Spirited batting by the lower-order batsmen saw Railways rack up animpressive 497 on the second day of their match against the powerfulDelhi side at the Karnail Singh Stadium, Delhi. The home team openersthough provided their team with the ideal platform, putting up 61unbeaten runs before stumps were drawn.A patient 52 from Sudhir Wankhede and knocks of 42 and 45 not out fromMurali Kartik and Zakir Hussain repectively, were mainly responsiblefor Railways adding 156 runs before losing their final five wickets.Last man Harvinder Singh also contributed his mite, scoring 26 runs ashe and Hussain frustrated Delhi with a stand of 65 for the tenthwicket.The massive Railways score had made it imperative for the Delhiopeners to provide their team the ideal start and they did notdisappoint. Akash Chopra and Gautam Gambhir were batting on 31 and 28when stumps were drawn.
Powered by a fine century by opener Mayank Sadana on the opening dayfollowed by some disciplined bowling, Delhi completed an emphaticinnings and 125 run win over Himachal Pradesh in their North ZoneUnder-14 tournament match at the Indira Stadium in Una on Sunday.Delhi took home 8 points from this outright win.Electing to bat on the opening day, Delhi piled up 311 thanks to amore than run a ball 192 by their opener Sadana. He was involved in a90 run fourth wicket stand with his skipper Gaurav Chabra (32). Soonafter he was joined by stumper Rohan Sehdev (33) and the two forged afurther 90 runs for the sixth wicket. Sadana was the sixth batsman tobe dismissed, stumped by V Sood off Pankaj Lord.In reply the Himachal innings lasted just 40 overs in which they werebundled out for 88 runs. Sandip Karki (4 for 14) and Vikram Mahajan (3for 10) shared the spoils for Delhi. Following on 223 runs behindHimachal fared no better and were all out for just 98. Pradeep Maan (3for 8) and Mahajan (3 for 22) shared the wickets the second timearound.
Arsenal are now very interested in signing a Champions League attacker, who has been given the nickname “Mesut Özil” by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Gunners eyeing new additions in attack
The January transfer window is now just over one week away, and the Gunners are clearly keen on strengthening their options in attack, with it recently being revealed they have made contact over a deal for AFC Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo.
Mikel Arteta is said to be a huge fan of the Ghanaian, but the race is packed, with Tottenham Hotspur also keen, alongside Manchester United and Manchester City, with the latter two clubs in pole position to secure his signature.
In truth, Arteta may not need to splash the cash on a top forward in the upcoming window, given the breadth of options he already has available, including Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze.
However, it could make more sense to bring in an up-and-coming talent, who would perhaps be more content with receiving less game time, and the north Londoners have now set their sights on a new target.
According to a report from Foot Mercato, Arsenal are now very interested in signing Marseille attacker Darryl Bakola, but there could be competition for his signature from their Premier League rivals, with Newcastle United and Chelsea keen.
Bundesliga sides Stuttgart and Borussia Dortmund are also named as potential suitors for the attacker, while Marseille are determined to keep hold of him, having recently submitted a concrete new contract offer.
However, with the French club hesitant to lose the youngster on a free, they could be willing to listen to bids.
January is set to be a ‘decisive month’ for Bakola, as there is no shortage of interest in his services, and there are indications he could be an exciting long-term addition to Arteta’s squad…
Bakola impressing in the Champions League
The 18-year-old has started to make regular cameo appearances for Marseille as a substitute this season, featuring seven times in Ligue 1, but perhaps his best performance came in the Champions League.
Indeed, the attacking midfielder was impressive on his debut in Europe’s elite competition, registering an assist against Newcastle United at the end of November, while also winning all three of the ground duels he contested.
Arsenal now racing Real Madrid & Bayern Munich for £52m Champions League player
There’s fierce competition for his signature…
ByDominic Lund
After the game, in a joint interview with former Arsenal striker Aubameyang, the Gabonese striker said: “You should ask him what his nickname is, because I said he was going to make an assist.”
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The Marseille starlet replied: “Mesut, Mesut Özil. Yesterday (Monday), before training, he nicknamed me that. I took it, and it worked. We’re happy.”
However, it is still early days for Bakola, who is yet to prove himself over a sustained period of time, and Arsenal should continue to monitor him further before making a concrete approach.
