DURBAN, South Africa, March 20 AFP – India’s cricket supremo Jagmohan Dalmiya called today for the International Cricket Council (ICC) to be even-handed in the way it enforced financial penalties.India were told before the World Cup they would be having a portion of their proceeds witheld following the players’ decision to alter the terms of their tournament contracts.But Dalmiya, speaking to reporters during India’s day-night World Cup semi-final against Kenya at Kingsmead, said the ICC would also have to be equally firm with England and New Zealand who forfeited World Cup matches in Zimbabwe and Kenya respectively and so risked potential financial penalties.”This has got to be sorted out. We can’t go on like this,” said Dalmiya ahead of a two-day ICC executive board meeting in Johannesburg starting on Friday.”But what applies to one must apply to all,” added Dalmiya, president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and formerly president of the ICC.However, Dalmiya did not appear too concerned by the prospect of any action being taken by the world governing body against India. “The money is in the reserve bank of cricket.”I’ve had a little experience of the ICC. The ICC can’t claim for money against us if no one claims against the ICC.”
LONDON – England’s floundering Ashes prospects were struck a body blowtoday when Graham Thorpe was ruled out of the third cricket Test justdays after returning from a six-week injury lay-off.The Surrey left-hander, regarded by Australia as England’s top batsman,fractured a bone in his right hand while batting in the second Test atLord’s on Saturday.An x-ray on Sunday failed to diagnose the problem after Thorpe was hitby a Brett Lee delivery.But a specialist today confirmed that Thorpe had an undisplaced fracturein the metacarpal bone of his right hand.Thorpe was rushed back into the England side at Lord’s because of aninjury crisis, not even managing a warm-up game with his county.He scored 20 and two as England were humiliated again to go 2-0 down inthe five-match series against the world’s top-ranked side.The injury means that England could go into the third Test at TrentBridge, Nottingham, without three of their top batsmen.Captain Nasser Hussain, who has suffered two fractures of the hand thisseason already, has not played again.England have yet to decide whether to give him the go-ahead to play in acomeback match for his county Essex starting on Friday.No.3 batsman Michael Vaughan, meanwhile, looks set to miss his thirdTest in a row following surgery on a knee cartilage.Pace bowler Matthew Hoggard also missed the second Test with a footinjury.Australia beat England by eight wickets at Lord’s, giving them 18 winsin their last 20 Tests.They won the first Test by an innings and 118 runs. Both games couldhave finished within three days if they had not been interrupted byrain.
West Ham have reportedly made a shock bid for Real Madrid’s Mateo Kovacic, and he is the type of superstar signing that would put the Hammers back amongst the big boys.
What’s the story?
West Ham were incredibly close to infiltrating the top four in their last season at the Boleyn Ground, and if the Hammers want to get back up there they have to add some top quality to support Manuel Pellegrini.
Manuel Lanzini’s injury is a huge loss in terms of attacking impetus and creativity, and Italian reports claim the club are trying to make up for it by moving for Kovacic.
According to the report from Tuttomercatoweb, the Hammers “tabled a bid” for the Croatian international on Monday.
Real Madrid don’t want to lose a player they see as the next in line to the midfield throne after Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, but they might not have a choice.
The 24 year-old is frustrated with his lack of first team opportunities, and asked to leave the club last month, so this could be the Hammers’ best chance to swoop in and sign themselves a superstar.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”262679″ player=”12034″ title=”Chattin’ Shirt 3 Teams at Russia 2018″]
What’s all the fuss about?
Kovacic is of course not a like for like replacement for Lanzini, but his ability to break the lines with his passing or dribbling would be a huge asset in Pellegrini’s midfield.
Valued at £27m by Transfermarkt, the former Inter Milan star can play in various positions, but is best as a box to box midfielder, where he can use his versatility and intelligence help out at both ends of the pitch.
Former Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni once described him as a mixture of Kaka and Clarence Seedorf, so if that doesn’t get you excited then nothing will.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
The 24 year-old already has 45 caps for Croatia, is excellent at weaving past players with the ball, and doesn’t mind getting stuck in either, averaging well over two tackles per 90 minutes in La Liga last season.
The feisty but extremely technically gifted midfielder is reportedly wanted by Chelsea and Spurs, but if the experience and charm of Pellegrini can lure him to East London then the Hammers could make a legitimate charge at the top six, especially if they can secure other targets like Felipe Anderson.
