Category Uncategorized

Everton have been teetering on the edge of the relegation zone for weeks now and Frank Lampard is running out of opportunities to pull away from the battle at the bottom of the table.

Another defeat today at Goodison Park keeps them stuck right in the mix for relegation from the Premier League for the first time ever.

Today could have been the perfect opportunity for the Toffees to widen the gap between themselves and the drop zone, but yet again Lampard’s side failed to see out the assignment with another shocking performance in front of their home fans.

The entire back three picked up cards during the performance, with four yellows and a devastating red card given to Jonjoe Kenny in the 72nd minute that put the Toffees down to ten men, putting them in a vulnerable position as the side struggled for possession with just 38% of the ball overall.

One player who let his team and manager down in the important game today was Anthony Gordon, having a completely out of character performance for his boyhood club that has contributed to the fourth defeat on the bounce for Everton.

According to SofaScore, Gordon had fewer touches than Jordan Pickford in the clash with Wolves, losing possession of the ball a total of 22 times in his 49 touches, meaning he lost the ball in every two touches from his position in the attacking line. He also lost the majority of his duels (6/11), losing 100% of his aerial battles over the course of the game.

The 21-year-old winger has been praised on numerous occasions for his impact since gaining a regular starting spot in the side, putting in flawless performances even when the side are struggling to pick up points in the Premier League.

However, today there is no room for praise with the display given as the youngster let Lampard down in the pursuit to climb the table into safety.

The ex-Chelsea boss will surely be feeling the heat as Watford took all three points from Southampton this afternoon, and now match Everton for points in the league table in 18th inside the drop zone.

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

---

Subscribe

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

If there was no room for error before today, there is certainly no room for error going forward and Lampard must find a way to motivate his team to take something from their home game on Thursday night against Newcastle United.

In other news: Lampard must do everything to keep Richarlison

	Subash Gupte played a leading role in the first Test series between India and New Zealand © The Cricketer International

1955-56
New Zealand’s first tour to India ended in a 0-2 series defeat. The first Test in Hyderabad was a high-scoring draw that had four centurions. India made 498 for 4 thanks to Polly Umrigar’s 223 and centuries to Vijay Manjrekar and debutant Kripal Singh. New Zealand managed 326, Subash Gupte taking seven wickets, and forced to follow-on, they finished 212 for 2. India took a series lead in Bombay, with Vinoo Mankad scoring 223 out of a total of 421 for 8 and Gupte spinning out eight wickets as New Zealand lost by an innings and 27 runs. The third Test was drawn in Delhi, another dull affair with plenty of runs – Bert Sutcliffe continued his form with 230 not out – and only ten wickets. Then the contest moved to Calcutta, where another draw resulted. India were bowled out for 132, New Zealand took a 204-run lead, but then India made 438, leaving the visitors an improbable 235 in just over a session. They finished on 75 for 6. India clinched the series in Madras, with their openers Mankad and Pankay Roy putting on a record 413, after which Gupte and Mankad bowled the home side to an innings victory.
India 2, New Zealand 0, Drawn 3
1964-65
New Zealand returned nine years later and lost the four-Test series 0-1. The first two Tests in Madras and Calcutta were draws – the second was a far more even contest between bat and ball – after which a gripping four-day draw fallowed in Bombay. New Zealand made 297 and then bowled out India for just 88, Bruce Taylor taking 5 for 26 in his second Test. But then, following on, India racked up 463 for 5, with Dilip Sardesai scoring an unbeaten 200 and Chandu Borde making 109. Set 255 for victory, New Zealand slipped to 8 for 80 against newcomers BS Chandrasekar and S Venkataraghavan before stumps were drawn on a tense final day. India took the series with a seven-wicket win in Delhi, thanks to Venkat’s 12 wickets. In just his third Test, Venkat took eight to keep New Zealand to 262, after which India made 465. Venkat took four more as the tourists were bowled out for 272, leaving India just 70 to get.
India 1, New Zealand 0, Drawn 3
1967-68
This was a historic tour for India, because it was their first overseas Test series win in 12 attempts. This was achieved by playing, as had become customary under the Nawab of Pataudi, three spinners. Pataudi reckoned, against conventional thinking, that India’s only chance lay in playing to their strengths – and he was right. Erapalli Prasanna’s six wickets in the second innings in Dunedin proved decisive in turning a nine-run lead into a position from which India won the match by five wickets. The hosts leveled the series with a six-wicket win in Christchurch but India’s spinners spun India to victory in Wellington. Prasanna and Bapu Nadkarni shared 17 wickets in a low-scoring contest and Ajit Wadekar’s 137 proved clinical. New Zealand needed a win in Auckland, but were crushed by 272 runs as Prasanna and Bishan Bedi took control.
India 3, New Zealand 1
1969-70
New Zealand returned for three Tests and squared the series. Bedi and Prasanna stitched up a 60-run win in Bombay but another good display by the home spinners was outdone by slow left-armer Hedley Howarth’s nine wickets in Nagpur. Set 277 to win, India were bowled out for 109 and New Zealand leveled the series. Weather marred the final Test in Hyderabad – there was no play on day two – and India escaped with a draw. Bowled out for just 89 in their first innings, India were 76 for 8 in pursuit of 268 when play was called off.
India 1, New Zealand 1, Drawn 11975-76
Chandrasekhar and Prasanna spun India to victory in Auckland, but centuries to Sunil Gavaskar and debutant Surinder Amarnath also proved decisive. At Christchurch the Test was extended by one day because the scheduled rest day, March 9, became a playing day after the third day was washed out. The match was subsequently drawn. Richard Hadlee starred at Wellington with 11 wickets as New Zealand squared the series in style. India were bowled out for 220, New Zealand made 334, and Hadlee’s seven in 8.3 overs sliced through the visiting side on day four.
India 1, New Zealand 1, Draw 1
ODIs: New Zealand 2, India 01976-77
Another dominant outing from India’s spinners gave the home side a lead at Bombay, after which the second Test was drawn on a flat Kanpur track. India piled up 524 for 9, with even the No. 10 Bedi reaching 50, but there wasn’t enough scope or time to push for a win. It was the strong Indian pace trio that starred in Madras, wrapping up victory by 216 runs and the series 2-0.
India 2, New Zealand 0, Drawn 11980-81
Geoff Howarth and Lance Cairns were the main contributors to New Zealand’s 62-run win in the first Test at Wellington. Howarth’s 137 was the only fifty-plus score out of a total of 375, and Cairns’ five kept India to 223. India came back well to keep the hosts to 100 in their second innins, only to stumble in pursuit of 253, with Hadlee taking four wickets. Weather accounted for two days of play in Christchurch and the third and final Test in Auckland was also drawn. John Bracewell took nine wickets and John Wright scored another century but there was not enough time for New Zealand to chase down their target of 157.
New Zealand 1, India 0, Drawn 2
ODIs: New Zealand 2, India 0

