Chris Read has been dropped from England’s one-day squad to make way for Geraint Jones, while there is a first call-up for Lancashire’s fast bowler Sajid Mahmood, who impressed on the England A tour to India and Malaysia earlier this year.Robert Key, the Kent opener who was the first batsman to pass 1000 runs this season, has also been recalled to the fray, although Gareth Batty and James Kirtley have both been omitted from the squad that toured the Caribbean earlier this year.It is a particularly cruel blow for Read, whose glovework this winter was of the highest order, and whose ability to take the long handle to the bowling at the end of an innings had been in evidence in England’s victory over West Indies in Guyana. David Graveney, England’s chairman of selectors, has admitted that the decision had been one of the toughest he had faced.”I will be speaking to Chris to ensure that he fully understands the reasons for his omission,” said Graveney. “Ultimately, we had to make a very fine judgment as to who we thought was the best person for the job. Geraint has the ability to bat in a number of different positions and this was an important factor.”Simon Jones did not come into consideration because of his foot injury, although Anthony McGrath – the forgotten man of England’s winter campaign – has been retained in the squad ahead of his fellow allrounder Rikki Clarke, who had failed to cement a role in the side. Despite popular belief that he would soon be eased out of the picture, Darren Gough has kept his place in the squad.England squad Michael Vaughan (capt), James Anderson, Ian Blackwell, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Ashley Giles, Darren Gough, Stephen Harmison, Geraint Jones (wk), Robert Key, Sajid Mahmood, Anthony McGrath, Andrew Strauss, Marcus Trescothick.
At their scheduled meeting last night the Board of YCCC considered a report from Geoff Cope about the disciplinary incident involving Darren Lehmann during the Australia vs Sri Lanka VB series ODI in Brisbane.As you all know Darren Lehmann was found guilty of the offence by the ICC and is serving a 5 match ban from One Day Internationals. Darren has accepted his punishment and is very, very remorseful about the incident. He apologised personally and immediately to the Sri Lankan team, the ACB, YCCC and cricket supporters in general all over the world.YCCC condemns such remarks made by Darren. It finds them totally unacceptable and are not required in the game of cricket, especially in Yorkshire. It condemns Darren Lehmann’s language and behaviour on this occasion, for which there can never be any satisfactory excuse or explanation. There is no place for racist attitudes, behaviour or language in cricket nor in YCCC.As to Darren’s future with the Club, the Board has considered the matter in the context of his service to Yorkshire over the past 3 years, the last as Captain, and also in the context of his excellent record for good conduct and his personal qualities. In these circumstances they have concluded that his position with the club is unaffected by the incident.Can we make it quite clear that YCCC, its Board, its Players and Darren Lehmann are not racist in any way whatsoever and if the recent incident has upset or annoyed anyone concerned to cricket in general or YCCC then we apologise to those people. When some in the national press, in the past week, interpreted both Geoff Cope’s and my support of Darren Lehmann as indication that we are racist ourselves, we protest strongly. This matter was under the jurisdiction of the ICC as Darren was playing for Australia and not YCCC. We waited until our scheduled Board meeting last night to make our personal positions clear to our members and the cricket world in general as well as that of the Club.YCCC welcomes all Asian and black players within the County and works to increase the opportunities for them to to play for YCCC at all levels.We have the following players already within the Club.
3 players of Asian origin, in the Academy/Scholarship (Rashid, Ajmal, Saraaz)
In 11-16 year group, there are 14 of Asian origin
Tony Bowry – CDO – West Indian origin – involved with Black & Ethnic minorities.
