Andrew Symonds’ latest column for News Limited papers, in which he has attacked Cricket Australia, was pulled after it was not approved by the board for publication. Symonds was instead interviewed by the , where the column was to run, and he spoke of the frustrations of the players over CA’s sponsorship restrictions for the Indian Premier League (IPL), which, he felt, could hamper their participation in the tournament.”Right now a lot of the boys in the Australian side are excited about maybe taking part in the Indian Twenty20 series called the IPL in April,” Symonds said. “But we can’t quite work out what’s going on with the chiefs at Cricket Australia, who seem to be trying to run interference by putting up a heap of red tape.”To be brutally honest, as players we just can’t understand the stance they’ve taken. We’re all keen to have a hit if the tour of Pakistan gets called off, but Cricket Australia have played what looks like a bit of a trick shot.”Peter Young, the CA media director, said there were inaccuracies in Symonds’ column and there would be a player briefing in the coming week. “Cricket Australia is working hard to ensure the IPL is a success and we are keen to see it go ahead with Australian player participation,” he said. “That is subject to some complex issues still being negotiated with India which will be detailed to players next week.”The Australian body had earlier said it could veto its contracted players’ participation in case of competing sponsorship issues. CA had expressed concerns over players endorsing products during the IPL that could clash with its own sponsors’ interests. However, Lalit Modi, the chairman and commissioner of the IPL, warned the Australian players’ participation would be at risk if CA didn’t soften its stance.Symonds said he couldn’t get the logic behind CA’s stance. “It’s my understanding Cricket Australia are trying to say that Aussie players can’t play for teams who are sponsored by competitors to Cricket Australia sponsors,” Symonds said.”The way I see it, Queensland are sponsored by XXXX and South Australia are sponsored by WestEnd – but Cricket Australia is sponsored by Foster’s. So CA is trying to say that’s a conflict of interest and because of that we can’t play.”The weird thing is for years the Pura Cup sponsors have always conflicted with CA sponsors. And it’s the same for blokes like Warney [Shane Warne], Simon Katich and Justin Langer who play county cricket in England.”Symonds’ comments come after Ricky Ponting, the Australia captain, said interference on part of the board would be unfair. Like Symonds, Ponting too felt CA’s stance on sponsor protection was odd since the IPL was a domestic tournament, similar to the county season in England.The allrounder suggested that the tournament was being taken seriously by him and his team-mates. “This is a pretty big deal for us as players because the IPL looks like being a sensational tournament where the world’s best cricketers get to have a crack at Twenty20,” Symonds said. “As players, we can’t work out whether CA are deliberately trying to be difficult or what the problem is.”Hopefully common sense prevails and Cricket Australia don’t try and stand in the way of what’s an exciting opportunity and a great concept for cricket. In relation to the Pakistan tour, the Australian players just want to make sure that, if it’s called off, then we can still play in the IPL. The players’ association are working hard to try and clear the way so hopefully we can work something out.”
Habibul Bashar, the Bangladesh captain, is taking plenty of confidence from his side’s two-wicket warm-up win over New Zealand and hopes to beat either India or Sri Lanka at the World Cup. “The boys are confident after that match and we are hoping to provide more upsets along the way,” he told reporters in Port-of-Spain.Bangladesh easily defeated Scotland by seven wickets in their second practice game, with Bashar leading the way with an unbeaten 57. Bashar added that the side looked forward to competing with fellow Group B rivals India and Sri Lanka and felt Bangladesh – who have scored one-day wins over both teams – had a shot at making the Super Eights.”We have two tough sides in India and Sri Lanka in our group, but we are confident. We are looking to get a win against at least one of them,” he said. “We have been preparing for this tournament for quite a while and we are here to play good cricket.”Bangladesh open their World Cup campaign against India at the Queen’s Park Oval on Saturday.
