Mohammad Hafeez will not be allowed to bowl in the Pakistan Super League, after the league decided to follow the ICC standards on playing conditions. Even though the PSL is a domestic tournament, Hafeez, who is currently serving a 12-month bowling ban, cannot apply for a reassessment of his action until his suspension ends.According to the ICC policy, any player who is banned from bowling in internationals is allowed to bowl in domestic competitions, provided he has the consent of his home board, and remains under observation. Though Hafeez continued to bowl regularly in domestic cricket after his ban, the PSL has decided to stick with the ICC’s ruling.”The rules we are following are from the highest standard and we decided to stick with the ICC’s ruling against any player,” the PSL management told ESPNcricinfo. “We understand that Mohammad Hafeez is presently banned and we will endorse the ICC’s decision and carry it in the league.”On the draft day before the players were picked, we were intimated that Hafeez was named as a batsman only as his bowling action was banned by the ICC. We are sticking with that. The team who picked him agreed before hand they were taking him only as a batsman. The rules were already cleared before the final pick and it was mutually agreed.”Hafeez’s bowling action was reported during the final of the Quaid-e-Azam trophy between SNGPL and United Bank Limited in Karachi, with several of his deliveries suspected to be beyond the 15-degree limit. The case was instantly sent to the PCB’s illegal technical committee headed by Ali Zia. According the PCB policy, Hafeez then had to undergo remedial work on his action to convince the committee that he could be allowed to bowl in the tournament again.Hafeez, 35, had undergone testing at an ICC-accredited lab in Chennai on July 6 last year, after his action was reported following the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle in June. The tests revealed that his action exceeded the permitted 15-degree limit. He had earlier been reported for a suspect action after the Abu Dhabi Test against New Zealand in November 2014.Hafeez was initially drafted in the Platinum category of the PSL draft, but was later demoted to the Diamond category after no team picked him in the top bracket. He was eventually taken by Peshawar Zalmi for $70,000. Zalmi confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that they had picked Hafeez purely as a batsman. “I picked him as a batsman,” Zalmi’s head coach Mohammad Akram said. “I know he has the ability to win games and it would have been a bonus if he was allowed to bowl but we will have to respect the authorities and rules of the game.”

A quick glance at the head-to-head record is enough to show the gulf between India and Sri Lanka in women’s T20Is. Despite that, the manner in which India have swept Sri Lanka aside two games in a row would have surprised watchers and the hosts alike. The story in the second T20I followed a similar script to the first. Once again, India’s spinners squeezed Sri Lanka’s middle order before one of their top-order batters made easy work of the chase.Left-arm spinners Vaishnavi Sharma and N Shree Charani picked up two wickets apiece after Sneh Rana, in the XI in place of the indisposed Deepti Sharma, sucked out the momentum from Sri Lanka’s batting. If it was Jemimah Rodrigues’ half-century in the first game, Shafali Verma was at her brutal best in the second, finishing on an unbeaten 69 in just 34 balls, to help India get to the 129-run target at a run-rate close to 11 an over with 49 balls to spare.India went 2-0 up at the end of the Visakhapatnam leg, with the next three games to be played in Thiruvananthapuram.Chamari Athapaththu smokes one out of the park•BCCI

Athapaththu shows ’em how it’s done

Sri Lanka were jolted in the opening over after being asked to bat. Vishmi Gunaratne’s uppish drive was caught by Kranti Gaud in her follow-through. Chamari Athapaththu then started the charge. After the defeat in the first game, she asked her batters to step up and find ways of scoring. She was intent on leading from the front. She used her feet against Gaud to slash her in front of point. Two balls later, Gaud almost got back at the Sri Lanka captain.Charani, who dropped two simple catches on Sunday, misjudged Athapaththu’s slash and conceded a six. She charged in from the boundary line and then ran back, missed the ball completely despite a leap. Athapaththu blazed away with the field restrictions on, scoring 31 off 24 balls out of Sri Lanka’s 38 in 5.3 overs at that stage.After her dismissal, Hasini Perera and Harshitha Samarawickrama continued to bat with high intent. They primarily scored square of the wicket and added 28 in the three-and-a-half overs. And then came the squeeze from India.Vaishnavi Sharma reacts after picking up her first international wicket•BCCI

