Yusuf Pathan, Irfan’s older brother, starred with 5 for 52 in West Zone’s three-wicket victory against Central Zone at Gwalior. Tejinder Pal Singh scored 79 after Central Zone lost the toss but received no support as they were dismissed for 180 in just the 38th over. Parthiv Patel led West Zone’s reply with 46 but they had collapsed to 97 for 6 before Bhavik Thaker (35), Rohit Sharma (31 not out) and Ravindra Jadeja (26 not out) stemmed the rot and saw their team safely through to 181 for 7.South Zone clinched a three-wicket win in a low-scoring match against East Zone at Indore. After winning the toss, East Zone were restricted to 183 for 9 in 50 overs. Laxmi Ratan Shukla top-scored with 43 and Rohan Gavaskar was the only other batsman to cross 30. Vinay Kumar was the pick of the bowlers with 4 for 38 and Vijaykumar Yomahesh, back after the Under-19 World Cup, chipped in with 2 for 39. South Zone began their chase badly, slipping to 46 for 4, before Hemang Badani (45) and Chandrashekar Raghu put on 92 runs for the fifth wicket. Raghu went on to score 60 and had all but sealed the victory when he departed on 169 for 7.
Non-Test issues have dominated the lead-up to a match that could settle the three-Test series. Daryl Tuffey’s sex, spies and videotape inquiry had tongues wagging while travel agents were closely monitoring the developments of Brett Lee’s will-he, won’t-he fly back for the Pura Cup final routine. Neither bowler will have any playing roles in this match so it’s time to move on.New Zealand’s series hopes could be sucked from Wellington’s Basin Reserve unless they have recovered from the demoralising shift of power at Christchurch. For seven sessions they were holding the present and at the end of day three the contest was thrillingly even. From there they quickly gave up the win, folding for 131 when 250 might have done.Batting has been Stephen Fleming’s and New Zealand’s problem throughout the summer. As the captain and the side’s world-class batsman – in the past 17 Tests he has averaged 51.96 – he has been a double target. In case he had forgotten, Glenn McGrath reminded everybody that Fleming was again going to be plug-hole pressured.Fleming has added to his burden with the selfless decision to walk up to the top of the order and cover Mark Richardson’s retirement-enforced gap. He cannot be any more exposed than facing new balls from McGrath and Jason Gillespie, and the glare was too bright during the one-day series when Lee actually got to bowl.Where does Fleming look for cover? Nathan Astle and Craig McMillan, the side’s next most experienced batsmen, are locked down at No. 5 and No. 6. Craig Cumming will play his second Test after 74 and 7 on debut while Hamish Marshall, who showed he could learn quickly with a first-innings 146 at Christchurch, is due for his fourth match and Lou Vincent his 17th. In the baggy-green corner will be McGrath, Gillespie, Shane Warne and Michael Kasprowicz with 327 appearances between them.The first-Test mismatch took three days to materialise, but the collapse from the threat of enforcing the follow-on to a redundant fifth day was as swift as the 80kph southerly winds expected to buffet Wellington over the next couple of days. Australia will be sweating on sweaters in the cool conditions and the frosty hands may make for more sloppy slip catching. Three easy chances were grassed last week and Fleming must hope for further donations from the cordon, and much more.Australia’s main worry continues to be Matthew Hayden. His injured shoulder is fine, although it affects his fielding, and his form rose at the start of the tour but fell again at Christchurch. Worse still for a great-outdoors man, the injury prevents him fishing or surfing. The frustration will be directed at Chris Martin and James Franklin, who must move and control the ball as they did for the first 50 overs of the opening Test.