Brendon Julian, the former Test bowler, believes Australia’s hopes of regaining the Ashes would be boosted if Glenn McGrath and Adam Gilchrist walked away from the one-day game. Managing the workloads of the mid-30s players has become a key issue for the selection panel as they plan for next summer’s five-Test England series and McGrath was allowed to miss the Chappell-Hadlee Series in December while Gilchrist is currently on a week off.Julian, who is now a television commentator, expected Gilchrist, his former team-mate, to benefit from the time at home as he deals with a worrying batting streak and he felt his case would need further monitoring. “I would hate to see McGrath and Gilchrist not be ready for the Ashes series coming up,” Julian said in The Age. “I tend to think if it means them stepping out of the one-day arena to further lengthen their Test career, maybe that’s something that needs to be done.”Gilchrist, 34, was initially approved for a break for the three-match Chappell-Hadlee Series but his holiday request was over-ruled by the Cricket Australia board and he has scored less than 500 runs in his 15 international matches this summer. His need for a rest may also have been shown in his heated argument with Aleem Dar in Sunday’s five-wicket loss to South Africa that resulted in him being charged with dissent.Julian said the effects of last winter’s Ashes loss on the players could have been underestimated and he believed Gilchrist would have bounced back for the South Africa Test series if he had not gone to New Zealand. “I think it is weariness,” he said. “I think he definitely needs that rest and around that New Zealand tour he probably should have been rested. It’s well overdue, he’s the type of player that will respond really well to that. It’s such a heavy workload, batting and wicketkeeping at the same time.”Trevor Hohns, the chairman of selectors, is mindful of the need to rest players performing in both the Test and one-day sides. More senior squad members are expected to be given short periods at home as the VB Series continues over the next four weeks.
The Pakistan board has maintained that their team will not play in Ahmedabad on the forthcoming tour to India. The Indian government had earlier sent a letter asking them to reconsider their decision, but the PCB insisted that Ahmedabad was a no-no, while also doing a volte-face and insisting that the decision was based on security concerns, and not political ones as was stated earlier.Calling the earlier reports speculative, the Pakistan board said in a media release: “The PCB hereby clarifies that after receiving the report of the security team that recently visited India, the PCB has requested the BCCI to change the venue of the Test from Ahmedabad to any other venue of Test status in India on grounds of security. The PCB contradicts reports suggesting any motive other than security in making the request.”Shaharyar Khan, the chairman of the PCB, told The Times of India: “We’re not going to play in Ahmedabad. As of now, even if the government of India or the BCCI asks us to reconsider, we will stick to our decision. We are concerned about only two things – firstly, the safety of our team, and secondly, the fear that the improving bilateral ties might be derailed even if there is a minor incident.”The newspaper also reported that the Pakistan board had come up with an alternative solution to solve the problem, suggesting a one-dayer at Mumbai instead of Delhi. Mumbai has in the past been a sensitive venue as well, due to the strong anti-Pakistan stand by the local Shiv Sena Party, but the PCB indicated that a match there would send out a clear signal that there were no political reasons for backing out of Ahmedabad.Meanwhile, the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) has demanded that the tour be cancelled if Pakistan refuse to play in Ahmedabad. “I will raise this issue in the next BCCI meeting on February 16,” Narhari Amin, the GCA president, told Press Trust of India. “Our message [to the PCB] is clear – either play in Ahmedabad or call off the entire series.” With so much at stake for the Indian board, it is highly unlikely that the BCCI will take any such step.Rajiv Shukla, the vice-president of the BCCI, is already in Lahore and is expected to meet Shaharyar in an attempt to resolve the issue. According to reports in various sections of the media, Chennai will get to host the Test if Ahmedabad is found unsuitable by the Indian board and the government.
