Warriors ready to send Langer off in style

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Scorecard

Michael Di Venuto struck a half-century in his final game for Tasmania, but it could not stop his side from struggling against Western Australia © Getty Images
 

Justin Langer has batted for the final time for Western Australia, but his team-mates have given him the best chance of bowing out a winner against Tasmania. The Warriors lost three wickets once they dismissed the Tigers after tea for 207 and hold a 284-run buffer entering the third day.Langer went for 23 when he hit Brett Geeves to point and the bowler switched ends to remove Shaun Marsh for 4 three overs later. Chris Rogers picked up 41 before nicking Luke Butterworth to first slip, leaving Marcus North (23) and Luke Pomersbach (24) to make it 3 for 119 at stumps.North did not enforce the follow-on when Tasmania were dismissed 16 short of the mark after a strong performance from Brett Dorey. He picked up 4 for 45 while Mathew Inness, who will also step down after this game, and Ben Edmondson captured three wickets each.Tasmania relied on Michael Di Venuto, who top scored with 64 while playing his final contest for the state, and Daniel Marsh (51), but there was not much help from the rest and the innings finished when they lost 3 for 2 in 10 balls. Both teams are out of the race for the finals.

South Africans to miss first four IPL games

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Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher are set to miss the early part of the IPL © Getty Images
 

The South African cricketers selected by the eight Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises willlose part of their treasure chest after they decided to fly back home atthe conclusion of the ongoing Test series to take part in the final stagesof the Standard Bank Pro20.The likes of Jacques Kallis, Graeme Smith, Mark Boucher, Dale Steyn and Makhaya Ntini will now be available for the semi-finals and finals of the domestic competition, and will enter the IPLfray only after April 25. As a result, most of them will miss four games.The news comes three days after Lalit Modi, the IPL commissioner, said the members of the Cobras side would stay back in India for the start of the IPL. He said the Titans players could also follow suit.However, Gerald Majola, the chief executive of Cricket South Africa (CSA), confirmed to Cricinfo that the South Africans would be available for IPL only after the first week of the tournament. “That was always the arrangement,” Majola said.Charu Sharma, the chief executive of the Bangalore Royal Challengers, told Cricinfo that the franchise was yet to receive any official information. Bangalore, who play their first match on April 18, have Kallis, Boucher and Steyn and will be the most affected. The Chennai Super Kings will lose Makhaya Ntini and Albie Morkel but VB Chandreshekar, who oversees cricket operations, said the team was always expecting this situation, especially after Majola’s visit to Chennai last month.The decision, made in consultation with Majola, was taken on Wednesday night, and the players will now fly home, via Dubai, at the conclusion of the Kanpur Test.Under the terms of their contracts, the players could end up forfeitingmore than 25 percent of what they would otherwise have earned during theIPL season. Kallis, signed by the Royal Challengers for $900,000stands to lose more than $200,000. As things stand, he and Smith, who areteam-mates at the Cape Cobras, will now miss their first head-to-headconfrontation, when the Royal Challengers take on the Rajasthan Royals atthe Chinnaswamy Stadium on April 26.

McCullum bravado takes sheen off England's day

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Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary
How they were out

Brendon McCullum was at his dashing best to haul New Zealand out of real trouble at Lord’s © Getty Images
 

Michael Vaughan called on his side to produce “aggressive, vibrant cricket” in the lead-up to the first Test at Lord’s, and his bowlers responded in kind to reduce New Zealand to 109 for 5 by tea. Such perilous positions are of little consequence when Brendon McCullum is at the crease, however, and his magnificent 97 – at a run-a-ball – took the sheen off England’s spirited display on a dank and chilly first day of the international season.Before McCullum missed a clever quicker delivery from Monty Panesar prior to bad light stopping play, he was threatening to completely transform New Zealand’s day, not just rescue them from the bowels of complacency. Coming to the crease with his side tottering on 41 for 3, he found little support in New Zealand’s typically fragile top six until Jacob Oram arrived at No.7, with whom he put on 99 exhilarating runs in 19 overs.His 97 beat the 96 he made at this same ground four years ago, and though he has again failed to reach three figures – he has yet to make a Test hundred against meaningful opposition – today’s innings was a microcosm of his growing international stature. Promoted to No.5 – he would like to be even higher than that – his first 30 runs were part scratchy, part defensive: a rescue act. Only once he’d passed his 65-ball fifty did McCullum the entertainer break free, creaming the disappointing Ryan Sidebottom through extra cover; lifting Panesar for a straight six before crashing Stuart Broad over mid-off into the Warner Stand for the day’s most extraordinary stroke. The difference in self-belief and class between McCullum and his colleagues is so stark as to be almost alien.Prior to McCullum’s derring do, it was England who owned the day. The morning session was washed out by English summer drizzle, providing Vaughan optimum conditions in which to insert New Zealand’s brittle top-order. Choosing not to call-up Matthew Hoggard – in spite of his nous in green-and-seaming conditions – the onus fell on James Anderson to provide the spunk with the new ball, and he justified the selectors’ belief in him with a fast and fiery opening spell of 2 for 27. Jamie How nibbled at a wide one while Aaron Redmond – son of Rodney, a one-Test-wonder in 1972-73 – fell for a five-ball duck on his Test debut.

