Rudi Koertzen has flown to India to stand in the second India-Pakistan Test in Kolkata after Billy Bowden, who was due to officiate, was taken ill.The Cape Argus reported that Koertzen, who was scheduled to umpire the opening Sri Lanka-England Test in Kandy, had been switched by the ICC at short notice as he was the only elite official who could make the trip at such short notice. Aleem Dar, who was not eligible to stand in Kolkata, is en route to Sri Lanka where he will replace Koertzen.There had been suggestions in Australia that Koertzen was being punished for his well-publicised error in giving Kumar Sangakkara out in the Hobart Test, but an ICC spokesman made clear this was not the case. “If we replaced every umpire who made a mistake, there would be no umpires left,” he said. “It’s the same with players. Everyone makes mistakes. His replacement is more to do with the workload of umpires and some rescheduling.”
To choose his favourite Test matches over 15 years Shane Warne looked to the beginning and the end. Until less than three weeks ago, his best memory was his third Test, against Sri Lanka at Colombo in 1992, but it was eclipsed by Australia’s remarkable comeback win at Adelaide to all but seal the return of the Ashes.”I didn’t think I’d ever top 1992 but Adelaide definitely pipped that,” he said during his retirement announcement. “That’s the best Test match I’ve played in.”The Colombo game, however, has always remained special for Warne and it was where he first realised he could make an impact at Test level. After taking 0 for 107 in the first innings, Warne watched on in the second as Sri Lanka pressed towards the 181 they needed for victory. Greg Matthews claimed four important wickets and with about 30 runs remaining, Warne, 22, weaved his magic.”Allan Border told me to warm up and I thought ‘oh no, we’re in trouble here’,” Warne said. “I came on and I bowled a maiden and I thought ‘it’s not over yet’. As the next couple of overs went on I took 3 for 0 and I sort of felt like I’ve actually finally contributed.” He finished with 3 for 11 as Sri Lanka fell 17 short. It was the first of countless match-turning performances.Warne said he could not have performed his great feats alone. Terry Jenner’s influence has been well documented, but the man who has affected Warne the most is somebody he could end up sitting next to in the Channel 9 commentary box. “Ian Chappell has probably been the biggest influence on my cricket career,” Warne said. “I would have loved to have played under Ian Chappell. I could listen to his stories and listen to him talk forever. Of all the people I’ve spoken to about cricket, he makes the most sense.”Australia’s last great legspinner before Warne, Richie Benaud, also had a significant impact. “Richie is the man isn’t he?” Warne said. “He knows everything about everything. He’s great to talk to, he’s good company, he’s fun and he’s a legspinner as well. He’s helped me out through some tough times too, just the odd phone call here or there.”It could be Warne who Australia’s next generation of slow bowlers turn to for advice. The spin stocks might look thin, with the exception of Stuart MacGill, but Warne said there were plenty of potential Test players itching for a chance. Dan Cullen, Cameron White, Cullen Bailey, Nathan Hauritz and Beau Casson are some of those who will compete to take his place.”We’re very lucky that we’ve got some excellent spin bowlers in the country,” he said. “It’s a matter of those guys taking their opportunities. It’s probably a pretty good time to get some younger players into the side because we’ve got a very experienced side at the moment.”