National League Division One TableSurrey 198 for 9 beat Glamorgan 190 by eight runs at Cardiff Scorecard They may have blown the Championship, but Surrey were today crowned the National League champions after beating last year’s winners Glamorgan by eight runs in a low-scoring match. It wasn’t a vintage performance, but it was another allround team display which won them this match, and the title. Mark Ramprakash (53) and Adam Hollioake (51) held Surrey’s innings together after they had stumbled to 61 to 4. Hollioake clubbed five fours and two sixes and gave Surrey some oomph, while Ramprakash dug in to help them up to a respectable 198 for 9. All the bowlers then chipped in with a wicket or two each, but it was Rikki Clarke, England’s newest allrounder, who was the pick of the bunch. Michael Powell top-scored with 40, and Robert Croft and Mike Kasprowicz, who both scored 20, threatened to spoil Surrey’s party, but Clarke kept his cool. He grabbed 2 for 19 and signalled the win when he clean bowled David Harrison to start the celebrations. After the game, a relieved Hollioake said: “We have played some good cricket in the Sunday League this year and we are very happy to come away with it. We are limping over the line as we are on our last legs and to get this side together today was hard work.” He added: “I would like to pay credit to what they have done here. They have stuck to it and got their rewards.” It followed their Twenty20 Cup win earlier this season, but the only strange sight was of Ian Ward, who this morning announced he is to leave Surrey at the end of the season, watching all the fun from the commentary box, well away from the celebrations. Kent 101 for 2 beat Leicestershire 98 by eight wickets at Leicester Scorecard Leicestershire slipped down another slot in the table after they were skittled for only 98 and duly hammered by Kent. Amjad Khan took the first four wickets in quick succession to leave Leicestershire in trouble at 37 for 4 and Kent didn’t look back. Mark Ealham then matched Khan with four wickets as only Paul Nixon put up a fight. Nixon was last man out for a dogged 32, but the fact that he was only one of three to make it to double figures tells its own story. With only 99 to get, Kent made light work of their easy challenge as Rob Key (44*) and Andrew Symonds (45*) got them home in just over 19 overs.National League Division Two Table Sussex 128 for 1 beat Lancashire 125 by nine wickets at Old Trafford Scorecard Just as Lancashire spoiled Sussex’s Championship celebrations earlier this week, Sussex got their revenge in the National League with a thumping nine-wicket win. A win for Lancashire would have ensured their position as division winners, but Billy Taylor and Mark Davis made sure they will have to wait a little longer. Taylor took the early wickets of Mal Loye and Stuart Law as Lancashire slipped to 39 for 3. Mark Chilton (43) and Chris Schofield (32) then started the rescue act, but after adding 61 to push the score to 101-4, the last six wickets fell for only 24 runs. Most of that was down to Davis, who took 4-14 in a nine-over spell. Chasing 126, Richard Montgomerie (66*) and Murray Goodwin (59) didn’t hang around as Sussex romped to a comfortable win, and only their sixth of the season. Middlesex 278 for 4 beat Hampshire 277 for 7 by six wickets at Lord’s Scorecard Paul Weekes starred for Middlesex with bat and ball as they squeezed past Hampshire with only one delivery left. After being asked to bat, Hampshire rattled up 277 with Nic Pothas and Simon Katich blasting an opening stand of 144. Pothas scored 78 from 77 balls, while Katich creamed 106, including 13 fours. Katich was eventually bowled by Weekes, who went on to take 4 for 45, and then provide the platform for Middlesex’s superb victory. He scored 104, and shared crucial partnerships with Andy Strauss, Chad Keegan and Owais Shah to keep them flowing with the tide. Needing nine runs to win off the final over, Shah hit a six, but was out the next ball. However, Ed Joyce and Jamie Dalrymple kept their nerve to steer Middlesex home.Nottinghamshire 185 for 3 beat Scotland 183 by seven wickets at Trent Bridge Scorecard After such an unexpectedly bright start to their first season in the National League, Scotland’s rapid demise was capped off with another defeat in the final match of their campaign. Nottinghamshire haven’t had a great summer either, but at least Chris Cairns took out some of their frustration with a booming 76, featuring three sixes, in their comfortable win. Cairns earlier grabbed two wickets, and Stuart MacGill three, as Scotland were bowled out for 183, James Brinkley top-scoring with 67. Kevin Pietersen, who could well be leaving at the end of the season, hit a quick 20 before Jason Gallian (43*) and Cairns clubbed together 111 in Notts’ seven-wicket win. Derbyshire 249 for 8 beat Somerset 243 for 9 by two wickets at Taunton Scorecard Derbyshire, led by Michael Di Venuto, hung on to pull off an impressive run-chase against Somerset, sneaking home by two wickets and with one ball to spare. After Ian Blackwell (60 from 47) and Matthew Wood (58) helped Somerset to 243 for 9, Di Venuto played a well-paced knock of 113 to keep Derbyshire in touch. He received support from Andrew Gait, Steve Stubbings and Dominic Hewson, all of whom scored in the 20s, but after Di Venuto was caught off Nixon McLean, Derbyshire still needed 20 to win. Up stepped Nathan Dumelow (28*) to take the responsibility and he made sure of the victory by smashing Simon Francis for six to win the game in style.