No Deepti no problem for India

On a day she was newly crowned the No. 1 T20I bowler in the ICC rankings, Deepti missed a T20I for the first time since 2019 – after 92 straight games – because of a mild fever. Harmanpreet Kaur has often turned to her when in search of control, but on Tuesday, Rana fit into the role with ease.Playing her first T20I in India since 2016 – she played 15 away from home in between – Rana’s first task was to stop a belligerent Athapaththu, and she delivered. She kept the Sri Lanka captain guessing with flight and dip before dismissing her. With Athapaththu itching to cut loose, Rana generously flighted one. It landed slightly shorter than Athapaththu expected because of the dip, and she ended up miscuing it to long-off.Rana then returned with Perera and Samarawickrama scoring at a good tempo, bowled a maiden and that turned the tide. It allowed left-arm spinner Charani to slip in a few quiet overs, which resulted in Perera’s dismissal. Vaishnavi also returned to pick up her first international wicket, with Charani, who denied her in the first T20I by dropping a dolly at short fine leg, taking a simple catch at the same spot after Nilakshika Silva top-edged a sweep.Sri Lanka hit 11 boundaries in the first nine overs, but could hit only two fours in the rest of their innings. They lost six for 24 to be restricted to a below-par total for the second game in a row, which was never going to challenge the hosts. Three run-outs for a second game in a row did not help matters either.Shafali Verma raced away after Smriti Mandhana fell relatively early•BCCI

Shafali goes berserk in paltry chase

If Sunday was an opportunity missed by Shafali, she more than made up for it on Tuesday. She was happy to bide her time at the start, with Smriti Mandhana being the aggressor. Once Mandhana fell, caught at point in a bid to hit Kavisha Dilhari’s offspin inside out over the off side, Shafali took centrestage. Inoka Ranaweera’s left-arm spin with the field restrictions in place was just the tonic she needed.Shafali hit Ranaweera for successive fours in the penultimate over of the powerplay – both by dancing down the track and lofting her over cover. She then took apart Athapaththu’s offspin, hitting here for 4, 6, 4 in the sixth over of the chase: first sweeping a short ball through backward square leg, then thumping a full ball straight into the sight-screen and then lifting one over extra cover.With the in-form Rodrigues for company, there was no respite for Sri Lanka’s bowlers. Rodrigues also tore into Ranaweera, hitting her for two fours and a six as the left-arm spinner was taken for 31 in her two overs.In an attempt to maintain the high tempo, Rodrigues holed out to long-on. Shafali soon completed her fifty from just 27 balls. She picked Shashini Gimhani’s left-arm wristspin from the hand and thumped her for back-to-back boundaries in a 12-run over that put India on the brink.Sri Lanka earned a consolation when Malki Madara’s dipping yorker deceived Harmanpreet. But they knew, as Athapaththu conceded after the game, that the batters failed to make the helpful conditions count in successive games.

	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

New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum has said he would have no problem with giving the TV umpire control over calling no-balls, following an incorrect and match-changing call on the first day in Wellington. Australia won the first Test by an innings and 52 runs on the fourth day, but it was hard not to wonder what might have been but for umpire Richard Illingworth’s mistake in the last over of day one.Australia batsman Adam Voges was on 7 when he shouldered arms and was bowled by Doug Bracewell, but was reprieved by Illingworth’s no-ball call. Replays showed that a significant part of Bracewell’s heel was behind the crease but while the ICC’s regulations allow for a no-ball to be retrospectively called, they do not allow for one to be rescinded. Voges batted on, scored 239 and was Man of the Match.It was not the only such mistake in this Test. During New Zealand’s second innings, Illingworth again called a clearly incorrect no-ball, this time off the bowling of Jackson Bird, but the delivery was safely negotiated by Martin Guptill. After the match, McCullum indicated his support for handing the third umpire the responsibility for calling no-balls rather than the on-field officials.”Maybe that’s something that needs to be looked at, just to make sure you get the right decision all the time,” McCullum said. “I’m guessing it’s probably a bit easier as well for an umpire to look at the other end rather than having to look down and then look back up. But other people will make those decisions.”It was the second time in consecutive Tests against Australia that New Zealand were on the wrong end of an umpiring error that arguably turned the match. In the day-night Test in Adelaide in November, the TV umpire Nigel Llong wrongly gave Nathan Lyon not out caught upon a New Zealand review, despite Hot Spot clearly showing a mark on his bat. It would have left Australia at 9 for 118; they went on to make 224 and win the Test.”I haven’t brought it up with them,” McCullum said when asked if he had discussed the no-ball call with the umpires or match referee Chris Broad. “Richard Illingworth would be pretty disappointed with it, I’m guessing. It’s a bit of a shame but I’ve said all the way along that you’ve got to take the rough with the smooth in this game as well. Credit to Voges for making it count.”Everyone makes mistakes. Richard Illingworth is a fine umpire as I said about Nigel Llong in Adelaide and they’re allowed to make one mistake. It’s unfortunate for him that it probably had a bit of a bearing on the game. But we had our opportunities to rectify it and we didn’t do it. That [the no-ball call] is certainly not what we’re focusing on.”Had Voges been dismissed from that delivery in the last over of the first day, Australia would have been wobbling at 4 for 146 in reply to New Zealand’s 183, with a new batsman at the crease first thing on day two. Instead, Voges and Usman Khawaja added a further 153 during their partnership before Voges went on to post his second Test double-century of the summer.”We want to see the right decision made as much as possible,” Australia’s captain Steven Smith said. “Everyone makes mistakes, whether you’re a player or an umpire. Hopefully they can find a way to resolve that so that those sort of mistakes don’t happen too much in the future.”