James Anderson was in the wickets early on © Getty Images
 

Broad, who was later savaged by McCullum, supported Anderson superbly with a variety of fast legcutters to the right-handers, and coped well with Ross Taylor’s frenzied attack. Taylor still appeared hungover from his recent display in the Indian Premier League, and his innings epitomised New Zealand’s shaky confidence. Bangalore this was not; he took every opportunity to put England’s bowlers off with a squirted edge down to third man; a hectic single, for which he should have been run out when he finished at the same end as James Marshall, and a desperate slice over the slips off Sidebottom. At least New Zealand’s run-rate was moving, albeit with fraught intent. Taylor’s hectic innings ended with the day’s most careless shot, trying to pull Broad and skying him straight to Paul Collingwood, running back at second slip.Like Taylor, Marshall also batted in a frenzy. He was caught behind off a no-ball from Anderson when 9 and slashed the same bowler just over Kevin Pietersen’s head at gully before an ill-balanced drive sent an edge flying straight to Andrew Strauss at first slip. Four years ago, Strauss made his debut here against the same opposition, and – after a disappointing 2007 – there was tangible glee that his career has come full circle.Then, it was all about McCullum. His customary one-day shimmy down the pitch was only in evidence a few times, but such was his timing that no bowler – least of all Broad, whose spell from the Pavilion End was too full – was spared. His motionless reaction to Panesar’s wonderfully flighted quicker ball which squeezed through bat and pad screamed disappointment, yet his 97 has saved New Zealand from near capitulation.In fact, so much so, that the honours are just about even.

Ramdin guides Amazon Warriors to first win

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Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsDenesh Ramdin struck five fours and four sixes in his 35-ball 54•Caribbean Premier League

Guyana Amazon Warriors registered their first win of the season – a comfortable seven-wicket victory against St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots with 24 balls to spare in Basseterre – with the help of a brisk half-century from their captain Denesh Ramdin.Patriots got off to a steady start after choosing to bat with Martin Guptill and Evin Lewis adding 66 for the first wicket before the partnership was broken by fast bowler Ronsford Beaton in the 10th over. Both openers were dismissed for 34, with the same boundary count – three fours and a six. Guptill fell in the 13th over and Patriots didn’t find momentum after that, save a cameo from Carlos Brathwaite who struck three sixes in his 11-ball 23. Patriots finished with 149 for 9, with Beaton taking 3 for 30 and spinner Sunil Narine claiming two wickets in an economical spell.Amazon Warriors lost Tillakaratne Dilshan for 12 in the fourth over of the chase, but a 65-run second-wicket partnership between Lendl Simmons (41) and Ramdin (54) off just 38 balls, took the game away from Patriots. Although Simmons was dismissed in the 10th over, another fifty-plus stand between Brad Hodge and Ramdin sealed victory for Amazon Warriors. The highlight of Ramdin’s half-century was the four consecutive sixes he struck off Shahid Afridi.

Klinger helps Western Australia into lead

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ScorecardMichael Klinger scored 66 (file photo)•Getty Images

Michael Klinger’s 66 helped Western Australia to a first-innings lead over Tasmania on the second day of their Sheffield Shield match in Perth. At stumps, the Warriors were 6 for 265, with a lead of four runs, with Ashton Agar and Joel Paris both at the crease on 20 each.Tasmania had been bowled out for 261 earlier in the day, having resumed on 6 for 210. Tom Triffitt top scored with 66 and was one of two wickets for Paris, while Michael Hogan finished with 4 for 48. Western Australia’s reply started poorly when Will Bosisto was bowled by Jackson Bird for a golden duck in the second over.Jon Wells also fell cheaply to Bird and Western Australia were 2 for 14, but Cameron Bancroft (43) and Klinger were able to rebuild with a 108-run stand. Andrew Fekete removed them both, Klinger caught sharply at leg gully by George Bailey, before Ashton Turner (49) and Sam Whiteman (44) moved the score past 200.

