Easy wins for Pakistan and England

Pakistan women eased to a six-wicket victory over West Indies in a warm-up game at Basseterre. In a fourteen-member-a-side match, the home side posted 117 after choosing to bat, with in-form opener Stafanie Taylor top scoring with a brisk 41. Medium-pacer Sania Khan and legspinner Urooj Mumtaz combined for five wickets to derail the West Indies middle order after Taylor provided a solid start. Pakistan had little trouble chasing down the target, after each of their top three made substantial contributions. Opener Nain Abidi shepherded the chase with a patient 48, and was only dismissed in the 19th over with victory two runs away.New Zealand maintained their Twenty20 dominance of Australia with an 18-run win in Molyneaux. Opener Suzie Bates made a half-century to guide New Zealand to a competitive 136, a total boosted by the 20 wides bowled by Australia. Sarah McGlashan also chipped in with 29 and was involved in a 56-run stand with Bates for the second wicket. Australia’s reply got off to a poor start as they slipped to 24 for 2. Shelley Nitschke (31) and Alex Blackwell (44*) tried to revive the chase, but the scoring wasn’t at quick enough a pace to force a win.World champions England had an easy outing against India, winning by 25 runs at Basseterre. England’s openers, Sarah Taylor and Charlotte Edwards, put on 46 at nearly a run-a-ball after they chose to bat. The dangerous Claire Taylor was bowled by Amita Sharma for a duck, but Edwards’ 41 took England to 133. India looked in with a chance only during the 48-run third wicket stand between perennial top scorer Mithali Raj (44) and Harmanpreet Kaur (28). With none of the other batsmen making it to double digits, India’s hopes faded and they finished well short.In a low-scoring match at Molyneaux, Sri Lanka pulled off a four-wicket victory over South Africa. After being sent in, Trisha Chetty and Susan Benade were the only South African batsmen to cross 10, which meant they could only set a small target of 94. Medium-pacer Eshani Kaushalya did the damage for Sri Lanka, taking four wickets in two overs to limit South Africa to only 13 runs in the final four overs after they had been 80 for 4. She then helped put Sri Lanka on course for victory with a patient 18 after coming in at 13 for 2. Suwini de Alvis made 31 to guide Sri Lanka before Deepika Rasnagika’s eight-ball 16 sealed the win.

Man Utd join race to sign “superb” Wharton alternative who “everyone is watching”

Manchester United are now racing to sign a “superb” midfielder alongside several Premier League rivals, according to reports.

Man Utd targeting key midfield upgrade

In the summer, INEOS rightly focused on Man United’s frontline. In came Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha as the Red Devils splashed out around £200m. Now, with that problem solved, the minority owners must address Ruben Amorim’s midfield when 2026 arrives.

The Man United boss has been forced to play Lisandro Martinez at the base of his midfield in recent weeks amid Bruno Fernandes’ injury and Bryan Mbeumo’s participation in AFCON which has forced a reshuffle.

Man Utd now rivalling Chelsea in race to sign Serie A defender in January

He’s a wanted man…

ByTom Cunningham

Outside of the central defender, Amorim only has an ageing Casemiro, an out-of-favour Kobbie Mainoo and an untrusted Manuel Ugarte to turn towards unless he picks from the academy. In pursuit of Champions League football, that’s simply not strong enough.

It’s, therefore, no surprise that Man United have made Adam Wharton one of their top targets in 2026. Alongside Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, the Crystal Palace man is top of their list of options to revive Amorim’s midfield.

Other options that have been mentioned in recent weeks includes Ruben Neves. The Al-Hilal midfielder has opted against renewing his contract in Saudi Arabia and is reportedly eyeing a return to the Premier League amid interest from Old Trafford.

If the Portugal international lowers his wage demands then Man United could be perfectly placed to secure his signature as early as next month.

What’s more, according to TeamTalk, Man United are also racing to sign Kees Smit from AZ Alkmaar in a deal that would hand them an alternative to Wharton.