The Football Association have fined Wigan Athletic manager Roberto Martinez and warned the Spaniard as to his future conduct following the comments he made after his team's 3-0 defeat at Manchester City in March.

An Independent Regulatory Commission found Martinez guilty and fined him £2,250 after taking into account his previous exemplary record.

The Latics boss was furious with referee Stuart Attwell who sent off defender Gary Caldwell during the match.

He said after his side's defeat:"We are all human and make mistakes but to give a decision after something you don't see is lying.

"You are making it up and that is hard to take. It's a real injustice. To give a red card, you have to be certain. Then you are looking at the replay. There is no way it is a red card offence.

"Gary said he went in really strong and got the ball. Carlos Tevez saw it and jumped off the ground. He's the one who left both feet. The referee said he saw Gary with both feet off the ground. But Gary only went in with one foot.

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"It was a key moment. Until then, we were coping. It really cost us and the game went away from us."

Martinez subsequently said he would not be appealing against the decision or Caldwell's three-match ban because Attwell's interpretation of the incident had changed.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Teenage Colombian goalkeeper Cristian Bonilla has claimed that he is set to leave Boyaca Chico to sign for Manchester City.

The 17-year-old Under-20 international says that he will be loaned out to a Spanish club straightaway to try and smooth his transition into European football.

Bonilla told Futbolred:"The only thing that is left to do are my medical tests and to sign the contract.

"Besides the fact that I may be loaned to another team, this is a very important door that gets opened for my career.

"This is a very important step forward in my career, everything has been arranged and according to what the president, Eduardo Pimental, has said to me the transfer has been confirmed."

Meanwhile, another teenager heading to England is Strasbourg striker Magaye Gueye, who says he is poised to link up with Everton.

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The 19-year-old France Under-21 international commented:"I was over the moon when I heard that Everton had agreed a fee with my club.

"I was so happy and I am looking forward to developing in the best league in the world."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Ledley King is available for selection on Sunday when England face Germany in a crucial World Cup last-16 encounter.

The Tottenham defender was able to play a full part in England training on Saturday after recovering from a groin injury.

England boss Fabio Capello confirmed that all 23 players trained in Rustenburg ahead of Sunday's clash in Bloemfontein.

Capello used John Terry and Matthew Upson as his centre-back pairing against Slovenia on Wednesday but could bring in King or Jamie Carragher, who is back from suspension.

Wayne Rooney and Aaron Lennon are both fit after recovering from ankle knocks.

King limped out of the 1-1 draw against against the US at half time and was replaced by Carragher for the second half with the Liverpool stalwart keeping his place for the dismal goalless stalemate with Algeria.

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However, a second yellow card in that game ruled him out of England's final group game against Slovenia.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

So finally the footballing world has got over World Cup fever and is about to get back down to the nitty gritty of week-in, week-out league football again. And as with any league season, there’s the perennial pre-season transfer market for us football fans to enjoy, berate and totally lose ourselves in. As with any summer transfer market, there’s always one signing that nobody sees coming, and the summer of 2010 has proved no different. So I ask; who the hell saw the Reds getting Cole? Seriously? Hands up…didn’t think I’d see any.

It just seems like such an odd move for Cole. No Champions League. There is certainly no realistic chance of getting the Premier League crown this season. So what motivated him? Well probably the usual, money; however it just seems like a step down for Cole.

So this begs the question, why didn’t Manchester United sign him? It’s not a step down that’s for sure, as everyone knows United will be challenging for the title this year as always. Also even with United’s huge debt, they could easily match the £90,000 a week that Liverpool has given him. And he’d get a game, that’s for sure.

But why should Man United sign him? Because Man United NEED a player like Cole. Why I here you ask? Because they were short last year in one key department – goals. Now I’m not saying Cole was going to be the new Ronaldo with 30 plus a season, but he could have been the man that created those goals. United cannot rely on Paul Scholes to be that man anymore, considering his age. And the small matter of him retiring at the end of the season. Another attribute that Joe Cole has on his side is age. Yes he’s pushing 30 but the key point is that he IS under 30. It’s something that United haven’t got right now in midfield, a player hitting his peak.

