Marvan Atapattu, the Sri Lankan captain, refused to join calls for Bangladesh to be stripped of Test status despite the thrashing his team handed out at Colombo.”True, it was a two-and-a-half-day match, but we do not want to insult the opposition and deprive them of competing with the big boys,” Atapattu said. Bangladesh were beaten by an innings and 96 runs in the opening Test of the two-match series.Trailing by 182 runs, Bangladesh were shot out for 86, their lowest-ever total, in the second innings to suffer their 34th defeat in 39 matches since gaining Test status in 2000. The loss was their 23rd by an innings margin. Bangladesh’s previous lowest total was 87 against the West Indies at Dhaka in 2002. They have won just one Test, against a depleted Zimbabwean side at home early this year.Atapattu said Bangladesh, the lowest-ranked team in international cricket, needed to be tolerated and allowed to play against the best sides. “We have also suffered similar defeats in our early years,” Atapattu said. Sri Lanka were granted Test status in 1981 but gradually forged into a powerful Test side and won the one-day World Cup 1996.”We honestly did not think the win would come so easily after the way they batted and reached 155 for two after lunch on the first day. Then, one bad shot changed everything and allowed us to come back,” Atapattu said. He was referring to the Bangladeshi collapse in the first innings following an irresponsible shot by Mohammad Ashraful, who was caught in the deep while attempting a big hit off spinner Rangana Herath. Bangladesh lost their last eight wickets for 33 runs to slump to 188 all out.Muttiah Muralitharan triggered the Bangladesh collapse in the second innings, finishing with 6-18 off 10.4 overs. “It was a spinner-friendly track,” Muralitharan said after his 47th haul of five or more wickets in an innings in 94 Tests. “The pitch was two paced, with some deliveries keeping low. There was also plenty of spin and bounce. I did not bowl particularly well in the first innings, but got my rhythm back in the second.”Dav Whatmore, Bangladesh’s coach, was disappointed with his team’s batting performance on the third morning which saw the tourists lose seven wickets for 50 runs in less than 19 overs after resuming at 36-3. “I am upset with the lack of resistance,” he said. “Sri Lanka were going to win the match and there is no question about that. I am disappointed that we did not fight hard to delay the inevitable.”
In 1964, after winning the Ashes in England, Australia went over to Holland for a friendly game against the Dutch, and were rather embarrassingly beaten by three wickets. Forty years on, they travel to Holland again, to take on India and Pakistan in a triangular tournament, and once again, they are the overwhelming favourites.No disrespect is meant to India and Pakistan by this: both sides have won more than they have lost in the last two years, but Australia have been in a league of their own. They have won 44 of the 53 one-day internationals they have played since the start of 2003, a win percentage of 85. In the same period, India have won 27 out of 49, while Pakistan have won 28 out of 48. Ricky Ponting has won 56 of the 70 games in which he has captained, a win-loss ratio of 5.6. Ganguly’s is 1.22, while Inzamam’s is 2.11.The figures lay out the story accurately enough: this Australian side is one of the greatest one-day teams ever, a one-day version of The Invincibles, under a captain who will certainly end as one of the most successful; India and Pakistan are both strong up-and-coming sides, but not quite in the same league as Ponting’s men.Australia have never won the Champions Trophy, and that is their first big target this season. The Videocon Cup is just low-hanging fruit, a good tournament to get the players into match practice against decent opposition. Adam Gilchrist won’t be there in Holland, and the world is still getting used to an Australian one-day side without Michael Bevan, but Australia’s bench strength is still awesome.India come into this tournament after a defeat in the Asia Cup final, and desperately need to get some kind of momentum going before the Champions Trophy. They have 15 men in their squad here, one more than they did at the Asia Cup, which means that they do have the batting back-up that they missed there when VVS Laxman was injured. Ironically, now some of their bowlers are falling ill, but they have enough back-up for that.The Indian selectors, led by Syed Kirmani, probably India’s greatest wicketkeeper, have made a serious effort to find a keeper-batsman who can relieve Rahul Dravid of his burden behind the stumps. But Dinesh Karthik, the man they have picked, is unlikely to play in this competition, as Ganguly has made no secret of his preference for