	Richard Hadlee took 65 wickets at 22.96 in 14 Tests against India, and was at his best in 1988-89 © Getty Images

1988-89
Navjot Singh Sidhu had emerged from the 1987 World Cup with a new avatar, that of a marauding strokeplayer, and he picked Bangalore as the setting for his maiden Test century. Sidhu’s 116 from 195 balls, including four trademark sixes, took India to 384 for 9 before Arshad Ayub set the tone for what would be a very successful series, helping dismiss New Zealand for 189. Sidhu and Kris Srikkanth came out and hit breezy unbeaten knocks that carried India to 141 for 1 in 28 overs, and after the declaration Ayub and Narendra Hirwani shared ten wickets as India won by 172 runs. Led by Hadlee, bowling with pace and hostility in conditions that had tested the heart and stamina of more experienced fast bowlers, New Zealand hit back in Bombay. Hadlee took ten with good support from Bracewell (52, 32, and eight wickets) and the visitors won by 136 runs. However, India had the final word at Hyderabad. Ayub’ seven took his series tally to 21 and New Zealand’s batting came a cropper in the second innings before they went down by ten wickets.
India 2, New Zealand 1
ODIs: India 4, New Zealand 01989-90
Danny Morrison was on the road to succeeding Hadlee as New Zealand’s main strike bowler, and he began to lead the line with distinction in this series. Wright’s 185 helped New Zealand to a mammoth first innings, and Morrison’s five wickets in India’s first innings gave the hosts a 295-run lead. New Zealand enforced the follow-on and Hadlee took four before New Zealand won by 10 wickets. Two and a half days were lost to rain in Napier, but Morrison grabbed five more and Wright picked up an unbeaten century. For India, Manoj Prabhakar made 95 and Sachin Tendulkar narrowly missed becoming the youngest Test centurion by 16 runs. A high-scoring draw in Auckland handed New Zealand the series. Starring were Ian Smith with the highest score by a Test No. 9; Smith walked in at 131 for 7 and cracked a remarkable 173 off 136 balls including 24 off one over from Atul Wassan. India went past New Zealand’s 391 by some distance, thanks to Mohammad Azharuddin’s 192 and resistance from the tail, but the hosts came back with 483 for 5, with Andrew Jones and Martin Crowe hitting centuries. WV Raman and Prabhakar rounded off the draw with an unbeaten stand of 149 in the 45 overs remaining. Morrison took 16 wickets in three Tests.
New Zealand 1, India 0
1993-94
India returned in 1994 for one, a draw at Hamilton. Ken Rutherford rescued New Zealand from a sorry start on a rain hit opening day, one that will be remembered for Kapil Dev making Blair Hartland his record 433rd Test victim. Rutherford and the debutant Stephen Fleming led the fightback but India skittled New Zealand for 187 on day two, Javagal Srinath taking 4 for 60. New Zealand kept their hopes alive by keeping India to 246 thanks to Morrison’s rhythmic seam bowling and then extended their lead to 247 on day four. Weather was always going to threaten day five and the Test fizzled out to a draw. Fleming made 92 and Sidhu hit a fine 98 after India were set 310 in 66 overs, and the visitors finished on 177 for 3.
Drawn 1
ODIs: New Zealand 2, India 2
1995-96
India humbled New Zealand inside three days of the first Test in Bangalore. Home boys Srinath and Anil Kumble shot New Zealand out for 145 on day one, and it was always second-best for the visitors. They did well on the second morning to restrict India to a lead of 83, led by Chris Cairns, but slumped to 125 for 5 by stumps. Fleming and Cairns helped set a tricky target of 151 on a distinctly two-paced track, but Ajay Jadeja’s second fifty of the match gave India a blazing start. The teams left the friendly climate of Bangalore for steamy Madras, where rain allowed only 71.1 overs over four days. India won the series after a rain-affected draw in Calcutta. Storms ended an intriguing first day with 120 for 3, and play only resumed on the fourth day, during which India moved to 296 for 8 declared. On the last day, playing his first Test for five years, Hirwani took six of the first seven wickets to fall, using the googly often and with success. New Zealand were 175 for 8 when play was called off.
India 1, New Zealand 0, Drawn 2
ODIs: India 3, New Zealand 2, Abandoned 1
1998-99
The series got of to a wet start, what with the first Test in Dunedin abandoned without a ball being bowled. New Zealand beat India in a thrilling Test in Wellington, one in which the initiative was swapped several times. But the seeds of this win had been sowed on day one when, after India chose to bat, New Zealand dismissed them for 208. The home side responded with 356, including 89 from Dion Nash, after which India made 356 in their second innings. At stumps on the fourth day India appeared to have control with New Zealand four down and still needing 140, but thanks to some powerful batting by Cairns and Craig McMillan on day five the hosts went one-up and won their fifth successive Test. The series moved to Hamilton, where twin centuries from Rahul Dravid failed to end India’s sad record of failing to win overseas since 1986. The third day began with New Zealand hoping to clinch a decisive lead, but ended with Dravid leading India to a 50-run lead. Dravid and Srinath’s record 144-run partnership helped give India 416 after they had started the day on a precarious 196 for five. India then allowed New Zealand to post 464 for 8, with Cairns hitting 126, and their declaration came to late to allow a result. Dravid made 103 and Sourav Ganguly 101 as India finished on 249 for 2.
New Zealand 1, India 0, Abandoned 1, Drawn 1
ODIs: New Zealand 2, India 2, Abandoned 1

	Rahul Dravid has enjoyed success against New Zealand – he averages 59.05 against them, with four centuries in nine Tests © The Cricketer International