Matthew Fleming, the former Kent and England allrounder, will travel to Afghanistan this week to try to identify ways in which Marylebone Cricket Club can help to further develop the sport in the region.Fleming, who sits on the main MCC Committee, is being sent by the club to investigate how MCC can strengthen its links with cricket in Afghanistan in accordance with its worldwide remit to help promote the game.The MCC-Afghanistan relationship began with an historic fixture between the two sides in Mumbai in March 2006, where an MCC team led by former England captain, Mike Gatting, were thrashed by 179 runs. Two members of that successful Afghan team – Hamid Hassan and Mohammad Nabi – subsequently spent time at Lord’s as MCC Young Cricketers. In 2007, Hassan – a fast bowler – made history when he became the first Afghan cricketer to play at Lord’s, for MCC against Europe.Speaking ahead of his trip, Fleming said: “Having enjoyed playing cricket for England in Pakistan and Bangladesh, I know the passion that exists for cricket in the region. I’m looking forward to seeing for myself how cricket in Afghanistan is developing, and how MCC can help with this process.”With my experience in the Armed Forces [he served as an officer in the Royal Green Jackets], I am all too aware of the effects a conflict has on a country’s people. If the sport can help to become a positive, motivating factor for the increasingly cricket-loving population of Afghanistan, that can only be a good thing.”MCC’s secretary & chief executive, Keith Bradshaw, said: “Developing cricket worldwide is a core remit of MCC, and it’s one we take very seriously. Matthew is the perfect ambassador for us to send out to Afghanistan. With his knowledge of the region, and of course his cricketing experience, he’ll be able to investigate the ways in which the club can demonstrably help to develop cricket in the country.”Fleming’s visit to Afghanistan has been co-ordinated by Nick Lockwood, Counter Narcotics and Rule of Law, at the British Embassy in Kabul. The four-day trip will culminate on Sunday, November 18, with a visit to the National Training Camp at the Afghanistan National Cricket Academy.The sport’s popularity in Afghanistan has surged since many of the refugees who fled from the country in the early 1980s, after the Soviet invasion, started to return from Pakistan – where they saw the game and started to play and follow it.
Points Table Scorecard KP Appanna wrecked Andhra with a maiden five-wicket haul as the hosts, sitting pretty at 187 for 2, collapsed dramatically to 224 for 9 by the end of the opening day’s play at Anantapur. Appanna, the 18-year old left-arm spinner playing in his first season, induced Venugopal Rao, who was involved in a 125-run partnership with Satya Kumar Varma, to edge behind in the 80th over to trigger the collapse. He picked a wicket in each of his next three overs to push Andhra to the brink before coming back to claim the ninth wicket in the last over of the day. Both Andhra and Karnataka have 10 points and are vying for the top spot in the Group. Scorecard Ajit Bhoite and Rakesh Patel snared seven victims between them as Haryana’s batting caved in, yet again, easily. Patel struck in the first over to set the tone for the day. Haryana batsmen couldn’t stitch together a purposeful partnership – 47 was the highest – as Bhoite, the offspinner, spun out the middle order. Joginder Sharma grabbed two wickets as Baroda reached 41 for 2 by the end of the opening day. Baroda are placed third in the group with nine points while Haryana are behind them with seven points. Scorecard Sourav Sarkar starred on his debut with a four-wicket haul as Maharashtra were reduced to 171 for 7 before bad light curtailed play at Eden Gardens. Opting to bat first, Maharashtra struggled from the onset, losing the openers within eight overs. Ranadeb Bose supported Sarkar and the two seamers left Maharashtra tottering at 71 for 6. The visitors rallied back through a patient 99-run partnership between Sridharan Sriram, who moved from Tamil Nadu this season, and Satyajit Satbhai. Slowly they lifted Maharashtra out of the hole but Sarkar came back to trap Satbhai and put Bengal on top at the end of the first day. Scorecard Rohit Sharma hit his maiden first-class ton, an unbeaten 102, to propel Mumbai to a comfortable 283 for 5 at the Wankhede Stadium. Amol Muzumdar and Sahil Kukreja also compiled half-centuries as Mumbai chugged along merrily towards a big total. Mumbai are wallowing at the bottom of the group and stand on the brink of being relegated to Plate. Scorecard Vikram Solanki and Nikhil Doru hit patient half-centuries to push Rajasthan to 217 for 5 at the end of the first day’s play in Jaipur. Rajesh Sharma, the offspinner, grabbed four wickets as Punjab didn’t allow Rajashtan to run away with the game. Both Solanki and Doru applied themselves, consuming 360 balls between them for 127 runs. Though Dinesh Mongia didn’t pick up any wicket, he supported Sharma by sending down 26 miserly overs and giving away just 34 runs. Sharma ended up with figures of 4 for 67 in 30 overs. Fuelled by an unbroken 150-run partnership between Shitanshu Kotak and Cheteswar Pujara, Saurashtra reached a position of strength at 284 for 3. While Kotak’s was a cautious effort, his 92 coming in 258 balls, Pujara raced along to 85, with the help of 14 fours, in 130 balls. Ashish Nehra claimed two wickets in succession to leave Saurashtra at a wobbly 58 for 2 but Kotak stitched together two purposeful partnerships, with Sagar Jogiyani and Pujara, to lift the hosts out of trouble. Jogiyani made 61 and added 76 runs with Kotak before falling to Ishant Sharma. Scorecard An unbeaten hundred by Ramaswamy Prasanna rescued Tamil Nadu from a struggling 167 for 6 to reach a respectable 267 for 8 by the end of the opening day’s play at Chepauk. Rudra Pratap Singh and Praveen Kumar picked two wickets apiece to leave the hosts tottering but Prasanna added 90 runs with Yo Mahesh to pull them out of trouble. However, RP Singh came back to remove Mahesh as UP ended the day on an advantage.
