Afghanistan will tour England, playing Essex, Glamorgan and Leicestershire 2nd XIs during their 18-day trip which kicks-off on June 11.”This year is very important for our cricket,” Taj Malik Alam, their coach, told the BBC. “I think it will be a turning point and if we win all the matches then we can get the attention of the international cricket community. We have a long way to go but we really want to participate in the World Cup and become one of the best teams in the world.””It is a great honour to play in England,” said Dawlat Khan Ahmadzai, one of the squad. “Everyone is waiting for us to go, they want to see what we can do and we want to make the most of this opportunity.”In March, the Afghan side beat an MCC XI, skippered by Mike Gatting, in a game played at Mumbai.Cricket is now Afghanistan’s third most popular sport, behind buzkashi and football.Money raised from the tour will be used to help fund the building of a cricket ground in Kabul.Tour itinerary June 11 – Hoddesdon June 14 – Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst June 15 – Glamorgan 2nd XI, Swansea June 19 – Loughborough UCCE June 20 – Essex 2nd XI, Billericay June 21 – Leicestershire 2nd XI, Hinckley Town June 22 – Ditchling CC, Sussex
Sanath Jayasuriya could follow Muttiah Muralitharan to England next summer having been approached by the Scottish Saltires who are looking for a top-quality overseas star for their third season in the Totesport League Two.”There are one or two big names who are interested in coming over. Jayasuriya is one of several we are talking to,” Saltires skipper Craig White was quoted as saying on BBC Online. Marvan Atapattu, Sri Lanka’s skipper, had also been approached. Sri Lanka are taking a break from international cricket from February to mid-July next year creating a window of opportunity for their players to play a half-season in England. Sri Lanka’s cricket board is encouraging the players to go to gain valuable experience.The main stumbling block to the Jayasuriya deal will be money. Scotland lack the financial muscle of the counties and a deal with Rahul Dravid in their first season was only clinched after assistance from the Indian expatriate community in Scotland.Scotland are keen to wrap up the deal as soon as possible: “Obviously we would like to be able to make a decision as soon as possible, because it would encourage season-ticket package sales and create a buzz,” admitted White.Muralitharan signed for Lancashire earlier in the week for a third season after stints in 1999 and 2001 and Mohan de Silva, Sri Lanka’s cricket board president, hopes that it will pave the way for more players securing county contracts in the coming months.”I hope Murali’s signing paves the way for more Sri Lankan cricketers to have stints with counties,” said de Silva. “The contrasting conditions could only make a player better.” Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara are both being sought contracts by former England batsman Neil Fairbrother, who works with a leading sports agency called International Sports Management, the UK agents for Muralitharan.
Arjuna Ranatunga, the former Sri Lankan captain and serial Warne-baiter, haslabeled Shane Warne as a potential liability for the forthcoming Test seriesagainst Sri Lanka and described Australia’s current team as “unimpressive.”In an interview with Australia newspapers, Ranatunga, now a politician,believes Sri Lanka’s batsmen have little to fear if, as expected, Warne isnamed in Australia’s Test squad on Friday for the first time since aone-year drugs ban.”I feel that they will struggle, especially under these conditions,”Ranatunga is quoted as saying. “The present Australian team areunimpressive, when you look at the teams they used to have with the Waughsand Glenn McGrath.””Sri Lankan sides are quite good with spin … and Warne might have anissue here. Warne has been out a long time and he might struggle to getthrough the Sri Lankan batting line-up.” Ranatunga added, “The Australianspin attack is not impressive at all when you see that we have Muraliand others on our side.”Ranatunga had made a pastime out of baiting Warne ever since, on the eve ofthe 1999 World Cup, Warne suggested that the Sri Lankan team would be betteroff without Ranatunga.Ranatunga urged Sri Lanka’s current team to stand up to Australia in thefield. “I don’t know about this team but we used to feel when we gave it[verbally] back to the Australians they would crumble. I was one person whowas always against sledging but that was how it seemed. I’m not sure whatthis [Sri Lankan] team will do.”