Daniel Vettori is a name that does a rare thing in Australia dressing rooms by scaring the inhabitants. In 11 Tests he has 59 wickets against them and only Adam Gilchrist was able to escape his twirling clutches in the first innings at Jade Stadium as he picked up 5 for 106. Vettori’s record at the Basin Reserve is modest, 29 wickets at 40.96 in 11 matches. New Zealand will again have to ask more of him, but he could have more support in Paul Wiseman as Fleming decides between offspin or the seam of Iain O’Brien.Australia have played seven times at the ground for wins in 1945-46 under Bill Brown and a six-wicket victory in 1999-2000 with Steve Waugh in charge. Four draws have dominated the results and a fifth would not only be a great result for New Zealand, but it would keep the series afloat.Australia 1 Justin Langer, 2 Matthew Hayden, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Damien Martyn, 5 Michael Clarke, 6 Simon Katich, 7 Adam Gilchrist (wk), 8 Shane Warne, 9 Jason Gillespie, 10 Michael Kasprowicz, 11 Glenn McGrath.New Zealand (Probable) 1 Stephen Fleming (capt), 2 Lou Vincent, 3 Nathan Astle, 4 Craig Cumming, 5 Craig McMillan, 6 Hamish Marshall, 7 Brendon McCullum (wk), 8 Daniel Vettori, 9 James Franklin, 10 Paul Wiseman, 11 Chris Martin, 12 Iain O’Brien.Peter English is Australasian editor of Cricinfo.
New Zealand’s players will wear black armbands during their match against Australia at Pune as a mark of respect for Gordon Lindsay ‘Dad’ Weir. Weir, who was the world’s oldest surviving Test cricketer at 95 years and 151 days, died today in Auckland on Friday. Weir played his first Test against England in 1929-30, New Zealand’s first season as a Test nation, and his career ended in 1937.Martin Snedden, the chief executive of New Zealand Cricket, said that New Zealand had lost a link with its cricket past following the death of Weir. “It is a sad time for New Zealand Cricket. ‘Dad’ Weir made a significantcontribution to cricket as a player. He maintained strong links withcricket throughout his life and was a regular at Test matches at EdenPark. His passing marks the end of an era.”
Cricket’s mental side is the part of the game England coach Duncan Fletcher worries about most, and it is where he thinks his side has run into trouble in New Zealand.The side suffered a record 155-run loss to New Zealand in Wellington yesterday and Fletcher said today that there was only a period of about five overs in the middle of their innings when England competed with New Zealand.The game was not the worst he had experienced since becoming coach, there had been some in England that were equal to yesterday.”What was disappointing was that we played some good cricket in India but suddenly things didn’t work out quite right yesterday,” he said.It was always going to be tough playing any side in their home conditions but the manner of yesterday’s hiding has him concerned.”If you could get inside their brain the game would be very, very easy,” he said.While it was easy to see things that were wrong technically, it was much more difficult, in a touring situation, to know if players were being over-cooked with too much practice and play.The players had been flat but there had been no indication before the game that flatness would be a problem.In the immediate aftermath of the loss it had been one of the first times the team had sat in the dressing room for half an hour afterwards and gone through a few things in the form of analysis.He conceded the 244 New Zealand posted after being put in to bat was a very difficult total to chase.A total of 200 would have been very challenging, he said.Having been through India with the side and now on the New Zealand leg he felt the team, before it played yesterday, was the best XI England could field but it had not been a true assessment of their ability.It was possible to throw around a lot of theory but it had to be remembered New Zealand played very well.”Sometimes the opposition can make you play badly. They had a really good day yesterday. They took advantage of the first 15 overs on a relatively difficult wicket and played some good cricket.”They are a very effective unit now and have come back on a high from Australia,” he said.Fletcher did feel his bowlers could be more consistent in their disciplines.”It is all about setting a tone, you set a tone with your batting, the way you approach the first 15 overs, you set a tone with your bowling in the first 15 overs and you set a tone with how you show your energy in the field,” he said.With the World Cup in mind, England had been hoping to have a good idea of exactly where they stood in the run down to the World Cup by the end of this tour.That was why the Indian and New Zealand one-day sections had been put together.But now the pressure was still on the players to prove they were capable of contesting a World Cup by turning this tour around.Whether wicket-keeper James Foster, who was rested for yesterday’s game, would be part of that remained to be seen.He was one of several young players in the side not used to touring, the playing and travelling requirement faced by all sides. He had been lethargic and was probably on a bit of a downer so the management didn’t want to knock his confidence. Whether he was capable or not was still be found out.Owais Shah was another player given a chance and assessments of how these young players cope was an essential part of this tour.
