Gerald Majola, the chief executive of Cricket South Africa (CSA), has confirmed Mickey Arthur, the South African coach, cannot be axed from the national selection panel as he is under a contract. The board’s general council, which reaffirmed its stand on the transformation policy, had “removed” Arthur from the panel on Saturday. However, only the board’s professional arm, headed by Majola, had the power to remove him.”Mickey Arthur is contracted by Cricket South Africa (Pty) Ltd, and his contracted duties include being a national selector,” Majola said in a statement. “Only the board of directors of CSA (Pty) Ltd can change this, and therefore the resolution taken at General Council’s teleconference on Saturday to remove Mr Arthur from the selection process is unconstitutional.”I have been in contact today (Sunday) with the convenor of selectors, Joubert Strydom, and have informed him that the same selection panel will finalise the team to tour Bangladesh. The panel comprises Joubert Strydom (convener), Mickey Arthur (national coach), Vincent Barnes (assistant national coach), Graeme Smith (captain), Mustapha Khan (selector) and Shafiek Abrahams (selector). The team will be announced tomorrow (Monday) after three players have undergone fitness tests, namely Hashim Amla, Andre Nel, and Neil McKenzie.”With any luck, Arthur and Norman Arendse, the CSA president with whom he has been having a running battle, will bump into each other in a deserted parking lot sometime soon. Maybe then, with no one watching and nothing more lethal than a pair of jabbing index fingers, we might get to the bottom of this week of Monty Python mayhem. Until then, let’s try and make sense of what has happened.On Tuesday Arendse rejected the squad selected for South Africa’s imminent tour to Bangladesh. He did so, we believe, on the grounds that only four black players were included in the squad and not seven as called for in terms of CSA’s plan for the ongoing racial transformation the game. It doesn’t matter if we euphemise that bit of legislation as a policy or a target: what matters is the number. And that number is seven. Four isn’t even close.Where was Herschelle Gibbs in the wake of his spectacular century in the last one-day international against West Indies, Arendse wondered. And didn’t Monde Zondeki deserve some recognition for the 54 wickets he took in 10 SuperSport Series matches this season? Both are black, which would leave us just one short of the required number.Arthur countered with a similarly sharp perspective. The South Africans return home briefly from Bangladesh before returning to the subcontinent for what is sure to be a challenging series against India. Arthur wanted his best team on the field in Bangladesh to ensure they hit the ground running when they encountered the big brothers next door.Arendse countered that, with a lengthy tour of England looming after the Indian venture, South Africa needed to find out whether players like Zondeki – and other bowlers – were up to international standard.At this point, non-South African readers might wonder what all the fuss has been about. Even allowing for what in other countries would be the novelty of a racially based selection policy, this is the stuff of the average committee meeting, surely. Why all the acrimony?The upshot was that Arendse laid disciplinary charges against Arthur, who duly fired back a salvo of charges of his own against the president. Except that Arendse, as an elected official, was not subject to the same set of rules and regulations as CSA employees like Arthur. So the coach’s charges are unlikely to stick. Instead, Arthur is likely to find himself on the carpet on charges of bringing the game into disrepute in the next day or so, and he might well find himself out of a job shortly after that.
Ian Chappell, the former Australian captain, has come down hard on Sachin Tendulkar, saying the time had come for him to consider quitting the game. Chappell said that the Tendulkar decision would be crucial as India try and rebuild after their shocking first round exit from the ongoing World Cup.Tendulkar managed only 64 runs in India’s three first-round matches of the World Cup, and couldn’t make much of an impact against Bangladesh (7) and Sri Lanka (0), the two games India lost.”Before anybody else makes a decision on what will happen to Tendulkar the player himself has to have a good long look in the mirror and decide what he’s trying to achieve in the game,” Chappell, 63, wrote in , a Mumbai-based tabloid. “At the moment he looks like a player trying to eke out a career; build on a glittering array of statistics. If he really is playing for that reason and not to help win as many matches as he can for India then he is wasting his time and should retire immediately.”Chappell went on to compare Tendulkar with Brian Lara, the West Indian captain, and pointed out how the latter hadn’t changed his style of play over a 17-year career. “This is a credit to his technique and mental strength, as the aging process generally makesa player more progressively conservative,” Chappell wrote of Lara. “Tendulkarhasn’t worn as well; his last three or four years have been a shadow of his former self.Chappell took into consideration the slew of injuries that Tendulkar had suffered during his career, a factor that had forced him to miss a number of matches in this decade. “Tendulkar hasn’t been as lucky as Lara,” Chappell wrote, “the Indian batsman has suffered a lot of injuries in this period where his play has deteriorated and there is nothing that melts your mental approach quicker than physical handicaps. Lara has been relatively free from injury and he certainly doesn’t have the weight of numbers riding on his shoulders that Tendulkar does. However, the population of the Caribbean might be small but they are extremely demanding.”Despite all the fuss and the odd controversy that has surrounded Lara’s career he has remained himself; this is my game and that is how I play. For whatever reason Tendulkar hasn’t been able to maintain his extremely high standards for the last few years and unless he can find a way to recapture this mental approach he’s not doing his team or himself any favours.”If Tendulkar had found an honest mirror three years ago and asked the question; ‘Mirror, mirror on the wall who is the best batsman of all?’ It would’ve answered; ‘Brian Charles Lara.’ If he asked that same mirror right now; ‘Mirror, mirror on the wall should I retire?’ The answer would be; ‘Yes.’