There will be a News Conference with South African batsman Graeme Smith atthe Sandton Sun at 5pm today. All media are welcome to attend.WHO: GRAEME SMITHWHERE: JACARANDA ROOM – SANDTON SUN HOTELWHEN: 5pm – FRIDAY 14TH FEBRUARY
New Zealand’s Level III cricket coaches will be receiving their latest round of training over the next month.With about 70 Level III coaches spread over the six provincial associations, New Zealand Cricket’s director of coaching development John Howell and the director of player development Ashley Ross will be visiting each association to conduct the two-day courses.Coaches at this level are required to attend a new course every four years to maintain their certification.Among some of the Level III coaches are: Sir Richard Hadlee, Tony Blain, Allen McLaughlin, Matt Horne, Llorne Howell, Ann McKenna, Denis Aberhart, Gary MacDonald, Lee Germon, Michael Sharpe, Dave Hadfield, Mark Greatbatch, Scott Briasco, Alistar Jordan, Paul Unwin, Brendon Bracewell, Chris Kuggeleijn, Cliff Dickeson, Karl Treiber, Mike Wright, Grant Bradburn, Michael Austen, Julie Harris, Sarah Kelly, Vaughn Johnson, Kristy Van Dyk.Also taking part will be Lyn Kidman of the Christchurch College of Education who will be discussing the subject of player empowerment, the subject of a book she has recently written.This relates to players being more responsible for their own decision-making.New Zealand national coach David Trist will work with Howell on what is a team culture while Howell and Ross will also discuss the role of decision-making.They have just completed a course in Auckland which dealt with learning styles and Howell said the role of decision-making was becoming a big thing in cricket.It was an area with a lot of debate and said there was great interest in the type of decision-making that saw less orthodox batsmen like Nathan Astle and Andrew Jones play a ball a certain way and survive while more orthodox players played it another way and got out.”People in pressure situations often react differently to an event than they would in normal life,” Howell said.There would also be tactical and strategic discussions on things such as whether a spinner like Sri Lankan Mutiah Muralitharan should be played in front of the pad in the way Martin Crowe preferred or behind the pad as John Reid preferred.As part of the programme, regional under-19 high performance squads will be working with Ross at each venue on skills practices with the coaches observing.Another part of the course will involve Bruce Blair working on Digi-Cricket, the coaching programme designed by former Australian women’s cricket coach John Harmer, who is now the England women’s coach. Blair will also deal with what makes the tough, elite athlete.Ross will also discuss whether athletes should have their styles changed or should they be left alone?The first session will be held in Hamilton on June 27-28, the second in Wellington on July 1-2, the third at Palmerston North on July 3-4, the fourth on July 5-6 in Auckland, the fifth in Dunedin on July 9-10 and the final session in Christchurch on July 11-12.From August 1-3, development workshops will be held at Lincoln University with the first-class coaches and other invited coaches. The programme will be slightly different to that for Level IIII coaches.
Xabi Alonso believes his former Liverpool team-mate Steven Gerrard has the ability and technical skill to play for Real Madrid, Barcelona or even for Spain, according to Liverpoolfc.com.
Gerrard made his 600th appearance for Liverpool on Sunday against Newcastle, and played many of those games in a midfield partnership with the Spanish playmaker, who was at Anfield from 2004 to 2009. During that time, the Reds won the Champions League and the F.A. Cup.
Alonso used the landmark occasion to speak for his admiration for the England International on Real Madrid TV.
We are great friends and we still keep in touch,” said the Spaniard.
“He was a great influence to me. When I arrived at Liverpool I was 22 and he was the captain, he was the main man at the club. For me he was a reference, the way he behaved with his teammates and with the supporters as well. I learned a lot from him.
Alonso, aged 30, continued by discussing some of Gerrard’s on-pitch attributes.
“He could play in any national team in the world because he has so many great qualities. He is flexible. He can play at the English pace or he can associate with the ball very well.
“He is a very intelligent player, so he could play anywhere – not just any national team but any club in the world.
The Real Madrid midfielder believes that despite not winning international trophies, the England Captain will go down in history as one of Football’s greatest players.
“He’ll absolutely be remembered as one of the greats. For me he is already one of the greats.
“He has achieved great things and in very important moments he has been the man for Liverpool. We had great European nights and he was the main man. For me he’s a great player.