So, West Ham fans, would you like to see a move for Kovacic? Do you think you can pull it off? Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below…
Farewell of the day Stephen Fleming entered the arena to a guard of honour from England’s fielders, and left to a standing ovation, while his wife, Kelly, shed a tear or two of pride. In between whiles, Fleming served up the perfect hors d’oeuvre of an innings, much as he has been serving up throughout his 14-year career. For the 28th time in his 111-Tests, Fleming finished up with a score between 50 and 69, as a sumptuous and richly promising performance was brought to a close by a loose poke outside off stump and a thin nick to the keeper. At least he goes to retirement with an average in excess of 40, but it is scant consolation for the defeat that now beckons.Flying start of the day Matthew Bell had mustered three ducks and 48 runs in his first five innings of the series, and realistically, another failure in this match would have ruled him out of contention for the forthcoming tour to England. Perhaps James Anderson fancied him as a victim on a damp English seamer, because the over he served up midway through the morning session was as gratefully devoured as a UNICEF food parcel. Four wide long-hops, four boundaries of increasing authority, and one single later he had passed 30 for the first time in the series. Anderson, meanwhile, was required for just four more overs all day.Golden arm of the day Monty Panesar hasn’t had the best of luck in this series – the catch that Kevin Pietersen put down in Wellington, for instance, was about the easiest chance he’ll ever be offered. But today, Monty’s luck belatedly turned. With his third ball after lunch, he dislodged Jamie How, who had hitherto looked utterly unfazed during a 48-run opening stand, but then, three balls after tea, he repeated the dose against the hapless Bell, who had hardly put a foot wrong all innings, but then chose to have a swing at Panesar’s worst delivery of the match. It was short, leg-sided and begged to be slapped, but Bell undercut it and sent a top-edge spiralling to Stuart Broad at fine leg.Back-bender of the day On a merciless surface, England were only going to get out of it what they put in, and so all eyes turned to their tallest bowler, Broad, whose hit-the-deckability (to coin a phrase) proved a threat throughout two marathon spells. He ran in hard for nine consecutive overs either side of lunch, then 14 off the reel in the mid-afternoon, when the shine had vanished off the old ball and opportunities were at their scarcest. But he still responded with two vital wickets, both courtesy of short deliveries. His victims, Mathew Sinclair and Grant Elliott, might not be playing too many more Tests in the near future, judging by how poorly they negotiated his lifters, but Broad has undoubtedly proved his worth in this match. Not least with his batting at No. 8.Tenuous analogy of the day At 222 for 5 at the close of play, New Zealand are down, if not entirely out of this game and the series. However, England will not begin celebrating just yet, not while a strokeplayer of the power of Brendon McCullum remains at the crease. Six years ago in Christchurch, on England’s last tour, the first Test unfolded in a spookily similar fashion to this one. England batted first and slumped to 0 for 2 (Six years later, they made 4 for 3). They were rescued by a century from their No. 4 batsman, who scored nearly 50% of the innings runs (Nasser Hussain, 106 out of 228, Kevin Pietersen 129 out of 253). New Zealand then collapsed to a seven-for from a Yorkshire-born swing bowler (Matthew Hoggard 7 for 63, Ryan Sidebottom 7 for 47), and conceded a lead of 80-odd runs (81, 85). England batted again on a sun-baked pitch, and declared on 468 for 6 (Thorpe 200, Flintoff 137) and 467 for 7 (Strauss 177, Bell 110). New Zealand set 550 and 552 respectively to win. At one stage at Christchurch, New Zealand had slipped to 252 for 6, but then came Nathan Astle’s unforgettable 222 from 153 balls, and a monstrous dose of English jitters.
The World Cup has returned to Australia, landing in Sydney on Thursday morning with most of the side that won the trophy in Barbados on Saturday. Ricky Ponting said the squad had enjoyed its party after sealing the third success in a row.”[I am feeling] more refreshed than I was two days ago, that is for sure,” Ponting told AAP. “The celebrations were long and hard, which is what they should be after you win a World Cup. There were some pretty amazing scenes coming back to Australia from guys with not a lot of clothing on at different hours of the morning, but we celebrated as we should.”After breakfast with the prime minister John Howard at the SCG, Ponting lifted the trophy in front of a large crowd at a public reception for the team in Sydney’s Martin Place. Each member of the squad was given a gold ring to mark the winning achievement. The supporters who turned up also celebrated the work of the retiring Glenn McGrath and the outgoing coach John Buchanan.”I’ve been very lucky to have been involved in an era of cricket when Australia has been so strong,” McGrath said. “Since making the decision I haven’t even had a second thought. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it, but it’s now time for me to move on and let the young guys come through.”Australia did not lose a game for the second World Cup in a row, sealing the tournament with a 53-run victory over Sri Lanka which was set up by Adam Gilchrist’s 149. “For us to again go through undefeated and once again have a lot of our players peaking at the right time in the World Cup is an amazing achievement by everybody,” Ponting said.”Gilly’s innings in the final, as I have been flat out telling him, it was unbelievable, that was the one difference between the two teams in the final. It has been an amazing couple of months of our lives and even more amazing last few days.”
