R Ashwin will lead Tamil Nadu in the MJ Gopalan trophy to be played in Colombo between September 26-29. The Tamil Nadu District Cricket Association (TNCA) has announced a 14-man squad for the match for this once-prestigious tournament which is being revived after a gap of six years. It was last conducted in 2001 in Chennai.When last played Tamil Nadu defeated a Colombo District Cricket Association side at the MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai to win the trophy – which Gopalan himself attended, after which the tournament went into hibernation. In the interim, Gopalan had died aged 94 on December 21, 2003.The Gopalan trophy, named after MJ Gopalan, the double-international who represented India in both cricket and hockey, was once a fixture in the domestic calendar and has now been revived. The inaugural match was played in 1953 and became a regular fixture in Sri Lanka’s domestic calendar. But with Sri Lanka receiving Test status in 1983, the trophy was discontinued, only to be revived 17 years later in 2000.Tamil Nadu, in the absence of S Badrinath, who is with India A, and Dinesh Karthik, who is doing national duty, is led by Ashwin, an offspinner, who has played in four first-class matches claiming 31 wickets at an average of 16.93. He was also the recipient of the ‘CEAT India Bowler of the year’ award for 2006-07.The tournament was revived after a discussion between Bandula Warnapura, the chief executive of the Sri Lankan board, and N Srinivasan, the president of TNCA, on the sidelines of the Afro-Asia Cup held in June, according to a report in the , a Colombo-based newspaper.The Tamil Nadu team arrive in Colombo late on September 21 and play a two-day practice match starting on September 23. The four-day match for the MJ Gopalan trophy – in which Tamil Nadu will take on a Sri Lankan side comprising players from the A team and under-19 level, starts on September 26.Meanwhile, Napolean Einstein, the right-hand opening batsman has been included in the squad in place of S Anirudha, who will join the India A team for a three-match one-day series against South Africa A.Tamil Nadu squad R Ashwin (Capt), K Vasudevadas (vice-captain), Napolean Einstein, M Vijay, Abhinav Mukund, R Srinivasan, E Suresh, H Gopinath (wk), S Suresh Kumar, C Ganapathy, R Avinash, R Naresh, P Amarnath, C Suresh Coach: WV Raman Manager: PC Prakash Physio: PK Naveen Babu Physical Trainer:Ramji Srinivasan
Third day Lancashire made up for some of the lost time in their match against Durham at Old Trafford but face the prospect of dropping further vital bonus points. They managed to squeeze out the sixth Durham wicket – a second bowling point – before the 130-over cut-off mark through a fiery burst from Dominic Cork, who removed Gareth Breese and Ottis Gibson in two balls. Durham had managed four crucial batting points to aid their bid to stay out of the relegation slots. After losing Iain Sutcliffe early in their reply, Mal Loye upped Lancashire’s tempo with a positive 78 although runs never flowed quickly. Loye and Mark Chilton added 134, but a late collapse of 3 for 9 – include Stuart Law for a 51-ball 50, the most fluent innings of the match – means they face a tough task to claim full batting points. In a huge irony for a match dampened by the rain, sun stopped play with 11 overs remaining when the east-west facing pitch again causing problems. Luke Sutton and Glen Chapple took the umpire’s offer, although some Lancashire members were far from happy.Yorkshire are just about staying alive in their fight against relegation as they built a lead of 170 over Nottinghamshire Headingley . There two young legspinners, Mark Lawson and Adil Rashid, shared seven wickets as Nottinghamshire conceded a first-innings lead of 43. It would have been many more if it wasn’t for David Hussey’s fine 117 and some useful support from Graeme Swann and Paul Franks after they’d been 118 for 5. Yorkshire built steadily on their lead, although they could have done without the run out of Darren Lehmann who’d sped to 48 off 41 balls.Kent claimed the honours against Warwickshire at Edgbaston but the home side’s batsmen fought back after a poor start. Kent extended their innings to 421 with late flurries from Simon Cook and Min Patel, then reduced Warwickshire to 15 for 3 – Cook claiming two early wickets. Nick Knight, in his final Championship match, and Jonathan Trott steadied proceedings with a stand of 112 but Warwickshire stumbled again to 178 for 6 and the follow-on was a looming. However, Tim Ambrose and Heath Streak added 97 before Cook returned to take two more wickets before the close.
