The last time South Africa played a Test in Ahmedabad it was their first in India. India’s current coach was one of their opening batsmen, Hansie Cronje and Mohammad Azharuddin were the captains and Graeme Smith was just a school cricketer in Johannesburg’s King Edward School.Twelve years on and South Africa don’t have a single player from that match – the hosts have four – but they look a side rather accustomed to India, and that’s because they have put in the hard yards in the subcontinent.South Africa have had some extremely tough visits – namely Sri Lanka in 2004 and 2006, Pakistan in 2003 and India in 2004 – but under Smith over the last four years they have toured enough to understand what it takes to win.The visitors appear a much more confident and relaxed team than some touring sides of the past, who came with limited mindsets, and with personnel not always pushing for victory. Their batting has clicked in the subcontinent recently, their bowling attack is balanced and they are led by a man who doesn’t care too much for the past. On the eve of the second Test, Smith was markedly laidback compared to his opposite number, Anil Kumble, who briefly addressed the media while looking sterner than when a leg-before appeal has been turned down. Virender Sehwag took South Africa’s attack to the cleaners during a manic 319 last week but Smith said his side had worked out a few things to contain him. Nor was he too concerned about the Motera pitch, which he described as “good, with some grass covering on it.”Smith’s attitude reflects the state South Africa are in: confident after gaining a psychological advantage from the draw in Chennai and free of injury hassles. They know all too well that in Dale Steyn, Makhaya Nitini and Morne Morkel they have the bowling firepower to trouble India, who will be without the injured Sachin Tendulkar. And, crucially, they have a spinner who inspires faith in his captain. It makes for a hungry side.While the Motera track historically breaks up to interest the spinners there’s also evidence to suggest those cracks could aid the fast men. In 1996 Javagal Srinath exploited the craters on a poor surface to take 6 for 21 and skittle the South Africans, chasing 170, for 105. If Steyn were to stumble upon a breaking pitch there’s no reason why he couldn’t – with his tearaway pace – have India in trouble. Smith strongly felt this could happen.India have struggled against reverse-swing, even as recently as the home Test series against Pakistan where, Shoaib Akhtar, when fit, hustled them in a couple of hostile spells. As the ball gets older around the 30-over mark, Steyn remains the biggest threat but Morkel, who bowled some top spells in Chennai, can summon up mean pace too.
India look likely to play three spinners but Smith wasn’t worried about young legspinner Piyush Chawla, who could play his second Test. “We’ve had a look at him in the one-dayers in Ireland so we have an idea of what he bowls,” he said. “There’s video footage as well so it’s not a major area of concern.”South Africa are pretty certain to go in with the same team, with Paul Harris playing as the specialist spinner. “We have prepared well and are confident. It’s all about executing our plans right,” said Smith. “After the last game, India have a few more things to think about than us in terms of combination, in terms of the selections of bowlers. So they have to answer our challenges, to make sure we come back down to neutral.”Ultimately the ground, the country or the continent doesn’t matter: A team with skilled players that is looking to dominate can hold down any side, and it’s with that belief South Africa are going into the second Test.
Marcus Trescothick, the England and Somerset batsman, made an astonishing return today with a rollicking 256 from just 117 balls in a pre-season friendly against Devon.Making his comeback after a winter recovering from the stress-related illness which forced him home from England’s Ashes tour, Trescothick hit 19 sixes and 25 fours on his home ground at Taunton, in Somerset’s vast 502 for 4 from their 50 overs.”It was phenomenal batting. We dropped him on 70 and then he went absolutely beserk,” Devon’s Robert Dawson told BBC Sport. “There were very short boundaries on three sides but it was an incredible effort. Quite a few of the sixes went 100 yards although a few were lobbed over the short side.”It was an incredible display of hitting, it really was. It’s just a shame he was playing against us and not against Australia.”In addition to his stress-related illness, Trescothick underwent a double hernia operation last month in Manchester which, as his innings today demonstrated, was a success and ought not prevent him playing in the opening matches of Somerset’s season.”Along with [Kevin] Pietersen, he’s by far and away our best player,” Dawson added. “Ed Joyce wouldn’t have got 250 against us today. You can’t express how much England have missed him.”