1999-00
The first day of the first Test in Mohali saw India fall for their lowest total against New Zealand at home. Nash (6 for 27) recorded his best Test figures, and the best by a New Zealander in India, as the home side were shot out for 83. The came back strongly, though, thanks to Srinath’s six and a century opening stand from the openers S Ramesh and Devang Gandhi, on debut. Dravid and Tendulkar proceeded to put on 229 and India declared on 505 for 3. Set 374 to win, New Zealand finished 251 for 7. In Kanpur, India won by eight wickets with more than a day to spare. Daniel Vettori’s 6 for 27 kept India’s lead to 74 – this after an opening stand of 162 between Gandhi and Ramesh – after a disappointing New Zealand batting effort, but Kumble and young Harbhajan Singh bowled superbly to set up victory. A run-filled draw followed in Ahmebabad, with Tendulkar hitting his maiden double-century in his 71st Test. Ramesh (110), Tendulkar (217) and Ganguly (125) scored hundreds in India’s 583 for 7, Kumble took five more, India declared a second time, and New Zealand, set 424, finished 252 for 2.
India 1, New Zealand 0, Drawn 2
ODIs: India 3, New Zealand 2
2002-03
New Zealand continued to sound out harsh treatment to India on their next tour of the country. The first Test in Wellington was over in barely two and a half days – India batted only 96.5 overs in the match. It was a surprisingly easy ten-wicket win for the hosts. India were knocked over for 161, conceded an 86-run lead, and were dismissed for a below par 121 in their second innings. New Zealand were left needing 36 to win, a feat achieved without loss by the Man-of-the-Match Mark Richardson, and Lou Vincent. This was India’s fourth loss in a row on the Basin Reserve, following those in 1975-76, in 1980-81 and in 1998-99. New Zealand won by four wickets in Hamilton, though no batsman scored a fifty in the Test. Rain washed out day one, and the conditions dictated more than anyone would have liked – there was swing and seam aplenty, and Daryl Tuffey’s sublime spell rolled India over for 99. On day three, 22 wickets fell in 105 overs bowled, and New Zealand were left needing 136 with ten wickets in hand. Having bowled the hosts out for 94, thanks to another excellent display from Zaheer Khan, India were in with a chance. They fought admirably, but ultimately lacked firepower on day four.
New Zealand 2, India 0
ODIs: New Zealand 5, India 2
2003-04
India had the upper hand from the start of the Ahmedabad Test but in the end the visitors inched to safety. Dravid’s 222 and Ganguly 100 took India to 500 for 5, leaving New Zealand 301 to avoid the follow-on. From 17 for 3, they were revived by Nathan Astle’s 103, a gritty 54 from McMillan, and Vettori’s crucial 67, scored in scorching temperatures and against two of the best spinners in the world. Kumble went past 350 Test wickets but it was Zaheer who was the star as India took a lead of 160. India took 45 overs to extend their lead to 369, after which New Zealand, in temperatures topping 40°C, ended at 272 for 6 after 107 overs of strong defiance. The teams were greeted by a pancake track in Mohali, on which Fleming promptly decided to bat. Their first-innings 630 for 6 included four centuries, the last from McMillan, who was unbeaten on 100 when Fleming ended the Indians’ misery. Richardson, Scott Styris, Lou Vincent and McMillan made batting look ridiculously easy. Records came and went: it was the first time that New Zealand’s first three batsmen had hit centuries; it was New Zealand’s highest overseas total; and only the second time a New Zealand side had scored more than 600 anywhere. In reply, Virender Sehwag reeled off a century before stumps on the third day, at which stage more than 800 runs had been scored for the loss of just seven wickets. VVS Laxman hit an unbeaten 104 to take India to within seven runs of the follow-on, and then defied New Zealand for most of the final day. Ultimately, the pitch had the final say.
India 0, New Zealand 0, Drawn 2
2008-09 in New Zealand
