All posts by h716a5.icu

Kenya have appointed Maurice Ouma, the dynamic wicket-keeper batsman, as their new captain to replace the long-standing Steve Tikolo

Cricinfo staff25-Jun-2009Kenya have appointed Maurice Ouma, the dynamic wicketkeeper batsman, as their new captain to replace the long-standing Steve Tikolo. Ouma’s first duty will be to lead Kenya in their first match of the ICC Intercontinental Cup, against Ireland in July.Thomas Odoyo was overlooked in the 15-man squad, while Rajesh Bhudia makes way for David Obuya, who has been in encouraging form lately.Tikolo, 37, stepped down in April but insisted he will still play for Kenya, this time under Ouma’s watch. Ouma, 26, has played 43 ODIs for Kenya and has cracked three fifties. He laced 114 last year in Kenya’s Intercontinental Cup fixture against Netherlands.Jimmy Kamande, the 30-year-old offspinner, was named Ouma’s deputy.Kenya squad: Maurice Ouma (capt), Jimmy Kamande (vice-capt), Kennedy Obuya, Alex Obanda, Steve Tikolo, Collins Obuya, Thomas Odoyo, Nehemiah Odhiambo, Lameck Ngoche, Peter Ongondo, Hiren Varaiya, Rakep Patel, Elijah Otieno, Seren Waters, David Obuya

Leeds United transfer target Noa Lang would be a major upgrade on recent summer signing Dan James, amid speculation the club are continuing to track the Club Brugge winger.

What’s the story?

Reports over the summer suggested that Lang was a major target of Marcelo Bielsa’s side, with Phil Hay even admitting that the Whites really liked him as a player.

With a deal failing to materialise however, the Yorkshire club eventually pulled off a deadline day for Manchester United star Dan James.

It’s now been claimed by Football Insider that Leeds remain interested in Lang, and have had scouts keeping tabs on his performances over the course of this season ahead of a potential move.

Far better than James

While it’s still early days for James at Elland Road, he hasn’t exactly shown in his short time at the club, or even with Manchester United, that he’s much of a consistent goal threat – in 52 games in the Premier League, he’s managed just six goals and seven assists.

The 22-year-old Lang on the other hand, has proven for the past couple of seasons he’s very much someone who will embrace the goal-scoring responsibility of a side, netting an impressive 17 times just last season – even his start to this campaign has been note-worthy, bagging four in ten.

And, after a fine performance against KRC Genk, Belgian analyst Filip Joos, said: “He is currently the best player in the league, I think. That‘s really pure class. He sees it, makes eye contact with Mechele who finishes it fine. Fantastic goal, because that pass is also ideal. He is constantly moving, he swings across the field, he likes to dribble, but he will always play it at the right time.”

Lang however, has a few more tricks up his sleeve aside from the kind of pace that James also has. Not only is he a prolific dribbler like Joos mentions, but he also has the vision and creativity to unlock defences – a real upgrade on James who appears to struggle when there isn’t space in behind to run into.

As per Whoscored, he averaged far more shots, key passes and dribbles per game than the Welshman last season, while providing the same amount of crosses and being fouled way more often too – in all the key attacking metrics, Lang has simply outshined him.

It’s also telling that Lang has also delivered considerably more assists than James too, providing 11 last season, and chipping in with four at the start of this one.

The 5 foot 10 ace crucially looks like he has the end product that really marks him out compared to someone like James.

Meanwhile, this Leeds United star was Bielsa’s real hero vs Fulham…

A round-up of the final day’s play of the fifth-round matches of the Ranji Trophy Super League 2009-10

Cricinfo staff04-Dec-2009Group A
Scorecard
Railways got a much-needed boost to their campaign as they demolished Gujarat in Valsad. Beginning the day on 139 for 2, still 161 adrift of an innings defeat, Niraj Patel and Parthiv Patel continued the good work for Gujarat from the previous day as the third-wicket partnership yielded 99. But once Parthiv fell to Murali Kartik, things went downhill for the hosts. Niraj painstakingly reached his century but couldn’t keep out Railways. Right-arm seamer Suresh Saxena accounted for three batsmen, including Niraj, but it was Kartik who led from the front. The Railways captain fittingly picked up the last wicket of Mehul Patel, his fourth of the innings, as victory was sealed in the 79th over of the day.
Scorecard
A sparkling century from captain Dinesh Karthik was the highlight on the final day of the clash between table-toppers Tamil Nadu and Orissa in Sambalpur. Tamil Nadu batted out the final day, content with first-innings points, with Karthik smashing 17 fours and two sixes during his 157-ball innings. Left-arm spinner Dhiraj Singh (3 for 122) gave Orissa an early breakthrough, getting overnight batsmen Arun Karthik caught behind. But fellow-opener Srikkanth Anirudha continued strongly to reach his fifty. The stage was set for Dinesh who rallied his partners to take the lead past the 400-mark. He played the lead role in three half-century partnerships as Tamil Nadu continued their dominance in the group, with a quarter-final spot well in sight.

