Scorecard A captain’s knock from Mithali Raj lifted India to their third successive win of the Asia Cup against Sri Lanka at Jaipur. Set 172 for victory, India rode on Raj’s 108-ball knock, which included four fours, along with handy 30s from Sunetra Paranjpe and Anjum Chopra.Sri Lanka’s total of 171, largely thanks to half-centuries from Dedunu Silva and Eshani Kaushalya, proved to be inadequate. Choosing to bat first, Sri Lanka were done in by tight Indian bowling, with Jhulan Goswami and Thirush Kamini managing two wickets apiece.Only one other batsman managed double figures and Sri Lanka didn’t get the kick in the final overs. Paranjpe began India’s reply confidently, with a stroke-filled 37, before a 70-run stand between Chopra and Raj sealed the deal.
Damien Martyn, who missed the past four weeks with a painful finger injury, has been recalled to Western Australia’s squad for the ING Cup match against Queensland on Saturday. Martyn suffered the setback during a one-day game against South Australia and was subsequently ruled out of Australia’s one-day tour of New Zealand.With the side winning the series and the middle order performing strongly, Martyn will face a difficult time reclaiming his place and his international career could be over after he was dropped from the Test side after the Ashes. Martyn has replaced the allrounder David Bandy for the Warriors, who will be captained by Marcus North. North has led the side for the past two Pura Cup games after taking over the leadership role when Justin Langer was absent and Martyn was injured.Western Australia squad Marcus North (capt), Clint Heron, Chris Rogers, Adam Voges, Shaun Marsh, Damien Martyn, Ryan Campbell (wk), Brett Dorey, Beau Casson, Ben Edmondson, Mathew Inness and Steve Magoffin.
Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan’s president, has made his pitch for the resumption of cricketing ties with India, which he said would benefit both countries and also cricket in the region.Speaking at a reception to honour the surviving members of the Pakistan cricket team that went on the country’s first Test tour to India in 1952, he said: “It’s very unfortunate that India has not played us for a long time, we need to leave the past aside, India should start playing us for the mutual benefits and for cricket in South Asia.”
Since that inaugural series, bilateral cricket ties have been intermittent at best. There were no matches between 1961 and 1978, and it’s now 14 years since India played a Test match in Pakistan. Pakistan’s last Test tour of India was in 1999, months before the Kargil conflict led to a further deterioration in relations.”Cricket is a passion in South Asia which is so very rich in talent, andteams will improve if we play each other and sports can add interaction,” saidMusharraf.The late Abdul Hafeez Kardar led that 1952 side, and those team-mates who have outlived him were presented with medallions, Pakistan blazers and Rs 200,000 (US$4200) each. The survivors are Fazal Mahmood, Hanif Mohammad, Imtiaz Ahmed, Israr Ali, Khan Mohammad, Waqar Hasan, Wazir Mohammad, Rusi Dinshaw, Zulfiqar Ahmed, Khalid Ibadullah, Khursheed Ahmad and Khalid Qureshi.
Robbie Lawson, unwanted by Otago in its initial selection for the State Shield, made the most of his call-up when his 80 spearheaded a batting assault that allowed the side its first win in eight matches.That the 45-run victory achieved was over old rival Canterbury, at Christchurch’s Jade Stadium, was all the more satisfying.It was an important win in terms of the overall Otago season because it had won nothing before today although it had been in some competitive positions in the State Championship four-day competition and lost its first Shield game by only three runs.It was due for a win, and once getting away to a terrific start with an opening stand of 84 runs in 13 overs, it was always going to be calling the tune on a good pitch on the revamped Jade Stadium.Lawson played the steadying hand from the outset for Otago, and his role when hard-hitting opener Andrew Hore was out for 55, was to assume the main scoring thrust. Once past his 50 off 77 balls, Lawson hit out and acknowledged afterward that he was looking for a century, and beyond, with the amount of time he had available.However, he admitted that he started looking too far ahead and that was his downfall. He was out for 80, bowled off an inside edge and off his pads by off spinner Paul Wiseman, three runs short of his highest score in one-day matches.There was a period in the Otago innings when it seemed they had lost their way. Lawson had shared a 94-run partnership with Craig Pryor who was promoted to No 5.Lawson’s replacement at the crease Jordan Sheed, a member of New Zealand team for the ICC Under-19 World Cup, took 26 balls to get off the mark. And in his haste to get a run, Pryor was run out for 45 off 48 balls.In a tighter game that loss could have been crucial. Pryor was the player who had the hitting power to get Otago up to around 280.As it was, they had to settle for 251/7 which was still a competitive target and one that became moreso with the manner of Canterbury’s chase.The home team made the