Matabeleland cricket report

The Matabeleland selectors have finalized the side to play Mashonaland this weekend, leaving Jason Hitz out of the named 13 with Munir Makadam as 12th man. The team has not as yet been announced. The decision to omit Jason Hitz from the 13 is rather harsh as he was twelfth man for the whole of last season and attended every practice; his batting has improved through the current season beyond all recognition, anda better team man is hard to find.It is always pleasing to see new caps and youngsters being given a chance but it may well prove costly in the batting, with new cap Norman Mukondiwa having not only to prove his bowling skills but also to show he is capable of batting and seeing his team through to a good score which is of utmost importance in the four-day game. Matabeleland have a reasonable bowling line up and, should the bowlers perform to standard, be capable of holding their own against a weakenedMashonaland side.Townshend, who has been bowling well recently will share the new ball with new cap Mupariwa, with Mukondiwa, McKillop and Strydom providing the seam attack and the spinners, Ewing and Mercury, doing most of the bowling if Matabeleland are unable to dismiss the opposition for a reasonable score.It has been very hot in Bulawayo for this time of the year, temperatures being far higher than normal, 32-36 degrees and no rain, so a fast outfield and a batting-friendly wicket could well be the order of the day. Following a further practice, and discussions on the composition of the team, it was decided to change the lineup and include Jason Hitz, omitting Norman Mukandiwa, which adds some batting strength to the tail.Player profilesTawanda Mupariwa – born 16/4/85, Bulawayo. RAFM. BAC.Michael Grant McKillop – born 24/4/81, Bulawayo. RHB/RM. BAC. Zimbabwe HockeyMunir Mukadam – born 15/2/1983, Bulawayo. RHB/RHM. CrescentsCollin Ray (Porgie) Williams – born Bulawayo. RHB. BAC. Has played Matabeleland prior to first class status for Matabeleland. Zimbabwe Hockey and National Coach.Gavin Mackie Ewing – born 21/01/81, Harare. RAOS/RHB. Queens. Zimbabwe U19, Liverpool Comp UK.