Teams Mat Won Lost Tied Draw Aban Pts Quotient For Against

Tamil Nadu 52 0 0 3 0 201.355 2625/63 2337/76 Punjab 52 1 0 2 0 151.039 2301/78 2130/75 Mumbai 51 0 0 4 0 151.831 2149/42 2263/81 Railways 51 0 0 4 0 101.252 2118/60 1353/48 Gujarat 51 2 0 2 0 90.919 2413/80 1904/58 Orissa 50 1 0 4 0 60.801 1633/57 2325/65 Hyderabad (India) 50 0 0 5 0 50.647 2148/82 2590/64 Himachal Pradesh 50 3 0 2 0 40.743 1843/82 2328/77 Group B
Scorecard
A stellar effort from the bowlers coupled with a dazzling half-century from Virat Kohli helped Delhi improve their chances of a quarter-final berth with a win against Saurashtra at the Roshanara Club Ground. Railways lost their last three wickets for 33 runs inside 14 overs after resuming on 181 for 7. Left-arm Pawan Suyal finished as Delhi’s top bowler with four wickets. With 160 needed for victory, Delhi weren’t in real trouble, even though they lost opener Aditya Jain early. But Kohli was at his aggressive best, smashing 12 fours and two sixes during his 86-ball stay. He first teamed up with Ankur Julka to add 78 for the second wicket and then sealed victory with an unbeaten 53-run third-wicket stand with Mithun Manhas.”It feels good when you win your first game as captain and also get to contribute,” said Kohli.Delhi’s coach, Vijay Dahiya, singled out the innings. “He is a fine batsman and his captainship is an addition,” he said. “A win against a team like Saurashtra has given us confidence and we’ll look to do better from here.”
Scorecard
A classy hundred from Parvinder Singh along with Piyush Chawla’s composed fifty failed to hand Uttar Pradesh the full points against Maharashtra at the Pune Club Ground. Needing 382 to win with all wickets intact on the final day, UP perhaps could have made a better effort, especially having surrendered first-innings points. The Maharashtra bowlers were no less up for the challenge, as they looked to vacate the bottom spot on the points table. UP’s opening stand led the way, putting on 89, but the regular loss of wickets meant they finished 31 short. Parvinder hit 13 fours and a six and starred in two key partnerships – 67 with Shivakant Shukla and 103 with Chawla. Chawla remained unbeaten with eight fours and three sixes, as UP, currently in second position, failed to put daylight between themselves and the rest in the battle for a final eight spot.

Teams Mat Won Lost Tied Draw Aban Pts Quotient For Against

Karnataka 53 0 0 2 0 232.048 2689/54 2310/95 Uttar Pradesh 51 1 0 3 0 131.015 2457/74 2847/87 Delhi 41 1 0 2 0 90.966 2080/60 2046/57 Bengal 41 0 0 3 0 80.883 1921/50 2436/56 Saurashtra 40 1 0 3 0 71.229 2158/47 2129/57 Baroda 40 1 0 3 0 50.811 2275/71 1620/41 Maharashtra 40 2 0 2 0 40.456 2004/74 2196/37

Leeds United youngster Sam Greenwood is believed to have impressed Marcelo Bielsa hugely with his performances at Thorp Arch.

The Lowdown: Greenwood one to watch

The 19-year-old has arguably emerged as the most exciting player in the Whites’ academy, catching the eye after joining from Arsenal last year.

Greenwood has scored 14 goals in just 22 appearances for Leeds’ Under-23s, not to mention 12 in 14 caps for England’s Under-17s.

[freshpress-quiz id=“359346″]

The Latest: Exciting update emerges

According to Football Insider, a Thorp Arch source has claimed that the forward is considered a ‘phenomenal’ talent at Elland Road.

It is even stated that Greenwood has ‘blown Marcelo Bielsa and his backroom team away’ with his talent, suggesting he could become a Premier League star in the future.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-15/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Minutes this season?

Greenwood looks like a special prospect and it would be encouraging to see him given the chance to shine in the first-team this season, having made just one senior appearance to date.

Bielsa could use him in domestic cup competitions – they are generally seen as an opportunity to rest key men – and allow him the chance to prove himself.