WORCESTER, England – Let the games begin.The Australian limited overs cricket squad arrived in England tonight for its pre-Ashes tour and immediately piled onto the team bus for a two-and-a-half hour trip to Worcester.Captain Steve Waugh and the rest of the world champion Australian outfithave only two days to find their barings before the tour opener againstWorcestershire on Friday.English newspapers are describing the looming Ashes battle as “momentous”and “enticing” and the second Test between England and Pakistan, whichstarts Thursday, is regarded as little more than a prelude to the mainfive-Test bout against Australia.The Australians did not arrive at the grand Bank House Hotel, set among along stretch of green rolling hills, until after dark following their flightfrom Turkey.They will be on the field before they know it but congested schedules havebecome a fact of life for the modern cricketer, and captain Steve Waugh wasnot complaining.”There is so much cricket and a lot of tours, there’s not many lead up gamesto any tours anymore,” he said.”You’ve got to get accustomed to it because it’s just a part of cricketnow.”Australia’s thin preparation for next month’s tri-series against England andPakistan is the three-dayer against Worcestershire then a pair of one-dayersagainst Middlesex and Northamptonshire.England and Pakistan launch the one-day tournament on June 7 at Birminghambefore Australia begins its campaign two days later against Pakistan atCardiff in Wales.The Australian Test squad will have a similarly scarce build-up to the Ashesopener at Edgbaston from July 5 courtesy of three-day fixtures against anMCC XI and Essex.”A couple of guys won’t have a lot of cricket but we’re hoping they’ll get alot of practice beforehand and they’ll switch on,” said Waugh.”That’s part of being a professional.”
Taking to Twitter, Spanish reporter Carles Domènech – as also backed by Sport – has now dropped a big Sergio Reguilon exit hint for Tottenham supporters.
The Lowdown: Reguilon worries?
Despite being called ‘one of the best left-backs in the world’ by former Spurs goalkeeper Paul Robinson at one point, Lilywhites boss Antonio Conte started to fancy an alternative to Reguilon in fellow left-back Ryan Sessegnon before the latter’s most recent injury.
Since being unceremoniously taken off after 28 minutes in a 2-0 home defeat to Wolves last month, the Englishman went on to impress with some head-turning displays in Conte’s wing-back formation. This could’ve been a slight worry for Reguilon who may now have some competition in that position for Spurs.
His former club Real Madrid have a £34m buyback clause in the deal which took him to Tottenham in 2020, so there is a way out of north London for the 25-year-old.
However, the Galacticos aren’t the only club interested, with Domènech now dropping a major Twitter hint involving their El Clasico rivals Barcelona.
The Latest: Journalist drops Reguilon hint…
Taking to social media, the Spanish source said to ‘get ready’, as there are ‘many possibilities’ for Reguilon to share Barcelona’s left-flank with defender Jordi Alba.
Domènech explained: “Can you imagine Jordi Alba and Sergio Reguilón sharing the left wing? So get ready because there are so many possibilities.”
The Verdict: Big claim…
The Spaniard joining his old La Liga rivals would certainly come as a shock, with Domenech’s claim apparently causing a stir on social media.
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.
From Tottenham’s perspective, they arguably cannot afford to lose Reguilon despite possessing an alternative in Sessegnon. The latter appears to be far too injury-prone to rely upon without a rotation option, bringing attention to Conte’s reliance on the Spain international.
Facing both Barcelona’s interest and Real Madrid’s possession of a buyback clause, this could be a very interesting summer when it comes to the defender’s future at Tottenham.