Today, the drama finally unfolded. It’s now confirmed. The Zimbabwe government has finally taken over Zimbabwe Cricket in a shattering move that will almost certainly usher the ultimate demise of the game in the country.In an address to the media in Harare this afternoon, Gibson Mashingaidze, an army brigadier and chairman of the government’s Sports and Recreation Commission, announced the reinstatement of Peter Chingoka as chairman of an interim board to run ZC. The new board consists of government officials and four retainees – Cyprian Mandenge, Tavengwa Mukuhlani, Ntokozo Ncube and Wilson Manase.The white and Asian directors were left out for “their racial connotations and saving their own agendas and not government policy.” The brigadier, addressing the meeting on behalf of the sports minister, said the government was prepared for any repercussions, even the country losing Test status. “We are prepared to be chucked out of the Test status. The government is saying we are starting afresh. We are not bothered.”Those who want to stay in can stay, but those who want to go are free to go. They can go to India, Canada or wherever. We are not bothered. The government will not be held at ransome by individuals.”The ICC have confirmed that they have received notification from the Sports and Recreation Commission that an interim committee has been set up for the next six months. However, they were unable to offer any further comment until they had gained more information.On a bleak day for Zimbabwe cricket, the government’s decision might as well have closed the door on the players, who this week were considering leaving Zimbabwe to start new lives abroad.Commenting on the players’ grievances and demands for Chingoka and ZC managing director Ozias Bvute to resign, Mashingaidze said the players’ action was “Indiscipline of the highest magnitude”. He added: “They have no reason to do that. It’s not their role.”The decision today has been made with the blessings of President Mugabe, it was confirmed by Mashingaidze. “The head of the state is aware of this.”Chingoka and Bvute were seen with government officials this week, and it is believed that today’s announcement was just a delayed episode of a well-orchestrated and planned move.It also seems that Bvute might have survived. As an employee of ZC, his tenure would be down to the board, and as a close friend of Chingoka – and someone who stands accused of many of the same allegations – he may well retain his position, unless his behaviour has been too much even for the government and the trade-off is that he goes.The position of Ahmed Ebrahim, the vice-chairman who led the move to oust Chingoka, is less certain, although it seems he might well have been removed. That would be a bold move as Ebrahim has many friends within the ICC.
ScorecardAt Cape Town, Western Province Boland did not take full advantage after winning the toss and batting first – Lance Klusener helped the Dolphins to bowl them out for 233 with a return of 4 for 80. A maiden hundred from Derrin Bassage was all that stood between a mediocre performance and complete disaster, while a 72-run partnership for the fourth wicket, between Bassage and Ashwell Prince (30) was the only one of any substance. Klusener’s figures were dented somewhat by Paul Adams, who came in down the order and threw the bat for 38. In reply the Dolphins showed that the pitch held no terrors as Imraan Khan and Doug Watson raced away to bring up their 50-run partnership inside ten overs. Just before stumps they shut up shop. Watson moved on to 48 and Khan to 49 to leave their side in the strong position of 99 without loss by the close.Warriors 163 for 3 (Bruyns 55, Bradfield 51) v Eagles ScorecardRain and lightning at Buffalo Park in East London stopped play after the Eagles had won the toss and put the Warriors in. Mark Bruyns and Carl Bradfield gave the Warriors a near-perfect start with a century opening stand that was eventually broken when Bruyns was caught by Jacob Malao off Deon Kruis for 55. Bradfield followed soon afterwards for 51. With the weather failing quickly and lightning striking close to the ground, the umpires took the players off with the Warriors 163 for 3 after 58.2 overs.Lions 346 for 8 (Ontong 98, Ackerman 129, Nel 4-86) v Titans ScorecardAfter winning the toss and batting at Benoni, the Lions recovered well from 41 for 2 following two early strikes from Andre Nel. Justin Ontong then put on 61 with Neil McKenzie (38), and 133 with HD Ackerman, to help his side recover to 235 for 4 before Paul Harris trapped Ontong in front two runs short of his hundred. Ackerman, coming off a big century at Paarl last weekend, continued his good form and reached his hundred today from 145 balls. With four overs remaining in the day, the tall Ethy Mbhalati bowled Ackerman, who had looked solid throughout, for 129. He had hit 19 fours and a six. When stumps were drawn the Lions had reached 346 for 8.Keith Lane works for Cricinfo in South Africa.
South Africa’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has denied claims that the plane crash that caused Hansie Cronje’s death last year could have been due to sabotage. A report in the Observer Sport Monthly had quoted an unnamed CAA investigator as saying that there was reason to believe foul play in the whole matter.Trevor Abrahams, the commissioner of the CAA, told SABC Radio News: “We are not aware of any such report. I don’t know where it comes from andcertainly the indication that someone involved in the actual investigation from the CAA made any such statements are not true.”
It was a vintage performance from Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Gangulythat guided India to an easy win over Kenya in the land of vineyards,Paarl, on Wednesday. The match was so one-sided that I could not helpbut wonder how we had lost to the same Kenyans in Port Elizabethexactly a week before.The fate of the match was sealed the moment Sourav won the toss. Asall of you would no doubt have observed, India seem to do rather wellwhen they bat first. It is only while chasing a decent total that weturn into nervous wrecks. Our middle-order being inexperienced andbrittle doesn’t help matters; they seem to run out of ideas the momentSachin and Sourav fail.