With the likes of Mason Greenwood, Harvey Elliott and Bukayo Saka shining for some of the biggest clubs in the country, Leeds shouldn’t be afraid to throw their own young star in at the deep end, if they believe he is ready.

In other news, a pundit believes one player’s Leeds career is over. Find out who it is here.

Shaun Tait says he aims to play in the closing rounds of the IPL, despite Cricket Australia this month ruling him out of the tournament on medical grounds

Alex Brown28-Apr-2009Shaun Tait is aiming to play in the closing rounds of the IPL, despite Cricket Australia this month ruling him out of the tournament on medical grounds. Tait returned to the nets this week after three months on the sidelines with chronic hamstring tendonitis, and is hopeful of being cleared for the final stages of the Rajasthan Royals’ campaign in South Africa.Tait was the only senior Australian player to be selected in the 2009 IPL auction when purchased by Rajasthan for $375,000. The South Australian paceman was disappointed on learning of CA medical staff’s intention to stand him down from the lucrative Twenty20 league, but believes he has now made sufficient progress in his recovery from injury to be reconsidered.”If I can get myself fit, and there is a window for the final two or three games, that would be fantastic,” Tait told Cricinfo. “Because of the injury, Cricket Australia weren’t keen to release me to play [in the IPL], which ruled me out of training and playing with Rajasthan. That was pretty frustrating, because it was something I wanted to be a part of. But now that I am back in the nets and feeling good, hopefully there’s a chance there.”When fit, Tait has been an integral member of Australia’s 50- and 20-over squads in recent seasons, and the right-armer rates himself a “50-50″ chance of being named in the final 15-man line-up for the World Twenty20 in June. The IPL, he feels, represents an ideal opportunity to gain much needed match-practice ahead of the tournament, in which Australia were defeated by India in the semi-finals in 2007.”Obviously a lot of it depends on how I am going physically, but I feel good right at the moment,” he said. “I will keep bowling in the nets, but it would definitely be good to get a few games under my belt. I’m not sure if I’m in the selectors’ minds for the Twenty20 World Cup, but if so, then a few IPL games mightn’t be a bad thing. And if there was the opportunity for a county stint before the one-dayers in England, then that would be great, too.”Tait has contended with a number of elbow, back and hamstring injuries in recent seasons, but remains willing to live with the physical consequences of his violent bowling action for the sake of pace. The 26-year-old said he was loath to tinker with the bowling action that propelled him from the suburban grounds of Adelaide to Kensington Oval, the scene of the 2007 World Cup final, and would consider standing down from the longer forms of the game to extend his career.”At the end of the day, my action has got me this far,” he said. “I am prepared to cop these injuries to keep bowling fast. Last year I probably targetted the shorter forms more. I think one-dayers and Twenty20s suit my style of game more. In the next three or four months, I’ll see how I go. If I’m still feeling good playing four-day cricket then I’d be stupid to walk away, but if not then I’ll have to have a think about it.”I haven’t bowled a ball in three months, so it’s good to be pain-free again. I’ve learned a few ways that might help me manage my injuries better and keep myself strong. I’m sure I’ll get injured again; that’s just the way it is. Maybe that will mean missing a few games here and there, but hopefully I’ll be able to manage things better.”

Ricky Ponting has bowed to long-term interests by taking a mid-series break despite wanting to stay on and lead his team

Cricinfo staff02-Feb-2009
Ricky Ponting: “There had been suggestions I have a break earlier, but I did not think there was ever an appropriate opportunity and I am not sure there ever will be a good time to do it” © Getty Images
Ricky Ponting has bowed to long-term interests by taking a mid-series break despite wanting to stay on and lead his team through its current slump. Australia’s selectors have rested Ponting for the next two fixtures with New Zealand even though his side is behind after losing the first match of the Chappell-Hadlee Series in Perth on Sunday.Ponting said it was “painful” to leave the current situation. “There is never a good time to be rested from the Australian side and I accept that this certainly is not a good time,” Ponting told the Australian. “The selection panel were determined to rest me no matter what. There had been suggestions I have a break earlier, but I did not think there was ever an appropriate opportunity and I am not sure there ever will be a good time to do it.”Australia have suffered Test and ODI defeats to South Africa, which followed the Test loss in India, but Ponting maintains committed to leading the team through the transition. “But I can see that the long-term interests of my health and the team are best served if I am fit and rested before embarking on another long year of cricket,” he said. “I will leave the side reluctantly but hopefully return refreshed and more determined than ever to rebuild our reputation and lead the team to the best of my abilities.”Callum Ferguson, the South Australia batsman, and Adam Voges, from Western Australia, have come in to the 13-man squad for the matches in Melbourne on Friday and Sydney on Sunday. Shaun Marsh, the opener, is injured after tearing his left hamstring in Perth.Phillip Hughes and Simon Katich were both overlooked despite being in outstanding touch for New South Wales. Both batsmen scored centuries in the win over Tasmania in Newcastle and were part of the squad that won the domestic Twenty20 tournament.”You couldn’t ask for better form,” Katich said of Hughes in the Daily Telegraph. “Phil’s form in the Twenty20 was outstanding, he got runs and got them quickly. He’s probably disappointed to have missed out but at the end of the day he’s in contention for the South African tour and hopefully he gets the thumbs up.” The selectors will meet on Wednesday to choose Matthew Hayden’s replacement.