With two convincing victories under their belt, a confident India lookto assert their superiority in the triangular one-day series for theCoca Cola Cup when they take on West Indies in Bulawayo tomorrow.The two teams are playing each other after a gap of two years and witha lot of newcomers in both sides, are unaware of their strengths andweaknesses.India, who have already assured themselves a berth in the final, willlike to treat the two matches with West Indies as a precursor to thetitle clash which in all probability would be played between the sameteams.For the West Indies, who defeated Zimbabwe in the only match theyplayed so far, it is a crucial game because theoretically there isstill a possibility of their being relegated.The record is heavily tilted in favour of West Indies who have won 40of the 63 matches played between the two countries with India winning21.Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, after the last match against Zimbabwe,had said he would like to experiment with the team now that they werethrough to the final. Some of the players have not got a chance toplay and might get their opportunity tomorrow.Pacemen Debasish Mohanty and Harvinder Singh and all-rounder ReetinderSingh Sodhi have not played any match in this series so far and therewere indications that all three may be accommodated tomorrow.That will mean a well-earned rest for Ashish Nehra and possibly AjitAgarkar and VVS Laxman who would get more time to let his injured leftindex finger heal.Sodhi has had a presence on the field in both the games againstZimbabwe coming on as a substitute fielder but for Mohanty andHarvinder this will be their first outing.Nehra has been the outstanding bowler for India on this tour and hasdone exceptionally well both in the Tests and the one-dayers. He hasbowled tirelessly and the team would like to preserve his energies forthe final.The batsmen have come up with a satisfactory performance in the seriesso far and with Ganguly finally getting runs in the last match, theline-up looks quite formidable. Though Ganguly was patchy in his 85-run innings, the team must be hoping that the captain has finally comeout of his prolonged lean form.The team had some other reasons too to draw satisfaction. DineshMongia played with a lot of confidence in the last match and vicecaptain Rahul Dravid was in ominous touch. Though Hemang Badani andVirendra Sehwag were non-performers with the bat, the two have provedtheir credentials in limited overs cricket and can be relied upon tocome up with useful knocks.For these youngsters, this would be their first experience of the WestIndies pace attack which is still quite formidable even in these leandays of West Indian cricket. It will be a test of their technique andtemperament when they face the likes of Mervyn Dillon, Reon King andCameroon Cuffy.Conversely, it would be interesting to see how the West Indian bowlersfare against the experience and class of Sachin Tendulkar, Ganguly andDravid, three of the top batsmen in the world in both forms ofcricket.Apart from Cuffy, Dillon and King, three men who are capable ofdemolishing any opposition with their pace, West Indies have spinvariety too in the form of Mahendra Nagamootoo – a leg-spinner – andcaptain Carl Hooper who can be very effective with his slow offspinners.Though the inspirational Brian Lara is absent, West Indies have somevery competent youngsters and they showed their prowess in the gameagainst Zimbabwe the other day.Hooper and left-hander Shivnaraine Chanderpaul are the mostexperienced of the lot and they form the batting mainstay of theirteam. Openers Chris Gayle and Darren Ganga and Wavell Hinds are veryexciting prospects with the ability of playing big knocks.The wicket looks to be perfect for batting and tomorrow’s game isexpected to be marked by high scoring.The teams (from):India: Saurav Ganguly (captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Dinesh Mongia,Rahul Dravid, Hemang Badani, Virendra Sehwag, Samir Dighe, ReetinderSingh Sodhi, Harvinder Singh, Harbhajan Singh Ajit Agarkar, ZaheerKhan and Debasish Mohanty.West Indies: Carl Hooper (captain), Darren Ganga, Chris Gayle,Shivnaraine Chanderpaul, Wavell Hinds, Ridley Jacobs, Reon King,Cameroon Cuffy, Mervyn Dillon, Mahendra Nagamootoo, Marion Samuels,Ramnaresh Sarawan, Kerry Jeremy.
A huge Newcastle United claim has been dropped regarding Fabian Schar’s future at St James’ Park…
What’s the talk?
According to i News reporter Mark Douglas, the centre-back is eager to put pen to paper on a contract extension with the club.
The report claimed that there have been positive talks between the two parties in the midst of interest from clubs in Serie A. It is said that the Swiss defender’s wages will not be an issue for PIF as they attempt to prevent him from leaving for nothing at the end of his current deal in the summer.
Elation
This news will surely leave Eddie Howe elated, as keeping Schar heading into the 2022/23 campaign will be a major boost to his Newcastle squad.
The Switzerland international is now in his fourth season for the Magpies and is currently a regular starter alongside Dan Burn at the back. Schar has started 10 league games in 2022 and only lost two of them, scoring one goal and setting up another whilst helping his side to record three clean sheets, which shows the impressive form he is enjoying at the moment.
In the 2018/19 campaign, he averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 7.14 as he scored four goals in 24 top-flight appearances. The centre-back averaged a whopping 5.3 tackles and interceptions per game in that campaign as he showcased his defensive prowess for the Toon.