“That was definitely one of the most fulfilling days of my cricketing career,” Gilchrist said. “As Ricky said, it is very difficult in such a short space of time since it happened [to place it], but it adds to all of the fine achievements which this team has achieved over our careers.”Ponting said ending the final in the dark was a much better option than returning the next day. “I’d have been struggling to find someone to bowl the three overs,” he said. He said the officials, who mistakenly pushed for the extra overs, had learned their lesson.”I’m sure next time they officiate in big games like that they’ll know the rules inside out,” he said. The squad was missing Stuart Clark and Brad Hodge, who were in England for county stints, while Matthew Hayden arrived home on Tuesday to prepare for the birth of his third child in Brisbane.
Marcus Trescothick returned to the England fold as if he had never been away, rattling along to his 14th Test hundred and his second at Lord’s, as Sri Lanka’s bowlers were put through their paces on a glorious summer’s day. By the close, he and Alastair Cook, who made 89 on his home debut, had lifted England to a position of supreme dominance on 318 for 3.”It was time to move on,” said a delighted Trescothick, whose tour of India ended in dramatic and mysterious circumstances in March, when he flew home in tears and amid conflicting reports about his wellbeing. But all such dramas were forgotten as he found redemption in the middle, creaming 16 fours and a six in a 180-ball 106.”It was time to get things rolling, get back in an England shirt and enjoy playing cricket again,” added Trescothick, who had to endure a tricky first hour as Sri Lanka’s seamers found some useful movement off the pitch. “It was tough, more than I expected,” he admitted. “I knew it might swing around a bit but it seamed as well. We just had to watch the ball hard and play as late as possible.”For the home fans who packed the Lord’s stands, it was as if he had never been away. Trescothick was the mainstay of England’s batting during the Ashes with 431 runs in five Tests, but the reality has been somewhat different for a man unused to missing international action – prior to last winter, he had missed just three Tests out of 72 since making his debut in August 2000.”I used the time [away] to take stock, sit back, then move on,” Trescothick explained. “But I’m playing the same way as I have played all my career. I love playing cricket, and now I’ve got an opportunity to enjoy the summer. The start of the season has gone pretty well with Somerset, but back in international cricket is where I want to be.Such is the close-knit atmosphere of the current England squad, Trescothick never doubted that a place in the side would be his as soon as he was ready, but there was nothing blasé about his build-up to the match. “I was pretty nervous,” he conceded. “There were the expectations of coming back into the start of a summer, but it was a real good buzz to walk out this morning. It was quite exciting.””It was a bigger release last week when I got a hundred last week against Northamptoon, because I hadn’t got any runs prior to that in four-day cricket. But you’re always under pressure to make runs, because of the expectations of the team and our goals. Today, I played as I would have done six months ago, but you’ve got to make runs because there’s always someone waiting to take your spot!”That last remark was aimed with a smile at the man sat alongside him, Cook, who capitalised on Trescothick’s absence to make that brilliant century on debut at Nagpur. Today he fell 11 runs short, but his disappointment was tempered by the satisfaction at a job well done.”It’s been a fantastic week, I’ve really enjoyed the build-up, but it was nice to get out there, stop talking and play cricket,” he said. “It’s always nice playing in front of a lot of people, especially when the sun’s out and you’re on a good wicket.”Another 11 would have been nice, but thought I’d played ok,” he said modestly, having begun his innings after a nervy 40-minute wait over the lunch break, following the dismissal of Andrew Strauss. But, as an opener, Cook didn’t mind that situation too much. “It kind of worked in my favour,” he said. “It felt like I was opening the innings after lunch, and it was no different to walking out with someone else.”
Who will be India’s new coach? With the BCCI on the verge of interviewing condidates for the job, another contender has thrown his hat into the ring. Balwinder Singh Sandhu, a qualified coach and a member of India’s World Cup-winning team of 1983, has announced that he would like the job.Speaking to reporters, Sandhu said: “I feel I should also be one of the contenders for the national job. If not as a regular coach, at least as a bowling coach.” He refused to speak out against India having a foreign coach, but did say that he didn’t believe that the current players necessarily wanted a foreigner for the job.Sandhu has coached Mumbai, among other sides, and is currently the bowling coach at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore. He seems to be throwing his hat in the ring rather late, after it has already been fenced off, but in Indian cricket, one never knows.