India’s new fast-bowling sensation Ishant Sharma reduced New Zealand 60 for 6 on the opening morning in Hamilton before rearguard tons from Jesse Ryder and Vettori rescued the hosts. India’s batsmen pressed ahead easily as Tendulkar’s 160, supported by Gautam Gambhir, Dravid, MS Dhoni and Zaheer Khan, gave them a lead of 231. Harbhajan then ripped through the hosts, setting India up for a massive victory, though Brendon McCullum’s 84 staved off the ignominy of an innings defeat. If the first Test showcased India’s dominance, the second in Napier underlined their resilience when pushed into a corner. Ryder’s double-century, supported by hundreds from Ross Taylor and McCullum, took New Zealand to an imposing 619. Despite fifties from Dravid and Laxman, India fell well short of the follow-on mark, which New Zealand enforced with over six sessions to go. Gambhir then played a special innings, going against his aggressive grain, facing 436 balls for 137. Laxman led the support act, with another century when his side was in strife, while Dravid, Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh scored fifties as India held on. An all-round batting effort in the first-innings set the tone for India’s dominance in the decider. Zaheer and Harbhajan proved too hot to handle as New Zealand conceded a 182-run lead. Gambhir continued his rich run of form with 167 as India declared, arguably a touch late on the fourth morning, at 434 for 7. India’s conservatism cost them victory, with Taylor scoring a century as the hosts hung on against a rampant Harbhajan on the final day. With the series in the bag, however, few were complaining.
India 1, New Zealand 0, Drawn 2
ODIs: India 3, New Zealand 1, Abandoned 1
Twenty20s: New Zealand 2, India 0

Matthew Bell’s first-innings 81 helped set up Wellington’s victory © Getty Images

Charlie Shreck justified Wellington‘s decision to sign him for a full season, collecting a second-innings 5 for 66 as his side beat the defending champions Northern Districts at Hamilton. Dewayne Bowden made 106 not out, his maiden first-class century, and Matthew Bell chipped in with 81 as Wellington declared their first innings at 360 for 9, with a healthy lead after Northern Districts were sent in and made 224. Shreck’s efforts then rattled Northern Districts for 217, and Wellington eased past the target of 82 with nine wickets to spare.Mathew Sinclair’s unbeaten 243 secured first-innings points for Central Districts as they played out a draw with Otago at Napier. Sinclair’s innings was the highest individual score in Central Districts’ first-class history and he could have gone further had they not declared at 405 for 5. Aaron Redmond (73) led Otago’s reply but they fell for 357 after Robbie Schaw’s spin earned him 4 for 57. Another dominant display from Central Districts followed, with Peter Ingram’s 140 not out guiding them to 305 for 4 declared. That gave Otago a chase of 354 and Redmond (102) and Leighton Morgan (82) put them on track with a 161-run opening stand before Schaw rattled them again. He claimed 5 for 130 as Otago made it to 314 for 6 before the umpires called time.Canterbury struggled without their former captain Chris Harris, conceding two points in a draw with Auckland at Christchurch. Andre Adams claimed 6 for 42 and was the danger man for Auckland, rattling through Canterbury’s top order, which fell to 27 for 5 in their first innings. After a lower-order fightback their new captain Kruger van Wyk declared at 180 for 8 – trailing by 237 after Richard Jones (80) top scored in Auckland’s 417 for 8 declared. Auckland’s second innings did not go quite as planned – they closed it at 93 for 5 – but the target of 331 was too steep for Canterbury. Their chase began badly as they fell to 0 for 2, and Todd Astle opted for defence after that, finishing on 75 from 207 balls as Canterbury reached 179 for 5.Player of the Week Mathew Sinclair
Sinclair built his reputation as a double-century specialist early in his Test career and his 243 not out again proved he likes long stays at the crease. He batted for nearly nine hours, broke the all-time Central Districts record for the highest score, and might have made a triple-hundred if given the chance. The timing was also spot on for Sinclair, who sneaked into New Zealand’s contract list this season, as the national team’s top order has been under fire in South Africa.