My job is to get more out of the players: Wright

Desperately wanted – an all rounder.This is the kind of an advertisement Indian cricket coach John Wright would love to put in newspapers as his search for a genuine all rounder continues. But he knows all rounders cannot be located that easily. The genial New Zealander, now with the Indian team in Mutare, says, “We are desperately needing someone who is an all rounder, someone who can be a genuine number six..we do need a balance”.Wright believes a couple of players in the team could turn the course of a match but the need was to have more of them. “I think the captain (Sourav Ganguly) is in a better position in this area. He probably has to bowl a bit more, he is a very capable bowler. We need people like that. Even Sachin (Tendulkar). These two players, the main batsmen on their day, can turn a cricket game. If they can expand their roles, they can help us to become a better cricket team,” the coach said in an interview to PTI.In fact, Wright believes the present players have got it all in them and he was trying to extract more out of them. “Zaheer Khan can become a better batsman. Harbhajan can become a better batsman. Ajit Agarkar is capable of lot more with the bat. And that’s my objective – to get more out of them,” the former New Zealand opener and captain said.Juggling the batting order to suit various situations can also bring about good results, feels the coach, as it happened in the Kolkata Test against Australia when VVS Laxman was sent in to bat at number three. “You have to be a bit flexible. I think we have learnt that from the last series. Changing Laxman to number three made all the difference. We may have to look at moving Dravid or one of them up again if we find the team needs it.”I know psychologically Laxman doesn’t want to open. I think that is the question you always ask yourself as a captain or a coach. What is the best the team members have to do which does not really suit them but is in the interest of the team. You have got to do that,” the coach said.To work out a strategy for India, eyeing an elusive away win since the last decade and a half, is what keeps the coach pre-occupied in this African country. Having guided the Indians to a great Test series win against Australia, he knows expectations from him have increased to break the jinx this time.Wright is hoping for a lot from the seamers, who he feels, have a “a good opportunity to keep the ball up, make the batsmen come on the front foot when the ball is moving around a bit”.The seamers’ inability to bowl longer spells, of course, is a point ofworry. “At present stamina is quite a problem. They probably need a bit more strength. They need to be fit after bowling long spells or coming back after lunch or tea. That’s the area we need to develop.”Wright knows that to do well in international cricket India needs at least two quality strike bowlers. “We can’t expect Harbhajan knocking over the sides on the first day of a Test when we are touring abroad. So we have got to work hard on that”.The coach expects the cricket academies would help spot fast bowlers “who are different from batsmen in the sense that while batsmen take time to mature, fast bowlers just turn up one fine day.”So, next on Wright’s priority list, after all rounders, are fast bowlers.”There is some promise but we need performance. We need to be on the look out for fast bowlers. Javagal Srinath at the moment is looking sharp. And there is quite a bit of battle for the other two medium pacers’ slot”.No team is perfect but Wright asserts the team he handles comprises a bunch of players who are “hungry” and willing to work very hard. “They are great boys to work with. They want to work hard. I don’t think they are afraid of hard work. Sometimes, with some of the blokes, you have to use a word or two but they work hard and they want to learn, that’s the big thing. If we can learn, we will be a formidable team,” he said.A lot also depends on the hunger of the boys to excel, said Wright. “Away from home a lot depends on hunger. I have this funny feeling that their best is yet to come..I hope their best is yet to come”.The gruelling international schedule ahead for India will also work in favour of the team in that it will help it develop as one family and unit. “The coming six months will be good for us because we will be away from home and will develop as a unit. We have to keep it tight together in victory or defeat,” Wright said.”It is a young side. And I can tell one or two older players that if they want to be great individual players, they would become one. But also, wouldn’t it be great if they could be a part of the great Indian team,” he asked.On suggestions that players tend to group on regional lines, Wright said, “It is natural for players to move with those they know but if these barriers are broken down, it would be better. I don’t belive in distinction. I am not too big on seniors and juniors and where you come from. The team is a team. There is no ‘I’ in the word ‘team'”.This should be a big boost for a side that now has a coach unaffected by regional affiliations and not having any prejudice.All said about the team, does the coach himself get weighed down by the heat, dust, expectations and crisscross travelling? “I don’t feel weighed down. I believe in the process of working. Win or loss does not matter. As long as you keep doing things you believe in, hopefully things would go your way.”

Celtic: Shved rinsed Desmond for 129 weeks

When Celtic spent £2m on the signing of Marian Shved back in January 2019, it would be fair to say that many at Parkhead were not overly convinced about the winger’s suitability for the club.

Indeed, shortly after the 21-year-old’s arrival in Glasgow, Brendan Rodgers appeared less than enthused about the capture of the Ukraine international, stating: “I can’t say I know a great deal about him but what I have seen he is a talent and something that will probably benefit the club in the future.

“We’ve got about a million wingers and don’t need another one but he’s a talent and in the summer we’ll probably lose wingers and he’ll look to come in. It’s an opportunity for the club to sign a young talented player but not one that will probably help us now.

“The club have been in contact with his representatives and he is a player for the future. I haven’t seen a great deal of him to be honest. It is something that has come to the club through circumstance and he has been watched. I think that they will look to get the deal done on him and he will probably be out on loan.”

As the Northern Irishman suggested, Shved did indeed depart Celtic Park on a temporary basis shortly after his arrival in Glasgow, returning to Karpaty Lviv for the remainder of the 2018/19 campaign.

However, what Rodgers did not predict was that the forward would also spend the vast majority of 2019/20 away from Parkhead, with the £810k-rated winger linking up with Belgian side KV Mechelen in August 2020 after making just three appearances for Celtic – once in Champions League qualifying, once in the Premiership and once in the Scottish Cup.

After Mechelen made the 24-year-old – who Wouter Vrancken dubbed a “loner” and suggested should “play billiards for the rest of his life” rather than football – a permanent signing for an unspecified amount last summer, the £7.9k-per-week Shved’s status as a Celtic flop was confirmed.