South Africa have recalled Nicky Boje, Boeta Dippenaar and Andrew Hall to their 14-man squad for the first two Tests against Australia. Shaun Pollock and Andre Nel have both been included despite missing the final one-day international, but Garnett Kruger has been named as cover.Boje was dropped following the Boxing Day Test against Australia, at Melbourne, but has made an irresistible case for a recall with a brilliant domestic season, which has included a career-best 8 for 93. Even if Johan Botha, who can’t bowl because of a suspect action, had been available Boje would have been in the frame to return.Dippenaar has been rewarded for impressive one-day form – he scored 101 in the fourth ODI against Australia – with a return to the Test side for the first Time since the tour of West Indies last May. Hall, too, has not played a Test since the West Indies trip and will add some much needed experience to the bowling attack.Makhaya Ntini, who missed the final Test against Australia at Sydney in January, is back in the side after recovering from a knee injury, while Charl Langeveldt, who played at Sydney, was not considered because of a broken finger.South Africa squad Graeme Smith (capt), Boeta Dippenaar, Herschelle Gibbs, AB de Villiers, Jacques Kallis, Jacques Rudolph, Ashwell Prince, Mark Boucher (wk), Shaun Pollock, Andrew Hall, Nicky Boje, Makhaya Ntini, Andre Nel, Garnett Kruger.
The success of England’s Test cricket team has been recognised by one of their major sponsors, the national energy provider, npower, who today announced a two-year extension to their title sponsorship of home Test matches. The current deal, which was due to expire at the end of this year’s Ashes series, has now been extended to 2007.”Cricket has been a fantastic vehicle for gaining new customers and increasing customer loyalty to the npower brand over the last four seasons,” said Kevin Miles, npower’s managing director residential. “We are delighted to extend our agreement for a further two years – especially given the buoyant state of the current English cricket team.The new deal includes a marketing fund of £300,000 each year, which will be directly spent on giving greater access to the sport for fans. In recent years, npower has sponsored cricket’s feline mascots, The Pride Side, which has encouraged children between the ages of 5 to 11 to experience a day at a Test. Npower are also major sponsors of the Twenty20 Cup, women’s domestic Test series, and the npower Village Cup.”Once the new television agreement was signed with Sky and Channel 5, we had no hesitation in agreeing our continued backing of the sport but it was important to us that we ensured that a substantial portion of our money would go directly into giving fans greater access to the sport.”England might regard the company as something of a lucky charm – they won seven npower Tests out of seven in the 2004 season – and David Collier, the chief executive of the England & Wales Cricket Board, was delighted at the news.”With the England team having enjoyed four successive Test series wins, Test cricket is proving to be a more attractive vehicle than ever for sponsors and business partners,” said Collier. “npower has made a significant investment in our game since 2001 and I am delighted that our partnership with them is to continue for a further two years.”Michael Vaughan, the England captain, added: “npower have been strong supporters of English cricket and the England team and we welcome the renewal of their sponsorship. It’s excellent news.”