In other news: Tottenham launch pre-summer bid to sign ‘phenomenal’ £168,000-per-week man, club likely to accept! Find out more here
Johnny Hayes, who made 15 Test appearances for New Zealand as a fast bowler in the 1950s, has died at the age of 80.A tall right-arm bowler who on his day was genuinely quick, Hayes toured England under Walter Hadlee in 1949 but sustained a groin strain which meant he was a virtual passenger for much of the trip. His Test debut eventually came against England in 1950-51 and the following season he produced possibly his best single burst when he removed Gomez, Walcott and Worrell in eight balls against West Indies.In 1955-56 he toured India and Pakistan with success, taking 35 wickets at 32.11 in first-class games where he used the new ball with skill. He was less penetrative in the Tests, his 13 wickets in six outings costing 46.61.He made a second trip to England in 1958 where he took 62 wickets, including 11 against the MCC at Lord’s. The New Zealand side was widely regarded as one of the worst to tour overseas and Hayes struggled in the four Tests with only six wickets. The bulk of those came in England’s only innings at Lord’s where Hayes took his Test-best 4 for 36.In all first-class cricket he took 292 wickets, playing his domestic cricket for Auckland and Canterbury.After retiring from cricket in 1961, he worked in an import-export business and was Morocco’s honorary consul-general in New Zealand until his retirement in 2004.
Victoria will host Queensland in the Ford Ranger Cup final after a David Hussey century set up a crushing 143-run win for the Bushrangers over Tasmania. Hussey made 116 as the Bushrangers gave the Tigers a challenging target of 284 but the home side’s finals hopes evaporated and they crashed to 140.The demoralising loss was worsened for Tasmania when their captain Dan Marsh retired hurt with a potentially season-ending calf tear. The timing of Marsh’s injury would be a major worry for the Tigers, who are still in real contention for the Pura Cup final with two matches remaining.Hussey’s 103-ball innings was punctuated by six fours and five sixes and no bowler was safe as he and Rob Quiney built an important 98-run partnership for the third wicket. Quiney continued on from his impressive Pura Cup debut during the week and finished with 50, including two sixes beautifully clipped off his pads over square leg and midwicket.A quick 31 late in the innings from Adam Crosthwaite pushed Victoria to 6 for 283 and only Xavier Doherty (2 for 43) escaped with acceptable figures. Early wickets to Mick Lewis and Shane Harwood started the downward spiral for Tasmania, who virtually lost any chance when Marsh went to hospital with his leg problem.George Bailey top-scored with 35 but two wickets each to Harwood, Darren Pattinson, Andrew McDonald and Grant Lindsay sealed the win. Victoria’s home final will give them a chance to add to the Twenty20 title they earned last month.
Chris Cairns, one of New Zealand’s greatest allrounders, has announced his international retirement a year before he was expected to bow out at the 2007 World Cup. Cairns, 35, walked away from the Test arena in 2004 hoping it would extend his career, but he could not find regular rhythm as a one-day specialist and will now focus on his expanding business interests.”I still enjoy playing for New Zealand and want to leave at a time when that enjoyment has not diminished and when I feel that I am still performing at the top level and contributing to the success of the team,” Cairns said in a statement. “It is also important to retire at a time which allows NZ Cricket to develop other options well ahead of the World Cup.” Cairns’s farewell match will be the Twenty20 international against West Indies at Auckland on February 16.New Zealand will need two players to replace Cairns and he leaves with 4950 runs at 29.46 and 201 wickets at 32.80 in his 215 one-day matches. He was only 50 runs short of joining Jacques Kallis and Sanath Jayasuriya as the only men to reach the 200-wicket, 5000-run double, but his recovery time after games had increased while his impact had reduced.Dropped from last year’s South Africa tour, Cairns vowed to regain his place with the plan of pushing on to the World Cup, and he improved his fitness and returned to domestic cricket to prove his form. However, he struggled with the ball in the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy against Australia and produced scores of 10 not out, 2 and 28 against Sri Lanka.Cairns will be best remembered for his ferocious limited-overs hitting – he belted 153 sixes alongside 87 in Tests – and New Zealand will also miss his penetrative seam bowling. He collected 26 fifties and four centuries, including one in the 2000-01 version of the Champions Trophy when he smashed an unbeaten 102 to defeat India in the final. His one five-wicket haul came against Australia at Napier in 1997-98 and he scraped to 200 victims when he added Tillakaratne Dilshan on January 3.John Bracewell, the New Zealand coach, said Cairns would be missed. “He is very much the elder statesman within the team and plays an important role in mentoring players,” he said. “He has shown great commitment in returning to full fitness this season and I believe that he had the ability to push towards the World Cup.”Cairns, the son of the big-hitting Lance Cairns, made his debut as a 20-year-old in 1990-91 and would have played more if he was not hindered by regular injuries, particularly to his knees and ankle, which now has no ligament support. The wear and tear forced his Test retirement in England after 62 Tests, 3320 runs and 218 wickets.Until last year he was an automatic selection when fit, and he is expected to fulfil a contract playing club cricket with Bacup in the Lancashire League after finishing the current domestic season with Canterbury. He has developed business interests and has a proposal with the ECB relating to ball-by-ball video capture and analysis of all domestic cricket in England.
The Eagles confirmed their top-of-the-table finish and headed for thefinal of the Standard Bank Cup with a convincing six-wicket win overthe Lions at Goodyear Park, Bloemfontein on Wednesday.Winning the toss and batting first on a very good pitch the Lions made a conservative start against some tight bowling from Johannes van der Wath and Cliff Deacon. With the total on 12, at the start of the 6th over, Deacon induced Andrew Hall into an edged drive to be caught by the keeper, Morne van Wyk, for 10. A recovery of 52 runs was halted when Bacher pushed towards Craig Thyssen at mid-on and, calling too late, ran out HD Ackerman, at the bowler’s end for 17. Neil McKenzie (6) did not last long – he was beaten by turnand the bounce, pushing forward to Nicky Boje, for Van Wyk to take his second catch. At 73 for 3 the run rate had slipped below four to the over.Bacher, continuing with the form that he has shown all season, went tohis 50 off 81 balls. In trying to up the tempo he then top-edged a short ball from Deon Kruis to Thyssen at squareleg to be well caught for 52, and the Lions in trouble at 95 for 4 in after 27 overs.Forced into a more defensive mode, Justin Ontong and Vaughn vanJaarsveld put together a vital 50-run 5th wicket partnership, as theyconsolidated the innings with some excellent running between thewickets. Deacon got the breakthrough when Van Jaarsveld forced a fulltoss straight at Davey Jacobs at mid-on to be caught for 28, having puton 58 with Ontong.Ontong brought up his 50 in 54 balls as he increased his rate byimprovising well during the final slog overs. A near controversy wasalleviated by the television umpire Marais Erasmus when Jacobs at deepmidwicket, after dropping and palming the previous ball over the ropesfor six, took a good catch millimetres from stepping back on the rope to get rid of Ontong off Roger Telemachus for 73. His final 23 runs hadcome off just 11 balls.Ahmed Omar ran himself out for three while Derek Crookes played a little cameo of an innings as he ended undefeated on 21 having helped the Lions to 215 for 7.The Eagles made a quick start to their innings scoring 52 for the lossof two in the first 10 overs. Loots Bosman was trapped in front by David Terbrugge for seven and he was followed in a similar fashion by Morne van Wyk for 21 off the bowling of Crookes. Jacobs continued the momentum and when he was bowled by Hall for 23 the platform had been set for Boeta Dippenaar and Nicky Boje to pace themselves towards the target.Boje was caught at point for 60 with just 31 runs needed. He had timedhis innings well and was just starting to accelerate when he failed toget over a ball from Bacher.Dippenaar, in the end, saw the Eagles home and into the final as hefinished undefeated on 84 having played the anchor role once Boje cameto the wicket.