the seven-batsmen strategy. Karthik may get a game at the NatWest Challenge a few days from now, though.Pakistan may feel they were unfairly done in by the bonus-point system in the Asia Cup. Well, they begin this competition by playing India, whom they had beaten then, so here’s an excellent chance to prove a point. Inzamam has done a difficult job with quiet dignity since taking over as captain, and has won 20 of his 29 matches in charge. Bob Woolmer’s appointment as coach could play a big role in harnessing Pakistan’s talent, and their progress will be interesting to watch over the next few months. There are bound to be patches of outstanding play, but can they perform consistently over an extended period of time?It isn’t yet known how the pitch at Amstelveen will behave, but expect some high-scoring matches. The straight boundaries are less than 60 yards away, and there are plenty of big hitters on both sides who will relish the opportunity to hit some sixes. Shahid Afridi, Virender Sehwag and Matthew Hayden must all be licking their lips, and the spinners won’t fancy bowling to Ganguly and Inzamam either. The cricket will be entertaining and, fingers crossed, it will be hard-fought as well.Amit Varma is managing editor of Wisden Cricinfo in India. He writes the blog, 23 Yards, for this site.
All Today’s Yesterdays – July 31 down the yearsJuly 30| August 11956 History was made at Old Trafford when Jim Laker took his 19th wicket in the fourth Test against Australia, including all ten wickets in the second innings. Laker had warmed up his day of reckoning by taking 9 for 37 in Australia’s first outing, that itself the best-ever return by an England bowler in Ashes cricket. In the second innings, though, he was unstoppable, and when the last man, Maddocks, was trapped lbw, Laker had taken all 10 wickets for 53 runs. No less astonishing was Tony Lock’s match return of 1 for 106 in 71.4 overs. The Australians were said to be fuming about an Old Trafford pitch that had been deliberately underprepared to suit the spinners, but as their captain, Ian Johnson said afterwards: “When the controversy and side issues of the match are forgotten, Laker’s wonderful bowling will remain.” No-one else has taken more than 17 in a first-class match.1953 Birth of the South African opener Jimmy Cook, who scored so many runs for Somerset. Forced to wait till he was 39 for his first taste of Test cricket, he was out to his very first ball – from Kapil Dev – the opening delivery of a match against India at Durban in 1992-93.1943 Yorkshire’s great slow left-armer Hedley Verity died in a Prisoner of War camp in Italy. He set a world record by taking 10 for 10 against Notts, and in 1934 dismissed 14 batsmen in a day to give England their only win against Australia at Lord’s in the 20th Century.1973 Fair-haired and full of flair, Frank Hayes scored a hundred on his Test debut, against West Indies at The Oval> – but nerves got in the way of his Test career, in which he never again scored more than 29, and eventually averagedonly 15.25. He scored 34 runs off an over in 1977 and now teaches maths and physics at Oakham School.1984 England’s first blackwash was in the post after West Indies went 4-0 up after four with an innings victory at Old Trafford. Gordon Greenidge smashed his second double-century of the series – he averaged over 100 in Old Trafford Tests – but it was Winston Davis who really put the boot in. Not content with creaming a career-best 77, he fractured Paul Terry’s left arm with a short ball that didn’t get up as Terry expected. Terry bravely returned to see Allan Lamb to a first-innings century – it was Lamb’s third in as many Tests, not bad given the havoc being wreaked all around him.1902 Birth of “Gubby” Allen. Later Sir George Oswald Browning Allen, he took 21 wickets in 1932-33 without bowling Bodyline, captained England in the feverish 1936-37 series, and for many years was influential behind the scenes at Lord’s.1912 Australian opening batsman Bill Brown was born. Top of his Test achievements was an innings of 206, carrying his bat, at Lord’s in 1938. He was controversially run out while backing up (the original “Mankad”) against India in 1947-48.1919 Lieutenant-Colonel Hemu Adhikari was born. After scoring a century against West Indies, and captaining India in 1958-59, he became a respected manager of Indian touring teams.Other birthdays 1916 Verdun “Scotty” Scott (New Zealand) 1939 Roger Prideaux (England) 1968 Saeed Al-Saffar (United Arab Emirates) 1975 Andrew Hall (South Africa)