The Lions have a 236-run lead against the Cobras going into the final day in Johannesburg. Their position was built around an undefeated 136 seventh wicket partnership between Matthew Harris (83) and Eugene Moleon (51) to end the day on 262 for 6. Earlier Herschelle Gibbs set the Cobras up for a big total with 149, but the lack of partners saw them bowled out for 325. The Lions attack shared the spoils with Gerhard de Bruin taking 4 for 64.In Port Elizabeth the game is delicately poised with the Eagles taking a 106-run lead into the last day with seven wickets in hand. Replying to the Eagles first innings of 391 the Warriors reached 350 with Carl Bradfield top scoring on 86. A feature in the innings was the 50 extras given away by the Eagle bowlers. Roger Telemachus came out on top of the bowling, taking 6 for 85. The Eagles second innings did not start as planned with three wickets going down for 65.For the third day in a row bad light stopped play early in Durban with the Titans in a commanding position. Having bowled the Dolphins out for 199 they increased their lead to 321 with five second innings wickets standing. Andre Seymore, who fell nine runs short of a deserved hundred, set the innings up for the Titans. The Dolphins will do well to share the spoils in this encounter.
Recent claims by the Kenyan Cricket Association (KCA) that it had arranged tri-nation one-day tournaments for the next four years appear to be a triumph of hope over reality. An investigation by Cricinfo reveals that none of the overseas boards we asked have committed to participate.In November, Sharad Ghai, the KCA’s chairman, announced that the board had struck a deal with an unnamed American company to invest US$6 million (Sh486 million) to guarantee four home series between August2005 and November 2008. The tournaments would have involved each sideplaying each other three times, with the top two going through to afinal, a total of ten games.”Hosting these teams is impossible for the KCA given our financial position and that is why this arrangement with this company is very good for us because we cannot lose money,” Ghai explained. But critics were quick to point out that Ghai had declined to identify the company, raising concerns as to the strength of its commitment. It has still not been named.The weekend before last, Jasmer Singh, the KCA’s communications and publications manager, gave more information, explaining that the four tournaments would involve India, South Africa and Kenya in 2005; Australia, West Indies and Kenya in 2006; South Africa, Pakistan and Kenya in 2007; and England, Sri Lanka and Kenya in 2008.A spokesman for the South African board confirmed that the KCA had approached it to participate next year. “We have responded to them that we cannot play in the 2005 tournament due to a prior commitment,” he explained. “The 2007 tournament is being considered by the playing affairs department.” The Indian board was equally non committal. ‘Nothing has been finalised regarding the one-day tournament in Nairobi,” we were told by an official. “I can’t say anything at this stage.”The following year’s tournament looks equally doubtful, with Cricket Australia stating that it had “no commitment to play cricket in Nairobi in 2006,” and the West Indies board maintaining it had not received any approach. With regards to 2008, a spokesman for the England & Wales Cricket Board said quite firmly that “we haven’t agreed to participate,” and Sri Lanka Cricket said it knew nothing about the proposed games. A reply is still awaited from the Pakistan Cricket Board, but there have to be serious concerns asto the likelihood of any of the events happening.Without the cricket, there will almost certainly be no Americansponsor, and equally the players will grow increasingly frustrated. Atthe outset of the ongoing strike by Kenya’s leading cricketers, theywrote to Ochilo Ayacko, the minister for sport, highlighting theirgrievances. At the top of the list was “a lack of matches at theinternational level.” The letter added that it was “the duty of theKCA to organise such fixtures while all this time we had beenhoodwinked to believe it was the duty of the ICC.”Singh admitted that attracting sponsors was an ongoing problem, onenot helped by the walkout. But to attract sponsors, there have to bemore matches (Kenya’s next serious outing is not until June when theyplay Uganda in the Intercontinental Cup) and without the moneysponsorship brings, arranging games becomes that much harder.Cricinfo contacted the board, and a spokesman told us that ” at no stage has it been stated by KCA that the three-nation tournaments have been confirmed. We stated that these are the proposed schedule of tournaments, which will depend on how and when Test-playing countries can accommodate Kenya in the already clustered 10-year schedule. Some boards have already responded.”The countries are aware of this and are looking at the available proposed dates. Kenya has previously organised threeand four-nation tournaments involving all Test-playing countries on various occasions, most successfully. The proposed tournaments full costs have been underwritten by an American company. Therefore the tournaments will be self sufficient.”
