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Kenya’s miserable 2009 continued with humiliating defeats in both Twenty20 internationals against Uganda in Nairobi. The matches, which were intended to help prepare the Kenyans for the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifiers early next year, have instead raised even more questions about the quality of the national side.Even though Uganda are widely touted as one of the up-and-coming Associates, they should not have troubled their better equipped and professional neighbours. But in both games Kenya, who batted first, failed to score nearly enough runs. In the first match they were bowled out for 88 and were beaten by four wickets; in the second, they did little better, making 104 for 7 before going down by two wickets with two balls in hand.The top-order batting looked weak and folded under the first sign of pressure. That gave their bowlers almost nothing to play with and, in the circumstances, they did well to keep their side in the contest for as long as they did.The beleagured Kenyan selectors will point to missing names, but that will cut little ice with an increasingly frustrated cricket fraternity. However, Uganda will be rightly buoyed by the results.A one-day series follows. Anything other than a comprehensive success for the Kenyans could lead to quiet mutterings becoming altogether more hostile criticism.

Tottenham Hotspur are hoping to tie down Hugo Lloris to a new contract in the coming weeks.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a recent report by Charlie Eccleshare for The Athletic, in which the journalist revealed that, despite being tempted by a move to AS Roma this summer, the goalkeeper is now keen to extend his stay in north London.

Eccleshare added that Antonio Conte is also eager to tie down the France international to a new deal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the 34-year-old’s current contract set to expire at the end of the season. That means the shot-stopper can discuss terms with foreign clubs regarding a free transfer from January 1.

However, the journalist then claimed that there is a quiet confidence at Spurs that they will be able to reach an agreement with Lloris, with negotiations regarding a fresh deal expected to intensify in the coming weeks.

Paratici must avoid disaster

Considering just how important Lloris has proven to be for Spurs this season, not to mention over the past nine Premier League campaigns, it would undoubtedly be something of a disaster for Fabio Paratici to allow the 34-year-old to depart north London on a free transfer next summer.

Indeed, over his 14 Premier League appearances this term, the £8.1m-rated shot-stopper has kept six clean sheets, as well as making 2.9 saves per game. These returns have seen the Frenchman averaging an impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.05, ranking him as Spurs’ sixth-best performer in the top flight.

Conte is also a huge fan of the £100k-per-week 34-year-old, stating after Tottenham’s 2-0 win over Brentford last week: “I just arrived. I’ve only been here a month. At the moment, of course, we have several situations to resolve. Hugo Lloris is the captain of this team. He is the captain of the France team too. We’re talking about a world-class goalie.

“We will have time to talk about him. I consider him an important player for Tottenham, for his experience and because he is first and foremost a good goalkeeper. He has played for many years with Tottenham and he is still invested in this club.”

As such, with Lloris very much appearing to be an important part of Conte’s first-team plans at Spurs, Paratici simply must do all he can to ensure that the 34-year-old does indeed put pen to paper on a new deal with the club in the coming weeks, or else the shot-stopper may be tempted by an intriguing offer come January 1.

In other news: Conte could save Spurs millions by unleashing “quality” 18 y/o gem who has “great feet”

Brendan Nash managed only 18 in his first game at the Gabba since being dropped by Queensland in 2006-07