Tasmania and South Australia are the two states with the smallest populations in Australia and they’re also often depicted as possessing two of the more unfancied teams among the six that are drawn together in Pura Cup competition.Yet, as they watched the Tigers defiantly plot their way to a mark of 5/236 by stumps, the few people on hand at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart for the opening day of this match could barely have wished for a more earnest struggle.The South Australians started well, securing an important victory at the toss and gaining first use of a green-tinged pitch that offered plenty of assistance to the bowlers. They claimed their first wicket just three deliveries into the match and there were another four to come before the total had even surpassed 122.But Tasmania, having started far more slowly, finished far more impressively.Without their three front-line members in Jason Gillespie, Paul Wilson and Brett Swain, it has to be said that the Redbacks’ attack produced a manful performance.Left armer Mark Harrity (2/50) was especially impressive early, even looking like the uncompromising firebrand of a few years ago when he peppered former state teammate Daniel Marsh (26) with a brace of superbly aimed short deliveries after lunch. And fellow paceman Paul Rofe (1/58) also bowled well, albeit that his end-of-day figures didn’t entirely reflect the consistency of his line and length.It was Harrity who made the opening breakthrough by dispatching Dene Hills (0), and he later claimed the most prized Tasmanian wicket of all when he tempted Jamie Cox (35) into mistiming a leg glance and feathering a catch to wicketkeeper Graham Manou.He was also a prime factor in consigning Tasmania to potentially desperate peril at 2/10, by which point Hills and Michael Dighton (6) had already edged deliveries into the slips.Cox, Shane Watson (32) and Marsh worked grimly to restore the situation on a pitch offering the variability in bounce and consistent seam movement that its green hue had suggested it might.But the innings then threatened to unravel for a second time when the trio perished in relatively quick succession in the middle session.Such an outlook didn’t figure on a sterling unbeaten association of 114 runs for the sixth wicket between two left handers of differing builds and at differing ends of their careers, though. Shaun Young (66*) and Sean Clingeleffer (55*) were joined shortly before tea but were still unparted by stumps, having based their liaison upon sensible accumulation, discerning punishment of bad deliveries and equally prudent running between the wickets.Young is already an adept hand at foiling opposition attacks and Clingeleffer, a wicketkeeper-batsman of such immense promise that his future Test prospects are already being talked up in Tasmania, showed he is rapidly coming to grips with the same art. Accordingly, theirs was a partnership that provided gross frustration for the Redbacks.More insult was added by the notion that an already lengthy South Australian injury list was extended to include a new casualty in Ryan Harris. After bowling less than ten overs on his first-class debut, Harris (2/26) strained a pectoral muscle and was forced from the field. Doubt already surrounds his capacity to bowl again tomorrow.
Bangladesh fast bowler Taskin Ahmed has said that he is fit for the ODI and T20 series against Zimbabwe next month. He bowled in the Bangladesh nets at full pelt, leaving him quietly confident of returning to the senior side for the first time since June 21. Taskin is one of the 18 players in the preliminary squad for the Zimbabwe series starting on November 7.Eleven of the players turned up for training on Thursday since six will travel back to the country from South Africa on Friday as part of the A side and Shakib Al Hasan is expected to arrive from the USA on Saturday evening.Taskin suffered a tear on his left side during Bangladesh’s second ODI against India in June. He recovered and was sent to India with the Bangladesh A squad but after five overs in the first game on September 16, suffered the same injury and returned home from Bangalore the next day.”There aren’t any problems now,” Taskin said. “I bowled with full effort on Wednesday and today so I am hoping there won’t be any problems ahead too. I could bowl with my usual pace. I didn’t complain to the physio. I will be more confident if I can bowl like this in the next couple of days.”I am confident that since I am free of injury and I don’t feel pain while bowling, I will do well if I get an opportunity to play.”He may, however, be chosen for only one of the formats against Zimbabwe, so as to not put pressure on his body, which has been susceptible to major injuries in the past.Taskin felt he had hurried his return from the side injury in June, which caused a relapse in India.”I didn’t recover fully and had put myself under pressure. But now I have worked hard on my rehabilitation in the past five weeks. I have found rhythm in my bowling too.”