Bermuda 143 for 5 (Romaine 59, Cann 35*) beat England 138 for 5 (Lloyd 46*) by five runsBermuda sent a sizable crowd into raptures with a five-run win over England that sent the hosts into the final of the 20-20 World Cricket Classic after they had seemed to be on course for defeat.Bermuda won the toss but soon struggled as they were reduced to 21 for 3 after five overs as Phil Defreitas and Chris Lewis put a stranglehold on the top order.But Irvine Romaine flayed the attack with 59, including four sixes, and supported by Lionel Cann, out on a vital 47 for the sixth wicket. Cann was caught at third man off a no-ball early on, and was then bowled by Lewis off the free hit which follows every no-ball.England looked well set, and raced to 37 for 0 off three overs before the introduction of Dwayne Leverock and Hasan Durham stemmed the flow. With five overs remaining, England needed 46, and Graham Lloyd improvised with skill to keep them in the chase. They required 14 off the final over, and when Lloyd smashed Cann’s first ball for six, the 4000-strong crowd feared the worst. But Cann stayed calm, and Lloyd failed to hit the last ball for the six by then needed, triggered a pitch invasion by jubilant supporters.Bermuda will play either New Zealand or South Africa in the final.West Indies 136 for 3 (Williams 66) beat India 135 for 9 (Chauhan 60, Garner 3-17) by seven wicketsWest Indies did all they could to throw away a place in the final after seemingly choking within sight of victory, but in the end they stumbled over the finishing line.When Stuart Williams was run out for 66, West Indies only needed 19 off 18 balls with wickets to spare. But India stifled Thelston Payne and Carlisle Best so well that they took 12 runs off the next 12 balls, and then lost Payne to the first delivery of the final over. When Best failed to score off the third and fourth balls, India sensed a remarkable win, but Best came good to smack the last two balls for fours to put his side through to the Plate final and send India out of the tournament.India failed to score enough runs, losing five wickets for 50 midway through the innings as Hendy Bryan, Colin Croft and Joel Garner held sway. Only Rajesh Chauhan made any major contribution, slamming four fours and three sixes off only 48 balls while Kuruvilla Abey hit a brisk 22 off 18 balls at the death.Garner, making his first appearance, was the pick of the West Indies bowling with impressive figures of 3 for 17 off four overs, while Croft and Bryan picked up two apiece.
As revealed by Cricinfo last week, Steve Tikolo has been reinstated as Kenya’s captain six months after resigning the post and will lead Kenya in their Intercontinental Cup tie in Uganda starting on Friday.The squad, confirmed on Monday, is missing Ravi Shah, who has failed to recover from a long-standing knee injury. Also absent is allrounder Ragheb Aga, who captained the team to last year’s semi final in the United Arab Emirates. The official reason is that Aga is studying in England, but Cricinfo has been informed that he was not even contacted ahead of the side’s slection.”We are aware of him and other players like Amit Bhudia, Abeed Janmohammed, Tony Suji and the others who are all part of the Kenyan team but cannot be selected for this game for various reasons,” explained Tom Tikolo, Steve’s brother and the head of the interim selection panel. “They will definitely be considered for future matches.”Some old names were also absent. Joseph Angara, Tony Suji, Brijal Patel and Jimmy Kamande were all omitted, although Tikolo said they still featured in the plansd and had been given specific instruciitions on what part of their game to work on.Kenya squad Steve Tikolo (capt), Thomas Odoyo, Kennedy Otieno(wkt), David Obuya, Maurice Ouma, Martin Suji, Peter Ongondo, Hitesh Modi, Collins Obuya, Tanmay Mishra, Lameck Onyango, Malhar Patel, Kalpesh Patel, Nehemiah Odhiambo.