Peter English at the Gabba27-Nov-2009Out walks Brendan Nash, the West Indies No. 6, for his first game at the Gabba since he was dropped by Queensland in 2006-07 and the man holding the ball is Mitchell Johnson. Nash’s former house-mate is a sensitive brute but was not being friendly.”They are booing you mate,” Johnson said sneakily before following up the verbal welcome with a slightly misguided bouncer. “It was always going to happen, bowling a short one first up,” Johnson said. “I think he expected it as well, but I probably wish it was a bit more towards his helmet.” Johnson is smiling but that doesn’t mean he won’t repeat the method again the next time he runs in. Nash knows it too.As Nash took guard Shane Watson, another former team-mate, was standing in the slips and Nathan Hauritz was hovering in the field. Nash and Hauritz, the offspinner, went to school together at Brisbane’s Nudgee College and played together for the Norths club. The reunion of the quartet is even stranger considering none of them live here anymore.Johnson and Watson followed their girlfriends interstate while Hauritz and Nash realised their cricketing lives lay elsewhere when squeezed out by Queensland. Hauritz followed the spin to New South Wales and Nash returned to his family roots in Jamaica, with both embarking on amazing journeys that earned them international status and a life of perks.All four achieved something on the second day of the first Test but the three Australians were in the better place. Johnson’s two wickets helped reduce West Indies to a wobbly 5 for 134 at stumps. Nash struck a couple of cut boundaries before edging Watson behind on 18 after Hauritz’s unbeaten 50, his maiden half-century, had pushed Australia to a formidable 8 for 480 declared.The brief battle of the housemates was the most fun. It’s always awkward when friends oppose each other and the bond between Nash and Johnson was strong during their lives sharing washing up duty and fighting for the best spot on the couch. Both were on the outer with their states and Johnson appeared to be in a lost battle with his fragile back. Nash, who was then working as a mortgage broker, was one of those who assisted Johnson on the journey from delivery driver to the ICC’s Cricketer of the Year.”I was walking back to the top of my mark and it was quite strange,” Johnson said. “The first couple of balls I was laughing on the inside to myself that I was bowling to him, but after he cut me I wasn’t too happy. I thought I have to get a bit more serious about this.”Denesh Ramdin, the West Indies vice-captain, felt Nash was more worried than usual as he went out to face his old team-mates in front of small group of supporters wearing “Team Nash” shirts. Nash’s parents still live in Brisbane and his wife Hannah grew up here too.”I’m sure he went out there today with a few nerves,” Ramdin said. “He hit a couple of boundaries there and I’m sure he wanted to press on and get some runs in front of his people and his fans. Unfortunately that’s cricket. Hopefully he gets another chance in the second innings.”

Click here to listen to the full audio interviewBrad Haddin missed the third Ashes Test due to a broken finger, and has ruled himself out of the Champions Trophy•Associated Press

Brad Haddin has revealed that the finger broken during the Ashes series was worse than originally thought, and has forced him to push back his comeback date to Australia’s one-day tour of India. Surgeons inserted two plates and five screws into Haddin’s left ring finger during a two-and-a-half hour operation last Thursday, with the ensuing recovery period expected to extend beyond Australia’s one-day series in England and the Champions Trophy in South Africa.Haddin broke the finger moments after the coin toss before the third Test at Edgbaston, forcing Australia’s team management to draft in Graham Manou at short notice. Australia’s senior wicketkeeper recovered to play the final two Tests of the Ashes series with the assistance of pain-killing injections, but was ordered home ahead of the limited-overs series in England for further scans.Those revealed significantly more damage to the top of Haddin’s finger than initially thought, and prompted a revision of his likely comeback date. Haddin had originally hoped to return in time for the Champions Trophy, but is now targetting the seven-match limited-overs series against India, which will begin in Jaipur on October 25.”The surgery was a success from the point of view that the surgeon got everything back in the place it should be, but he also said that it will probably take a little bit longer than we first thought with the rehab,” Haddin told Cricinfo’s Switch Hit podcast. “There was a bit more damage in there than they first thought going in. It’s going to be a long road back. By the time I come back it should be 100% this time.”I’ll be definitely back for the first Test of the Australian summer and I’m hoping to be right for the seven one-dayers in India. I’ve just got a week or so until the stitches come out and then I’ll know a bit more about how the joint is and how I respond to some treatment. In the past when I’ve broken fingers my joints have come back into working order pretty quickly.”Haddin only entered the Test arena after Adam Gilchrist’s retirement, but has already suffered two broken fingers in the line of duty. The first came in the opening session of his debut Test at Sabina Park last year, and resulted in him handing over the gloves to Luke Ronchi for the ensuing one-day series against West Indies. The latest injury has opened the door for Tasmania’s Tim Paine, and Haddin admitted his annoyance at the prospect of another extended stint on the sidelines.”It’s extremely frustrating,” he said. “We’ve played a lot of Test cricket over the last 12 months and I was really looking forward to playing some one-day cricket. I’ve been happy with the way things have been going in my one-day game. But those are the breaks of the job we do. I can’t whinge about it too much. I’ve just got to get on with the rehab and make sure when I come back that it doesn’t happen again.”Haddin conceded the broken finger had caused him significant discomfort during the second half of the Ashes series, though not nearly as much as the pain of defeat at The Oval. “Once you pass yourself fit and step on the field, broken fingers all go out the window,” he said. “It was an uncomfortable time. The wicketkeeping was okay. The biggest problem was with the bat because you couldn’t have any protection on it because it didn’t fit in the glove.”It was obviously disappointing to go out there and lose the Ashes especially when you sit back and take the emotion out of it and look at the stats of some of our guys throughout series. I think from a statistical point of view we were way in front of England but we let ourselves down in a couple of big moments. We’re not far away. We’ve just got to be a bit more consistent and recognise those big moments in the game a bit better.”