On Wednesday though the twomaster batsmen were determined to put the Kenyan bowling to the sword.By the time Sourav was out after a worldrecord partnership for thefirst wicket, the match was over as a contest. The two men had earliergone past the Gordon Greenidge-Desmond Haynes century partnershiprecord.I feel the two great Bajans would be happy to know that their recordhas passed on to two batsmen as illustrious as Sourav and Sachin. TheIndian duo compare more than favourably with their West Indiancounterparts who dominated the one-day game in the eighties.What I particularly like about Sachin and Sourav is the fact that bothare attacking batsmen of the highest order. This means the bowlers getno respite. The men who bowled to Greenidge-Haynes were luckierbecause they could at least trust Haynes to keep to the straight andthe narrow. The latter was content to push for the singles and twoswhile Greenidge enjoyed himself. It is nowhere as predictable withSachin and Sourav at the crease – when one partner turns conservativethe other takes off while on other occasions both make merry. The factthat they are a leftright combination only adds to the misery of thehapless bowlers.In the match at Paarl, it was Sachin who was the slightly moredominant partner. He was looking good for many more when he hit a lowfull toss from Thomas Ododyo straight into the waiting hands of midoff. No wonder he was furious.Whenever I see the little champion I can’t help but be reminded of the16-year-old boy I met during India’s 1989 tour of Pakistan. Whatimpressed me most then was his enormous self-belief. I was his captainand remember jokingly remarking to him, “One day you will becomegreat. Don’t forget your captain then.” The little man has fulfilledall my expectations and is now one of the all-time greats of the game.Sourav too played a fine innings and went past a few landmarks on hisway to a hundred. The Indian skipper has adapted well to the task ofopening the innings and is now one of the finest one-day batsmen ever.It was also good to see Virender Sehwag lay into the bowling in theend. The Delhi lad has a great sense of timing. If he could play aswell against top teams like South Africa, India would be well-served.
I don’t want to set great store bythe performances of the bowlers against a very ordinary Kenyan battingside. All I hope is that they turn in their best performance againstthe South Africans in the final on Friday. Durban has the reputatioinof being one the fastest pitches in the world and I hope that ourquicks especially will do well on the day. I can’t, however, helpfeeling that it would be best if the turn of our bowlers arrives inthe latter half of the day. As I said earlier India are a much betterside when they bat first and so my ideal scenario would be for theIndians to win the toss and for Sachin and Sourav to hold centrestageyet again.It has been a a long and frustrating title-drought for us and we areup against a formidable South African side. My gut feeling though isthat Friday would be the day when India taste championship victory atlong last.
England have bolstered their specialist coaching staff for the Test and limited-overs series against Pakistan and the World T20, with the appointments of Mahela Jayawardene and Paul Collingwood.Jayawardene, who ESPNcricinfo revealed had been in discussions with the ECB during this season, will work with the Test side during the warm-up period in the UAE and the first Test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi which starts on October 13. He will resume his close ties with England head coach Trevor Bayliss and assistant Paul Farbrace after their days together with Sri Lanka.Collingwood, the former England limited-overs captain, who played 197 ODIs and 35 T20s alongside his 68 Tests, will then work with the limited-overs set-up during the one-day and T20 series against Pakistan, and then at the World T20 in India next year.One of Jayawardene’s tasks will be to pass on his knowledge of playing spin after the problems England had during the 2012 series against Pakistan in the UAE. England only crossed 300 once in six innings and were bowled out for 72 in Abu Dhabi chasing 145.Even away from subcontinental-type conditions, England have often struggled against spin. In the recent Ashes, Nathan Lyon collected 16 wickets at 28.25 while they also floundered against New Zealand at Headingley, where Mark Craig and Kane Williamson shared six second-innings wickets, and against West Indies in Barbados.In 2012, England’s struggles came against Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman – the pair sharing 43 wickets in the three Tests – but they are no longer part of the Pakistan Test side and instead the challenges will be posed by legspinner Yasir Shah, who has 61 wickets in 10 Tests and was the fastest Pakistan bowler to 50 Test wickets, and left-armer Zulfiqar Babar.Andrew Strauss, the England director of cricket, said: “We are delighted that Mahela and Paul will be joining the England management team, supporting our existing specialist coaches in this area. Both will bring a vast wealth