Team	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	Draw	Aban	Pts
Wellington	1	1	0	0	0	0	8
Central Dist	1	0	0	0	1	0	2
Auckland	1	0	0	0	1	0	2
Canterbury	1	0	0	0	1	0	0
Otago	1	0	0	0	1	0	0
Northern Dis	1	0	1	0	0	0	0

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

Makhaya Ntini and his pace partners wrested the initiative from India © AFP

A pair of wickets for Makhaya Ntini and Jacques Kallis handed South Africa a slight advantage on a curtailed, yet absorbing, opening day at the Wanderers in Johannesburg. Two gutsy partnerships from India’s experienced middle order helped them recover after an early wobble but loss of wickets at crucial stages, including one at the stroke of stumps, reduced them to a shaky 156 for 5 at the end of the day.South Africa’s pace battery didn’t launch as savage an attack as they would have wished, especially with the pitch acting two-paced and the ball darting around. The bowlers took some time to find their radar and none except the metronomic Shaun Pollock made the batsmen play regularly. Andre Nel and Dale Steyn, who was to later pull up with a thigh strain, spewed fire, handing the batsmen some painful body blows, but lack of direction eased the pressure. Yet, Ntini and Kallis summoned probing deliveries when it mattered, induced the batsmen into indiscretion, and edged South Africa ahead.The timing of the wickets epitomised India’s day. Sachin Tendulkar, who crafted a valuable 44, fell as tea approached; Rahul Dravid, who’d got through a rough period in the second session, drove expansively just after tea; and VVS Laxman, who’d applied himself for 104 minutes and found his free-flowing mode, fell right at the end of the day. Had he not been dismissed, and had he continued his gritty partnership with Sourav Ganguly, one would have been tempted to call it India’s day. In one final moment, the scales tilted.Things could have been much worse for India. After an anti-climactic start to the day, when damp patches on the pitch delayed play by 90 minutes, India were struggling at 14 for 2 with their openers continuing their horror run. The introduction of Pollock, in the seventh over, had transformed the session from a sleepy opening into a charged dogfight. Pitching the ball on the proverbial penny, probing outside off and taunting with his subtle movement, he’d strangled Virender Sehwag into edging an away swinger.That was when Tendulkar and Dravid showed the kind of application that India ‘s batting had been crying out for all through this tour. Both weaved out of the way of short deliveries, which were either loopy or zipping, and endured several blows and steely glares. Tendulkar’s positive instinct ensured that the scoreboard kept ticking along, while Dravid’s bloody-mindedness ensured he got support. Their 69-run stand was India’s best effort for the third wicket against South Africa and it tells you the sort of rubble teams have found themselves in the past.

Rahul Dravid produced a characteristically gutsy knock © AFP

Tendulkar blended cautious defence with gorgeous strokeplay. All his seven fours came on the off side – five beautifully-balanced straight and cover-drives were interspersed with a delicate carve over the slip cordon and a controlled back-cut past gully. He religiously ducked under a barrage of short deliveries from Nel and Ntini and concentrated on tucking around the corner and scampering to the non-striker’s end.Dravid’s was a battling effort. He was greeted with a Pollock snorter soon after he walked in, a ball that took off from a good length as if it were propelled by a booster and crashed into his ribs, rendering him breathless for a few moments. He was also struck a few times on his gloves, once close to his injured finger on his right hand, but didn’t flinch from the challenge. His unflappability in the face of Nel’s fierce sledges were as indicative of his mood as was the judgement which he used to leave deliveries outside off. He brought off a couple of superbly-times boundaries as well – on one occasion crisply pulling a Ntini short one that kept low – and eased them past choppy waters.Dravid’s dismissal brought Ganguly to the middle, a fascinating sub-plot in the larger drama. He began with a confident push to the off side, scampering a quick single, and was in control for most of his 42-ball stay. A Nel lifter smashed him on the left shoulder and a couple of airy wafts missed the full, moving ball but Ganguly’s mental fortitude appeared to carry him through. His leaves were confident and one front-foot cover-drive brought back memories of Ganguly of old.Laxman produced some vintage strokes as well, the delicate maneuver of the wrists and all. Two consecutive drives off Kallis seemed to herald some magical strokeplay but the hardwork came to nought when he feathered an edge off Ntini. The light was getting worse, there was sprinklings of rain in the air and a game hanging on a slender thread swung South Africa’s way.Short cuts
By Dileep Premachandran at Johannesburg