worst possible start when Otago’s ploy of using off-spinner Nathan McCullum paid off immediately for Otago. Brad Doody was caught from the first ball McCullum bowled.Jarrod Englefield succumbed to the bowling of Kerry Walmsley when held at deep third man for eight runs while Michael Papps also fell to McCullum for 21.Gary Stead and Shanan Stewart added 58 for the fourth wicket, but just as his innings was beginning to blossom, Stewart was well caught by Rob Smith at deep mid off running back towards the boundary with the ball coming over his shoulder. His debut innings ended with his dismissal for 25.Stead was required to attempt to bat his side out of trouble but he succumbed when Walmsley was reintroduced to the attack and was out for 35 scored off 53 balls.Canterbury at that stage were 105/5 and on the end of a disappointing defeat.It might have been tempting for Otago captain Craig Cumming to have taken Smith out of the attack when his first over went for 10 runs. But his perseverance paid off in Smith’s second over when Darron Reekers was unable to get Smith away from the pitch area and when he finally launched into a big shot he was caught at deep mid on for 15.And in his next over Smith had Wiseman caught at the wicket for 16. Canterbury were 138/7.Warren Wisneski started to hit out but when Cumming made the change to Pryor from the northern end of the ground, he had Carl Anderson attempting to hit to the off-side boundary. He too, was guilty of mis-timing the shot and Hore at mid-off was able to run around and take the catch.That left Canterbury on 164/8 and a required run rate of 7.26.Wisneski charged long enough and hard enough to score 45 off 42 balls with four fours and two sixes but when Pryor got through Chris Martin’s defence for the only bowling dismissal of the innings, Canterbury were all out for 206.McCullum responded well to opening the bowling with two for 15 from his seven overs while Walmsley took two for 32 from eight with some fiery bowling.Most encouragingly for Otago was the effort of newcomer James McMillan who took two for 32 from his 10 overs with some fast deliveries included among his package.Otago now travel to Nelson to play Central Districts on Wednesday while Canterbury play Northern Districts at Whangarei.
After a losing day one due to a soggy outfield, play finally got underway at the Allan Border Field and Queensland had the good fortune to the win the toss and elected to bat. When the players left the field for the bad light they were4 for 208 in a shortened day off 80 overs.Andrew Symonds innings of 98 off just 99 balls with ten fours and four big sixeswas the highlight of the days play following a slow start where the run rate barely crept above two runs an over. However Symonds had his luck, being dropped by Jeff Vaughan off Paul Wilson before he had scored.Mind you the rain over the preceding days had an impact on the outfield which was mainly to blame for the run rate but nonetheless the visitors did bowl well in the early stages.In the first session Jimmy Maher and Troy Dixon scored at a slow rate in the early stages and was Maher first to go, edging Swain to Bradley Young at first slip after taking nearly two hours over his 18.After lunch, Dixon’s slow knock came to an end after over two and a half hours of resistance when he edged Wilson to Manou for 30 and the Bulls were 2/62.Tall right hander Martin Love lost his wicket in the following over to Young and suddenly South Australia had a real sniff at 3/62.Stuart Law was joined by Symonds and they progressed to tea with Queensland 3/115 from 56 overs, Law was on 15 and Symonds 36.After tea and scones Law missed one from Swain but then Symonds went on the attack hitting Young for 20 off an over and doing likewise to Ben Johnson. At the close he needs just one for a century and how theSouthern Redbacks must be ruing that dropped chance
Leeds United correspondent Phil Hay has relayed an injury update regarding defender Leo Hjelde ahead of the clash with Aston Villa.
The Lowdown: Hjelde’s absence
Hjelde, labelled as a ‘superb player’ by Paddy Kenny, has made three senior appearances for the Whites this season.
He featured for 67 minutes in Leeds’ last win away at West Ham back in January but hasn’t been seen since hobbling off against Everton last month.
The 18-year-old sustained a knee injury at Goodison Park, and Jesse Marsch has revealed the Norwegian required surgery last week.
The Latest: Hay’s post
Hay took to Twitter on Wednesday to relay news from Marsch’s pre-Villa press conference.
He confirmed that Hjelde has had surgery but may be able to feature before the 2021/22 season comes to an end.
“Leo Hjelde has undergone surgery on the knee injury he suffered against Everton. Marsch hopefully that he might be available before the end of the season.”
The Verdict: From bad to worse
Leeds’ injury issues just haven’t stopped during the current campaign, and this update on Hjelde isn’t exactly ideal.
The Whites were seemingly hopeful that the defender would make a full recovery without needing surgery, but that obviously hasn’t proven to be the case, resulting in the club’s problems going from bad to worse.