Zimbabwe under pressure to stay afloat

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Match facts

Saturday, January 2, 2016
Start time 1500 local (1100GMT)Noor Ali Zadran has formed a solid union with Mohammad Shahzad at the top of the order•AFP

Big Picture

After capsizing for 82 with a little less than 20 overs in the shed on Christmas Day, Zimbabwe showed spunk both with the bat and ball in the second ODI. Despite the marked improvement, they conceded a 2-0 lead to Afghanistan. This leaves Zimbabwe under so much pressure that unless they catch up, the series is dead. They will hope the arrival of the New Year will pave the route for a riposte.On Tuesday, Peter Moor and the returning Hamilton Masakadza found ways to keep the scorecard ticking with risk-free batting, and Craig Ervine plugged the Sean-Williams shaped hole in the middle order. Elton Chigumbura then inspired the defence of 253, but Mohammad Shahzad’s unbeaten 131 – the highest individual score by an Afghanistan batsman in ODIs – sealed the deal. From launching the helicopter shot to just acknowledge that he was a fan of MS Dhoni to being left out of the 2015 World Cup on fitness (or lack of fitness) grounds to becoming the rock at the top of the order, Shahzad’s metamorphosis has mirrored that of Afghanistan’s. On a night when his team suffered late hiccups, Afghanistan’s MS followed his hero’s theme, taking the game deep and calmly finishing it off. His opener partner Noor Ali Zadran is the second-highest run-scorer in the series, but the middle order is yet to be properly tested, an area which Zimbabwe will seek to exploit if they manage early inroads.In the spin face-up, however, Afghanistan have the clear edge. Amir Hamza has offered control with the new ball, while Mohammad Nabi has done the same in the middle overs. Rohan Barakzai, who was handed his debut in the second match, did not perform badly either. Afghanistan eased past Greame Cremer’s threat in the second game, but the legspinner could perhaps do well in harness with Tendai Chisoro.

Form guide

(Last five completed matches, most recent first)
Afghanistan WWWWL
Zimbabwe LLLLLL

In the spotlight

On a surface rolled out in favour of spinners, Dawlat Zadran‘s pace and reverse-swing has menaced the opposition. His yorkers have been bang on target, as they were during the series in Zimbabwe in October. In the 2015 World Cup, Dawlat busted Majid Haq’s bat during Afghanistan’s maiden World Cup win, in Dunedin.For somebody who features in the middle order for his domestic side Rhinos, Peter Moor has promised to fix Zimbabwe’s mess at the top of the order. Moor played a bright hand on Tuesday, stroking his maiden ODI half-century, but Zimbabwe will want more from him, given their dire state.

Team news

With Richmond Mutumbami having been dismissed cheaply in both ODIs, once in the middle order and the other time at the top, Zimbabwe would consider recalling allrounder Chamu Chibhabha and passing over the keeping gloves to Moor. They may also opt to go for left-arm spinner Chisoro in place of Wellington Masakadza in a like-for-like replacement.Zimbabwe (probable): 1 Peter Moor, 2 Richmond Mutumbami/Chamu Chibhabha, 3 Hamilton Masakadza, 4 Craig Ervine, 5 Elton Chigumbura (capt), 6 Sikandar Raza, 7 Malcolm Waller, 8Luke Jongwe, 9 Graeme Creaner, 10 Wellington Masakadza/Tendai Chisoro, 11 Turai MuzarabaniDespite some young talent waiting in the wings, Afghanistan may not experiment yet, considering the series is still not in their grasp.Afghanistan (probable): 1 Noor Ali Zadran, 2 Mohammad Shahzad, 3 Mohammad Nabi, 4 Nawroz Mangal, 5 Asghar Stanikzai, 6 Samiullah Shenwari, 7 Najibullah Zadran, 8 Mirwais Ashraf, 9 Dawlat Zadran, 10 Amir Hamza, 11 Rokhan Barakzai/Yamin Ahmadzai

Pitch and conditions

If the first two matches are anything to go by, the bat-first ploy should continue, with the ball doing more under lights. The old ball had also stopped a bit on the batsmen on Tuesday.