He is a proven Premier League performer who also has the ability in possession to be a part of a progressive system moving forward. As per FBRef, he ranks in the 91st percentile for attacking touches, 81st for dribbles completed, 97th for assists and 82nd for shot-creating actions amongst centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues over the last 365 days.
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This shows that he has the quality in possession to do more than just clear danger and worry about the next attack to defend. For example, Jamaal Lascelles ranks in the 12th percentile for dribbling, 30th for assists and 12th for shot-creating actions, as per FBRef, suggesting that he is not as influential in possession in comparison to Schar.
Therefore, Howe will be buzzing to retain the 30-year-old, and this news suggests that the defender will be staying at St James’ Park beyond the end of the current season. The ex-Bournemouth coach will surely be eager to lean on him again at the heart of his defence next term, both for his out-and-out defending and his use of the ball to build attacks for Newcastle.
AND in other news, NUFC eye £49.5m-rated “phenomenon” who’s a “work of art”, he’d ignite St James’ Park…
ScorecardAlex Blackwell slammed 112 off 114 balls•Getty Images
Australia Women shrugged off the disappointment of losing the T20I series by handing India Women a 101-run thrashing in the first ODI in Canberra.Australia, opting to bat, rode on a 180-run stand for the third wicket between Alex Blackwell and Ellyse Perry. Blackwell top-scored for the team, stroking a 112-ball 114 with 12 fours, while Perry chipped in with 90 off 118 balls. Their efforts lifted Australia to a competitive 276 for 6.Perry then contributed with the ball, collecting 4 for 45 to run through India’s top and middle order, as the visitors failed to gather any momentum in their chase. Harmanpreet Kaur top-scored with 42, but no other player managed more than 25, as India folded for 175 inside 47 overs.
Nottinghamshire have signed Kyle Hogg, the Lancashire allrounder, on a month-long loan deal to cover for an increasing injury list.Mick Newell, Nottinghamshire’s director of cricket, is down to the bare bones of a pace attack with Charlie Shreck, Andy Harris, Paul Franks and Mark Footitt currently out of action and Ryan Sidebottom committed to England duty”I’m delighted to have Kyle on board and it’s a great opportunity for him to play some first-class cricket and prove a point,” said Newell. “He’s a talented young seamer who has been struggling to claim a regular place in a strong Lancashire team.”We have been keeping an eye on him for some time and although he will only be with us for a month initially, who knows where it might lead.”It will be Hogg’s second loan spell of the season after spending time with Worcestershire during the first half of the summer. He has struggled to find a regular spot in the Lancashire side, even though there have been a number of injuries at Old Trafford.
Jacques Rudolph feels that the conditions in Sri Lanka fit his batting style “like a glove” and is confident of cementing his spot in the South African team in the absence of Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis. Rudolph was included in the squad to tour Sri Lanka because Smith pulled out after undergoing surgery for an ankle injury.”This is definitely a big chance for me to regain my place in the squad. We all know Graeme and Jacques Kallis will return,” Rudolph told News 24. “Whoever performs the best out of AB [de Villiers], Hashim [Amla] and Boeta [Dippenaar] on this tour, stands a good chance to remain in the squad when Graeme and Jacques do return.””It’s the fourth time that I’ll be touring Sri Lanka and I’m used to the conditions. I’ve toured with the South Africa A team in the past and I’ve been successful. On the last tour I hit a century in Galle. Hopefully I’ll be successful again.”Rudolph admitted that the absence of Smith and Kallis, who is recovering from elbow surgery, had considerably weakened the side. “It’s also an opportunity for us as a team, probably a less experienced and weaker team than usual, to show what we can do. Some of the guys will definitely have to take the lead and show more determination in the absence of those guys [Smith and Kallis].”