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On paper it looks like a done deal. New South Wales should win the 2007-08 Pura Cup and they ought to do it comfortably. The Blues are hosting the final at the SCG, they need only a draw to secure the title, and seven members of their starting line-up have Test experience. Victoria have one man with a baggy green in his cupboard, although it’s only been worn five times and has not been dusted off in more than two years.But the script is not always followed in cricket, as Australia know after their unexpected defeat in the CB Series. The presence of the current and former internationals Brett Lee, Michael Clarke, Stuart Clark, Stuart MacGill, Nathan Bracken, Phil Jaques, Simon Katich and Brad Haddin only increases the expectation on New South Wales, and according to the Victoria batsman David Hussey, that plays into the visitors’ hands.”It’s looking very positive for the New South Wales team, full of stars,” Hussey said. “But I think it’s a good thing. All the pressure is basically on them. The whole of the Victorian squad, if we can prepare well, can sort of glide into Sydney like a shark. We’re such a tight-knit group I know we’ll all be playing for each other.”It’s as close to a Test match as you can possibly get. Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Nathan Bracken – they’re all Test quality so for myself as a batsman I’m really looking forward to that challenge. We really can’t wait to take on their team because it really is going to be like a Test match experience.”It has been almost impossible to split the two sides all season, so much so that a first-innings tie in their previous match secured both their places in the decider with two rounds remaining. The sudden influx of international experience tilts things in the Blues’ favour, with Brad Hodge the only Victorian who has played Test cricket.The availability of the stars is a stroke of scheduling luck for New South Wales. Not since 1991-92 has the state final been blessed with the presence of so many current Australia players, and on that occasion the benefits were shared between New South Wales and Western Australia. Only in 1995-96 could the national representatives of the day appear in the decider but neither of the finalists, South Australia or Western Australia, had any internationals to call on.To make room for the returning men the Blues have been forced to squeeze out several men who have been integral in helping them get so close to the triumph: Matthew Nicholson, Peter Forrest and probably Grant Lambert and Mark Cameron, who are in the 13-man squad. Bracken has played five Pura Cup games this summer but has been in ODI mode for two months, and he said it was an awkward but inevitable situation.
“It’s never nice to walk in and basically take somebody’s spot but you’ve got to realise that a lot of the guys [coming back] were in the same boat,” Bracken said. “I know Stuart Clark was in the same position when he started, he’d be out depending on the Australian players.”We are used to being put in crunch situations where you basically do have to walk into something, sometimes a little bit cold and get ready to play. With Australian commitments you can go overseas and play over there when you haven’t done anything for what could be two or three months.”It means a very different looking New South Wales side to the one that lost last year’s final to Tasmania – only four men from that team are likely to be used in this decider. One of those players is Katich, the captain, who is the competition’s leading scorer with 1328 runs at 94.85 and needs a further 137 to break the all-time record.”I couldn’t have asked for anything better, except for perhaps a better showing from us in the one-dayers,” Katich said of his personal success and his team’s impressive 2007-08. “If we can win one of the three titles we can walk away pretty content with where we’re at.”For Victoria, one out of three is not enough. They already have the Twenty20 prize and lost the FR Cup to Tasmania, and they are desperate to secure the last Pura Cup before the competition changes names – the milk company is ending its sponsorship after this game. “It’s a great achievement for the whole of the Victorian Bushrangers squad of reaching three finals but there’s no point being in the finals unless you’re going to win it,” Hussey said. “Last year we played in two finals so we’re definitely improving.”The odds might be stacked against Victoria but they have reasons to be optimistic. Hussey is second only to Katich on the run tally, Hodge has had another strong season and Cameron White has found batting form at the right time. Peter Siddle’s bowling has improved immensely, Bryce McGain is one of the country’s top two spinners and Andrew McDonald’s all-round efforts have again been important. Win or lose, the Bushrangers can at least hope that by this time next year they, like their esteemed opponents, will have more than one Test player on their books.New South Wales squad Phil Jaques, Phillip Hughes, Simon Katich (capt), Michael Clarke, Dominic Thornely, Brad Haddin (wk), Grant Lambert, Beau Casson, Brett Lee, Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Stuart MacGill, Mark Cameron.Victoria squad Nick Jewell, Rob Quiney, Lloyd Mash, Brad Hodge, David Hussey, Cameron White (capt), Andrew McDonald, Adam Crosthwaite (wk), Shane Harwood, Peter Siddle, Clint McKay, Bryce McGain, Dirk Nannes.