Stats and Trivia

  • There have been no century partnerships in the series so far, the highest being 98 between Ervine and Hamilton Masakadza
  • Afghanistan played Zimbabwe in nine limited-overs matches in 2015, winning seven of them.

Quotes

“Our coach Inzamam-ul-Haq is a legendary cricket player and his presence in the team is outstanding and we are receiving tips and guidance for improving batting line. Now we felt the difference in our batting. Manoj Prabhakar is also helping a lot in bowling… It [Afghanistan’s rise] is because of guidance of these two coaches.”

Momentum with Sixers in Sydney derby

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If there’s a sense of brotherhood in the BBL final, then the equivalent fixture in the inaugural Women’s Big Bash League has a similar familial feel. It will take place at the MCG, but this is the Sydney derby. The players know each other well and many have enjoyed success together with NSW Breakers and the Southern Stars.This competition may have heralded a new dawn in Australian women’s cricket, but New South Wales’ status as the game’s powerhouse – despite South Australia winning the Women’s National Cricket League to break a ten-year NSW women’s streak – has merely been reaffirmed.Cricket Australia thought long and hard about whether to play the WBBL with six teams or eight. They opted for eight in order to replicate the BBL’s brands, which had the strung-on bonus that it created space for teenagers to play alongside seasoned internationals. While the Melbourne teams have struggled for depth – both Stars and Renegades failed to make it to the semi-finals – the Sydney teams have shone.”The fact that there are two Sydney teams in the final shows the depth in New South Wales,” said Thunder captain Alex Blackwell. “It was very disappointing for the Breakers to not get our eleventh consecutive victory [in the WNCL] but ten is pretty good; when you lose one you realise how tough it is to win one, and we won ten in a row. We’ll share it around but we’ve taken both spots in this game and whatever the result it’s good for New South Wales, but the Thunder are desperate to win this one.”Blackwell admitted that, having qualified for the final first by beating Perth Scorchers in Adelaide, the Thunder hoped to meet their crosstown rivals, who beat Hobart Hurricanes at the MCG on Friday. “I was hoping we would meet the Sixers,” she said. “It makes it a best of three contest. We took first honours in the opening round, them they beat us by about 20 runs at the SCG. Two quality matches and I know tomorrow is going to be no different. We have a lot of friendships between the teams but for the 40 overs it’s going to be a real contest out there.”While the Thunder have been consistent throughout the competition, Sixers have veered wildly. Since losing their first six games, they have won nine in a row to make the final, with strong batting from captain Ellyse Perry, Alyssa Healy, Ashleigh Gardner and Sara McGlashan, and outstanding seam bowling from Marizanne Kapp and Sarah Aley, while Lisa Sthalekar, who came out of retirement for the competition, has 13 wickets, including three in the semi-final victory.”After having lost six on the trot, it’s been really nice to have such a big turnaround and win nine in a row, it’s been a lot of fun,” said Perry. “Now we’ve got really tough competition in the Thunder and it’s nice to be playing our Sydney counterparts.”Asked what had caused the turnaround, Perry said: “We’ve been trying to put our finger on that, and I don’t think anything too dramatic changed. We got on a losing streak which was a bit of a bummer and something we wanted to rectify pretty quickly, but just winning that first game in Sydney against the Scorchers was the catalyst for a lot of things. We had a couple of weeks off over Christmas and New Year when we worked pretty hard at training. It just worked for us. The four games on the trot in Melbourne just after New Year, we managed to win them and momentum is a big thing and has helped us.”The final brings the curtain down on a highly successful tournament, and will be the latest game to be broadcast on Channel Ten, which is enough proof of how well the competition has been received. Now for a cracking finale.