Irfan Pathan has been reprimanded by the ICC for a breach of the Code of Conduct. Pathan, who took 2 for 75 in India’s crushing loss in the second final of the VB Series, made an exuberant gesture, clapping and beaming Damien Martyn off when he dismissed him. Watching television replays, it was difficult to say if words were exchanged.Clive Lloyd, the match referee, found Pathan guilty of a Level 1 offense, unfair play. Pathan was reported to the match referee by Rudi Koertzen and Daryl Harper, the on-field umpires, and also by Simon Taufel, the third umpire. The reprimand was made in a hearing shortly after play, an ICC media release informs. Lloyd said, “It’s important that players and team officials at all times conduct themselves within the spirit of the game.”
India have won the second and final Test of their two-Test series against Zimbabwe by four wickets. At Feroz Shah Kotla on Monday, it was Harbhajan Singh’s turn to become the unlikely hero with the bat by hitting a boundary over cover and a big six straight down the ground to take India past the modest target. India finished on 126/6 with Harbhajan Singh (14*) and Sanjay Bangar (3*) the two men at the crease at the end.Resuming on 36/3, India got off to a flying start. Sachin Tendulkar picked up 12 runs off the first over of the day bowled by Grant Flower. A glorious cover drive and a powerful square cut thudded into the signboards.In the following over bowled by Flower, the little master struck another four through mid-wicket, forcing Carlisle to make a bowling change. The idea was quite simple, Tendulkar scoring runs at one end while Das would deal with the guiles of Ray Price.Price has bowled exceptionally well on this tour and he was distinctly unlucky as umpire Jayaprakash turned down a couple of shouts of lbw against Shiv Sunder Das.Tendulkar played a delicate leg glance and then a superb flick through mid-wicket off Streak for fours, forcing Carlisle to bring back Grant Flower into the attack. Tendulkar, however, was in a hurry and he was in no mood to allow Flower to settle into a rhythm. A slightly short delivery was pulled high in the air over square leg for a massive six.Finally, Price got an opportunity to have a go at Tendulkar and immediately had his man lbw, trying to sweep. The little master made a valuable contribution of 42 off 52 balls with the help of seven fours and a six.Rahul Dravid came out to bat and found himself in trouble against Price. The scoring suffered substantially as Streak and Price tightened the screws. This had its effect too; Das (31) was given out lbw to Streak, umpire de Silva giving it in the favour of the bowler when the ball appeared to be going down the leg. India were 103/5 at that stage.Rahul Dravid (6) was the next man to be `Price’d out, caught by Andy Flower at gully after pushing forward to the left-arm spinner. India were under tremendous pressure (105/6) at that stage. Umpire Asoka de Silva was not done yet. An appalling decision from him gave four leg byes to India, after Streak had struck Harbhajan Singh plumb in front of the wicket. If that ball was going to hit anything, it was the middle stump.Soon it was the turn of umpire Jayaprakash to negate another very close shout for lbw by Price; Bangar being the lucky batsman. Harbhajan Singh pinched four over-throws to ease the pressure a bit. And, then came Harbhajan Singh’s two big hits off Streak to finish the match. Harbhajan was deservedly named that Man of the Match while Anil Kumble picked up the Man of the Series award.