She was one of the few women to pierce the consciousness of the average cricket follower. Australia, in particular, will miss her on-field prowess. So, how do you solve a problem like finding the new Cathryn Fitzpatrick? The answer – make her your coach.Australia have just appointed her as their acting head, two months after she retired following 16 years as the world’s fastest female bowler. And in the next few weeks, she could be offered the lead roles for both Australia and England, after registering her interest for the two jobs.”I have a passion for coaching and am happy to see where the journey takes me,” she says. She thought her first stop would be Ireland, where she was all set to take on a playing/coaching role in the country, but she had to change her plans at the last minute after Mark Sorrell’s resignation.As for passion, if she’s half as fired-up in the coaching arena then whoever wins her services will be thanking their lucky stars – whichever team misses out had better watch out for their bails. She hasn’t ruled out taking on Australia’s men, or indeed any other men’s team, one day. “I don’t intend my coaching to be gender specific.”In the meantime she will hopefully be able to concentrate on developing the next Fitzpatrick. “There are certainly some fantastic bowlers around the world. India’s Jhulan Goswami will only get better, as will Katherine Brunt, of England, as long as she remains injury-free.”But is there someone to replace her in the Australian camp? “I thought Emma Sampson competed well in her first outing and as she develops a fast bowler’s body she will pick up a yard or two of pace. I think it all looks very exciting.”She won’t be drawn on which job she would prefer – “I haven’t even thought about having to make such a decision” – but she had no doubts that she would ever play for her country. “I always knew I’d play for Australia,” she says, following the Aussie rite of passage of playing in the backyard and then progressing, “but I didn’t realise how hard it was going to be.”
Over the years she’s had to learn to toughen herself up, particularly when receiving criticism from unexpected quarters. Two years ago, as part of her training to be an Academy coach, she was seconded to assist with the Australia men’s team for the Super Tests. It was widely reported that Geoff Lawson took exception, dismissing the involvement of a female as “a symptom of too many peripheral and left-field coaching ideas.”She shrugs it off. “I think Geoff’s comments were uninformed and I was disappointed that he didn’t explore the situation before making the comments. No hard feelings, though.”Lawson, a coach of elite women’s cricket, was disappointed at the reporting of his comments, and he told Cricinfo they were misconstrued. “The Australian team did not even have any sort of bowling coach at the time, and they needed one. I had been a big fan of her bowling, attitude and discipline and wish her all the best in her coaching career.”Fitzpatrick turned the whole situation into a positive – “I was overwhelmed by the support shown to me from the playing group.”Besides which, now the apprentice has turned sorcerer. She has said that whoever receives her services – and it’s a fair assumption that she’ll get at least one of the two jobs – she may just have a few secret weapons to bringto coaching. “My playing experience and the opportunity to work alongside coaches of Troy Cooley’s calibre has enabled me to add to my bag of tricks.”But like a good magician, she’s keeping the secrets secret. She will, however, explain how she conjured so many wickets: and she exclusively revealed to Cricinfo the secret of fast, accurate bowling. “Genetics – and a very strong work ethic.” Ah.So what’s it like working with Cooley? “Ace!” she grins. “Such a great guy who challenges players to strive to next the level. It doesn’t matter if you’ve played 100 games or three, you’ll learn something from Troy.” Just another thing for England’s men to kick themselves over.Fitzpatrick’s not had time to miss playing, having just recovered from a knee operation by cycling and going hard at the gym. Besides which it’s off season in Australia, “so I haven’t had to deal with it just yet.” That will come – unless, as is likely, she sweeps into a coaching role and keeps the women’s show sparkling.