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Indeed, with the attacker setting Celtic back around £1m in wages over his 129 weeks at Parkhead, in addition to his £2m transfer fee, it is clear that the Bhoys had a shocker when signing the Ukrainian, who well and truly rinsed Dermot Desmond.

AND in other news: Ange can axe “infectious” ace as Celtic become “serious contenders” for “massive” deal

Arsenal given greenlight to make January move

Long term Arsenal target, Lucho Gonzalez is available in January according to his agent, after the 30-year-old has found himself out of favour under manager Didier Deschamps at Marseille as reported by talkSport.

The Gunners were reported to be interested in the Argentine international before he moved to France and now may be a perfect opportunity to finally get their man, who would act as a replacement for Cesc Fabregas.

Gonzalez joined Marseille from Porto for around £20million in 2009 and was considered one of the best central midfielders in Europe, but after over 70 appearances for the French club it appears that time is running out for his relationship with Deschamps after just a handful of matches this season.

Everton are also interested in Gonzalez but Marseille will look to get back most of the money they paid for him which could be a stumbling block for the cash strapped Toffees who will only look for a loan move for the Argentinean.

After originally committing himself to the French club in the summer, it appears Gonzalez has changed his mind according to his agent Federico Simonian who spoke to Le 10 Sport.

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“He wants to leave,” said Simonian. “He wants to play in a championship that is better than Ligue 1.”

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McLeish laments ‘blame culture’

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish believes football’s ‘blame culture’ cost Roberto Di Matteo his job as West Brom.The Blues are looking to avoid a Carling Cup final hangover on Saturday when they welcome West Brom to St Andrews, with Roy Hodgson now at the helm of the fellow relegation battlers.Di Matteo’s dismissal in early February came as a shock to many, including McLeish, who said it was a knee-jerk reaction by the Baggies to get rid of the Italian.”I’m disappointed for Roberto; it looked like he was doing a decent job,” McLeish said. “It’s a hard league, I don’t think the quality in the league has ever been better in terms of the teams in the lower half of the table.””Nothing surprises you in the game these days. We live a knee-jerk blame culture where results are huge and the stakes are immense.””It’s difficult for managers these days – if Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger were starting out now to build a team, would they get the same time?”Birmingham have 28 points, and sit just two above the relegation zone with two games in hand over most of the other teams lingering in the bottom half of the table.But McLeish said he was not setting a points target for his side, preferring to focus on winning each match in order to stay up.”The goal is just to make sure that you stay up, that is what everyone is striving for,” McLeish said. “Whether it’s 30 something or 40 something (points) or goal difference it doesn’t really matter.””I don’t really like to speculate on these things, I jut know we have to concentrate on winning. The players have to keep challenging themselves. The mental toughness they have shown over the last couple weeks has been fantastic and they have to build on that.”With the recent addition of Cup final hero Obafemi Martins, McLeish has strikers at his disposal that are more than capable of firing his team up the league. “We have some options up there, Kevin (Phillips), Cameron Jerome, Matt Derbyshire and (Nikola) Zigic – so great competition,” he said.”In the first half of the season we were searching for the right formula and there’s a great opportunity in the last 14 games.””These kind of games can define you and you can really make your mark as a Barclays Premier League footballer.”Midfielder Barry Ferguson is a doubt for the Midlands derby after playing for more than an hour in the Carling Cup final with a broken rib, while fellow midfielder Craig Gardner is also looks likely to miss out with a thigh injury picked up against Arsenal.

Have memories of 95 dictated Sir Alex’s thinking?

With Sir Alex Ferguson’s insistence that Manchester United won’t be signing any players this summer due to ‘over-inflated’ prices, the question surrounding the clubs massive debt still lingers.

After all, following a season which yielded just the Carling Cup- hardly what is deemed successful at Old Trafford- there was an expectation that the coffers would be thrown open and at least one marquee signing would arrive at the Theatre of Dreams.

