Muttiah Muralitharan’s enforced layoff after shoulder surgery has prompted him to focus his attention on a global fundraising mission for a charitable trust designed to help disadvantaged rural communities in Sri Lanka.Muralitharan first travelled to England to wrap up his deal with Lancashire and participate in a charity evening at the Shenley Cricket Centre. He has now arrived in Canada to attend two felicitation-cum-fundraiser events in Ottawa and Toronto on October 8 and 9. Money will be raised through the auction of personal cricket memorabilia.Muralitharan will return to Sri Lanka next week, and will then visit Jaffna in early November as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for the World Food Programme, before flying to Australia in mid-November for a check-up with Dr David Young, the surgeon who operated on his bowling shoulder in August.His focus on charity work – which provides a glimpse of his life after cricket – follows the setting up of the Muralidaran & Gunasekera Foundation two years ago. The foundation is currently involved in 90 humanitarian community projects in Sri Lanka, with many more in the pipeline.Muralitharan remains hopeful of being fit in time for Sri Lanka’s tour of New Zealand in December, contrary to some media reports which suggested that his comeback has been delayed, and has stepped up his rehabilitation programme. He will not resume bowling again, though, until after his meeting with Dr Young.
Zaheer Khan and Anil Kumble are showing positive signs of returning to full fitness. Zaheer bowled in a practice match at MIG Club in Mumbai while Kumble expressed satisfaction with his rehabilitation program.The Secretary of the BCCI, Mr SK Nair, has said that Zaheer is fit. “I have come to know,” Nair told PTI reporters, “that Zaheer has recovered from the hamstring injury, though he has not sent his fitness certificates so far.”Zaheer, who pulled out of the Australian tour due to a hamstring injury, was a bit more circumspect. He told Times News Network: “I don’t have anything more to say from what I have already said at the MRF Pace Foundation last week. I want to follow the proper procedure and will speak to the press at the right moment.” He will have to prove his fitness to Andrew Leipus and the selectors before the team is announced on March 3.The practice match that Zaheer was involved in was between Mumbai Police and Maharashtra. Paras Mhambrey, the Maharashtra coach and former Indian bowler, said, “Zaheer looked okay. But he will need matches to get back into the groove.” Dennis Lillie had earlier told Zaheer to cut down on his leap as that would make hm less injury-prone.Kumble had strained his shoulder during the VB Series and has undergone a rehabilitation programs since his return. Kumble said, “I’m doing some shoulder-specific exercises at the gym. I will bowl in a couple of days to see the results. As of now, I don’t see the problem to my bowling shoulder. I should also be submitting my fitness certificate soon after turning my arm at the nets. There’s still time for me to do so.”
Hampshire chairman Rod Bransgrove has every confidence in Shane Warne. Speaking at a press conference following the news that Hampshire’s Australian captain had been sent back to Australia from the World Cup after testing positive for a small trace of a diuretic drug during the VB Final series in January, his return to the side after his shoulder injury.”Knowing Shane as I do” said Bransgrove, “I know that he would never jeopardise his career. He may have been a little naive, but he is not a drug user, either as a performance enhansing agent or socially”.”I am confident” he continued, “that he will be able to return to South Africa to play a roll in Australia’s World Cup defence”.When asked about his Hampshire prospects, Bransgrove was upbeat that he will as planned play a pivotal part of the team this year, our plans circle around our captain and leading overseas star”.”I have tried to contact Shane today, but If I was him I would have had my mobile phone turned off”.
* Sports Minister finally approves Sri Lanka squadThe Ministry of Sports and Tourism has approved the same squadpresented by the Sri Lankan national selectors for the forthcomingCoca-Cola Cup. The Sports Minister, Lakshman Kiriella, had earlierrefused to approve the 15-man squad, questioning the omission of offspinner Thilan Samaraweera.Normally the players selected need the approval of the Minister ofSports and generally the names are approved by the Minister. But thistime the Minister controversially refused approval, insisting onSamaraweera’s inclusion.The Minister refused approval for two days but on Friday the Board ofControl for Cricket in Sri Lanka released the names of playersapproved by the minister, which didn’t contain the name ofSamaraweera.* Sri Lankan tour will be challenging, says DravidIndian vice-captain Rahul Dravid has said the coming Sri Lankan tourwould be challenging and that he was looking forward to it. “The tripwill be challenging. Sri Lanka has always been a challenging andinteresting venue. I am looking forward to it”, the 28-year-oldbatsman told reporters in Bangalore on Friday.India is scheduled to play in the limited overs tri-series, involvingSri Lanka and New Zealand, after which it would take on the islandnation in a three Test series.Dravid said he was disappointed with his batting in two crunch matchesin Zimbabwe during the recent tour, but expressed happiness that hewas among the runs. “I was disappointed with the way I played in thefinal of the tri-series tournament (against the West Indies)”, hesaid.