Sachin Tendulkar blended attack with defence to lead India’s recovery © AFP

Highlight of the day: The style with which Jacques Kallis picked up the two biggest wickets, of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. Both were undone bydeliveries that moved away a touch, just enough to kiss the edge throughto the slip cordon. People forget that Kallis had 200 Test wickets coming into thisgame, and he made it 201 and 202 either side of tea with the two biggestscalps possible. For a man who looks like he’s lumbering in, hedelivers one heavy ball too, clocking over 140 km/h several times during asplendid nine-over spell.Lowlight of the day: Virender Sehwag looked like an imposter, treadingwater 26 balls for four before he got the faintest of edges to a ShaunPollock delivery. A year ago, he was probably the most exciting batsman inworld cricket. Right now, he looks like someone with a learner’s license.Shot of the day: Andre Nel hustled in and offered a bit of width,and Tendulkar just leant forward and creamed it through the covers. Itwasn’t to last, but that moment of magic kept Indian fans happy a while.Ball of the day: In his second over back in the evening, Makhaya Ntini gotone to come in with the angle and straighten to take the outside edge. Theway Laxman was batting, it needed a special delivery to send him on hisway, and Ntini produced it just as the light worsened enough for theumpires to take the players off.Catch of the day: Graeme Smith’s delight after grabbing a low chance atfirst slip was all too apparent. After a hesitant start, Dravid was battingbeautifully but when Kallis induced the edge, Smith did the rest.Message of the day: The final paragraph of the press release given out toexplain the “dampness in the wicket [sic]” went like this: “The GautengCricket Board supports Chris Scott 100% as he made a decision that hebelieved was the correct one. He is the expert in his field and, as we allknow, has won the award as leading Groundsman in South Africa over the lastthree years.” Talk about getting defensive.Off the park: Rumours have been circulating about Wasim Akram working withIrfan Pathan for days, and repeated requests for clarification from theteam management resulted in a handwritten note from Greg Chappell beingsent to the press box. “We are grateful for Wasim’s offer of assistance,”it said. “I spoke with him in Durban during the ODI series.and told himthat I was happy for him to speak to Irfan as long as Irfan agreed. Irfansaid he was happy to speak with Wasim away from match time. At the end ofthe ODI series, Wasim left South Africa, and has only just returned. So tomy knowledge, no conversation has taken place. If any discussion is totake place, it will only be at a time and a place that suits Irfan.”So much for the old guru-shishya dynamics.

Injury and poor form saw Sanath Jayasuriya dropped from the Test side © Getty Images

Mahinda Rajapakse, the Sri Lankan president, has ordered an inquiry into Sanath Jayasuriya’s axing from the Test squad for the ongoing three-match series in India.”There were many requests for an investigation over the selections and I have asked sports minister Jeevan Kumaratunga to look into the matter,” said Rajapakse. Saman Amarasinghe, a former umpire and currently the chairman of the sports council, was assigned to conduct the inquiry.Jayasuriya, 36, a veteran of 100 Tests, was dropped after Sri Lanka suffered a humiliating 6-1 loss in a recent one-day series in India. He had problems with both form and fitness and could manage just 85 runs in six outings. “I have asked to investigate why Jayasuriya was overlooked for the Tests in India,” said Rajapakse. “Why did they select him for the one-day series if he was not fully fit ?”Jayasuriya, who has 6,580 Test runs and 10,207 runs in one-day internationals, aggravated a shoulder injury just before the one-dayers in India. But his omission from the Test squad created a stir in Sri Lanka with former players and enthusiasts arguing that Jayasuriya had recovered sufficiently from the injury and should have been picked for the Tests.The first Test between India and Sri Lanka at Chennai has seen the first two days washed out due to a cyclone sweeping through the region.