Western Australia’s Ryan Campbell is the surprise choice as wicketkeeper in the 12-man squad selected to represent Australia ‘A’ in matches against New Zealand and South Africa next week.Campbell has played only three ING Cup matches for his state this season, and scored a total of 135 runs from his ten appearances last summer. But, on the back of a thrilling innings of 77 against Victoria last week, the 29-year-old vaulted past New South Wales gloveman Brad Haddin and Queensland’s Wade Seccombe to win a berth.”I gave myself no chance (of selection), really,” said Campbell this afternoon.”I’ve worked really hard just to get back playing for WA and doing whatever I need to do for our team. I haven’t really thought about personal honours at all this season.”It’s very surprising but, in the same breath, it’s very pleasing.”Campbell, a clean-hitting batsman and athletic gloveman, also played with Australia ‘A’ in the 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons. But he was used primarily as an opening batsman in those games.”I’ve been playing a different role this year; people normally think of me as an opening batsman who likes to tee off.”But my role’s changed: I’m batting in the middle order in both forms of cricket and I’ve changed my game a bit to try and settle our order down. I’m therefore giving myself more of a chance to be consistent – that’s something that I’m really working hard at doing.”Haddin, meanwhile, was one of only a handful of players from his state to miss out on selection in Australian teams today. Five Blues were included in Australia’s VB Series squad, and another five of the 12 positions in the Australia ‘A’ squad – seen as the country’s second-tier group of one-day cricketers – also went to players from New South Wales.Pending the outcome of a fitness test, captain Darren Lehmann will have fellow South Australian Jason Gillespie at his disposal as the speedster returns from a shoulder injury. But the remainder of the positions in the side’s attack will be filled exclusively by New South Welshmen. Left armer Nathan Bracken and tall right armer Stuart Clark are the other pacemen chosen; all-rounder Shane Lee will contribute medium pace; and Stuart MacGill and Mark Higgs are the slow bowling options.In a team that contains few genuine all-rounders, as many as five specialist batsmen have also been selected. South Australia’s Greg Blewett and Queensland’s Jimmy Maher are likely to fill opening batting roles, while Western Australians Simon Katich and Mike Hussey will join Lehmann in the other key positions.Along with Haddin and Seccombe, Queensland’s Martin Love, Victoria’s Brad Hodge and Tasmania’s Damien Wright – each of whom has starred at domestic one-day level over recent seasons – appear particularly unlucky to have missed selection.Australia ‘A’ meets New Zealand at the ‘Gabba on 8 January before flying to Adelaide to battle with South Africa two days later. Both are day-night games and precede the three-cornered VB Series of one-day international matches between Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.The full squad is: Darren Lehmann (c), Simon Katich (v/c), Greg Blewett, Nathan Bracken, Ryan Campbell, Stuart Clark, Jason Gillespie, Mark Higgs, Michael Hussey, Shane Lee, Stuart MacGill, Jimmy Maher.