Man Utd racing to sign "superb" Smit

The 19-year-old is one of the brightest prospects in Europe and has attracted interest from Man United, Liverpool, Manchester City and several others as a result. As upgrades go, he would instantly take Ugarte and Casemiro’s place at the heart of United’s midfield whilst also potentially ending Mainoo’s Old Trafford career.

One scout told TeamTalk that the Dutchman is a player that “everyone is watching” ahead of 2026 as one of the most hectic transfer battles begins to form.

Worth around £65m, all signs are pointing towards a top talent and one that INEOS should go all out to sign if they miss out on Wharton next summer.

Looking for straws to grasp

Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s presence in the middle order was badly missed at Leeds © MCC

For a team that sustained the heaviest defeat in its long history to the same opposition only 10 days back – conceding over 500 runs in both Tests – West Indies will snatch at any available straw. Tenuous as they are, a few have presented themselves in advance of the third Test starting at Old Trafford tomorrow.The weather has changed from polar to tropical and runs have been made, wickets taken and long spells enjoyed in warm sunshine, albeit in a leisurely three-day match inbetween Tests.Even though Ramnaresh Sarwan is back home attending to the injured shoulder that forced him out of the entire series, the experienced and reliable Shivnarine Chanderpaul has recovered from his knee injury and can resume his essential place in the middle order, so badly missed at Leeds. Chris Gayle, who damaged a rib muscle in the intervening match, too has recovered.There has even been a little help from the other side. Michael Vaughan, the England captain, has created a distraction for England with some ill-timed, and widely condemned comments on the effect of Andrew Flintoff’s high jinks during the World Cup on team morale. It will take more than a little straw to suddenly make West Indies strong again but these few might render them less compliant than they were.An MCC XI, made up almost exclusively of eager but anonymous university students, bore no resemblance to the intimidating task expected over the coming days. All the same, most West Indies players used the chance for match practice with both bat and ball.Runako Morton’s double hundred and Denesh Ramdin’s ton surely raised the confidence of two players for whom it is more essential than most. And Fidel Edwards and Darren Sammy appreciated lengthy spells in their first chance in the middle since arriving in England over a month ago. To the English media and perhaps even to the England dressing room, such developments are irrelevant. Both appear certain of a repetition of the ruthlessness of Leeds and another thumping victory.It is Vaughan’s assertion that Flintoff’s much publicised, inebriated escapade on a paddle boat in St Lucia in the early hours of the morning after the first round loss to New Zealand in the World Cup that has attracted most attention. Flintoff’s weak ankle that required a second operation this week has put him out of the series but he remains an immensely popular cricketer in England, especially in Manchester where he plays his county cricket for Lancashire.Vaughan’s quote in a newspaper interview on Monday that the St Lucia incident “did affect morale” and “changed the whole atmosphere in the camp” has drawn widespread censure, especially from Jim Cumbes, Lancashire’s chief executive.Vaughan was yesterday engaged in the kind of damage control at which shrewd politicians are so adept, claiming he had been misquoted and misrepresented. But he is unlikely to be welcomed by the Lancastrian crowd today as he was in the previous Test at his home ground at Headingley. Even if they kidnap Vaughan and hold him hostage, however, it would make little impression on the gap, in every area, that has emerged in the first two Tests.Six England batsmen have helped themselves to hundreds already, the devastating Kevin Pietersen a double. The only West Indian hundreds have been to bowlers, four in the first Test, three in the second.For all the West Indies collapses at Leeds for 146 and 141, there were extenuating circumstances – the absence of Chanderpaul and Sarwan, the bowler-friendly conditions, the weather. It was their bowling and fielding that were more shocking in both instances. Lord’s, where they totaled 437 and 89 without loss, was a more accurate guide to their capacity on a true pitch. Old Trafford’s is dry and rock hard but if its character resembles last year’s Test against Pakistan, pace and bounce, rather than swing and seam, will be the problem. Steve Harmison took 11 for 77 in the match as Pakistan – Inzamam, Mohammad Yousuf, Younis Khan and all – were toppled for 119 and 222, losing by an innings and 120 runs.The present West Indies fast bowlers struggle to take 11 wickets in a series, far less a match, and a change in the trio so far used – Jerome Taylor, Daren Powell and Corey Collymore – is necessary. Edwards, who reportedly generated genuine pace on a benign pitch against the MCC, would add bite, but control is also required to prevent England’s batting romping along at five runs an over.Ravi Rampaul might have provided it but he broke down after 21 balls in his only bowl last Saturday. A case might be made for Sammy but where would be fit in?The straws are welcome but the problems won’t go away.