Inzamam-ul-Haq trudges off after his second-innings duck in the Perth Test© Getty Images

An already struggling Pakistan side had more cause for worry with Inzamam-ul-Haq showing no signs of recovering from a back problem which had kept him off the field for long periods during the Perth Test, which Pakistan lost by a massive 491 runs. Inzamam underwent bone scans and blood tests in Perth on Monday, Sydney Morning Herald reported, but Bob Woolmer, the Pakistan coach, said that the cause of the worry had still not been diagnosed.”He’s gone through a series of tests because he’s got this back and stomach problem. Hopefully he’s OK,” Woolmer said. “He gets this ailment quite often now, so we need to get it tested out properly. We thought it might be a uric acid problem, but they threw that out. The doctors are going through tests to eliminate each possibility until they know what it is.”It hurts him bending down, sitting, it hurts him all the time. He told me he will play but that he needs to get it sorted out. It doesn’t help him batting. He’s restricted. It’s a strange ailment. We probably need to get him in the swimming pool.” Inzamam is currently on antibiotics to ensure that he plays the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne.There was better news on Shoaib Akhtar, though. Shoaib had hurt his left shoulder while diving in the outfield, but tests revealed that he hadn’t torn a cartilege, and was recovering well with physiotherapy.Meanwhile, there was some help on the cards for the beleaguered Woolmer when he informed that Bob Simpson, the former captain and coach of Australia, had called on him and could work with the team during the Sydney Test. “Bobby Simpson called me, which was very kind,” Woolmer told the daily. “We had a long chat about what we were doing. I’ve always recognised Simpson as the father of international coaches. He took Australia from the depths to winning.”However, Woolmer quickly cautioned that the fans couldn’t expect immediate solutions. “He [Simpson] worked miracles in five-and-a-half years,” Woolmer said. “You can’t work miracles overnight, you need a period of time.”Woolmer also informed that the team had a long and useful meeting after the Perth debacle. “It was very good. Inzamam was excellent and the players responded very well. We had to have a huge reality check on all aspects of the cricket we’re playing, and how we practise. All the players said they enjoyed the meeting and are looking forward to the next challenge now. I’m not going to promise anything. At least [the pitches in] Melbourne and Sydney are easier to bat on for Asian cricketers. Perth’s always been a tough one.”

Frizzell County Championship Division OneDay 1 ReportSurrey 488 for 8 v Nottinghamshire at Whitgift School
Scorecard
While the England batsmen were warming up at Trent Bridge and hoping for a more disciplined performance than the last Test, two outcasts – injured or not injured – went back to school and showed their supposed seniors how it should be done. Mark Ramprakash scored 191 not out and Graham Thorpe 99 as Surrey piled on the runs against Nottinghamshire at Whitgift School in Croydon. They put on 241 for the third wicket after Ian Ward and Jonathan Batty were both out for 17. Thorpe cracked 17 fours, but fell one short of another first-class century when he was caught behind off Chris Cairns. Ramprakash, meanwhile, went on and on, batting for over six hours and thumping 32 fours and two sixes. In that time, Rikki Clarke smacked a quick 36 and Azhar Mahmood 25 as Surrey closed on a commanding 488 for 8.Middlesex 364 for 8 v Kent at Lord’s
Scorecard
A fighting 104 not out from David Nash overshadowed four wickets from Muttiah Muralitharan and meant Middlesex recovered to take the initiative over Kent. Nash spent over three hours at the crease and hit ten fours as he progressed to his highest score for five years, to drag Middlesex out of a spot of early bother. Amjad Khan made the initial breakthrough for Kent when he dismissed Andy Strauss (12) and Owais Shah (0) early on, and when Ben Hutton was caught behind off Martin Saggers for 17, Middlesex had faltered to 58 for 3. Muralitharan plonked them into more trouble with four wickets, including Sven Koenig (57) and Ed Joyce (43). Nash then set about the rescue act and had a handy accomplice in Simon Cook, who scored 65 as they added a valuable 125 for the eighth wicket.Frizzell County Championship Division TwoYorkshire 130 and 137 for 5 v Worcestershire 91 at Scarborough
Scorecard
On a day bowlers dream of and batsmen dread, an astonishing 25 wickets fell by the sea in a match which, at this rate, will be all over before lunch tomorrow. Kabir Ali set the tone of proceedings with 8 for 53 in 16 straight overs – including the first seven wickets to fall – as Yorkshire crashed to 130 all out. Only Stephen Fleming (31) and Richard Dawson (42 not out) were able to combat the conditions as Ali helped himself to a first-class best (and improved on his own season’s-best figures). Not many Yorkshiremen would have believed 130 would give them a first-innings lead, but you guessed it – it did. This time it was Steve Kirby’s turn to shine. He pillaged 6 for 51 and Chris Silverwood took 3 for 33 as Worcestershire struggled to 91 all out and a deficit of 31. And the chaos didn’t stop there. In Yorkshire’s second innings, Matthew Wood fell early on, before Fleming again restored some order with 35. Craig White then calmed things down with an unbeaten 42 as Yorkshire ended a breathless day on 137 for 5, with a lead of 176. And it’s only the end of day one.Glamorgan v Durham 353 for 8 at Cardiff
Scorecard
Nicky Peng showed signs of fulfilling his undoubted potential as he masterminded Durham’s healthy 353 for 8 with an accomplished 133. He hit 20 fours and two sixes and was forced to revitalise the innings after Durham slipped from their solid start of 124 for 2 to 141 for 6. This was due mainly to an excellent spell from Robert Croft, who ripped through the Durham middle order, including Martin Love (38) and Gary Pratt (36), to end the day with 5 for 97. However, Glamorgan didn’t bank on Graeme Bridge and Nicky Phillips making runs. Bridge made 49 and Phillips an unbeaten 38 as they helped Peng push Durham past 350.Hampshire 143 v Derbyshire 185 for 6 at The Rose Bowl
Scorecard
Sixteen wickets fell in an eventful day at Southampton. After choosing to bat, Hampshire slumped to a miserable 143 all out, with only John Crawley showing any application with 49 from 71 balls. As ever, Derbyshire’s attack was led by the irrepressible Dominic Cork, who finished with 6 for 28, backed up by Graeme Welch (3 for 50) and Kevin Dean (1 for 31). Derbyshire also found batting hard going, and stumbled to 115 for 5 before Cork got things moving with a brisk 40. Openers Steven Selwood (29) and Michael Di Venuto (20) both got starts, as did Mohammed Kaif (36). Chaminda Vaas, Hampshire’s latest overseas player, took 3 for 58 on his Championship debut to keep Hampshire in touch.