Everyone’s taking a pop at county cricket at the moment, and now that old workaholic county-pro-made-good Alec Stewart has had his two-penn’orth.
Michael Atherton: man on a mission
Speaking after receiving a lifetime achievement award at last night’s Professional Cricketers Association dinner at the London Hilton, Stewart stressed the need for administrators to put the national side first, and insisted English-qualified players should be looked after first and foremost. Stewart said: “To me, the most important thing is that we produce the right number of international-class cricketers. Instead of having a bare 12, 13, 14, we’ve got to be producing 20. To do that, a lot of things need to be changed.”He continued: “We need to reduce the number of playing days and have more days when the players are able to practise and improve their skills. At the same time, I’d knock on the head the number of overseas players and EU passports that come into the game. I’d make sure that English cricketers, and English-qualified cricketers, are the ones who are looked after properly.”Stewart’s comments came in the wake of endless calls for a domestic shake-up from other high-profile names. In this month’s launch issue of Michael Vaughan laid down the law, and caused a stir, by saying that the amount of Championship cricket should be halved and played between Test matches. Meanwhile, Bob Willis has formed the Cricket Reform Group, a select band including another England captain in Michael Atherton, which has convened this season to discuss where English cricket has gone wrong, and what they can do about it.In The , Atherton wrote: “Few … would disagree that there are fundamental problems: that the England team are inconsistent and underachieving (for more decades than just one); that the amount of money spent on the county game is disproportionate to its popularity and effectiveness as a breeding ground.” And Athers, like others, suggested the same old remedy: “We would like to see a reduced county programme of fewer full-time professional teams – a concentration of the best English-qualified players to improve the standard of our first-class programme.”Atherton revealed that his suggestions were given short shrift by one or two cynics in the midst of England’s fifth-Test wonder win at The Oval. But he argued that English cricket was at its most complacent after a rousing win to end the summer. Derek Pringle, writing in The , wasn’t fooled either: “Behind the shop window, pessimism abounds as the county game tries to serve an ever-widening circle of masters on a dwindling budget.”In other words, they seemed to be saying, even though it has been an action-packed, exciting and sun-kissed season, underlying troubles are lurking just around the corner – namely financial ones. Pringle, splitting infinitives as deftly as he used to split the cover field, decreed: “What is certain is that no domestic game can properly flourish while trying to simultaneously meet the needs of broadcasters, Team England and county members, modest in number and financial clout though that last group are.” And the fact that wages are spiralling doesn’t help either. Surrey had to release Ian Ward and Alec Stewart because they couldn’t afford to pay them, and Essex dumped five players for the same reason.And then there’s the problem of EU players. “Apart from the extra cost, it mocks the efforts of those involved in youth development, though nearly every club are guilty,” said Pringle. As well as the 55 overseas players this season, another 29 were ineligible for England, playing here under European passports. That equals 84 players out of 379, or 22%.So is anything going to be done about it? The county chairmen are understandably opposed the idea of merging, while a reduction in fixtures would presumably lead to a reduction in gate receipts. Nothing can be done about EU passport-holders without infringing European law, and England’s fixture list next summer looks more like a four-month festival rather than an international schedule.David Morgan, the chairman of the ECB, and Tim Lamb, the chief executive, have agreed to meet with the Cricket Reform Group. Morgan has already made it clear that none of the 18 first-class counties will be axed, but he does concede that the amount of cricket could be cut. It will be interesting to see how that meeting goes, in the face of increasing calls for change.