Jacob Oram and Brendon McCullum, who are among the six New Zealand players who will miss the beginning of the IPL next year to play the Test series against Australia, have admitted signing the national contracts last month had been a difficult decision.The players said while they were now fully committed to their national side, it had been hard to choose New Zealand contracts over the money they had to forgo for missing a large part of the IPL.”You can criticise us for our hesitation but we have all signed,” Oram told the . “We’re not getting paid any compensation; we’re not leaving after day three of the second Test against Australia. We’ve thought about it long and hard and we want to keep playing for New Zealand. You cannot begrudge us the time to think about it and discuss with our wives, families, mentors.”McCullum hoped the delay in signing would not affect his chances of captaining New Zealand in the future. “I’m not going to lie to you, it was tough,” McCullum told New Zealand’s . “The cold, hard facts are there for anyone to see. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to play cricket for New Zealand but I guess the immediate financial security that sort of money can provide for your family was a factor. It was difficult knowing how much money I was turning down and I also had to think about the captaincy at Kolkata. I would have liked to have had the opportunity to turn around what happened earlier this year after our disappointing tournament.”In the end, I feel very comfortable with the decision I made and I feel that it was the right one to make.”McCullum and Oram said New Zealand’s performance at the World Twenty20, where they only won matches against Scotland and Ireland, had been disappointing and it was important for senior players to step up and lead the way.”If those of us in the New Zealand team at the moment want to leave any sort of legacy behind when we retire, we have to start fronting up in the big tournaments and start trying to get some silverware in the cabinet,” McCullum said.He also said New Zealand’s aim for the upcoming tour to Sri Lanka was to win at least one Test. “… drawing games would not be considered a success in my mind,” McCullum said. “I’d much rather see us risk losing to try and achieve something special like winning a Test over there.”Oram, who has returned to the Test squad after a spate of injuries, said he was keen to get 100 wickets and a couple more Test centuries as an allrounder. He said his Test batting average of 37.04 and bowling average of 31.18 did not bother him for he just wanted to do as well as he could. “I learned from an early age that statistical goals and averages were a peripheral pressure I didn’t need; I have other ways to get up for a match,” Oram said.”I’m very keen to start turning us into a winning unit and the 2011 World Cup for me is an absolute must-win, or at least we cannot stumble at the second-last hurdle like we have at recent ICC tournaments, or at the quarterfinal as was the case at the world Twenty20.”In contrast to the IPL players, Shane Bond, the fast bowler who quit the ICL to return to the national team, said he couldn’t wait to sign the contract and get his chance to play for New Zealand again. “That was the one thing I wanted – to just come back into the fold and have another chance to play for New Zealand, so the decision was pretty easy for me,” Bond told the .Bond said he had worked hard on his fitness and on avoiding injuries in preparing for the comeback. “But the first thing is actually getting back in the team and playing that first game, that will be incredibly exciting for me and I’ll take it from there. If I can make it into the team for the Champions Trophy that’s another big event and I’ll take it as it comes. I know what’s coming up after that but I’m experienced enough not to get too far ahead of myself.”Bond, who will be touring India with the A team before heading to Sri Lanka, said some IPL franchises had expressed interest in signing him. “… but officially there’s nothing forthcoming until the boss [Lalit Modi] sets the rules around the ICL players.”New Zealand play three Tests against Sri Lanka and a ODI tri-series, which includes India, between August 18 and September 14.

It’s not often that Everton have secured themselves a bargain in the transfer market in recent years, but the acquisition of Dominic Calvert-Lewin certainly comes into that bracket.

The 24-year-old was signed for a reported £1.5m fee from Sheffield United back in 2016, and the youngster has gone from strength to strength ever since.