Digicel, the current sponsors of the West Indies cricket team, and one of the parties embroiled in the recent Caribbean contract dispute has said it would welcome and support any offer from the ICC and the Federation of International Cricketer’s Associations (FICA) to resolve the present stalemate.The ICC has made it clear that it will not involve itself in the dispute, unless explicitly asked to do so. The West Indies Cricket Board has made this position clear to Digicel, although Roger Braithwaite, the WICB chief executive, has been actively involved in talks with Malcolm Speed, his opposite number at the ICC.Last week, a Digicel spokesman, in an exclusive interview to Cricinfo, talked about the company’s growing “disappointment” at the WICB’s seeming unwillingness to resolve the dispute. “The whole process has been frustrating as our whole investment is about having the best West Indies cricket team,” said the spokesman. “We are not an administrator and all we have ever wanted is the best for West Indies cricket.”The contract row has now clearly hit rock bottom, with a second-string West Indies team playing Test matches in Sri Lanka. Stars like Chris Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Brian Lara, who have personal endorsements with Digicel’s rival mobile communications company Cable and Wireless, are absent, thus robbing the series of its sheen.The latest statement from Digicel reveals more than a tinge of desperation on the company’s part, as it struggles to find a way out of the dispute. “Digicel continues to remain hopeful that a solution can be created between the WICB and WIPA that provides value to the players, fans and organisations that are supporting West Indies Cricket,” said Ben Atherton, Digicel Group marketing director in a press release. “We believe that the current situation could benefit positively from the international expertise and best practices garnered by the world’s governing body and player’s association in the interests of all parties involved”.
On Friday night, the Indians liked what Javed Miandad cooked up, according to . Miandad had invited Dilip Vengsarkar for dinner, and Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Ashish Nehra and Parthiv Patel went along. The players had heard about Miandad’s hospitality, and savoured the occasion.”We discussed a lot of things. Cricket obviously was the main topic,” Miandad said. “But there were a lot of discussions on other things also and they enjoyed themselves. We enjoyed playing hosts and serving them some delicious Pakistani cuisine.”He was impressed by Tendulkar’s humour and humility: “He has matured a lot now and his sense of humour has also improved a lot. He is more relaxed and we enjoyed the evening with him.”***Make the umpires accountable for their mistakes, writes Harbhajan Singh in his syndicated column in . “Our bowlers toiled hard but were clearly hard done by the umpiring. To make matter worse,” Harbhajan adds, “Parthiv Patel also copped a fine.””A cricketer is bound to give vent to his frustration if even clear-cut catches are denied to his team,” he argues. “… and the next thing that happens is that he is hauled up and punished.”Same newspaper, different column. Ajit Wadekar writes about Steve Bucknor, who “seems to have developed a taste for Indians and has been chasing the team around the world.” Wadekar pointed out that the umpire had played a large role in India’s recent fortunes “so much so, that Sourav Ganguly reportedly marked him ‘zero’ in the captain’s report in Australia recently.””He is singularly unrepentant about his mistakes, especially against India. And despite the succession of complaints the Indian management has made against him, the ICC seems to derive vicarious pleasure in slotting him for all India’s series.”***Kapil Dev wants a player to run the BCCI, though he clarified he had nothing against Jagmohan Dalmiya, who currently heads India’s cricket board. According to , Kapil proposed the idea at Ali Bacher’s book launch, and cited him as a good example of a player-turned-administrator.On being questioned whether cricketers would be interested in running administrative affairs, he had a unique reply: “Ask Sunil Gavaskar if he is interested in heading the Board. I would like to know his answer. Well, the point is there have to be opportunities.”
MELBOURNE, Dec 16 AAP – Shane Warne should be available for Australia’s World Cup cricket campaign after undergoing shoulder surgery today.Australian team doctor Trefor James said Warne had undergone arthroscopic surgery this morning after he dislocated his bowling shoulder against England last night.James said Warne would be out of action for up to six weeks, meaning Warne will miss the remaining two Ashes Tests against England and the rest of the triangular one-day cricket series.But James was hopeful of having Warne back by the start of the World Cup in late February.”I don’t think I could be definite, we are hopeful he will be available and we will just have to wait until we’ll be in a better position to see,” he said.James said Warne was likely to make a full recovery despite fears his latest injury might have finished his career.”We expect him to bowl without any dramas and in the short term, we expect him to be out for four to six weeks,” James said.James said Warne was in shock and disappointment last night but in good spirits today.James said Warne faced a low-risk of redislocating his shoulder.But he said any risk would be associated with throwing a ball rather than bowling.James said Warne’s previous shoulder surgery had no bearing on his latest injury.He said Warne had a good track record of recovering from injuries and was diligent in his approach to rehabilitation.Melbourne specialist Greg Hoy performed the surgery, which was exploratory.