As reported this week by CalcioMercato.com, Everton are interested in signing Nice striker Alassane Plea during this summer’s transfer window.
What’s the story?
After another disappointing season at Goodison Park, the club will be on the hunt for more Premier League ready talent this summer as they look to compete with the top six sides in the country.
One of their big issues this season has been a lack of goals. Of the top twelve teams in the Premier League table, only Burnley have scored less goals than the Toffees this term.
A player that could give them an attacking boost is Nice striker Alassane Plea, according to CalcioMercato.com.
The outlet reckon Everton are one of the teams interested in his services, facing competition from the likes of Newcastle and the similarly limp Clarets.
Rated at £13.5m by Transfermarkt, can the Toffees convince him his future lies on Merseyside?
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Who is he?
A former French U21 international, Plea has been something of a late bloomer in Ligue 1, netting double figures in the French top-flight for the first time last season.
This term he’s been more impressive still, scoring 17 goals in all competitions including four in the UEFA Europa League. Also creating six assists, it’s clear the 25-year-old is a man in form.
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That form suggests he could be a hit at Everton next term, especially considering his all-round game is strong and isn’t just an out and out poacher.
He would add great depth to the Toffees attack alongside Cenk Tosun and if this is a deal that could happen, they should eagerly pursue it this summer.
ScorecardKhurram Manzoor was the star for Pakistan A with 113•Chris Whiteoak
Pakistan A kept the series against England Lions alive, securing a 17-run victory in Dubai with a late surge in the field after England had appeared on track. Khurram Manzoor’s 113 anchored Pakistan A’s total of 288 for 5, but with James Vince responding with a century of his own England were well placed on 194 for 2 in the 36th over only to subside and lose their last five wickets for 13.Vince and Sam Billings (51) had added for the third wicket when Billings was bowled by Fakhar Zaman. England were still on course as Vince reached his century off 117 deliveries, but when he was run out trying for a second to long leg the innings went into free-fall.Mohammad Nawaz, who had claimed Daniel Bell-Drummond, a replacement for the ill Dawid Malan, at the start of the chase, then removed Joe Clarke and Ross Whiteley – a player capable of quickly hunting down a target – and the requirement became too much for the lower order. Liam Dawson ran out of partners and was the last man out for 41.Earlier, Manzoor had helped give Pakistan A the solid foundation they had been lacking the previous two matches. A second-wicket stand of 100 with Fakhar (51) was the basis for their total although again England’s spinners – Dawson and Tom Westley – did a good job to ensure the scoreboard did not race away.Manzoor, who has played 16 Tests and seven ODIs, reached his hundred off 121 balls; unlike Vince’s century, which included just six boundaries, Manzoor struck 11 fours and three sixes by the time he fell to Tom Curran. Fawad Alam and Zohaib Khan finished the innings with a stand of 37 off 27 deliveries.
Graeme Smith, the South Africa captain, has broken his silence on Andrew Hall’s retirement from international cricket, saying that he plans to speak to Hall soon.”I haven’t spoken to him [Hall], but I will do so in the next day or two,” Smith told . “He has his reasons, and it’s for him to explain them.”He’s been a wonderful performer whenever South Africa have needed him, maybe he felt that he didn’t consistently get a good run in the team. Even when he was in the squad but not in the team, he was a great guy to have around. It’s sad to lose him.”Smith also spoke about the absence of senior players, specifically Jacques Kallis, from the Twenty20 squad. “When you lose players who’ve been around for a while your team dynamic does shift.”Jacques has always been a reliable performer for South Africa. You know that he puts in his preparation and that he’s going to be up for the performance on the day. It is weird not to have him around.”South Africa take on West Indies in the opening match of the Twenty20 World Championship in Johannesburg on September 11.