All those present at De Soysa Park Stadium today were robbed of apotentially appetising contest on the final day of this practicematch. Robbed by a Sri Lankan team too concerned about losing andunprepared to take minimal risks in an effort to win the match. Deniedan opportunity to learn from a run chase the players had to settle fortedious and quite pointless last two sessions. Required to score 269in just 56 overs the Zimbawean’s unsurprisingly decided not to chasethe runs, finishing 81-4.Sri Lanka’s unwillingness to set a reasonable target, say something inthe region of 210-220 is really quite inexplicable on a pitch that wasgiving plenty of assistance to their spinners and against a team witha relatively inexperienced top order. One hopes that the approach ofboth sides will improve in the next match. So far we have no resultsfrom the first three matches.Starting the day with a lead of 117 the Sri Lankan openers extendedtheir fine opening partnership to 128. Ian Daniels (52) took over therole of the aggressor this morning and started well. Looking to beexpansive they soon started to struggle against the Zimbabweanspinner’s leg stump line. Neither Daniels nor Kalavitigoda (72) wereable to increase the scoring rate sufficiently and in the 90 minutesthey batted this morning they only scored 50 runs.When Daniels was eventually adjudged LBW off the bowling of RaymondPrice it precipitated a dramatic collapse as the Sri Lankan’s tried toincrease the tempo but only succeeded in losing wickets. Five wicketsfalling for just 16 runs in 28 minutes.However, spurred on by lunch the Sri lankan’s came out in the nextsession all guns blazing, scoring 70 runs from just nine overs. KumarSangakkara (48*) continued his good form of the first innings with asparking 48 from just 37 deliveries. Prepared to improvise and use hisfeet he countered the leg stump line of the Zimbabwean’s with avariety of entertaining shots, some of which were quite unique. Hispartner, Suresh Perera (38), was also in fine form. Returning tocompetitive cricket he showed why he is rated so highly as a promisingallrounder with some classy shots, two of which sailed over theboundary for six.Whilst the Sri Lankan’s continued to bat on the Zimbabwean’s slowedthe game down to a crawl. Gavin Rennie bowling some of the slowestovers of left arm spinners ever witnessed. Frustration started tocreep in to the visitors cricket though and at least four catches weredropped. Tiredness may well be starting to take its toll.Once the declaration did finally arrived it was clear that theyZimbabean’s would not try to win the game. A target of 210-230 wouldhave been chased but a run rate in excess of 5 runs per over was justtwo much on a pitch that was now turning sharply.Even though they lost Alester Maragwede (4) early on, when he wascaught by a juggling Sangakkara behind the stumps, they survivedwithout much trouble until tea and never looked like losingthereafter. Despite mass appealing from the Sri Lankan’s and some fineattacking spin bowling from Dinuk Hettiarachchi the visitors lost onlyfour wickets. They will now travel to Galle for the second testundefeated when they could have lost two.
Liverpool arguably have the best full-back pairing in the world in Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, who have both become an integral part of Jurgen Klopp’s team.
A pathway to the first team for Kostas Tsimikas and Neco Williams has thus far been difficult and limited to mere cup appearances and the odd game where one of the regular full-bacvs isn’t fit – so much so that the latter has gone out on loan to Championship leaders Fulham.
However, with the Reds still fighting on all fronts for the quadruple after winning the Carabao Cup a couple weeks ago, opportunities to impress Klopp could be available. Should that also prove to be the case in future seasons, the importance of having depth in the wing-back positions will soon be realised.
One player who has been tipped to become a Liverpool star in the future is left-back Callum Scanlon, who penned his first professional deal with the club this week after signing from Birmingham City as a 15-year-old in December 2020 for £500k.
An England youth international, the 17-year-old is described as ‘highly rated’ at the club, where he has nailed down a starting spot with the under-18s after making his debut last May. The youngster’s former academy coach James Atkins has hailed the starlet as “lightning quick” and “technically very good”.
Scanlon has also shown the ability to play in midfield, just like Alexander-Arnold, who himself graduated from the Reds’ academy.
What makes the 23-year-old such an important player in the Liverpool team, perhaps even more so than Robertson, is his ability to not just double up as a winger in attack, but also occasionally drift into the middle of the pitch to make things happen, much like Manchester City’s inverted full-back Joao Cancelo.
However, the West Derby native does this more because he has the technical ability to play in those areas, compared to Cancelo who also has that technical ability, but is a right-footed defender playing on the left, and cutting in is natural to him.