Michelle Goszko broke one world record and equalled another when she scored 204 for Australia against England in the First Test of the CricInfo Women’s Series at Shenley on June 25, 2001.When she passed 131, Goszko set a new record for the highest score on debut in the 112-match history of women’s Tests, beating the previous mark set by compatriot Mel Jones on the last tour of England three years ago.At 204 she equalled the mark for the highest individual score by any batsman since women’s Tests began in 1934. Her lbw dismissal at the hands of Clare Taylor stopped her from gaining an outright claim on the record.Players who have scored 150 or more in women’s Test cricket:204 Kirsty Flavell, New Zealand v England at Scarborough, 1996 204 Michelle Goszko, Australia v England at Shenley, 2001 200 Jo Broadbent, Australia v England at Guildford, 1998 193 Denise Annetts, Australia v England at Collingham, 1987 190 Sandhya Agarwal, India v England at Worcester, 1986 189 Betty Snowball, England v New Zealand at Christchurch, 1935 179 Rachael Heyhoe-Flint, England v Australia at The Oval, 1976 176* Karen Rolton, Australia v England at Worcester, 1998 167 Jan Brittin, England v Australia at Harrogate, 1998 161* Emily Drumm, New Zealand v Australia at Christchurch, 1995 160 Barbara Daniels, England v New Zealand at Scarborough, 1996 158* Carol Hodges, England v New Zealand at Canterbury, 1984 155* Trish McKelvey, New Zealand v England at Wellington, 1969It should be noted that the world record score in a women’s one-dayinternational is in fact higher than this – 229 by Belinda Clark forAustralia against Denmark in the 1997 World Cup in India.Centuries on debut in women’s Tests:108 Una Paisley, Australia v New Zealand at Wellington, 1948 113 Enid Bakewell, England v Australia at Adelaide, 1968 118 Lorraine Hill, Australia v New Zealand at Wellington, 1975 117 Julie Stockton, Australia v New Zealand at Sydney University, 1979 117 Leslie Cooke, England v India at Collingham, 1986 126 Belinda Haggett, Australia v England at Worcester, 1987 104 Belinda Clark, Australia v India at North Sydney, 1991 105 Chamani Senevirathne, Sri Lanka v Pakistan at Colombo, 1998 131 Melanie Jones, Australia v England at Guildford, 1998 204 Michelle Goszko, Australia v England at Shenley, 2001(Note: the records showed for many years that Shanta Rangaswamy scored a century on debut for India against New Zealand in Dunedin in 1977. It was later decided that India’s six-match series against the West Indies in 1975-76, in which Rangaswamy played, should have Test status, thus depriving her of this rare honour.)
According to Italian news outlet Messaggero Veneto, Udinese forward Gerard Deulofeu is being targeted by West Ham ahead of a potential €20m (£16.6m) summer transfer.
The former Watford winger has had an exceptional season in Serie A, scoring nine goals in 25 appearances and setting up two more, as he has transitioned effectively into becoming a striker.
His versatility could be a key reason behind the east London club’s interest, due to Michail Antonio being the only natural striker at the club and the Spaniard’s ability to also operate as a left winger.
While Deulofeu’s career has seemingly been revived in Italy, this would be his fourth stint in England – and if his previous spells are anything to go by, could it be an unsuccessful signing from a West Ham perspective? Our writers give their verdicts below….
Vijievan Jeevathayalan
“With just 20 goals in 127 games in his time in the Premier League, Deulofeu would be hugely underwhelming as a potential summer signing. The former Everton and Watford man showed flashes of his brilliance in England, but really struggled to deliver anywhere near the kind of consistent form that would suggest a third spell in the top flight would see him finally bring the goods.
“West Ham have taken several steps forward under David Moyes, and with a place in the Europa League quarter-finals already secured, and being well-placed in the Premier League for another impressive finish, the Hammers should be looking at real statement signings this summer. Deulofeu simply doesn’t fit the bill, and Moyes would be making a major howler to push through a move for the Spaniard. It’d quite frankly be a complete waste from GSB.”
James Thompson
“If West Ham were to make a move to bring Gerard Deulofeu back to the Premier League after his stints with Watford and Everton, this would be a really uninspiring move from GSB.
“Having scored just four goals in his previous season in England with Watford, it’s hard to see the Spaniard winning a battle against the likes of Said Benrahma, Jarrod Bowen, Pablo Fornals or Manuel Lanzini to become a regular first-team figure for David Moyes.