Division Two
Final dayAn impressive double century from Chris Rogers, to follow his first innings ton, guided Northamptonshire to a draw against Somerset at Taunton. Somerset entered the final day with high hopes of forcing a victory, but an opening stand of 151 between Rogers and Stephen Peters damped their optimism. Two quick wickets gave Somerset a chance, but Rogers just marched on. His century came off 181 balls and his second ton took another 100 deliveries. He became the first batsmen since Allan Lamb, in 1992, to score a century and a double in the same match. David Sales played aggressively for his 93, clubbing five sixes, as the bowlers toiled on another flat Taunton track. Although Sales missed his ton the match was safe by then.
Alex Gidman has signed a new contract that will keep him with Gloucestershire through to the end of 2007.Gidman, 23, scored 869 runs in all first-class matches last summer, and follows his team-mates Craig Spearman, Jon Lewis, Chris Taylor and Ian Fisher in staying at Bristol. Last winter Gidman was appointed as captain of England A for their tour of India, but suffered a hand injury which forced to return home without actually playing a match.”I am delighted to have committed to the club for three years,” he said, “and I very much look forward to striving as part of the team for more success in the future.”Gloucestershire have won seven one-day trophies in the past six years, including the C&G Trophy in 2003 and 2004 – both finals in which Gidman played.Tom Richardson, the Gloucestershire chief executive, added: “Alex Gidman has a wise head on young shoulders. He has the talent, the work ethic and the right attitude to be a major influence in this club for a considerable time.”
Clive Lloyd has called for increased use of technology to help umpires in decision-making. Delivering the Colin Cowdrey Spirit of Cricket lecture at Lord’s, Lloyd suggested that umpires should be given the same aids that television offers its viewers.”How can it be right to ask an umpire to take a split-second decision based on his own eyesight and hearing while everyone else then judges that decision having made use of technology designed for the purpose?”It is time to use technology to the full extent,” Lloyd added. “Umpires should be able to defer to the precision of Hawk-Eye, particularly in determining whether a batsman is lbw, whether there has been a bat-pad catch, and whether a batsman is caught behind the wicket where there’s dispute over whether the ball has or has not been played.”Currently, technology is being used only for line decisions, and to help the on-field umpires with controversial catches taken close to the turf. There have been suggestions to allow both teams a certain number of appeals per day against decisions made by on-field umpires, and Lloyd, currently among the ICC’s panel of match referees, felt that would be the right way to use technology. “I know there are problems about the time this will take,” Lloyd said, “especially if a team is inclined to excessive appealing. But it should be possible to design restrictions on appealing to the use of technology, monitored by the referee.”The other issue that Lloyd was concerned about was the domination of the game by a few countries, leading to more and more no-contests. “World cricket must decide whether it is to consist of occasional riveting battles between three or four super cricket nations like Australia, England and South Africa and one-sided, poorly-attended intervening series between the strong and the weak, or whether it’s prepared to do what is necessary to build up the number of competitive Test-playing nations.”The solution, he said, lay in spreading the funds to the lesser nations, so that they could build sufficient infrastructure. “The ICC should effect and oversee the equitable distribution of funds between developed and under-developed countries. Currently, countries such as my own West Indies are seriously disadvantaged and, as a result, infrastructure development and player development are falling behind.”Despite individual exceptions, for sometimes great human character or talent overcomes all obstacles, there is a correlation between national economies and the performance of their sportsmen and women – it’s inevitable. It means the strong helping the weak and if they do, they will strengthen the whole international game. If they don’t, three or four countries will end up endlessly playing themselves – and everyone will lose patience with that.”
The Afghanistan Cricket Federation (ACF), which is already an affiliate member of the International Cricket Council, has applied for membership of theAsian Cricket Council (ACC), and also requested permission to send ateam to the 2003 Youth Asia Cup, which starts on July 15.While their membership application is an agenda item down fordiscussion at the ACC meeting on June 14, and likely to be approved, it will probably be too late for Afghanistan to compete in the youth tournament. Syed Ashraful Huq, the ACC’s chief executive, has turned down their request asthe Afghan federation is not yet a member of the council, and that even ifmembership is approved it leaves little time to include an Afghanistan teamin the tournament.However, he said that if ACF membership is approved then they could take part in the Under-17 Asia Cup, which is to be held later this year.The ACF is active in building up cricket in Afghanistan after the recentwar, and has already sent teams to play in two of Pakistan’s domesticcompetitions.The decision seems disappointing from the viewpoint of helpingdevelop cricket in the region, a primary goal of the Asian Cricket Council. Surely a special case could have been made to allow an Afghan youth teamto play while their application was pending? Such a decision would have allowed Afghan youngsters to gain useful experience against stronger Asian teams while boosting the ACF’s morale as they develop cricket in their wartorn country.