If Scanlon also has the technical ability to play in midfield, he could follow in the footsteps of Alexander-Arnold as opposed to Robertson. However, should he continue to develop at the same rate, but with his athleticism, aggression and strong delivery, he could perhaps play more like the Scottish defender, bombing up and down the left flank to good effect.
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Klopp may already have a long-term successor to Robertson at his disposal on Merseyside, potentially saving the club a few million quid in the transfer market as they would be spared the need to splash out on a new left-back.
In other news: Liverpool could sign their own Haaland in “atomic” £34m animal who’s “ice cold”
Adam Gilchrist believes Australia’s attack is much better prepared to challenge India’s strong batting line-up than when the teams last met in Australia in 2003-04. During that visit India drew the series 1-1 and they posted strong first-innings totals of 409, 523, 366 and 705.Australia were without Shane Warne, who was sitting out because of his drugs ban, and Glenn McGrath, who had an ankle injury. Those two stars are now retired but Gilchrist is confident that any of Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Shaun Tait, Mitchell Johnson and Brad Hogg can trouble India this time around.”They [India] have done well before without those two guys around, but I sense we’ve got a much more mature bowling group this year than what we did four years ago,” Gilchrist told the . “We have no doubt teams will feel a bit more confident without those guys in the line-up and that’s the challenge for us.”During the 2003-04 campaign Australia used five fast men – Lee, Jason Gillespie, Andy Bichel, Brad Williams and Nathan Bracken – and Stuart MacGill struggled to claim wickets. But Gilchrist was pleased with the way Australia’s new-look attack handled the recent Tests against Sri Lanka and he felt the bowling performances of four years ago would not be repeated.”The reality [of missing Warne and McGrath] kicked in during those first two Tests [against Sri Lanka],” he said. “I thought our bowling efforts didn’t wane at all. The guys stepped up in the absence of those two legends.”[India] certainly presents a bigger challenge because we’re playing against a more reputable batting line-up that will be confident against a team without those two players. There will be some hard slogs, but I think we’ve got the maturity there now to deal with it.”
West Indies captain Brian Lara is available for selection for defending champions Trinidad and Tobago against Barbados in the five-day Carib Beer Series Challenge Final, which starts on Thursday at Guaracara Park, Pointe-a-Pierre.T&T team manager Omar Khan did not give any details on the final composition of the national squad to face Barbados, but he did indicate the possibility that Lara could play, along with his West Indies team-mate Dwayne Bravo. “Barbados is no easy side to beat. We had some good battles in the past and this one will be no different,” Khan commented.”But we have the upper hand,” he continued. “We have had a good season going into this final. We only played one bad day of cricket this season and that was on the third day of the first game against Barbados, which cost us the match.”Speaking about T&T’s five-run victory in the KFC Cup final against the Windward Islands last Saturday in St Vincent, Khan said: “It was a tremendous team effort.”Trinidad and Tobago have been unbeaten throughout the tournament and to have won makes it even more special. No other team has managed to go through the season undefeated and the guys will feel very proud to hold that special honour.”Trinidad and Tobago had some nail-biting matches in the KFC Cup which had many fans on the edge of their seats. In the semi-final against Guyana and then the final, T&T found themselves in some perilous positions. According to Khan, complacency is something the team has to work on, but he also noted that close finishes are what finals are all about.”The team that keeps their head on until the end and proves their character, displays their determination, heart and passion will win the game,” Khan said.”All team members put up a fight. When one fails, the others know it is time to come to the party. Everyone plays a part in the team’s success, it is a total team effort.”Commenting on Kieron Pollard’s performance, Khan said: “He has been excellent for us this season but now he needs to work on his shot selection. He needs to choose which ball to go after and to understand that at this level you need to play sensible cricket.”Pollard is a good player and a talented all-rounder. He has a very effective slower delivery. He has broken some crucial partnerships this season and he will definitely be a good addition to the West Indies World Cup team.”Khan also commended T&T skipper Daren Ganga for his excellent leadership on and off the field. The T&T squad will have a training session tomorrow at Gilbert Park, California before their clash with Barbados.