R Ashwin, who had suffered a side strain in the first ODI in Kanpur and has not played in the series since, was seen bowling in the nets in Chennai. Harbhajan Singh was hopeful of a quick return to fitness for him, saying he was even looking forward to Ashwin playing in his hometown on Thursday, when technically Ashwin is not even part of the squad. “Actually, I don’t know what his fitness is like. But having him fit will be a great thing for India and hopefully he’ll be fit tomorrow. I don’t know how he is feeling and what Patrick our physio is feeling about his body and how much load he can take at this point of time. We don’t want to definitely make him play so early that he does something else with his body. We need him for a longer period of time. “But he’s obviously India’s match-winner and hopefully if he is fit tomorrow, we’ll definitely be playing him. And if he’s not, then we guys will do the job.”
India’s problems with their batting order have impacted their output at the back end of an innings. Boundaries are in short supply and so are the players who are capable of clearing them. The precision shown by South Africa’s bowlers have complicated those problems further. With India 1-2 down, a loss in Chennai would mean they lose the five-match ODI series. So, offspinner Harbhajan Singh has said, the team has discussed a workaround: sustained, steady run-scoring.”The odd boundary will come. No bowler is so perfect that they can keep on bowling six balls at one length and at one line,” Harbhajan said. “But if we are looking to just hit boundaries, then we are actually missing out on a lot of singles, and that’s what has been discussed. We will look to take a lot of singles, rotate strike from the first over to the last over. So we just need to be a little smarter. Obviously, as I said, we have got so much quality in our team that we can score runs on any sort of track. They are all performers, they have won games for India. It’s just a matter of time. It could be tomorrow.”The need for such adjustments have stemmed from the change in ODI rules. In October 2012, the ICC reduced the number of fielders outside the 30-yard circle from five to four. As a result 50-over scores ballooned past 350, with the balance skewed heavily in favour of the batsmen. That forced the ICC to revert to having five fielders outside the 30-yard circle this June. When asked about this specific change, Harbhajan said India had to shift their focus from going for big hits to putting in the hard yards.”Obviously when we play with certain rules for three-four years, we get used to them and you look to hit a lot of boundaries. Instead of looking to hit boundaries, we need to look to rotate strike in between those overs.”Conversely, Harbhajan said the Indian bowlers, especially spinners, will have keep the lid on South Africa. “We are looking to put pressure on them and not give easy singles. If they are looking to go over the top, that is fine by us,” he explained. “We want to take wickets as a spinning unit and whoever is bowling at any point of time, we want to attack. We want to have a lot of catching fielders in place. In that process, you will go for boundaries here and there. But at the same time, if you pick up a wicket, you control the game. That is our agenda.”Falling behind in the series and failing to put in consistent performances puts the spotlight on the captain. But Harbhajan indicated it is up to the entire team to lighten the responsibility on MS Dhoni. “It’s each and every one’s responsibility to look into their game and come up with a plan for what needs to be done and what they are doing in the middle and what they can do better to make the team win,” Harbhajan said. “I just want to say one thing that the team will be going all out to win the game tomorrow and from there onwards, hopefully we will put up another good performance. Things can be different in one week’s time.”
Sunderland chiefs are now reportedly plotting a move to sign a Serie A striker ahead of both Everton and West Ham United in the January transfer window.
Sunderland plotting move to sign Serie A star
The Black Cats are no strangers to the transfer market these days, having enjoyed an incredibly successful summer window. Now sat as high as sixth, those in Wearside could welcome further reinforcements in the winter window as several of their stars jet off to take part in AFCON.
Sunderland owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus hasn’t been shy about sharing his ambitions this season, either. The 28-year-old told reporters back in November: “I would say definitely a little bit [that the great start could affect Sunderland’s approach in January]. If we’re in the bottom three by Christmas, or we’re in the top six by Christmas, that changes the ambition a little bit.
“We’re currently preparing for all scenarios, but we’ve been doing that since the summer. Hopefully, we’ll be going into the January window with a top ten finish in mind and we will prepare and execute the window to give us the best chance.”
The owners hope for a top 10 finish is certainly well on course and that has seen a number of targets emerge, including Sevilla’s Ruben Vargas.
The forward has set his sights on a Premier League move in the January transfer window and the Black Cats have reportedly opened talks to secure his signature.
As ever, though, he’s not the only target on their wishlist. Alongside Vargas, Sunderland are also plotting a move to sign Artem Dovbyk from AS Roma next month, according to reports in Spain.
Like Vargas, the forward wants to complete a Premier League move and has interest from Everton, Sunderland and West Ham United in what could turn into a frantic race.
Dovbyk could end Isidor's Sunderland career
Sunderland’s transfer business, whilst impressive, has come at a cost for previous stars. Dan Neil, for example, has been forced to watch on from the bench for the majority of the season despite his heroics in the previous campaign. Now, if Dovbyk does arrive in Wearside, Wilson Isidor could suffer the same fate.
League stats 25/26
Dovbyk
Isidor
Minutes
327
921
Goals
2
4
Assists
1
0
Expected Goals
2
3.3
Although he’s currently sidelined with a hamstring injury, the numbers don’t make for pretty reading for Dovbyk. After scoring 17 goals in all competitions last season, the forward has netted just two so far this season.