Shahid Nazir named in Pakistan squad

Shahid Nazir in the nets following his inclusion in the tour squad © AFP

Few surprises emerged in a 16-man squad announced by Pakistan’s selectors for the tour to England which begins later this month. Shahid Nazir has been recalled, in place of the injured Shoaib Akhtar, but the selectors and Bob Woolmer, Pakistan’s coach, were both satisfied that the squad was the strongest one available.Wasim Bari, the chief selector, told Cricinfo that despite Shoaib’s absence, Pakistan will arrive with a strong pace attack. “I think this is the best squad we could get, especially after the news of Shoaib’s fracture. We will miss him of course – any side would – but in Shahid Nazir we have a bowler who is suited to English conditions and is a good option for the captain.”As a consolation, Shoaib’s absence is not unusual for Pakistan; they drew in India and the West Indies last year and won in Sri Lanka recently without him. The emergence of Mohammad Asif and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and the return of Umar Gul has helped ease the burden and with Mohammad Sami recalled as well (Bari said the bowler has been working “extremely hard” since he was dropped after the India series), Pakistan’s seam attack still has an enviable depth.”We’ve played and done well in a few series without Shoaib,” said Woolmer. “Obviously his presence and express pace are good to have, but I am happy with the squad we have. Shahid Nazir can be very good in these conditions.”Shoaib’s participation at some point during the tour has, of course, not been ruled out yet least of all by Bari or the bowler. “I am very hopeful that he will play at some stage of the series. He will have another scan in six weeks and we will see after that,” said Bari. And Shoaib told AFP he was planning to be fit in time to play at least the last two Tests of the series.His absence apart, little about the squad warranted debate; in Woolmer’s words, “this is a squad that has done very well and we don’t want to be chopping and changing all the time.” As is now the norm, there is a scarcity of specialist openers in whom confidence can be invested. Salman Butt and Imran Farhat are selected, though Shoaib Malik is likely to open with one of them in the Tests. “I don’t understand why people have issues with him as an opener,” said Woolmer, referring to a number of half-century opening stands and a maiden Test hundred in Colombo recently since Malik added opening to a burgeoning list of roles.”He is a good, good cricketer. All opening batsmen are under pressure, but he’s gutsy and the sort of bloke you want in your team. And he’s done pretty well as opener.”Below them – always nice to say – is a middle order that picks itself. Asim Kamal’s continued absence (though he remains a reserve member) might grate with some, but his poor domestic form and the robust international display of Faisal Iqbal recently, lessens the impact of his absence.And because it is England, mischievous mutterings about little Mushie, currently busy tormenting English batsmen on the county circuit, still float around. Bari and Woolmer played their part, neither ruling out, nor ruling in, a Mushtaq cameo at some point in the summer.Woolmer hinted that he might not be needed: “Danish [Kaneria] is our No. 1 spinner but we also have back-up in Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik. The pitches at that time of year in England will also have uneven bounce so we’re looking more at our seam attack to do the work.”But Bari said, open-endedly: “We can’t pre-plan these things and it all depends on what happens as the tour progresses, but he is in good form certainly.” That form has seen him help Sussex to the top of the County table and help himself to 47 wickets from seven matches.With England still suffering from a calamitous injury list, you could almost be tempted into believing Pakistan stand a more-than-decent chance of preserving an unbeaten record on England tours since 1982. Almost, but not quite, says Woolmer. “I don’t look into the future. I respect the team, any team, that we play against. We still have to play very good cricket and win those crucial sessions to win matches. Above all we must take every game seriously.”Pakistan squad Inzamam-ul Haq (capt), Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Shoaib Malik, Salman Butt, Imran Farhat, Kamran Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Danish Kaneria, Faisal Iqbal, Muhammad Sami, Rana Naved, Mohammad Asif, Umar Gul, Shahid Nazir.