South Africa’s preparations for Friday’s opening one-dayer against New Zealand were cut short by the bad Auckland weather, restricting them to only 30 minutes of practice.”It’s pretty disappointing,” said Graeme Smith, South Africa’s captain. “We had a very short warm up match in Hamilton yesterday and, although a few of the boys got some game time, we were looking to today’s session to really get everyone up to speed, but I suppose its just one of those things we have to deal with over here.”One of the major topics of discussion since the South Africans arrived in New Zealand has been the pitches. Smith and Eric Simons, the coach, said that they ranked New Zealand’s ability to exploit home conditions as one of their biggest strengths. The Eden Park pitch, however, is more difficult to read as it is a drop-in pitch and will be lowered into the main square only a couple of days before the match.South Africa are likely to play the same side which won the one-day series against West Indies, with the only possible change being Nicky Boje for Robin Peterson.New Zealand, meanwhile, will be without Nathan Astle, who is to undergo knee surgery, and Shane Bond, who is out with a long-term back injury, but Stephen Fleming is still confident of reeking revenge.South Africa have lost only nine of the 34 one-dayers the two teams have played against each other, a fact which Fleming is all too aware. “You’ve got to acknowledge statistically that they’ve been better than us, but a lot of the games could have gone either way,” Fleming said. “To not have a win against them in a series of any sort is something that is exciting for the team to try and complete.”The match takes place on Friday 13, what the New Zealanders call “Black Friday”, but Graeme Smith isn’t one for superstition, He joked, “Is that what the date is tomorrow?”New Zealand (from) Stephen Fleming (capt), Ian Butler, Chris Cairns, Brendon McCullum (wk), Craig McMillan, Hamish Marshall, Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Michael Papps, Scott Styris, Daryl Tuffey, Daniel Vettori, Michael MasonSouth Africa (from) Graeme Smith (capt), Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Rudolph, Boeta Dippenaar, Ashwell Prince, Mark Boucher (wk), Nicky Boje, Lance Klusener, Albie Morkel, Makhaya Ntini, Robin Peterson, Jacques Kallis, Andre Nel, Shaun Pollock.
Colombo’s residents, who are enduring daily power cuts because of thedwindling water supplies in the up country reservoirs, may have beendelighted, but the final day of Pakistan A’s tour proved to be anticlimaxas heavy rains forced the abandonment of the game, leaving the three-matchseries shared at one all.Sri Lanka had looked to be cruising towards a series victory at lunch afteran efficient performance in the field and some pretty lousy cricket byPakistan, who were eventually bowled out for 172 on a fine batting wicket.Heavy rains then delayed the start of their run chase by 105 minutes.The complicated permutations of Duckworth-Lewis gave Pakistan a faint hopeof victory when the target was stiffened. Sri Lanka now needed 130 runs from29 overs and they looked to be cruising towards that, on 97 for two from 20overs, when the weather made its final interruption.Sri Lanka, who had made four changes to the side that lost on Monday, givinga chance to the other members of the 16-man squad, bowled efficiently andfielded impressively, running out three Pakistani batsmen.Pakistan had started well as Imran Farhat (13) and Faisal Naved (33) added29 for the first wicket in 41 balls. Even after Imran Farhat had clippedlazily to Bandaratillake behind square, they proceeded smoothly, and were 64for one after 17 overs.Sri Lanka’s spinners and fielders then got to work. Samaraweera had FaisalNaved caught at square leg and Taufiq Umar (24) was run out by a divingChamara Silva, after a poor call by Hasan Raza (26), who sensibly wore ahelmet today after his injury scare on Monday.Hasan reacted positively to the dismissal of Taufiq, who had been battingsolidly, lofting Samaraweera for six. He was, however, caught behind soonafter off Muthumudalige Pushpakumara, finally given a chance after aninexplicable wait on the sidelines.When Misbah-ul-Haq was also run out the innings crumbled. In fact, the lastseven wickets fell for just 51 runs.Sri Lanka were packed full of batting – their number ten, NiroshanBanadaratillake, had scored a wonderful half-century against England a fewmonths ago – and unsurprisingly came out all guns blazing.Gunawardene (14), of course, needs no second invitation to throw his railwaysleeper of a bat at the ball. He added 35 in 35 balls with Upeka Fernandobefore edging behind. Fernando (26) was then well caught at mid off to leaveSri lanka 56 for two.The need for quick runs finally forced some fluency of Kumar Sangakkara(28*) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (24*) and they looked to be well in controlwhen rain curtailed play.