The Pub Charity CCA Club Cricket Draw – November 8 2003MEN’S CRICKET:1st Grade Men:R3 – 1 & 8 Nov (2 Day)2nd day of 22nd Grade Men:R3 – 1 & 8 Nov (2 Day)2nd day of 23rd Grade Gold Men:R3 – 1 & 8 Nov (2 Day)2nd day if 23rd Grade Red:R3 – 8 Oct & 15 Nov (2-day)Christs College v Burnside HS CC 1,STAC v St. Thom STAC 1,St. Bedes v TBHS TBHS 1,SBHS v CBHS SBHS 1.3rd Grade Black (Grade has been redrawn):R3 – 25 Oct & 1 Nov (2-day)CBHS Blue v CC Straven 2,CBHS Red v STAC STAC 2,SBHS v CBHS Black Straven 1,Burn HS v St Bedes Burn HS 1,Ricc HS Bye.4th Grade Men:St.A A v BWU HC 3,LPW Yabbage v Mar Ensors 3,OC Cavs v Syd Muppets Elm 4,St.A B v ES Hooters Clare 1.5th Grade Men:Ricc Gold v LPW Yaks Wool 1,Ricc Hogs v BWU Gold HC 8,OC Gold v BWU Blue Ilam 1,Mar Green v St.A Ilam 2,BWU Maroon v BWU SNCC Burn 2.6th Grade Men:Mar Fozzie B’s v Pk Ilam 5,OC SGC v Syd Red Syd 4a,LPW v Mar Gold Ilam 6,St. A v Syd Blue HC 7,OC Tan v BWU Burn 3.President’s Men:Ricc+ v St. A Blue HC 9,Mar v St.A Gold Ilam 3,HSOB Gold v Syd Syd 3,LPW Red v ES Blue Burw 3,ES Gold v OC Elm 3,Hospital v BWU Ilam 4,LPW Gladiators v Sum Misfits Ensors 2.(+ Indicates G. Frampton Challenge Trophy holder)WOMEN’S CRICKET1st Grade Women:R4 – 8 Nov (1-day Cup)ES v OC-Country Burw 2,ST A v LPW Gar 2.1st Reserve Grade Women:R2 – 8 Nov (1-day)Ricc v BWU Burn 4,ES v St.A Avondale 1,OC-Country v Syd Malvern 1.2nd Grade Women:LPW v Syd Wool 2,Hare v OC-Country Red 2,St.A Bye.3rd Grade:St.A v BWU HSC,Horn v LPW Hansen Pk 1a,Syd v Ricc Polo 1a.4th Grade Primary Girls:Senior Trad:St A Grammar v OC Country Cath Grammar 2 (Nancy’s Corner),LPW v ES HC 3,Horn v St.A Gold HC 8.Junior Trad:St A v Nb HC 9.Junior Average:LPW v Cath Grammar HC 4,Syd v St.A HC 5,HSOB v Syd Selwyn House HC 6.
Rawalpindi registered a crushing 453-run victory over Lahore Blues in the Quaid Trophy Grade-I match inside days at Gaddafi Stadium Wednesday.Young opener Babar Naeem stroked a magnificent 227 and superb swing bowling by Naeem Akhtar, who claimed a match bag of 10 for 106 played significant roles in Rawalpindi’s big win.Rawalpindi, who earned a 130-run lead on first innings, setthe home side a massive target of 599 after amassing 468 for five declared with Babar Naeem making 227 off 251 deliveries, including 26 fours and five sixes. Test discard Naveed Ashraf also shone with 91 off 154 balls with 11 boundaries. Babar and Naveed added 186 for the fourth wicket in 187 minutes.Lahore Blues, last season’s champions, were sent crashing to 145 all out with Naeem Akhtar taking four for 53 to follow his six for 53 in the first innings. Yasir Arafat was the other main destroyer with figures of five for 53.
Having put the Governor’s XI into bat, England did well in taking five wickets for 113 until an unbroken sixth wicket stand of 60 revived the innings in the last session of the day.In conditions more akin to England than to the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan (the cool day was shortened by a rain-delayed start and bad light after 56 overs), a partnership between Yasir Hameed and Mohammad Hussain took the Governor’s XI to 173 for 5 when stumps were drawn early.From 21 without loss at lunch after only a thirty-minute morning session, the Governor’s XI total had advanced to 101 for two at tea.Both wickets fell to catches behind the stumps. Craig White struck first dismissing Imran Farhat for 42 with the total on 58, and two runs later Andy Caddick found the outside edge of Taufeeq Umer’s bat.Wajahatullah Wasti, who got married yesterday and is having a local, traditional reception tonight, would not have taken too kindly to Darren Gough for striking him on the left hand and breaking a finger. He did not resume his innings after lunch.Farhat had provided some entertaining batting in his 54-ball innings of 42 but was given a ‘ life ‘ when Graham Thorpe, at third slip, failed to hold onto a straightforward catch off Caddick with the total on 17.The bowler would have been more than a little disappointed. He had been hit for two boundaries by Farhat at that stage. The first was a pull and then, two balls before the dropped catch, Farhat played a beautiful square cut.England made an excellent start after tea with Ashley Giles taking two wickets in three balls in the first over, without addition to the tea total.Twelve runs later Gough had the captain, Rashid Latif, caught at third slip. But then followed an attacking partnership during which Yasir Hameed reached his half-century from 107 balls, and hit five boundaries in his unbeaten 34.Both batted with confidence, with Yasir Hameed fluent in his stroke-play, and Mohammad Hussain hitting the ball hard.England used six bowlers of whom the two spinners, Ian Salisbury and Giles got a little turn from the grassy pitch, but the pace bowlers found plenty of early life and bounce.The England bowling coach, Bob Cottam, declared himself satisfied with the English bowling performance.”It was the first time the opening bowlers had bowled in the middle for a while and they were a little bit rusty,” Cottam admitted. “Goughie ran in a little bit quickly to begin with because he hasn’t had a new ball in his hand for a while.”As the day went on, they settled in and did well and I talked to all the bowlers at the end, and they are all happy with what they’ve put in, and that’s all you can really ask for.”As we know, fast bowlers hunt in pairs and both the spinners like having another spinner at the other end, it’s good for them. They have got to get over some of their rustiness, and they feel it is coming out nicely, and they’re happy.”