Karthik turns it around

Dinesh Karthik answered his critics with a superb knock under pressure© AFP

On the fourth day of the Mohali Test, Dinesh Karthik had every reason to be nervous. Not because he was bleeding byes off some wayward bowling, not because he had wasted a golden opportunity to prove to the world that he could handle a bat, but because there was a realistic possibility that he would not be picked for the second Test. It is no secret that Kiran More, the chairman of selectors, prefers Parthiv Patel, and has been making a strong case for his return to the fold. And Sourav Ganguly certainly wasn’t averse to the idea. But, in 208 minutes of dazzling batting, Karthik banished such ideas into the deep recesses, for the moment anyway.”I was not really under pressure. I had confidence in my ability. Rahul [Dravid] was there at the other end, and that made my job easier,” Karthik would say at the end of the day. Yet, when Karthik came out to bat India were trickily poised at 156 for 4, with VVS Laxman having retired hurt after a sickening blow above the left eyebrow. For a moment India, though powered by a Dravid special, were in danger of squandering the initiative. Had they lost a wicket, Pakistan would have been into the tail, and in with a serious chance of getting right back into the game.Karthik had other ideas. The one consistent complaint about his batting is that he tries to play far too many shots. He does not believe in offering a dead bat, and tries to manufacture strokes. But, that is only a manifestation of the confidence he has in his own ability, and on the day it served India well.Karthik refused to be cowed down when the bowlers, inspired by a hostile spell from Mohammad Sami, put in maximum effort. It certainly helped that he had Dravid, batting at his peak, as a partner. The two ran for each other, pinching singles and irritating fielders in the circle, on a swelteringly hot day. Their fluency made it impossible for Pakistan’s bowlers to build up any sort of pressure.Danish Kaneria, forced to resort to a restrictive line, bowling into the rough created by bowlers’ footmarks, suffered the most from Karthik’s nimble hand-work. Karthik came down the wicket and half-flicked, half-drove the ball through midwicket; he rocked back and pulled square when midwicket was back on the fence; he swept hard and fine. But the first indication of the manner in which he rattled the Pakistanis came when they sent four fielders, stationed at fine leg, square leg, long-on and long-off, to the ropes. And then, Karthik, after carefully surveying the field, reverse-swept Kaneria from a foot outside leg stump for four.Even when Dravid was finally dismissed, after a stand of 165 that had put India right back on top, Karthik, who was on 85, did not slow down. There was a century for the taking, but he refused to think about that, constantly looking to innovate and score boundaries. When he finally fell for 93, scored from 140 balls with 13 fours, he got a standing ovation from a noisily appreciative crowd. Had he been more careful, and selfish, he could have plodded along meticulously and got the seven more runs he needed to reach a milestone that is the holiest of them all to most cricketers. But he would not have won the hearts of the crowd, the absolute confidence of his team-mates or the faith of the selectors.

Tasmanian Indigenous Team Selected

The Tasmanian Cricket Association in conjunction with the Office of Sport & Recreation and the Indigenous Sports Unit of the ACS are pleased to announce the Tasmanian Indigenous X1 to compete in the Imparja Cup to be held in Alice Springs from 26th February to 29th February 2003.All states and territories will be represented at the championship, with all teams playing four (4) preliminary matches. The two leading teams will then play off in the final in a 40 over a side match to be held at Traeger Park under lights.The Tasmanian team has a blend of youth and experience and a strong performance is expected.Sean Gower, an experienced player who has played many seasons of first grade cricket in the NWTCA competition, will captain the team. Sean also represented in the ATSIC X1 last season.The team will be coached by Tim Coyle and managed by Don Gardiner.The team is;
Sean Gower (Captain), Guy Grey (Vice-Captain), Colin Lamont, Greg Medcraft, Guy McLean, Jamie Green, Christian Nickolai, Bernie Lamont, Brett Stevenson, Brian Summers, Jarrod Wells, Dean Harris, Nathan Kopper.Coach: Tim Coyle
Manager: Don Gardner