One argument that is being suggested for his move to the scouse part of the north-west is he wanted a long-term deal. It’s apparently why he turned down offers from Spurs and his old haunt at Upton Park. But surely United would have given him the same.

However the biggest thing that is puzzling most United fans is that Cole was free. United had nothing to lose in signing him. Sure, he gets injured quite a lot but so does Owen Hargreaves. So does Michael Owen, who Fergie signed under similar circumstances last year. And Cole is definitely a better asset to a team than Michael Owen.

So where do United go now for a new midfield dynamo? It’s looking increasingly likely that they’ll wait until next year, and hope that Giggs and Scholes can produce the goods just one final time for the red devils. As for Roy Hodgson and his men, they’ve taken the first positive step in the long rebuilding process for Liverpool football Club. Only time will tell to see if Man United were right in letting Cole slip away to their bitterest rivals.

Written By Michael Glover

Click on image to see a gallery of the BEST BABES at the World Cup this summer

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Manchester United's Serbia international central defender Nemanja Vidic has dismissed talk of him having considered quitting Old Trafford earlier this summer.

The 28-year-old was heavily linked with both Real Madrid and Barcelona, before signing a new long-term contract, a move which abruptly ended the unwanted speculation.

Vidic commented:"I don't know why people think it was a difficult decision. I always said I am happy here.

"I never spoke about my future. I know there was all this speculation but I never said I wanted to go.

"There was nothing new and I am very happy to be here."

Meanwhile, United strike ace Wayne Rooney has admitted that winning the Premier League title is getting harder every year.

He told the Premier League Season Review:"Since I signed for United I think the Premier League has got progressively harder to win.

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"I know it's a cliche, but there are no easy games in the Premier League. In previous seasons you might have had straightforward games where the top clubs could afford to rest players, but that's not the case anymore.

"Nowadays it's hard to leave players out because every game is competitive and difficult."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

As a fresh-faced 17-year-old at Selhurst Park, Newcastle winger Wayne Routledge had the world at his feet. After breaking into the Crystal Palace first-team at the tender age of 16 in 2001, Sidcup-born Routledge went onto score within a minute of his full debut the following season.

Routledge’s reputation continued to grow at Palace throughout the early stages of his career and he went onto make over 100 appearances for The Eagles in just over three seasons in South London. After helping Palace win promotion from The Championship in 2003, the former fan favourite impressed in his debut Premier League season.

Tottenham Hotspur were huge admirers of Routledge’s talents and brought him to White Hart Lane in 2005.  Tipped as a future England star, Routledge was expected to develop and fulfil his undoubted potential under Martin Jol at Spurs following an impressive pre-season campaign. While Routledge couldn’t have wished for a better start at Palace, his opening game for the North Londoners was something of a nightmare. In what set the tone for the rest of his spell at Spurs, the winger cruelly broke his foot, keeping him out of action for five months.

Routledge never got his career back on track at Tottenham and was loaned out to several clubs including Portsmouth and Fulham before finally moving to QPR in 2009 albeit via Aston Villa and Cardiff. Routledge eventually signed for Newcastle in January 2010 where he has been given the confidence and time to flourish under manager Chris Houghton and start to fulfil his undoubted potential.

Newcastle is already the midfielder’s EIGHTH club in ten years and the 26-year-old fully intends to make it his last. Routledge is tired of moving around and may have finally found a place to call home at St James’ Park, revealing:

“I know I have had a lot of clubs but it’s not like I have not been trying to settle over the last few years,” Routledge said.

“I’ve reached a point where I don’t want to be moving around the whole time, I want to be able to concentrate fully on my football and to do that I need to build a career at one club.

“Hopefully that will bring out the best in me when I’m out on the pitch knowing I’m settled in my life. Newcastle is the perfect place for me to do that.”

Routledge certainly has all the attributes to be a hit in the Premier League, starring in Newcastle’s 6-0 romp over Aston Villa last Sunday. His pace, vision and trickery make him a handful for any defender, while the width he provides Newcastle on the right in invaluable. The flying winger has started his club’s opening two Premier League games this season and a regular run in the side will benefit him greatly after a stop-start career to date.

A rejuvenated Routledge is a major bonus for The Magpies and could be key to the club’s chances on their return to the Premier League. Routledge and Newcastle could well be the perfect combination on the road to redemption.

If you like this article then you can read more of Mr Molloy’s blogs HERE

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Click on image below to see the gallery of Mario Balotelli’s stunning girlfriend

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