of cricketing knowledge and expertise to the team, and in Mahela’s case, extensive experience of batting in the sub-continent which will be invaluable as part of our wider preparations for the UAE tour.”In 2014, Collingwood was the assistant coach for the limited-overs tour of West Indies. Collingwood also worked alongside Ashley Giles during the World T20 in Bangladesh, but Giles soon lost his job after a defeat in the tournament to Netherlands.Collingwood was then assistant coach with Scotland during the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand earlier this year. Shortly after Strauss was named director of England cricket, Collingwood said it would be very difficult to turn down an offer to work with the team.”I love England, England is my passion. The experience of playing for England for so many years, that’s where you feel you belong, in that dressing room wearing the three lions,” he said. “You’re never guaranteed a job when you come out of cricket but if there was a role they wanted us to play somewhere it would be hard to turn down.”But Collingwood will continue to combine coaching with his playing career for at least another year after he recently signed a one-year extension with Durham.”I’ve always said I want to carry on playing as long as I possibly can while I am still enjoying it and worthy of a place in the team,” he told the . “I’m absolutely delighted to have signed another contract and I want to carry on improving this wonderful club on the pitch. I feel I have still got a lot to offer and I’m going to do all I can to keep playing as long as possible.”
A massive weight was lifted off Owen Coyle’s shoulders after Bolton won for the first time since the opening day of the season beating Wigan 3-1 at the DW Stadium.
The Trotters have lost six on the trot and started the game at the foot of the table with chairman Phil Gartside telling Coyle he has four games to save his job. However Gartside has been sympathetic to man residing in the Reebok dugout having seen his side play both Manchester clubs, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal in their opening seven games. The 6-0 thrashing at the hands of Chelsea a fortnight ago caused some grumbles in the stands and a win against the Latics was imperative. Coyle’s men responded superbly with summer signings Nigel Reo-Coker, David N’Gog and Chris Eagles all opening their account for the club. Mohammed Diame had brought the home side level in the first period before another collapse saw them succumb to a fifth defeat on the spin.
Roberto Martinez’s side have failed to build on a positive opening to the season and find themselves in familiar surrounds stuck in the bottom three. Individual mistakes cost them dear despite dominating for long periods of the game with the return of Hugo Rodallega providing a boost despite his inability to find the net. It was the visitors who started the better of the two sides and took the lead with only four minutes on the clock through Reo Coker. The former Aston Villa midfielder darted in front of Gary Caldwell and flung himself at Eagles’ whipped cross to turn the ball home. That sparked Martinez’s men into life and the dominated the game until Diame brought the contest level five minutes before half time. A patient build up saw the midfielder pick up possession just outside the penalty area before striking a wonderful effort into the top corner past Jussi Jaaskelainen.
They undid all their good work though as Bolton regained their lead two minutes into first half stoppage time with David N’Gog scoring for the first time since his move from Liverpool. Kevin Davies punished some sloppy play by Steve Gohouri nicking the ball off the defender before finding N’Gog in the box with the Frenchman shifting the ball onto his left and cooly finishing past Ali Al Habsi. Martinez made an instant change at half time bringing Rodallega on at half time and Colombian gave Wigan a much needed presence up front. His link up play with Franco Di Santo was threatening whilst Victor Moses’ pace down the flanks caused Bolton numerous problems down the flank. Despite that they just couldn’t find the elusive second equaliser and had Al Habsi to thank for giving them a fighting chance of claiming a point as he saved Davies late penalty. Dedryck Boyata, who had earlier missed a glorious headed chance, was pushed by Caldwell in the area causing referee Mike Dean to point to the spot.
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Fortunately Al Habsi was able to keep Davies casual penalty out and give the hosts hope of snatching a point. But it wasn’t to be as Eagles struck Bolton’s third in injury time to give his side a much needed lift and move them out of the relegation zone and into 17th with Wigan remaining rooted two places below.
With ever year that passes at Old Trafford, there is a nagging sense that something has to give. As Sir Alex Ferguson’s class of 1992 one by one clear their lockers for the last time, the end of one era draws inexorably closer and the challenge of building for a new one becomes more and more a pressing concern.