Bulls bowlers fight back well in Adelaide heat

ADELAIDE, Feb 4 AAP – Queensland’s bowling attack showed great perseverance in extreme heat to overcome a poor start and finish day one on level terms with South Australia in their Pura Cup match at Adelaide Oval.The Redbacks were 7-283 in their first innings at stumps, with former Queensland all-rounder Mick Miller unbeaten on 48 and Brad Young on six.On a day when the temperature climbed to 41 degrees and two drink breaks were needed each session, SA skipper Greg Blewett would have been very happy when he won the toss and forced Queensland into the field.The Redbacks then made the Bulls toil hard, batting to conserve wickets in the opening session, crawling to 1-49 at lunch, with opener David Fitzgerald on 13 from 93 balls and Blewett on 14.Blewett and Fitzgerald then pushed SA into a position of apparent command, adding 65 runs in the first 13 overs after lunch to take the Redbacks to 1-114, at which stage the bowlers could have wilted under the strain.Fitzgerald, who scored 15 runs without a boundary in the first 100 balls he faced, broke the shackles with 25 runs from 29 balls, including five boundaries, during this period.But Queensland hit back, with medium pacer James Hopes breaking the 84-run second-wicket stand, having Fitzgerald caught at gully for 40 in the 42nd over, and Blewett was caught at first slip for 49 off Ashley Noffke’s bowling three balls later.By tea, SA was 5-142, having lost 4-28 in the last 15 overs of the middle session.”Through that middle session I think all the guys bowled pretty well on a pretty even wicket,” Noffke told reporters.Noffke had the day’s best figures of 3-63 to be the only multiple wicket-taker in his return after missing two Pura Cup games with a finger injury.In the final session, second-gamer Mark Cosgrove and wicketkeeper Graham Manou showed some fight for SA with a 67-run sixth-wicket partnership, Cosgrove top-scoring with 52 in an innings which included two sixes over mid-wicket from off-spinner Nathan Hauritz’s bowling.Hauritz had his revenge, having Cosgrove caught in the deep two balls after he brought up his 50 with a six.Manou (30) fell four overs later, lbw padding up to an in-swinging delivery from left-arm medium pacer Lee Carseldine.But Miller and Young put on an unbroken 60-run eighth-wicket stand to help SA back to level terms by the close of play and make tomorrow’s opening session crucial.”It was disappointing maybe not to get the last three wickets wrapped up but we’ve got to come back here tomorrow morning with a job to do, get that done quickly, and get out there batting ourselves,” Noffke said.