Many have already turned to the most hated men at Old Trafford- unless you count Gary Neville by away fans- the Glazers as the reason for lack of transfer activity.

Fergie though, had insisted that he does have the money but feels that the players available are over-priced or not really needed, as may have been the case with Liverpool’s new saviour Joe Cole.

All this reminded me of the summer of 1995 when three of the club’s biggest names left to be replaced by members of the youth team.  Paul Ince, Mark Hughes and the Russian Locomotive that was Andrei Kanchelskis, all left for new clubs following United’s first trophy-less season in five years.

Fergie replaced his trio of departed stars, with unknown quantities Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes and some kid named David Beckham. Add to that the fact that Gary Neville was now a regular and was joined by his younger brother Phil and many thought the United manager had gone mad, little realising it was all a massive ploy to embarrass Alan Hansen on Match of the Day.

Hansen’s: “You’ll never win anything win kids” comment following United’s opening day defeat at Aston Villa was the biggest gaffe since Romeo told Juliet getting together would be a good idea.

Hansen was made to eat his words on an almost daily basis as United’s young side, led by Sky’s new advertising genie Eric Cantona swept all before them, to win the double.

The young English backbone of that United side, would become the backbone of the England side for a decade to come, with Scholes, Butt, Beckham and the Nevilles gaining over 350 caps between them and featuring in every major tournament since then until this year’s World Cup- although technically Beckham featured as the teams chief eye-brow raiser and frowner.

West Ham have of course contributed massively to the England team, with the likes of Joe Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Jermaine Defoe and Michael Carrick all coming through the Academy of Football. Unlike the United youth team of 1992, most of West Ham’s England players came through at different times.  Ferdinand and Lampard were part of the youth team which reached the FA youth cup final of 1996, losing to a Liverpool side which included Jamie Carragher and Michael Owen. Carrick and Cole went one better in 1999 defeating a Coventry side that had Chris Kirkland between the sticks, by a 9 goal aggregate- no doubt this was good preparation for what was to happen to Kirkland at Spurs a decade down the line.

Although, technically it wasn’t until 1993 that all the aforementioned United players were in the same youth team- Phil Neville joining the team then, the fact is for a single team to contain a crop of youngsters that would go on to be so successful is not so much a rarity as an absolute phenomenon .

What makes the class of ’92 even more exceptional is that while it may not have contained the younger Neville sibling, it did have a young lad named Ryan Giggs, who would go on to make the odd appearance for the first team.

The point I’m making is can Fergie do it again with a crop of youngsters? Is there enough talent coming through the youth ranks for him to surprise everyone with another crop of ‘Fergie’s Fledglings’ –sorry I’ve always hated that term but felt obliged to use it- who can carry the team to glory?

Lately United have been giving more and more youngsters a chance as the likes of the Da Silva twins, Darron Gibson, Danny Welbeck, Kiko Macheda, and Jonny Evans have figured in many games.

Will Fergie be prepared to turn to youth fully, in the way he did back in 1995 to replace some of the players who’ve either left the club or are nearing retirement.

With the last remnants of the class of 92, in Scholes, Giggs and Neville, surely entering their final season, this may be the time for the United manager to confound the critics and turn to his youngsters.

While Jonny Evans is practically a first team member now, most of the young players are only used sparingly, could we now see Fergie give them a chance and make them starting members of his squad.

A starting line up of say VDS, Rafael, Evans, Vidic, Evra, Valencia, Fletcher, Gibson, Nani, Macheda and Rooney is still a very strong side which could give any team a run for its money.

Maybe the reason the United manager is acting like Ebeneezer Scrooge before the ghosts paid him a visit, is due to the knowledge that some of his younger players are actually up to the task.

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With a further host of younger players in the likes of Cameron Stewart, Corry Evans, Tom Cleverley, Paul Pogba and Will Keane coming through the ranks the future may not quite be as bleak at Manchester United as many, myself included, have thought lately.

As the great Sir Matt Busby showed over 50 years ago, youth can be good enough to win league titles and challenge the cream of Europe, a lesson Fergie remembered in 1995, maybe it’s one he’s realised again.