The retirement of Gary Neville, formally confirmed to the football community last week, was another landmark on the ever shortening runway that is Manchester United’s link with its glorious past.
The longevity and professionalism of the remaining stalwarts of that United youth team, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs, tricks the mind into suggesting that the era of red success can be forever safeguarded by these two ageless icons.
In truth, this is another transitional season for Ferguson, almost certainly his final effort at leaving his squad in strong shape before he departs Manchester and is carried out on his shield. Previous plans have been modified, particularly by Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez’s exits from the Old Trafford dressing room eighteen months ago, the horrendous knee injuries befalling Owen Hargreaves and the difficulty in establishing a successor to Edwin van der Sar.
Despite all of this, a weakened United squad took the league title race to the final day of last season and look set to win the Premiership crown again for the third year in four this time around. There will be no illusions however that the 2011 squad so much as laces the boots of some of its predecessors.
Ferguson has been a tad fortunate this season that United’s early season profligacy was not punished on the domestic scene, however the definition of future successes may well lie in the club’s efforts in Europe, an area that a strong squad is a pre-requisite in.
This is where United may well find themselves falling short. I am not sure, with the squad the Red Devils currently have, that the team is capable of playing at a higher level than the one they have currently scaled. Fans will argue that as of yet Ferguson’s men have not needed to show any more than the quality that led to them going nearly a year without defeat in the league, however there will be challenges in the months ahead on a European front, that will require more than has been in evidence thus far.
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Change in top flight football happens quickly, however the uniqueness of the situation that United find themselves, is that this transitional squad has more than enough to claim the leading domestic prizes. As Chelsea have discovered this season, however, resting on tenuously awarded laurels can and will cause problems – not all Premier League title races are created equal.
Ferguson’s biggest decisions surround the handling of several players to have made a key contribution to previous title triumphs. The retirement of Gary Neville was a case of a player jumping as he was pushed, but the phasing out of Giggs, Scholes and Rio Ferdinand is one of Ferguson’s biggest challenges. The effect the Wayne Rooney saga has had on the Scotsman’s transfer dealings will be fascinating.
Ferdinand has not been the reliable presence he once was, injuries ruling the captain out of several games across the course of the season, his most telling contributions appearing to come from his Twitter account. With the former Leeds and West Ham man increasingly concentrating on outside enterprises, Ferguson has taken the chance to blood Chris Smalling at the heart of defence, and in general the recruit from Fulham has done well. There are no ready made replacements for either Giggs or Scholes, and whilst both players find their weekly contributions over-hyped in the media, it is the gargantuan experience and guidance that the pair bring to the dressing room which will be missed most.
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The medium and long-term outlook for the current squad is difficult to gauge. Several players find themselves out of contract in the summer, a number of which looked destined to start the new season elsewhere. Michael Owen’s hopes of regaining the sharpness that once won him the Ballon D’or have proven futile. Owen Hargreaves cannot possibly be offered a new deal in the summer after not playing a full game in two and a half years and another experienced head, Wes Brown, is facing up to life away from Old Trafford after another year of stunted progress.
The club have been able to call on increasingly impressive performances from the once maligned Dimitar Berbatov and Nani, as the team have made their serene journey to the top of the Premier League table. As spring turns to summer, the key transfer decisions will be some of the most crucial in Ferguson’s tenure at Manchester United.
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Robbie Blake appears to have played his last game for Burnley after turning down the offer of a new contract to remain at Turf Moor.
Blake, 34, rejected a new one-year deal with the option for a further 12 months following talks with Clarets boss Brian Laws on Wednesday.
The forward has made more than 250 appearances during two spells at Turf Moor but now looks set to leave on a free transfer.
"Obviously I am disappointed that Robbie has turned down what we consider to be a very reasonable deal for a 34-year old," Laws told the club's official website.
"The offer is a 12-month deal with a further one-year option, but Robbie wanted two years and we just couldn't go down that road.
"We included the extended deal should Robbie play 20 games next season and I feel a fit Robbie would have easily achieved that.
"So naturally I am disappointed, but I would like to thank Robbie for all his magnificent service for the club.
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"I know he is a firm fans' favourite and he is rightly considered a legend here, who will never be forgotten.
"But I have told Robbie and his agent that we have left the door open and if he has a change of mind I would be more than happy to talk."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email