Umpires have called off play on the second day of New Zealand’s opening cricket tour match in Brisbane due to heavy rain.The tourists were hoping to resume at eight for 297 in their four-day opener against the Queensland Academy but the Allan Border Field was under water when the players arrived this morning.Ground staff attempted to soak up the surface water but play was officially abandoned for the day shortly before 12.30pm (AEST).The match will resume at 9.30 tomorrow morning, weather permitting, with New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming unbeaten on 133 and Daryl Tuffey not out12.

Kumar Sangakkara, the former Sri Lanka batsman, has enrolled for the draft of the franchise-based T20 tournament Pakistan Super League (PSL). Sangakkara has also registered for another franchise-based T20 tournament – Masters Champions League (MCL) – that is expected to run concurrently with the PSL but at different venues in the UAE.The inaugural PSL will feature five franchise-based teams from the provincial capitals – Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and Islamabad – with prize money of $1 million. The tournament is scheduled to run from February 4 to 24 in Dubai and Sharjah, and will feature 24 matches.The PCB has signed over 100 players, including big names such as Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Kevin Pietersen and Shakib Al Hasan, for the draft. The board will also hold an open auction for the five franchises and broadcast rights for the tournament in due course. The players will be picked via a draft set for December.”Sangakkara is a world-class sportsman and we are excited to welcome him on board,” Najam Sethi, the head of PSL, said. “He brings a wealth of experience to the PSL. His inclusion makes the player draft even more exciting.”While the PSL has announced the window for the event, the MCL is presently sorting its dates, which are likely to overlap with the former’s.Mahela Jayawardene has also agreed to play in the PSL and the players’ management team said that they will proritise the MCL, the prior commitment, over the PSL, should there be a clash.

Having secured their place in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup in midweek with a 2-1 win over Championship side Stoke City, Crystal Palace are back in Premier League action tomorrow with an away clash against Wolves.

On the chalkboard

In terms of who Eagles boss Patrick Vieira could pick to be in his starting XI to take on the Midlands club, one figure that didn’t start Palace’s previous league game against Burnley that did feature in midweek that should be in the team is midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate.

Not only did the midfielder, who has been described as “massively important” to the team by his manager, start in midweek, but he also managed to get his name on the scoresheet to help get his side through to the next stage of the FA Cup, as well as racking up 39 passes out of 43 attempted.

The 32-year-old also managed to keep his team in the competition by making three interceptions, two clearances and winning five of the eight duels he was involved in. That ultimately earned him an overall match rating of 7.4, the joint-highest of any Palace player on the day according to SofaScore, higher than Jairo Riedewald, who scored the winning goal in the late stages of the tie.

As well as the match on Tuesday, the Senegal international has shown throughout this season in the Premier League how important he is to the south London club, with WhoScored listing him as the fourth-highest rated player at Selhurst Park with an overall rating of 6.79.

Taking into account how the Old Gold have lost their two previous league games, they will be desperate to pick up all three points this time around to keep their hopes of securing European football alive and thus, Kouyate will be key to ensuring that it’s Palace who come away smiling at the end of the 90 minutes.

If the home side go all-out in an attacking sense, it would make sense for Vieira to start Kouyate in this instance considering he’s managed to rack up two tackles per game and the highest number of interceptions per match (1.5) than any of his teammates in 2021/22.

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

---

Subscribe

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

His defensive capabilities could then make the £67k-per-week midfielder the difference between the south London club coming away with a positive result or another defeat.

In other news: Sold for £10m, now worth 82% less: CPFC pulled a blinder over £37k-p/w “disaster” – opinion