Read more of Justin Mottershead’s work on his blog ‘Name on the Trophy’

Click on image to see a gallery of the BEST BABES at the World Cup this summer

Bayern out to gazump Everton move

Everton will need to hold off interest from Bayen Munich for midfield target Ever Banega with the Bundesliga giants set to make a January move for the Valencia star according to talkSPORT.

The German side are on the lookout for a new midfielder with reports in Spain claiming they have already dispatched scouts to watch the 23-year-old in action at the Mestalla.

Bayern’s interest will come as a blow to Toffee’s boss David Moyes as he continues to hunt a replacement for Mikel Arteta who left Goodison Park to join Arsenal on deadline day.

It could be the second time he misses out on the Argentinian after coming close to signing him on a season-long loan back in 2009 only for the switch to collapse due to complications over his work permit.

Finances are tight on Merseyside with chairman Bill Kenwright limiting Moyes to scouring the loan and free transfer market during the summer and they may not have to money to afford Banega on a permanent deal.

The talented playmaker has made only four appearances in La Liga this season and is keen to move away in search of guaranteed first team football as he tries to force himself back into the plans of national team boss Alejandro Sabella.

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3 reasons why Carlo Ancelotti should veto summer move

Real Madrid appear ready to offload Brazilian playmaker Kaka in the summer with Manchester City and Chelsea waiting in the wings. Both have been heavily linked with the midfielder in the past.

City tried to sign Kaka in the 2009 January window before he went to Madrid later in the year and ever since Ancelotti took over at Chelsea there has been speculation linking him to be reunited with his former player. But is Kaka really the type of player Chelsea need at this time? With rumours of a Chelsea clear out in the summer, surely bringing in a player who would be 29 at the time would not be a sustainable solution. Read on to find out why I believe it would be a mistake for Chelsea to sign this type of player.

Age

At 28 going on 29 is this someone Chelsea should be investing in? He certainly wouldn’t be one for the future and at his age would be expected to come good almost straight away, especially with a big reputation. Fernando Torres, signed for £50 million still hasn’t scored for Chelsea and the pressure is increasing with every game.

Kaka would surely need time to adapt to the Premier League, something not on his side. One of the main problems at Chelsea is that they currently have too many players past their peak. Florent Malouda, Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, John Terry, Ashley Cole, Nicolas Anelka are all over 30 and with their best years behind them. Kaka could only give maybe two seasons at his best.

Expense

Real Madrid paid £60 million to acquire Kaka in the summer of 2009 and while they will not be able to recuperate that, they will not be letting the midfielder go cheaply. I doubt anything less than £40 million would be taken seriously by the Spanish Giants. £40 million on a 29 year old is very risky business indeed and given Abramovich gave Ancelotti £70 million in January to sign two players it is unlikely this sort of cash would be available for one.

If anyone has been following Chelsea’s transfer rumours recently, they are mostly linked with young and up coming talent. Players in their early twenties such as Javier Pastore, Ganso, Eden Hazard and then even younger prospects such as Jack Rodwell. These are the types of player Chelsea need to rebuild their team.

Not another Central Midfielder?

Okay while not essentially a player that plays in the middle of the park but one that will play further forward through the middle, looking to link up midfield and attack. Is this not the role Frank Lampard plays? As mentioned earlier Lampard’s best years maybe behind him but he is still a quality player and one that is not linked with the exodus of Chelsea players expected to leave Stamford Bridge in the summer.

I have never been keen on Gerrard and Lampard in central midfield together for Anfield neither do I believe that Kaka and Lampard could work effectively in the same team. Couple this with the fact Chelsea have more than enough options in central midfield with Essien, Mikel, Ramires, and Benayoun.

Yes, the last two can operate on the right side of midfield but both prefer a more central role.

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Finally, Chelsea have bright stars such as Gael Kakuta and Josh McEachran coming through and must ensure the best development is given to them in order to reach the first team.