Just three weeks ago, it seemed foolhardy to imagine that the Third Test between Australia and South Africa at theSydney Cricket Ground would be a dead rubber.Yet the world’s battle of the titans has become titanically disappointing. And, if the tourists fail to show some morestarch in this Test, then it’s close to a certainty that the impending return series in South Africa will be feted withnothing like the same hype.The South Africans arrived on Australian soil a month ago ready to make history. All evidence in a 246-run loss inAdelaide and a nine-wicket defeat in Melbourne, though, has been of a team that has doubted its own ability to doso.After two morale-sapping defeats, and amid a flurry of changes to the composition of the squad, urgent restoration oftheir reputation is required.How, then, to go about the task? The most obvious method lies in changes in personnel, and it’s already a guaranteethat there will be at least one alteration to the eleven that played in Melbourne. All-rounder Lance Klusener, at possiblythe lowest ebb in his 48-match Test career, has returned home to be with his pregnant wife and to be in a place wherehe can better repair flagging confidence.Jacques Rudolph, an exciting young left handed batsman and developing leg spinner, is accordingly almost certain tomake his Test debut. Rudolph, a 20-year-old from Northerns, has already won wide acclaim in South Africa with hisearly performances at first-class level; has looked solid in his two first-class appearances on this tour; and is unlikelyto let his team down.Having been called in on an urgent SOS mission from South Africa, left arm spinner Nicky Boje will also come stronglyinto contention for a spot in a re-jigged bowling line-up.Sydney was a happy hunting-ground eight years ago, yielding one of the country’s greatest-ever Test victories. And,though there’s nothing remotely pleasant in the return of bushfires across the New South Wales capital, the sight of apall of haze and smoke across the city’s skyline gives an eerily similar feel to the one that predominated back then.Then as now, temperatures have been in the mid to high 30s consistently over recent weeks.Even the pitch might carry something of a look of familiarity about it to those who remember that game. Just as it didthen, a well-grassed surface offers the suspicion that the quicker bowlers might be suited as much as the spinners thefurther the match progresses. Albeit that it’s difficult to envisage a pitch that won’t offer help to the slow men, it may notbe as conducive as has been widely assumed.The Australians haven’t had too much to worry themselves about lately, but the track’s complexion is such that it evenoffers them some selection headaches.Their 13-man squad needs to be pruned back by two within half an hour of the start of the play, and all indications arethat the decision might genuinely be left until as late as then. Fast bowlers Andy Bichel and Brad Williams are the menconsidered most likely to miss out but leg spinner Stuart MacGill’s place is also suddenly under question.MacGill is a world class bowler; the SCG is his home ground; and he has claimed 19 wickets in his two Tests at thevenue. But Bichel’s excellent performance in Melbourne and the visage of the pitch cast MacGill’s selection in doubt.Interestingly, first-choice Australian leg spinner Shane Warne – who has been one of the keys to Australia’s dominationof the series – has also been well below his best in the five previous Tests in which he and MacGill have been joined.That said, the Australians’ ability to work together as a team has been one of the hallmarks of their success in recenttimes. Whoever plays, whoever misses out, and whoever is forced to carry the (greater-than-normal number of) drinks,it doesn’t seem unreasonable to expect another highly efficient performance.They might be labelled as old, aging, and ready to cede to new blood. But, even as the calendar moves apace toanother year, the Australians only seem to be getting better with time.
A fine century by Rajeev Uniyal, followed by splendid bowling byYogesh Sachdeva and Vivek Khurana helped Delhi beat Himachal Pradeshby 24 runs after being forced to follow on the last day of the NorthZone Cooch Behar (Under-19) tournament at the Ferozshah Kotla Groundin New Delhi on Thursday. Delhi, who got eight points from this matchnext play Jammu & Kashmir at Jammu from Oct 22 to 24.Delhi were 246 for two overnight. Uniyal who was on 90 when he resumedduly completed his century. Shortly afterwards, he was out afterbatting 150 minutes. He faced 121 balls and hit eleven fours and asix. TT Dilip scored a fine 88 off 101 balls with the help of eightfours. Uniyal and Dilip added 129 runs for the third wicket off 22.5overs. Yashpal Singh slammed a breezy 33 off 32 balls and Delhi wereable to declare at 368 for nine, compiled off only 65 overs. ParasDogra with four for 80 was the most successful bowler.Delhi thus turned a first innings deficit of 160 into an overall leadof 208. Hemant Dogra, coming in at No three, hit a fine 58 to keepalive Himachal’s hopes of reaching the victory target. His youngerbrother Paras Dogra contributed 29. But the remaining batsmensuccumbed meekly to Yogesh Sachdeva (4 for 44) and Vivek Khurana (4for 63) and the side were all out for 184 in 49.5 overs.