It was rain which set up the opportunity for Zimbabwe to snatch an improbable victory in the sixth ODI at Trinidad’s Queen’s Park Oval, but it also ultimately washed out that hope. It also rendered an excellent hundred from Runako Morton earlier in the day redundant.When West Indies set Zimbabwe a target of 264, even with a very scratchy bowling attack, few doubted they would win. But two overs into the Zimbabwe innings the heavens opened, and when play resumed Duckworth/Lewis presented them with a much more appealing ask of 184 off 28 overs with all their wickets intact.Vusi Sibanda started briskly, but it was clear that attacking was alien to Terry Duffin, and after a few swiches – a couple of which were successful – he perished when he deflected a reverse sweep straight into the wicketkeeper’s hands. He was soon followed by Piet Rinke, who must be desperate for this series to end. When you are out of form little goes right, and he was left high and dry by a call from Sibanda and a good one-handed pick-up from Brian Lara.Brendan Taylor signalled his intent by lofting Chris Gayle for a straight six, and with the bowlers gifting wides – 13 in 12 overs – the unthinkable was becoming a possibility. Then, with Zimbabwe requiring 119 from almost 18 overs, the rain returned, only heavier, and that was that. Given their inability to chase anything over 200, this probably represented Zimbabwe’s best chance of a win on this tour.The first innings had been dominated by Morton’s a start-stop hundred and some late hitting from the lower-middle order which enabled West Indies to post a respectable 263 for 6. The final score was good enough, but it was for long periods fairly unimpressive batting.For a time Morton and Ramnaresh Sarwan appeared to be building another daunting total as Zimbabwe’s pop-gun seamers haemorrhaged runs. The only surprise in the first 30 overs was that Gayle, who had been in such deadly form on Wednesday, missed out, playing round a straight ball from Tawanda Mupariwa early on. That aside, it was once again not so much a challenge for the West Indies batsmen as a glorified net.Mupariwa apart, Zimbabwe’s seamers were poor and lacked any threat, and their fielding, so good in the first three games, completely fell apart. Morton batted with authority, clipping the ball confidently off his legs and driving powerfully down the ground. Sarwan, content to play second fiddle, nevertheless found it easy to keep the scoreboard ticking over.But the introduction of spin in the form of the increasingly impressive Prosper Utseya along with Ryan Higgins not only stemmed the flow, but also put the skids under the innings. Higgins removed Sarwan and a subdued Lara in quick succession, and with Morton becalmed as his hundred neared, West Indies almost ground to a halt. Between them, Higgins and Utseya only conceded one boundary in their 20 overs; there were 25 in the other 30.The return of the seamers restored order and brought a enthusiastic crowd to light, but not before another hiccough or two. Morton brought up his hundred with a straight drive and briefly threatened to cut lose before he holed out to long on, and then Marlon Samuels was run out without facing a ball and Dwayne Smith was airily bowled by Mupariwa. At 206 for 6 there were few smiles.But Rinke and Keegan Meth are almost certainly the two least-able death bowlers in the world game – and possibly outside it – and Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Carlton Baugh showed no mercy, pulling and driving at will. The shots of the innings came when Chanderpaul twice smacked one-handed sixes over midwicket.Even though Mupariwa was brought back to try to restore sanity, the horse had bolted and his otherwise excellent figures were ruined as his final two over went for 24 and Zimbabwe’s last seven for 70.The series finishes tomorrow, assuming that the rains relent. But when you schedule matches at a time when rain is far from abnormal, what can you expect. The Indians, who are here in a fortnight for two more ODIs, better bring wet-weather clothes and some good books.
How they were out
West IndiesChris Gayle b Mupariwa 2 (15 for 1) Played round straight one attempting drive Ramnaresh Sarwan c Taylor b Higgins 54 (149 for 2) Thin outside edge to attempted cutBrian Lara c Taylor b Higgins 2 (164 for 3) Thin outside edge trying to run ball to third man Runako Morton c Mupariwa b Ireland 109 (193 for 4) Driven to long on, good running catchMarlon Samuels run out (Chigumbura/Taylor) 0 (193 for 5) Good pick-up, keeper did well to gather throw, well short Dwayne Smith b Mupariwa 3 (206 for 6) Came down pitch and played all round straight one
ZimbabweTerry Duffin c Baugh b Samuels 14 (33 for 1) Reverse swept into keeper’s handsPiet Rinke run out (Lara/Baugh) 4 (42 for 2) Crazy call from Sibanda, a yard short
Ravi Shah, Kenya’s quality opening batsman, will be out action for six months due to a knee injury, according to Tom Tikolo, the chairman of selectors.”We have just received a letter from his doctor saying his knee injury will take six months to heal,” Tikolo told reporters, although Shah himself was less pessimistic. “I am still on the bench and have been asked to rest by a specialist for a couple of months,” he said. “With physiotherapy, I should be back to full strength in a couple of months.”Either way, Shah will miss Kenya’s crucial Intercontinental Cup decider in Namibia starting on June 3, although the semi-finals are not until October by which time he should be back in action.