By Richard Field for the Transfer Tavern – click here to see the original article, as well as all the latest transfer rumour stories

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What will Nicky Bailey bring to the Middlesbrough table?

Middlesbrough look to be closing in on a deal for Charlton captain Nicky Bailey. The 26-year-old midfielder is set to join Boro for a fee of £1.4m and manager Gordon Strachan will be hoping that can help fire his team back into the Premiership.

Bailey will be arriving at the club off the back of a dejecting season for Charlton as his last kick in an Addicks’ shirt was the team’s one and only missed penalty in the play-off semi-final against Swindon, which ultimately decided the tie. Aside from that he had a good season for Charlton from a personal point of view scoring 13 goals from midfield, which brings his total tally for the club to 26 goals in two years which is a great feat. Ever since his arrival from Southend in 2008 he has been virtually nothing but consistent for Charlton and didn’t look out of place one bit in what was his first ever season playing in the Championship. Even though the club got relegated in his debut season he was their one shining light and this was acknowledged by him receiving their player of the year award.

This season Bailey can be credited with a lot of the hard work that went into Charlton getting into the play-offs and although in some games he wasn’t at his best, one thing he always did without fail week-in, week-out was give 110 per cent. Had it not been for his influence in midfield then Charlton probably wouldn’t have came close to promotion.

Boro fans can look forward to the signing of Bailey as he is an all-action midfielder who is capable of taking a game by the scruff of the neck and won’t stop trying until the final whistle. He has got a good-eye for goal and is capable of scoring some absolute stunners as he has on numerous occasions for Charlton. He will provide a lot of energy in midfield and in games last season where Boro seemed to run out of steam, with a player like Bailey in the side he won’t let that happen. Of course there are weaknesses to his game, such as he is liable of trying spectacular passes that don’t come off when he should play the simple ball instead. Also sometimes he can make the wrong decision when it comes to either shooting or passing the ball.

Nicky Bailey is definitely a player who can help Middlesbrough get promoted next season and there is a chance should that happen that he just may be able to cut it in the Premiership. However firstly Boro need to win promotion first and with the imminent signing of Bailey they will be significantly boosting their chances of this becoming a reality.

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Click image below to see a gallery of the German babes at the World Cup:

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Manchester United 3-1 Chelsea – Match Review

Manchester United went two points clear at the top of the Premier League after brushing aside Chelsea at Old Trafford to make it five consecutive wins this season.

Chris Smalling, Nani and Wayne Rooney, who later missed a penalty, game the home side a three goal lead before half time with Fernando Torres replying in the second half with his first goal of the season.

The Spaniard then missed a glorious chance in the second half to further reduce the deficit as Andre Villas-Boas’ side struggled to match their opponents who see unbeatable at the moment.

As usual United took the lead in this encounter with Smalling heading home Ashley Young’s free kick in the eight minute to put Sir Alex Ferguson’s side into their rhythm.

Chelsea were never at the races and were two goals behind thanks to Nani’s thunderbolt. The Portuguese winger picked up the ball out wide and as the visitors defence backed off he cut inside and unleashed a stinging 25-yard drive that whizzed past Petr Cech.

Two quickly became three as Rooney slid in his ninth goal of the season. Phil Jones brought the ball out of defence running 30 yards knocking it into Nani who’s attempted back heel ricocheted around in the area eventually falling to the England striker who cal my side footed the ball into the net.

Villas-Boas’ side needed an instant response after the restart and they got just that as Torres finally ended his barren run in front of goal. The Spanish striker did brilliantly to bring Nicolas Anelka’s through ball under control before calmly slotting it past David de Gea.

It should have been 4-1 only for Rooney to squander a 55th minute penalty slipping and scuffing the ball straight at Cech after Nani was fouled by Jose Boswinga in the area.

Torres then laid down his claim for miss of the season firing wide with the goal gaping after he had sold De Gea a brilliant dummy leaving the United keeper for dead.

[divider]

The goals are flying in around the Football League today and it took no fewer than 10 minutes for the six Goaldash numbers to come flying in.

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