Everton are in a very vulnerable position in their Premier League campaign at this point of the season just one point off the relegation zone, so a win over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Goodison Park is essential for Frank Lampard’s side to secure some safety in the league this afternoon.
And now, a huge double injury boost has emerged that could put the Toffees in their best position to achieve this.
What’s the word?
The Toffees boss took to his pre-match press conference to confirm that both Demarai Gray and Ben Godfrey have returned to training and full fitness putting themselves in contention for selection against Bruno Lage’s side this weekend.
Speaking to the press, Lampard confirmed;
“Ben Godfrey is a big player for us and so is Demarai Gray. They are both fit.
“I haven’t really been able to call on them but now I can, and we need our big players.”
Lampard will be buzzing
As the 43-year-old manager touched on in his press conference, Gray and Godfrey are big players for the Everton team and both offer experience in the team, with Gray in particular having a hugely positive impact on the side since he joined the club last summer.
The 25 year old winger is the second highest-scoring player in the squad this season with six goals so far, and considering Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison are struggling to find the back of the net since they have returned from injury, the return of Gray will be highly anticipated by the manager as he looks for a fresh perspective in front of goal to offer an attacking threat that delivers.
As for Godfrey, he could really make the impact that the defensive line desperately needs following the 5-0 defeat on Monday night against Tottenham Hotspur, in which we saw the Everton defence completely fall apart throughout.
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Lampard will surely be buzzing that he can add a fresh pair of legs into the back line, especially when you look at the 24-year -ld’s defensive attributes this season so far.
According to SofaScore, Godfrey has won the majority of both his ground and aerial duels combined (55%), has been successful in the majority of his dribbles (70%), making 2.1 tackles and 3.5 clearances on average per game, proving that he could make a positive impact against Wolves.
In other news: Lampard must do everything to keep Richarlison
Cricket Australia is likely to allow Adam Gilchrist to play in the IPL despite an agreement between organisers and boards forbidding players to join until two years after their international career is over. While the move could set a precedent for others who may be lured to the league by the cash, the argument is that the cooling off period is designed to stop young players quitting early for a long career in the Twenty20 competition.Gilchrist is 36 and will retire from internationals in March, but is still contracted to Cricket Australia. CA is keen to use him as a coach and in promotions, but again this isn’t seen as an obstacle because the IPL lasts for only two months.Gilchrist did not foresee any problems with the deal. “The IPL is moving quickly and we’re just trying to get a gauge on what the restrictions are,” Gilchrist told . “As far as I know at the moment, Cricket Australia haven’t given me any indication they wouldn’t want me to part of that, but I’m not 100% sure. We’re just trying to confirm that.”Lalit Modi has said no player could retire early to sign an IPL deal without permission from his national board.Gilchrist will meet with CA’s chief executive James Sutherland soon to discuss the options. The board may not be so lenient in other instances, as it is understood to be considering using its powers of veto for contracted players.Before the IPL begins, however, there is the small matter of the CB Series to complete and Gilchrist is not concerned about Australia’s fielding of late. “As long as cricket’s played there are going to be dropped catches,” he said. “Sometimes they come in little patches, little clumps, and at other times you go through many, many games without dropping one and no-one writes a story about how great the catching’s been. All we can do is keep working hard at training and make sure we’re as sharp as possible come game day.”
Australia’s concern over Andrew Symonds continues to ease after he began throwing for the first time since tearing a biceps in Sydney last month. Symonds’ mood-lifting week of activities started with hitting tennis balls and he got through another examination with some fielding drills while Australia beat Zimbabwe by 106 runs in St Vincent.Symonds used a cricket ball for 12 light throws, according to The Australian, and he appears to be on track to fulfil his goal of playing in the group game against South Africa in St Kitts on March 24. The rehabilitation will continue as the team prepares to face England in their final warm-up game on Friday.Matthew Hayden, who is recovering from a broken toe, will miss the match but is still confident of returning for Australia’s opening contest of the World Cup against Scotland on Wednesday. “Symonds and Hayden have been doing their fair share of training over the last week,” Ricky Ponting said in The Australian. “They have both had bats in their hand. Matty has had a couple of really good hits the last couple of days.”