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It’s good news that he still may have a role to play this season, but Marsch won’t be able to call upon the exciting teenager in the foreseeable future, yet another hit to the depth at his disposal.
In other news: Phil Hay drops huge Leeds news from Thorp Arch before Villa.
Ashley Giles, the former England left-arm spinner, will join the England Performance Programme (EPP) squad in India as the team’s official spin coach.”I’m really looking forward to the opportunity of working with the players involved in the EPP,” Giles said. “It’s exciting to be so hands-on in a coaching role, particularly with my new position as director of cricket at Warwickshire.”It’ll be great to get back involved in the England set-up after being forced out early through injury and being around an England dressing room again in India will be a fantastic experience.”Martyn Moxon, the director of cricket at Yorkshire, takes on the role of batting coach for the four-week high performance camp, which encompasses two weeks of intensive training at Mohali, followed by two weeks at the MRF Academy in Chennai.
ScorecardAshley Noffke produced a four-wicket haul as Queensland extended their lead at the top of the Ford Ranger Cup table with a comprehensive 32-run against Victoria at the Gabba. The platform was laid by a century opening stand between Jimmy Maher and Matthew Hayden before the Bulls’ attack, led by Noffke, restricted the Bushrangers despite Cameron White’s 77.At 2 for 108, Victoria were on track to make a decent fist of their chase. However, Noffke had Aiden Blizzard caught by Chris Simpson to end a third-wicket stand of 56 with White. When David Hussey was run out three overs later the momentum had swung in Queenland’s direction.The experience of Andy Bichel and Andy Symonds, who celebrated his Test recall with three wickets and a sharp catch, proved too much for the Bulls’ middle order. The result was sealed when Noffke claimed Adam Crosthwaite and White in the space of three balls in the 45th over.After a lean run in the opening two Ashes Tests, Hayden spent valuable time in the middle as he compiled a studious 84 off 110 balls alongside Maher’s 53. It was not just the Victoria bowlers that suffered from Hayden’s power. The square leg umpire Norm McNamara left the field with a broken hand after a Hayden pull shot cannoned into him in the 39th over, and was replaced by the third umpire Andrew Curran.The quick loss of James Hopes and Symonds to Shane Harwood stalled Queensland’s progress but Michael Buchanan and Chris Hartley added 48 off 38 balls for the seventh wicket, a stand that proved decisive.
thatChappellOn the Dravid situationWe would love him to play, and are still hopeful. He sounded pretty good last night when I spoke to him, but then things got worse. I don’t like to think of worst-case situations, but we have good back-up within the squad.On Kumble’s 100th TestHe’s not only one of the greatest that India has produced, but one of greats – a much under-rated bowler. He’s a great competitor and has terrific control. He hardly bowled a bad ball right through the match in Delhi. He has very subtle variations and is not a great turner of the ball, which is probably why he’s so under-rated. He has both consistency and persistence. When I was playing, Dennis Lillee was a great competitor. Anil is right up there with him.On the pitchIt looks pretty good. There’ll be some runs in it. It’ll be a battle of wits much like the Delhi game was. Whoever has more patience will do well, whether that’s batsmen or bowlers.On the team approach to the game, leading 1-0 in the seriesI’ve never been happy to sit on a lead. We’ll go out there and play positive cricket, and try to win every Test we play.On Wasim JafferHe looks good. I’ve never seen him before except for a brief while on TV. He’ll well-organised and has a simple method. I can see him acquitting himself well if and when he’s given the chance.On Murali Kartik going back to play a Ranji Trophy gameThere was no point in him sitting here. It’s better for his career if he gets some match-practice.On the Pathan opening gambitWe decided based on the conditions and circumstances. He has struggled against spin in two previous innings, and we felt that it was a risk that was warranted. On that occasion, it came off. It won’t every time, but when an opportunity presents itself, we might try similar things.I also thought that Rahul Dravid was very bold and brave to take on the task in the first innings. And it was just as courageous of him to come it at No.5 in the second innings. The ball wasn’t coming on, and it wasn’t easy to bat against the soft old ball.On Gambhir’s poor runVery few players go through a career without some lean patches. Almost always, those are the best learning periods, where you find out the most about yourself. Gautam’s been there and done that – he’s scored a Test hundred, and also made a century in ODIs recently. The discussion over whether he should open for us tomorrow should be a short one. We want him to get some runs, and this looks a good track to do it on.On how different the batsmen handled Murali in the second innings at DelhiWe were a lot more positive in the second innings. I heard that he had some problems then, but we also felt that we had allowed him to bowl as he liked in the first innings. But you can’t afford to focus too much on one bowler, though in these conditions, he’s very much the danger man.