After scoring a respectable – if unimpressive – 17 goals in his first 94 appearances for the Toffees between 2016/17 and 2018/19, the rangy striker’s progress has catapulted over the last couple of campaigns.

A return of 15 goals in 2019/20 was followed up by 21 strikes last term, resulting in Calvert-Lewin being handed a new £72,000-per-week five-year contract in March 2020, highlighting his importance to the Merseyside outfit.

“This is a very proud day,” the England international said after putting pen to paper. “I like to think I have shown I am ready to live up to the expectations of being Everton’s number nine, but I am well aware of how much I need to improve and how much better I can do.

“I love where I am, and the position I am in, and I love playing for Everton Football Club. We want to be in Europe and competing in the top competitions.

“It would mean that bit more to win trophies here because of the journey I have been on with Everton and Evertonians. Personally, I want to get to that next level.”

And the youngster made great strides towards fulfilling his potential under former Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti, with the experienced Italian tactician even comparing him to AC Milan legend Filippo Inzaghi.

“Calvert-Lewin is faster. Calvert-Lewin is better with the head. Calvert-Lewin is stronger than him,” stated Ancelotti. “If Inzaghi listens to this he will kill me! But I have to say, Inzaghi in the box was the best striker that I ever had.

“I think this is natural instinct. He can be dangerous like Inzaghi in the box, for sure. He is faster than any defender, he jumps higher than any defender. It is a question of movement and details. He has to be focused, and he is. He is focused in the box.”

He has spent much of the current campaign out injured but the 6 foot 2 beast’s impressive exploits for both club and country have seen his market value soar to a mouth-watering £40.5m in recent months, illustrating how Everton’s hierarchy struck gold by picking him up for such a minimal fee five years ago.

The Toffees have spent poorly down the years but this was undoubtedly one of their better buys.

And, in other news…Brands could finally end EFC’s midfielder hunt with £175k-p/w “outstanding technician” 

The former fast bowler thinks Lee decision might “come back to bite” Australia

Cricinfo staff13-Jun-2009

Geoff Lawson, the former Australia fast bowler, can’t believe Brett Lee made the Ashes squad and thinks the decision might “come back to bite them”. Lawson, who has had a long-term involvement with New South Wales as a player and coach, would have preferred it if Doug Bollinger had been called to face England.”You’ve left out an outstanding left-arm fast bowler [in Bollinger] who’s in form, for a right-hand guy coming back from injury and you don’t know how he’s bowling,” Lawson told the Sunday Telegraph. “It doesn’t add up and it might come back to bite them.”Lawson said Lee would have been dropped if he hadn’t had ankle and foot surgery in the new year. “He hasn’t been in form for 18 months, going on two years, so it’s an interesting selection to put him in when he’s got no form and no match practice,” Lawson said.Lee has returned to the international line-up through Twenty20s and has four wickets for 117 runs at an economy rate of 9.75 in three games in the UAE and England. Last week he was taken for 27 in an over by Chris Gayle during a four-over spell of 1 for 56.”You can’t play Twenty20 cricket and expect that it’s a testing ground for Test cricket, it’s not going to happen,” Lawson said. “He’s underdone. He’s only been bowling four-over cricket, and not very successfully, since he’s come back from his injury. I think he’s physically fit, but you’ve got to be match fit. He’s not swinging the ball [and] international batsmen seem to be playing him a lot easier.”Damien Fleming expects Lee to battle with Stuart Clark and Ben Hilfenhaus for the third fast-bowling spot behind Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle. “Johnson’s spells last summer were as hostile as I’ve seen from an Australian bowler since I don’t know when,” Fleming said. “He was fast and furious. Siddle’s all over you with his competitiveness.”At his best, [Lee] probably gets a game but it’s all about form here. I don’t think his 300 wickets will have that much weight when it comes to selecting the team, it’ll be about current form.” The paper said Lee was one of six Australian players who have been guaranteed match payments throughout their 2009-10 contracts.

A new name has been put forward in the Newcastle United manager hunt in the form of Rudi Garcia.

The Lowdown: So many names…

As per The Daily Mail, there have been countless names mentioned as potential successors to Steve Bruce after he left his role at St. James’ Park on Wednesday morning.

Unai Emery, Roberto Martinez, Steven Gerrard and Paulo Fonseca have all been linked with the job, according to the publication.

