his crease.White had added 53 with Lehmann when he was caught behind for 26 to become the first of Fleming’s victims and the Kent leader quickly followed up by trapping his opposite number David Byas lbw with one which kept low.Gary Fellows and James Middlebrook also departed to Fleming but there was no stopping Lehmann who hit Patel for an enormous six over mid-wicket and the Australian was unbeaten at stumps with 66 from 108 balls with four fours and a six.Before play began, Yorkshire registered 23-year-old paceman Steven Kirby and immediately drafted him into the side in place of Matthew Hoggard who had withdrawn in order to join the England squad at Edgbaston.Kirby has impressed with trials for Yorkshire this season after spending the last few years playing for Leicestershire Seconds but he was not retained at Grace Road because of a back problem which has since cleared up.
According to several reports from various Italian publications (via Sport Witness), Tottenham Hotspur are one of a number of clubs plotting a move to sign Paulo Dybala this summer – with the forward having failed to agree a contract extension with Juventus, meaning he will become available on a free transfer at the end of the current campaign.
Indeed, Gazzetta dello Sport claim that Fabio Paratici’s position at Spurs gives the Premier League side an immediate advantage over the rest of the competition for the Argentina international’s signature, as the managing director was the man to sign the £36m-rated Dybala for Juventus back in 2015.
Meanwhile, Corriere dello Sport suggest that Antonio Conte’s role as the Tottenham coach will only intensify the north London side’s interest in a move for the 28-year-old, as the Italian is said to be a huge fan of the £222k-per-week attacker.
However, with Spurs having recently committed £37.5m to the signing of Dejan Kulusevski – a player who has highly impressed since his January switch to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – does Conte really need a player in the mould of Dybala this summer? Our writers give their verdicts below…
Dan Huggins
“Unless Daniel Levy is planning for a very busy and expensive summer, Dybala really shouldn’t be high on his list of priorities. Where exactly does he fit into Tottenham’s current 3-4-3 formation? Will his £222k-per-week wages be worth it? Who drops to the bench in his place? It’s a huge risk – unless Antonio Conte is planning for a tactical re-shuffle.
“Fabio Paratici needs to look at the problem areas in the squad first – such as at full-back and in the heart of the Spurs defence – before he looks to make a marquee signing up-top. However, perhaps he is preparing for life without Harry Kane – in which case the signing of Dybala on a free would be a brilliant piece of business.”
James Thompson
“If Spurs were to sign Dybala on a free transfer, it would be a great piece of business for the club – as well as being something that highlights the benefits of having Paratici and Conte pulling the strings behind the scenes.
“Spurs supporters will be rubbing their hands together at the mouth-watering prospect of the Argentine playing alongside the likes of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min in what could become an incredibly deadly trio – something that would undoubtedly make Tottenham a force to be reckoned with next season.
“Possessing impeccable technical ability and a clear eye for goal, Dybala has shades of Aguero about him. Also, given the pedigree the 28-year-old has from his trophy-laden spell at Juventus, not to mention boasting a wealth of Champions League experience, Dybala will have the exact sort of mindset that Conte wants in his players.”
Daniel Emery
“It would be an obvious – almost lazy – move given the historic links between Dybala and Paratici. Lazy is not always a bad thing, though, as the 28-year-old would strike up an instant connection with both Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski at Spurs, allowing him to hit the ground running.
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“He would offer Conte further strength-in-depth in his three-man attack, as well as affording the Italian the chance to switch up his formation. Dybala can play out on the right, in the number 10 role or as a centre-forward – something which means Spurs could utilise him in a multitude of ways in order to link up with the likes of Kane, Son and Kulusevski.
“The Argentine is at his best when cutting in off the right to bend the ball into the far corner with his left foot in Arjen Robben-esque fashion. He also catches the eye with his diminutive and silky play in possession as he drops deep to pick the ball up – in a similar vein to Kane – and his technical ability is one of the reasons why he could be a phenomenal signing.”