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If Sunderland are to set their sights on a top 10 finish then there will be some natural doubts about the Roma forward, who has endured an inconsistent spell in Italy.
Sunderland "warrior" looks like a new Dan Ballard in the making
Regis Le Bris has a new Daniel Ballard on his hands at Sunderland in this determined warrior.
ByKelan Sarson
Isidor, meanwhile, despite not being a consistent starter has scored four goals and outperformed his expected rate. For the time being, the Black Cats should keep hold of the forward rather than splashing out on Dovbyk. As for the forward, himself, he may be forced to look elsewhere for a Premier League move.
Scorecard Central Zone, riding on Faiz Fazal’s 95-ball 58, and a fine all-round display from Piyush Chawla, who took 3 for 47 before scoring an unbeaten 33, defeated South Zone by five wickets to clinch the 2007-08 Deodhar Trophy. Central lead the standings with 15 points after three consecutive wins, and though there’s a chance of West finishing on equal points, Central will keep the title by virtue of having defeated West.Chasing 164 for victory, Central began aggressively, with Naman Ojha leading the way with a 30-ball 29. Central lost Naman and Suresh Raina within the space of three overs, but Fazal did not let that affect his concentration, picking up runs without taking any risks. Pragyan Ojha, the left-arm spinner, briefly threatened with two quick wickets: he had Mohammad Kaif top-edging a slog-sweep before having Himalaya Sagar stumped with a well-flighted ball.Chawla quickly diminished South’s hopes, blasting two fours and a six as he countered the spinners. Central lost a wicket against the run of play when Fazal holed out to Pragyan while trying to take on S Badrinath’s offspin. But with only 24 runs required, Rohit Sharma made his way to a brisk 21 not out, finishing things off by launching Vinay Kumar beyond the midwicket boundary.South were in trouble as soon as their innings began when both Robin Uthappa and Bharat Chipli fell victim to the swing of Praveen Kumar. Seamer Rajesh Kanojia then struck twice in quick time, dismissing Badrinath and Dinesh Karthik as South collapsed to 41 for 4. But Rahul Dravid, who looked solid during his 70-ball 51, and Arjun Yadav (41) led the rescue act with 56-run fifth-wicket stand.Once Dravid departed, South’s lower order folded up without putting up a fight. Chawla bowled C Raghu and Vinay, both of whom failed to pick up his wrong ‘un before Kanojia returned to have Yadav caught behind. Chawla picked up his third when he had Saurabh Bandekar nicking to the keeper, and soon enough, Raina brought the innings to a close when he dismissed Pragyan.
Jon Lewis will have an operation on his left ankle to remove some troublesome bits of bone. Lewis, the England seamer and Gloucestershire captain, will undergo the surgery next Thursday.Gloucestershire expect him to be out of the game for two to three months. It’s obviously not great timing for the county season, but the club’s physiotherapist, Steve Griffin, explained that this is the best course of action for the long-term.”Hopefully it will resolve the issues that have been causing him problems over the winter months. The rehabilitation process following the surgery is very important and we will not be rushing Jon back until he is completely ready. “
Simon Jones will undergo an MRI scan on his injured left knee, and is also set to meet with a specialist, after limping off the field during Glamorgan’s C&G Trophy match against Ireland on Monday.Jones had bowled an impressive first spell, claiming two wickets, but felt a twinge in his knee when he return for a second stint and left the field after one more delivery. The seriousness of the setback is not yet known, but the ECB chief medical officer, Dr Peter Gregory, did not envisage him being fit in time for Lord’s.”Simon is currently rated very doubtful for next week’s first Test match,” said Gregory, after liaising with the Glamorgan physiotherapist, Chris Towers. “We will need to re-assess his injury after consultations with the specialist on Thursday.”Jones has made a careful return to action after leaving England’s tour of India after twisting his knee in the nets before the first Test. He bowled 28 overs during Glamorgan’s Championship match against Essex and, despite reporting some slight stiffness, came through unscathed.England name their Test squad next Sunday with Ashley Giles and Michael Vaughan already ruled out and Steve Harmison unlikely to make it.
Ian Harvey, the Yorkshire and former Australia allrounder, has revealed he will consider an offer to play South African domestic cricket next summer when he receives his contract proposal this week.Harvey’s manager Tony Box confirmed negotiations with Victoria, his Australian state, had reached an impasse and that Harvey was seriously considering playing for Western Province Boland – alongside the South Africa captain Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis and Herschelle Gibbs – after the English season.Harvey, 33, has been offered only a 12-month contract at a reduced rate by Victoria for next season, after he had asked for a two-year deal. “The beauty about South Africa is their season corresponds with the Australian domestic season,” Box told Melbourne’s Herald Sun newspaper. “It would mean Ian could continue to play English county cricket.”Harvey has played 73 ODIs for Australia, but lost his place after their brief tour of Zimbabwe in 2004. Last season, for Victoria, he scored 434 runs at 36 and took 21 wickets at 28 apiece from nine Pura Cup matches. He is currently playing for Yorkshire, and is averaging 43 with the bat and 33 with the ball in the Championship.