“With the summer transfer window in mind, if the Hammers are going to be in the market for another attacking player, Deulofeu should be nowhere near the top of their transfer target list.”
Daniel Emery
“It would be a surprising move from the Hammers given their wealth of options in the attacking midfield areas. Bowen, Vlasic, Benrahma, Fornals, Yarmolenko and Lanzini can all play in the positions behind the striker and I struggle to see where Deulofeu would fit in.
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“He predominantly plays off the right and his 10 goals and four assists since the start of last season do not suggest that he has the quality to displace Bowen, who has 16 goals and 15 assists in the same time, from that role.
“The Spaniard is not an upgrade on what they have and, at 28, is not an up-and-coming prospect who they can look to bed in over time. This deal is a must-avoid.”
In other news – Imagine him and Antonio: West Ham must land £18m-rated “weapon” likened to Beckham
Chris Gayle, the West Indies captain, has warned his team-mates to be on their guard against Sri Lanka when the two-Test and five-match ODI tour starts later this month. Both sides are coming off a run of indifferent form – West Indies struggled on tour in South Africa and Sri Lanka won just two matches in the CB Series – and Gayle says the visitors boast a strong core of senior players.He picked out the batting of Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara and the bowling of Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas as major challenges for West Indies to overcome. Although Sri Lanka have struggled of late in ODIs, they won their most recent Test series – against England in December – and played some impressive cricket.”Those two guys [Muralitharan and Vaas] have been their [main] wicket-takers in Test cricket,” Gayle told . “You have the likes of [Lasith] Malinga, those guys are playing international cricket now and getting a feel and getting more experienced and so forth playing overseas.”The batting line-up as well, Jayawardene and Sangakkara are in terrific form,” he said. “You have to work really hard to score runs and actually get wickets against them. We are looking forward to the challenge and hopefully the preparation can be good going in against Sri Lanka as well.”Gayle was reappointed as captain after impressing as a stand-in for Ramnaresh Sarwan on the tour of South Africa and previously in England last year. However, he was also injured in South Africa and was forced to miss the final Test plus the one-day series.”The build-up was very good in South Africa but unfortunately a lot of injuries came into play and then guys had to sit out for whatever reason as well including myself, I sat out a number of games overseas.”It’s a new series now so hopefully we’ll be strong and ready to go againstSri Lanka. We’ll see what the selectors can come up with, [hopefully] the best possible 13 and see how well we can have the right combination going in.”The first Test starts on March 22 in Guyana and the second match is in Trinidad from April 3.
.Today I informed the President of the BCCI that I would not seek an extension to my contract to coach the Indian cricket team for family and personal reasons.Firstly, I would like to extend my thanks to the BCCI for allowing me the honour of coaching the Indian cricket team over the past 22 months. It is, and it remains, one of the most challenging coaching positions in world cricket.I am grateful to the players with whom I have worked in this time for the challenges that they presented me with and which I tried to meet in a professional, methodical and interesting way in the interests of the team and the individual.To the media, my thanks also for constantly forcing me to question myself, my thinking and the way I went about my job of guiding the team through the many tests that we faced.I would like to make special mention of my support staff without whom I would not have survived the rigours of the past 22 months. Ian Frazer and Greg King deserve special mention for their efforts as do John Gloster, S Ramakrishnan and Ramesh Mane. I am particularly grateful for the wonderful support of my family, especially my wife Judy, who has enjoyed the experience as much as I.The people of India deserve a special mention as they are the ones whose attention, enthusiasm and love and support drive the great game, and business, of cricket in this country, and around the world. I thank them all, especially those who have written to me and the thousands who have gone out of their way to come up to me with well wishes.I am also grateful for the opportunity to extend my knowledge and awareness of this region and for the wonderful friends that I have made here. I look forward to continuing my contact with India in the coming years and I wish Indian cricket and all those involved with it much joy and success in the future.