AND in other news: “Definitely”: Alasdair Gold drops behind-scenes Spurs update that supporters will love
Ishant Sharma has been ruled out of the first Test against South Africa but the two Singhs – Yuvraj and Harbhajan – have been retained after the selectors named an expected 14-member squad in Bangalore.Murali Kartik was brought in as the third spinner, but an ankle sprain, sustained during the Deodhar Trophy game in Bangalore, has ruled him out for three weeks. Piyush Chawla, who was named as a back-up, thus finds himself in the squad.”It is a serious injury and will take a minimum of three weeks to heal,” Bangalore-based surgeon Chetan Rai, who examined Kartik soon after the incident, told .There are also question marks over Harbhajan Singh, the offspinner. He didn’t undergo the fitness test he was scheduled to undergo today and will have to do so on March 21.Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who suffered a sprain to a finger, will also have to clear a test on the same day, failing which Dinesh Karthik will take over the wicketkeeping duties.Ishant had suffered an inflammation to his big toe during India’s recent tour to Australia, apart from a finger injury, and was advised complete rest for three weeks. His selection for the second Test, starting in Ahmedabad on April 3, is subject to another fitness test.Yuvraj, who had a problem with his knee, underwent a fitness test at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore. He had a poor run in the Tests in Australia, scoring just 17 in two matches, but retained his spot. Wasim Jaffer, another player who was dropped during the Australia series, also held on to his place.Sreesanth comes back into the side after recovering from a shoulder problem. RP Singh, who suffered a hamstring strain in Adelaide, also made the cut and showed his fine form with a five-wicket haul against North Zone in the Deodhar Trophy match in Bangalore. Zaheer Khan, who had said he needs more time to recover, wasn’t picked and Niranjan Shah, the board secretary, felt “he may miss the series”.Virender Sehwag, who made a match-saving hundred in the Adelaide Test, was retained and celebrated with a rollicking 81 in the Deodhar Trophy in Bangalore. The middle order has a familiar look to it.Anil Kumble will spearhead the spin department but it remains to be seen who his partner will be in the first Test in Chennai, which starts on March 26. The meeting, chaired by Dilip Vengsarkar, lasted an hour and a half. Kumble and Gary Kirsten, the newly-appointed coach, were present as well.Squad for the first two Tests Wasim Jaffer, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wk), Irfan Pathan, Anil Kumble (capt), Harbhajan Singh, Piyush Chawla, Sreesanth, RP Singh.Back-up: Dinesh Karthik
Manoj Tiwary, who was expected to make his debut in the first one-dayer against Bangladesh, has been ruled out of the one-day series due to a shoulder injury. Tiwary is expected to take the flight back home to Kolkata shortly.Tiwary hurt himself at the training session at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium today. Towards the fag end of the session that went on for a bit more than two hours, Tiwary landed awkwardly on his right shoulder, while diving to save a boundary during one of the out-fielding drills. That it was serious showed in the way he didn’t get up to stop the ball that was trickling down towards the boundary.Tiwary didn’t take any chance and lay put until John Gloster, the team physiotherapist, arrived and took charge. He was immediately taken to the dressing room even as the practice went on for 15 more minutes. He was immediately sent for investigations of the shoulder (MRI and X-Rays). These results were reviewed by an orthopedic specialist and in view of these findings, the mechanism of injury and from clinical observation Tiwary has been advised to go back home.Dilip Vengsarkar, Chairman Senior Selection Committee, will consult team management after reaching Dhaka and will pick a replacement. The first one-dayer is on May 10th.Tiwary was Bengal’s star batsmen in the recently concluded Ranji Trophy season. He scored 796 runs in seven matches at 99.50, with only one score between 50 and 150 – and crossed 150 three times. He cracked a fine 94 in the Ranji Trophy final against a national attack of Zaheer Khan, Ajit Agarkar and Ramesh Powar.
Ricky Ponting has renewed his demand that cricket’s administrators give their players a break, adding that the near-upset in the first Test at Fatullah was entirely down to the fatigue levels of his jet-lagged players.”We just didn’t have a break,” Ponting told The Sydney Morning Herald. “Two days between most Test matches that we’ve just played is not nearly enough. I think we just saw the effects of that day one in Dhaka. We just had guys who, if we were fair dinkum, probably shouldn’t have played. Shouldn’t have taken the field because they were just totally exhausted and fatigued.”Australia’s emphatic victory, by an innings and 80 runs, in the second Test at Chittagong, was a more apt reflection of the gulf between the sides ranked No. 1 and No. 10 in the world. But Ponting hoped that their poor showing in the first Test, where they scraped to victory by just three wickets after conceding a hefty first-innings deficit, would make the administrators sit up and notice.”For the last few years now we’ve basically been demanding more days – three days – between Test matches,” said Ponting. “One day might not sound a lot but coming here, if we had one more day before the first Test, we would have been a lot better off for it. I think we’ve played five in five weeks, in pretty extreme conditions here. That, as far as I’m concerned, is not acceptable.”Ponting’s comments will doubtless sound like sour grapes to Bangladesh’s supporters, especially after he was forced to backtrack on his earlier statement that their team should not be playing Test cricket. But the sight of Jason Gillespie helping himself to a Test double-hundred in the Chittagong fixture merely underlined the gulf that exists between the two nations.