Siriwardene returns to lead SL Women in World T20

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Shashikala Siriwardene will lead Sri Lanka Women in the Women’s World Twenty20 and the preceding T20I series against India, which starts from February 24. Siriwardene has recovered from a thumb injury she suffered during the side’s tour of New Zealand in November last year, which ruled her out of two ODIs and the following T20I series.The squad for India includes uncapped allrounders Hansima Karunaratne and Harshitha Madavi, although the latter will only join the squad for the Women’s World T20, which starts on March 15. The experienced trio of allrounder Eshani Lokusuriyage, batsman Yasoda Mendis and left-arm medium-pacer Udeshika Prabodhani have made their way back to the side after missing the New Zealand series.Achini Kulasuriya, Chamari Polgampola, Hasini Perera, Maduri Samuddika, Anushka Sanjeewani, who had a disappointing tour of New Zealand, were left out, although Samuddika and Sanjeewani have been added to the list of standbys for the tournaments.Sri Lanka’s tour of India comprises three ODIs and as many T20Is, which will be played in Ranchi between February 15 and February 26. Sri Lanka have been slotted in Group A of the 10-team Women’s World T20, alongside Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Ireland. Their World T20 campaign kicks off against New Zealand on March 15. The top two teams from the group will progress to the semi-final stage.Sri Lanka T20I squad: Shashikala Siriwardene (capt), Chamari Atapattu, Yasoda Mendis, Oshadi Ranasinghe, Dilani Manodara, Prasadani Weerakkody, Ama Kanchana, Eshani Lokusuriyage, Udeshika Prabodhani, Inoka Ranaweera, Sugandika Kumari, Nilakshi de Silva, Hansima Karunaratne, Nipuni Hansika, Harshitha Madavi*

Benitez leaves Liverpool helm

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Liverpool have confirmed that manager Rafael Benitez will leave the club by mutual consent following a disappointing seventh-place Premier League finish last term.

The club lost 11 league games and they also crashed out of the Champions League group stage after falling to disappointing defeats against Lyon and Fiorentina.

Co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett have made the decision to bring change to the beleaguered Anfield-based outfit as they look to put pressure on Chelsea and Manchester United at the top of the league next season.

Benitez's big highlight came at the end of the 2004/05 campaign when the Reds sensationally came from 3-0 down at the interval in the Champions League final against AC Milan to tie the score 3-3.

His team then held their nerve and landed their fifth European Cup following a successful penalty shoot-out.

They also came out on top in another shoot-out the following season as they saw off West Ham United in the FA Cup final after another memorable 3-3 draw but that was as good as it got for Benitez.

A message left by the departing coach on the club's official website read:"It is very sad for me to announce that I will no longer be manager of Liverpool FC.

"I would like to thank all of the staff and players for their efforts. I'll always keep in my heart the good times I've had here, the strong and loyal support of the fans in the tough times and the love from Liverpool.

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"I have no words to thank you enough for all these years and I am very proud to say that I was your manager.

"Thank you so much once more and always remember: You'll never walk alone."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Should Harry be contemplating a Brazilian?

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Julio Baptista is being linked with a move to Tottenham this summer, but is the man they call ‘The Beast’ really what they need, and could he be a success at the club? Baptista didn’t have the best of times during his last spell in North London and didn’t make a massive impact or  lived up to the hype that was previously surrounding him.

Wenger signed Baptista on a year’s loan from Real Madrid in 2006. The Brazilian was used as both a midfielder and a striker whilst at Arsenal and it was difficult to tell where his best position was. Baptista was a popular player amongst Arsenal fans due to his tenacious and wholehearted approach and as a result he was given a warm reception when he went back to the Emirates with his current club Roma in the Champions League.

At the end of his one and only season with Arsenal, Wenger decided not to sign Baptista permanently and he returned to Real Madrid. During his time in England Baptista showed that he had some qualities that suited the Premiership such as his physical approach, therefore maybe if he was given another season he could have fully adapted to the league. Now that Tottenham could be offering him a return to the Premier League, Baptista would be keen to prove he can cut it in England, after a stop start season at Roma.

However if Tottenham were to sign him would they be bringing him in specifically as a midfielder or a striker? If he is bought to play in midfield then they already have an abundance of options and with Tom Huddlestone, Luka Modric and Wilson Palacios all impressing in the centre last season Baptista would surely only be fourth choice there. Also Spurs have fellow Brazilian Sandro arriving from Internacional so for him to be a midfield acquisition wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense. If Baptista is signed as a striker then he probably wouldn’t do any better than what they’ve got already, therefore you have to ask yourself whether the Brazilian would be the type of player that would dramatically improve their squad better than it already is.

This season the players that Harry Redknapp chooses to sign could be crucial as they will look to try and qualify for the Champions League again. In my view Redknapp can’t really afford to take a risk on a player who although possesses some qualities, has continuted to be undone by a lack of consistency at most clubs he has been.

Would you like to see Baptista at White Hart Lane?

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Click image below to see a gallery of the Argentinean babes at the World Cup:

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