As had been widely rumoured in recent days, Will Jefferson has signed a three-year contract with Nottinghamshire starting in 2007.Jefferson agreed to part company with Essex at the end of the summer last month after failing to secure a regular place in their side during an injury-prone season.”It was important for us to find a more than adequate replacement for Darren Bicknell when he retires at the end of this season and I’m delighted to have it done and dusted at this early stage,” explained Mick Newell, Nottinghamshire’s director of cricket. “I’ve been very aware of Will for the past four years because he always seemed to make a habit of scoring runs against us for Essex.”He is a well-established player with plenty of first-class experience and although this season has been very frustrating for him, I can see his career really kicking on when he joins us next season.””I’m absolutely thrilled about being given this opportunity and I’m really looking forward to justifying the faith Mick Newell has shown in me,” said Jefferson. “I’m desperate to get going with Notts and although I’m not playing at all at the moment, I’ll be ready when the time comes. I always seem to have done well at Trent Bridge and I honestly believe that it is an environment in which I can excel.”Derby-born Jefferson, who is 26 and at 6’10” is one of the tallest first-class cricketers ever, has made 11 hundreds in 67 first-class matches with a top-score of 222 against Hampshire in 2004.
A dramatic change in the composition of the national selection panel is on the cards after the review committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India recommended that the system of picking one selector from each zone be done away with. The review committee believed that this would greatly reduce the chances of players being picked on regional bias rather than merit.According to sources close to the action in the meeting on Tuesday, Greg Chappell, the coach, was also strongly in favour of this move, and suggested that the best men ought to be picking the best possible XI to play for the country only on merit.The review committee made several recommendations that will be taken up at the next working committee meeting of the board, to be held early next month – a salient one being that the selectors are considering a two-captain format, splitting the captaincy of the Test and one-day teams. The review committee believed that this would pose no problems for the players, forseveral senior members of the side had anyway played under more than one captain in their time.Another aspect the review committee took strong exception to was the behaviour of certain members of the team on and off the field, and spoke of specific instances of misbehaviour during the tri-series in Sri Lanka. There is concern that the team as a whole could be affected if this behaviour went unchecked. “Discipline is a top priority, both on and off the field,” the source revealed. “Indiscipline will not be tolerated at all, and Harbhajan Singh’s recent outburst against Chappell – where he slammed him for double standards and instilling a sense of fear andinsecurity – will be viewed seriously. At the very least, a reprimand from the board president is on the cards.”
It is also learned that Chappell brought up the sensitive issue of confidentiality, especially in matters of team selection, strongly in the meeting. He is believed to have stressed the need for selectors and officials not to take feedback he has given about a specific player back to the same player. Also he is believed to have told the review committee that he was concerned about the fact that the team was not always fielding the best possible eleven, for whatever reason.It has also come to light that Chappell told the panel that he had sent a detailed email on Sourav Ganguly only in keeping with his aim to make the Indian team one of the best sides in the world. He believed that he needed to clearly communicate to the board his continued vision and “commitment to excellence” for which he was hired in the first place.Switching over to the other side, it is learned that Ganguly brought written documentation to answer each and every question Chappell raised in his email to the board. However, after Ganguly had made his points to the panel, they returned the copies of the papers he had brought, to avoid any chance of a leak going out from the board’s side.While Ganguly was largely calm and composed as he went over one point after another, it is understood that he became a touch emotional when it came to the allegation that he was running away from fast bowling. “What will the public think of me?” he asked, and went on to cite the example of the Melbourne Test of 2003, when he came up the order and batted at No. 4in an attempt to give Sachin Tendulkar, who was struggling a bit for form, some breathing space in the middle order.Ganguly also admitted that he had made an error in judgment when he spoke to the media about being asked to step down from the captaincy, after the third day of the Bulawayo Test. In the same vein, though, it is learned that Jagmohan Dalmiya, the former president of the BCCI, asked Chappell to refrain from sending emails and text messages to friends connected withcricket, and friends in the media.The review committee also recommended that there was no need, at this juncture, to hand long-terms contracts to the likes of Ian Frazer and Charles Krebs, who have been enlisted to help the team on a series-by-series basis.