Right now, he’s half a world away from Grace Road. But, for Daniel Marsh, physical separation doesn’t necessarily equate to emotional separation from the Leicestershire Foxes’ bid to claim their first National League title in 24 seasons this Sunday.Back at home in Tasmania after a three-month stint as a county import, Marsh is enjoying life as he recovers from the cheekbone injury that shattered his English season.But, with nigh-on just 24 hours remaining before Leicestershire’s crowning match of the summer, he can’t help feeling a few pangs of frustration. That he is not still in England for the conclusion of an impressive one-day campaign that he helped to kick-start nearly five months ago is a cruel blow.”I’m still following their fortunes really closely,” says Marsh of the players he now knows as teammates after taking over from Anil Kumble as the team’s overseas professional this year.”I look on the Internet every day and see how they’re going. Obviously, I’ve got some really good mates there now so I stay in touch regularly.””I’d love still to be there and be a part of what they’re aiming at, especially because I was there for three months of day-to-day cricket. To be taken away from that was very hard. If the team wins on Sunday, it’ll be a good reward for everyone involved at the club. Hopefully, they can do it.”Leicestershire’s progress in the National League this season has proved a classical rollercoaster ride. Matters didn’t start propitiously: the side found itself at a scoreline of 5/14 in its very first match against Gloucestershire before it somehow climbed off the canvas to win. Alongside an equally impressive run which took the club all the way to the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy Final, five victories from the next six games then followed to leave the side on the brink of claiming only its second-ever League crown.But the tide has turned dramatically again in the last month with only two wins coming from the last five fixtures. It all ensures that the Foxes now need either to win at Nottingham on Sunday – or hope that Kent loses to Warwickshire – to be confirmed as champions.”It seems like the guys haven’t been playing their best cricket over the past two or three weeks and that’s obviously to do with the pressure of trying to win this competition,” adds Marsh. “But, if they can play anywhere near their ability, they should hopefully beat Nottinghamshire and win the title.”When it became clear back in December that coach Jack Birkenshaw’s quest for a new import had netted the club the son of former Australian wicketkeeping icon Rodney, the revelation was greeted with surprise in some quarters. By contrast, those who knew Marsh’s game well realised it was a heady selection. Although he still remains underestimated in Australia, the 28-year old was Tasmania’s Player of the Year in 1999-2000 and has offered the state consistently impressive contributions ever since crossing from South Australia in 1996-97.After a nervous start with scores of 0 and 5 in the team’s final warmup match, he was duly a tower of strength in the nine first-class and 11 limited-overs appearances that represented his first foray into county competition. He found a formula for success quickly, tailoring his powerful batting and accurate left arm spin bowling to suit pitches which almost universally played lower and slower than those to which he is accustomed at home. His performance against Nottinghamshire – in which he hammered out an unbeaten 67, claimed 4/44, and held two catches – might even be remembered as one of the most complete individual efforts produced by any county player this season.Moreover, he was very much at the heart of the county’s inspired start to the National League season. It was no mere coincidence that Leicestershire won all five of the games in which he participated. Only with the advent of his freak injury – while fielding at second slip in a Championship match against Surrey in early July – was the gloss removed from the tale.”We’d just taken the second new ball … Ian Salisbury was batting, went to let one go, but it just hit the face of his bat and landed about a metre in front of me. I went down to try and stop it but it just took off and came straight into the side of my face.””Ultimately, I realised something wasn’t quite right, went and had it checked out, and sure enough it was broken. The doctor basically said I wasn’t going to be able to play for eight weeks.”Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi nevertheless helped the team to more League wins upon his appointment as a hurriedly organised replacement, and what looked a near-impregnable lead was duly maintained until deep into the summer. General reversals in confidence and form have threatened to undo all the hard work but the club still remains in the box seat to emerge as the competition’s Division One winner.In short, it’s now a case of attempting to add the final touch to a memorable campaign. And one thing’s for sure if the result does go the Foxes’ way on Sunday: the excitement will spread far beyond those at Grace Road. Half a world away, in fact.