The Latest: Garcia emerges

The Daily Mail has now revealed that Garcia is the newest name to have been put forward for the vacant post, having been out of work since leaving Lyon this summer.

Journalist and transfer insider Pedro Almeida has recently fuelled speculation that a Frenchman is set to be the next manager in the North East, and of course, Garcia would fit that bill.

The Verdict: Wait for someone better

With the kind of names that have been linked with the job on Tyneside in recent days, the Magpies are better off waiting for someone better to become available than Garcia.

He has an impressive overall win rate as a manager at 48.5%, but has only won a mere two major trophies in his managerial career, both of whom came over a decade ago with Lille (Transfermarkt).

The fact that the biggest transfer fee that he has played for a player is £26.37m for Dimitri Payet also suggests that he may be overwhelmed by the abundance of riches that the new owners will likely give their manager to spend, and so Garcia should not be a priority for them as of now.

In other news, find out which Champions League and Premier League winner is keen on the NUFC job here!

First-class players in the West Indies are set for a hike in salaries after the WICB submitted a proposal to the WIPA to reduce the disparity in earnings between international and domestic players

Cricinfo staff28-Mar-2009First-class players in the West Indies are set for a hike in salaries after the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) submitted a proposal to the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) to reduce the disparity in earnings between international and domestic players. The proposal includes the allocation of 22% of the board’s annual revenue to players’ salaries and the provision of retainer contracts for all first-class players with an increase in their match fee from US$300 to $1,000.The proposal also includes a new category called “rookie contracts”. The first-class players will now be able to benefit from membership of the Players’ Provident Fund, with contributions from the board.The latest development comes after a recent stand-off between the board and the regional cricketers reportedly due to issues regarding retainer contracts and first-class fees. As a mark of solidarity, players involved in three games of the regional first-class competition boycotted the opening day of the 11th round.The WICB, in an official release, said it “recognised the disparity in players’ salaries, but pointed out that the proposal currently before the WIPA represents a broader WICB commitment to players’ emoluments, which is itself a component of the board’s new thrust to ensure an enhanced relationship with WIPA.”The latest proposal also comes in the midst of yet another pay dispute between the West Indian senior players and the board, one which has threatened to derail the team’s forthcoming tour of England.

The previous summer transfer window saw Wolves bring in a number of players to Molineux, but one area of the pitch they didn’t strengthen in was midfield.

With Wolves only having a total of four options for the defensive and central-midfield roles in their squad, it appears as though they are now looking to strengthen in that department in the upcoming January transfer window.

What’s the news?

It has been reported by Italian media outlet Corriere dello Sport (via Birmingham Live) that Wolves are planning to make a move to sign Juventus and former Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey in January.

Since making the move from Arsenal to the Serie A side, Ramsey, who is currently valued at £12.6m according to Transfermarkt, has made 69 appearances for Juventus across all competitions, scoring six goals and providing six assists along the way.

Fixing a hole

Prior to joining Juventus, Ramsey, who was once described as being “world-class” by Wales teammate Joe Allen, made a total of 371 appearances for Arsenal, bagging 65 goals and creating 65 assists in the process.

If Wolves are interested in signing Ramsey in January, they should definitely do so if a move would be financially viable to them.

The Welshman has a lot of Premier League experience under his belt with 262 appearances, which could be very beneficial, especially for some of Wolves’ younger players like Rayan Ait-Nouri, Ki-Jana Hoever and Morgan Gibbs-White.

Ramsey moving to Molineux in January would also be very exciting for the fans. After all, he’s a regular winner of trophies, reigning supreme in domestic cups with Arsenal and winning Serie A with Juve.

Most importantly, however, he’d offer the club more depth in midfield. Wolves failed to sign Renato Sanches during the summer but the 68-cap Wales international is an eye-catching alternative.

With Ruben Neves’ future still up in the air and Joao Moutinho aged 35, there are going to be some glaring gaps in the middle of the park to fill.

After all, other options in Leander Dendoncker and Romain Saiss have been preferred in defence while Gibbs-White is out on loan.

Consequently, the addition of Ramsey would be an important one, gifting Bruno Lage an experienced and talented midfield option.

In other news: Wolves may already have their long-term Moutinho heir in “outstanding” gem – opinion