The time to groom another opener is now

The troublesome opening position is once more throwing up a few tantrums onthe eve of the second Test at Harare. Sadagoppan Ramesh’s position has beenupset due to a string of ordinary performances and a back ailment which hascropped up with an uncanny sense of timing. A fit Ramesh would indubitablyhave been India’s best candidate for the job. It is a little surprisingthat an opening stand of 71 in the Indian run chase at Bulawayo does notget sufficient consideration in the argument over Ramesh’s Test place. Thebottomline is the partnership and not the individual scores of the twobatsmen and indeed there have been few numerically superior opening standsby Indian pairs on tour in the last few years.To get to the last century opening stand in an away Test, one has to goback to Hamilton in 1993/94 when Sidhu and Mongia notched up 102. Theeffort by Messrs. Ramesh and Das does not compare unfavourably althoughthey had a fortuitous break when Das was given not out on nought aftergloving a catch down the leg side off Brighton Watambwa. Zimbabwe’s bowlingwas badly defanged but an early wicket would have still caused a flutter inthe Indian camp, given the devils from the past over chasing low fourth inningsscores. In the end, Ramesh’s back problem kept him out of contention,foisting another interim arrangement, something whichthe team seems to delight in. Hemang Badani is the latest appointee and goodluck to him.There is a causal relationship between the success of the opening pair andsuccess of the team; in the last 15 years, India has lost only one Test inwhich there has been a century stand for the first wicket. Opening is aspecialist job, yet the refusal to recognise that reality cannot beencouraging. The stark indifference is best symbolised by the lack ofeffort to groom another candidate who can step into the breach in caseinjury or poor form renders either of the present incumbents a non-starter.It cannot be true that Ramesh and Das are so far ahead of the competition.Akash Chopra, Gagan Khoda, Satyajit Parab and Jai P Yadav all hadsuccessful domestic seasons. Also waiting in the wings is 19-year-oldVinayak Ramesh Mane whose uncanny resemblance to another Mumbaikar whosemiddle name he shares is fast making him the hottest contender for the position.But a third opener was conspicuously absent from the preparatory camp inBangalore before the Zimbabwe tour. The reason trotted out that Ramesh andDas were expected to play both Tests in Zimbabwe was ludicrous to say theleast. The presence of Laxman, Tendulkar, Ganguly and Dravid at Nos. 3-6did not after all prevent the selectors from naming a flotilla of middleorder batsmen amongst the probables.It hardly mattered if the places in the touring party were booked; theopportunity was there to expose a youngster to the methods of the new coachand to just imbibe the whole experience of being in the company of thenational team and it went abegging. Nor was the oversight a one-off. Nothird opener was selected for the gruelling camp in Chennai before theAustralian tour in February either, a fact that chairman of selectorsChandu Borde was actually unaware of. It beggars belief but Borde blithelyproclaimed at an impromptu press conference that the camp had a reserveopener. Of course he was unable to name the gentleman in question.

Calvert-Lewin failed Lampard vs WHU

Everton failed in their quest for points today, as West Ham United got the better of them in a 2-1 affair that saw a Michael Keane red card as a result of two yellows.

The loss means that Lampard’s side have taken just three points from a possible 15, with their form potentially leaving them relegation-bound if they continue down this path.

The loss leaves them in 17th place and, although they are just three points away from the relegation zone, they do at least have two games in hand on Watford and Norwich respectively.

It is worth noting that whilst the Toffees find themselves four points above 19th place Burnley, the Clarets also have two games in hand on relegation rivals Watford and Norwich and could close the gap between themselves and Everton to just one point with a win when the two sides meet in three days time.

The next game against Burnley is crucial for Lampard’s men, and with the performance that he saw today, he will be no doubt be worried over the Toffees’ chances of ensuring their Premier League status, come next season.

Calvert-Lewin’s lacklustre display

Whilst it seemed like an odd decision from Lampard to bring off a player who has proven himself as an out-and-out goalscorer throughout the season prior, he had valid reason to do so.

Although he was replaced by Anthony Gordon with 22 minutes to go, Dominic Calvert-Lewin had plenty of time to assert his authority on the game.

But unfortunately for Lampard, he failed to repay his faith in starting him.

With just 23 touches, he failed to get into the game to the extent that both goalkeepers, Lukasz Fabianski and Jordan Pickford, alarmingly each had more touches than the 25-year-old.

Calvert-Lewin came close as he hit the woodwork, though it is worth noting that the shot had an xG total of 0.09 due to the crowded position that the Englishman struck it from.

Although they were in and around the same position, Richarlison had a much more positive impact on the game and registered 56 touches and 24 passes, as opposed to Calvert-Lewin’s measly 11 passes.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.


By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

With Calvert-Lewin failing to score in yet another game, it means he is still yet to grab a goal in 2022.

Another disappointing display from Lampard’s Everton side, with the £72k-per-week forward offering very little.

In other news – Lamps can finally axe £30m “liability” as Everton plot bid for colossal 6ft6 ”monster”

South Africans to miss first four IPL games

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.

Game
Register
Service
Bonus