Patrick Boyland has revealed that Richarlison could now leave Everton in the summer, if a substantial transfer offer is made.
The Lowdown: Key player
There is no doubt that the 24-year-old is still a key player at Goodison Park, having been a great servant to them over the years.
The Brazil international has scored 47 goals and provided a further 12 assists in 136 games across all competitions for the Merseyside club (Transfermarkt), but with a serious threat of relegation this season, they may find it difficult to keep him in the summer.
The Latest: Boyland’s Richarlison reveal
Writing in his latest piece for The Athletic, Boland has revealed that Richarlison could now leave Everton if a ‘big bid’ is made, with Paris Saint-Germain among a number of ‘top clubs’ who have tracked the Brazil forward.
The Toffees know that it would be ‘tough’ to replace him, and the 24-year-old has ‘lofty ambitions’ of his own.
The Verdict: Worrying
Especially in the midst of a relegation battle, it is certainly worrying that Richarlison could leave Everton this summer, a prospect which will no doubt be elevated if they go down.
Currently on £110,000-per-week, he would likely be one man who would have to be shown the exit door first if they were in the Championship, and even if they manage to stay in the Premier League, the forward will unlikely want to be part of another relegation battle, so he may look elsewhere.
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Dubbed ‘fantastic’ by former Blues manager Carlo Ancelotti, Richarlison is also a key player for Frank Lampard, who will be hoping that the 24-year-old can do enough to at least help the Toffees to stay up, before then evaluating his future at the end of the campaign.
In other news, Everton are ‘hedging their bets’ on this deal
Shane Warne’s manager says the legspinner’s chances of joining the Indian Cricket League (ICL) are “reasonably slim” because he does not want to be part of an unofficial event. The Indian board has threatened any local players with life bans if they join the league, which is focussing on Twenty20 matches and is planned for September.Warne’s manager James Erskine told the Australian the bowler had not made a decision on whether to join the competition. “There’s the small thing about grounds not being made available, the Indian players not being available and being threatened with bans,” he said. “I would think the chances are reasonably slim that Shane would do it because it’s flying in the face of officialdom and I know he doesn’t want to be part of anything that’s not officially sanctioned.”However, AAP reported Dean Jones, who is on the ICL’s board, had returned from an overseas holiday and would resume negotiations with Warne and Glenn McGrath. McGrath said in Canberra this week he was interested in playing, but Brian Lara is the only high-profile player committed to the league.”I’m not going to make any comments about players signing or anything like that,” Jones said. “Obviously we’re talking to them, we’re just trying to make sure it goes ahead, that’s all.”No players contracted to Cricket Australia have approached the body requesting to appear in the tournament in India. Despite the lack of big names, Jones was confident the series would go ahead.”The fans and the viewers will be quite happy with the signings we’ll get, trust me,” he said. “The fixtures and the squads will be released soon, sooner than you think.”
Mick Newell, the Nottinghamshire coach, won’t be making a formal complaint despite the controversial finish to the Twenty20 Cup final at Trent Bridge. Leicestershire edged home by four runs but Jim Allenby’s final delivery was extremely close to a no-ball for being over waist height.However, following the result Newell said the issue would now be laid to rest despite being unhappy at the umpire’s decision. Asked if he thought it should have been called, Newell said: “Yes. But I won’t be mentioning it to the umpires. They’re not going to change their minds now.”I don’t feel robbed as such but I’m a little disappointed as I thought it was fairly clear, but it happens I suppose. I assume either umpire could have called it had they seen it but Leicestershire were already celebrating, so it was a tough situation and if they don’t see it they don’t see it.”But Samit Patel, who was interviewed moments after the match finished, was less restrained in his comments. “It was clearly a no-ball and it’s cost us a chance to win the final,” he told Sky Sports. “We got so close but someone has to lose and it’s us today.”However, winning skipper Jeremy Snape disagreed, insisting that the decision to allow the delivery was in line with the policy the umpires had followed all day. “I had complete faith in the umpires,” he said. “We got in a winning position and Jimmy [Allenby] – credit to him – bowled a great last couple.”Heavy rain was falling during the closing stages of the final and Snape said that played a part in the frantic finish. “The ball was wet and the bowlers had rags to control the ball in the rain so it was hard but we’ve seen balls at that height all day not being called.”Leicestershire have become the first team to win two Twenty20 titles but Snape is not getting carried away by the success. “We’re only four years in so we’re not going crazy about making history but we’re really pleased.”It was tough but we believed we could come and win and credit to the spinners, they have been big match-winners for us all season.”
Muttiah Muralitharan took eight wickets to annihilate West Indies in the second Test at his hometown of Kandy. Set an imposing 378 to win, West Indies were not expected to pull off any miracles, but the manner in which they were decimated by Muralitharan that left them shellshocked, and rendered the capacity crowd at the Asgiriya Stadium delirious with joy. In the end, West Indies were shot out for 137, with Lasith Malinga and Rangana Herath claiming the other two wickets, as Sri Lanka won with more than four sessions to spare.Even a turning pitch and an inexperienced West Indian batting line-up could not detract from a monstrous bowling performance by Muralitharan, who swept away batsmen in a manner reminiscent of one swatting pesky flies. If the offbreak was dangerous, the doosra was unplayable, accounting for most of his victims. The batsmen were left clutching at air, in a maelstrom of offspin bowling that sucked them in, whirled them around and then spat them out. This was not a contest. This was a case of schoolchildren being taught a lesson they would remember for a long, long time.For the record, Sri Lanka won the Test match by 240 runs and the series by a 2-0 margin. But neither scoreline could adequately describe the outright humiliation that the players and spectators witnessed on the fourth afternoon at Kandy. The threat of rain was looming all the time, and Sri Lanka missed the talismanic Chaminda Vaas. No matter. With Muralitharan being in the form he was in, West Indies could have fancied their chances of saving the game only up till the point that he came on to bowl.
If Muralitharan had looked competitive in the first innings, in the second he was positively devastating. Runako Morton, Ryan Ramdass and Sylvester Joseph were left flummoxed by vicious doosras, the last two off consecutive deliveries, and Narsingh Deonarine, the only batsman to pose any kind of resistance, was forced back on to his stumps and bowled. Omari Banks followed an offbreak down the leg side into the hands of the keeper Kumar Sangakkara, and Daren Powell gave Mahela Jayawardene his fourth catch of the innings at silly mid-off. Denesh Ramdin’s promising knock ended with yet another doosra – he was drawn out of his crease and bowled. Tino Best was undone by a ripping offbreak. In the middle of the carnage, Herath snapped up Chanderpaul to to capture the only Test-class batting talent that West Indies possessed. Malinga picked up the wicket of Xavier Marshall, but these were just side-shows in the Muralitharan extravaganza.Sri Lanka had their eyes on a series whitewash long before Marvan Atapattu called his players in with the Sri Lankan score on 375 for 7. Play commenced late after rain delayed the start of the fourth day’s morning session. Sangakkara continued from where he had left off, moving effortlessly to 157 not out from his overnight 135, a performance that got him the Man-of-the-Match award. Atapattu chose to delay his declaration, possibly influenced by Vaas’s injury, and Muralitharan’s recent attack of the flu. Sangakkara and Herath used the opportunity to share a 54-run stand to put the target well beyond the reach of West Indies. But with Muralitharan bowling the way he did, they really needn’t have bothered.
West Indies second innings Xavier Marshall lbw b Malinga 1 (2 for 1) Shuffled across to a yorker that swung lateRunako Morton lbw b Muralitharan 9 (38 for 2) Ryan Ramdass c Jayawardene b Muralitharan (49 for 3) Sylvester Joseph c Jayawardene b Muralitharan 4 (49 for 4) Shivnarine Chanderpaul c Jayawardene b Herath 24 (77 for 5) Narsingh Deonarine b Muralitharan 29 (105 for 6) Omari Banks c Sangakkara b Muralitharan 1 (111 for 7) Daren Powell c Jayawardene b Muralitharan 0 (119 for 8) Denesh Ramdin b Muralitharan 28 (131 of 9) Tino Best b Muralitharan 8 (137 all out)