Lalit Modi, the IPL commissioner, has been defeated in the election for president of the Rajasthan Cricket Association

Cricinfo staff01-Mar-2009Modi’s problems at homeFebruary 2005: After a controversial election, Lalit Modi becomes president of the Rajasthan Cricket Association, controlled by the Rungta family for 38 years.December 11, 2008: Vasundhara Raje, in whose election campaign Modi played a key backroom role, loses the state elections and is ousted as Rajasthan chief minister.January 21, 2009: A group headed by Kishore Rungta lodges a complaint against Modi alleging misappropriation of funds.January 28, 2009: Modi is accused of forging residence documents to enable him to contest the RCA elections in 2005January 30, 2009: Modi, as RCA president, appoints a three-member arbitration tribunal comprising retired Supreme Court judges to look into the charges filed against him and recommend whether the elections should go aheadFebruary 15, 2009: An NGO accuses Modi of fraud, alleging that a Rs 6 crore (US$1.2million) donation promised after the Jaipur bomb blasts in 2008 never reached the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.February 16, 2009: In a bid to pressure the RCA, Modi says the home matches of the Rajasthan Royals could be shifted out of Jaipur. The Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur hosted the Rajasthan IPL team’s home games last season.March 1, 2009: Modi loses the election to the president’s post, defeated by a Rajasthan bureaucrat, Sanjay Dixit, who had the government’s backing. His nominee for secretary loses as well and Modi says the state government did “whatever it could” to defeat him.Lalit Modi, the IPL commissioner, has suffered an embarassing defeat in the election for the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) of which he was president since 2005. Modi lost 13-18 to a state government official, Sanjay Dixit, in Jaipur on Sunday.The defeat is a personal setback for Modi though it will not affect his position as vice-president of the BCCI since he is also on the board of the Punjab Cricket Association. “The RCA elections have nothing to do with Modi continuing as the vice-president of the BCCI and as chairman and commissioner of the IPL,” Shashank Manohar, the BCCI president, said.The BCCI had appointed Modi as its vice-president till 2011 and IPL chairman till 2013. However, the defeat means that Modi will not be eligible to vote during the Indian board’s general body meetings.Modi, who was close to the previous administration in Rajasthan, was facing resistance at the local association from a group of dissidents ever since a new government took over following state elections late last year. “I paid the price of being close to Vasundhara Raje (former chief minister of Rajasthan),” Modi told reporters after the defeat. “The state government did whatever it could to defeat me.”Local police had also lodged a series of cases against Modi over the last month on various charges, including fraud and forgery.The dissidents, meanwhile, amended the RCA’s constitution with the backing of the state administration and called for elections on February 22. The Supreme Court, however, upheld a plea by Modi who questioned the election process as per the amended constitution and sought the court’s intervention to ensure a free and fair election. The court appointed an independent observer to conduct the elections on March 1.In the build-up to the elections, Modi had said that some IPL games may be shifted out of Jaipur, the base of Rajasthan Royals, this season if there was any opposition from the local government. However, he ruled out that possibility after losing the elections. “There will be no effect on IPL matches; they will be held in Jaipur only,” Modi said.Modi’s rise to one of cricket’s most powerful figures began with him becoming RCA president after a controversial election in February 2005, ousting the Rungta family which had controlled the Rajasthan association for 38 years.

Express and Star journalist Luke Hatfield believes that a loan move is most likely for Aston Villa’s Wesley this summer.

The 24-year-old missed much of last season through injury, making his return to first-team action in Villa’s 2-2 draw with West Bromwich Albion in April.

Wesley was an unused substitute in Aston Villa’s opening Premier League match of the season against Watford, and Hatfield believes that a loan move will be most likely for the striker this summer.

“Yeah, I think a loan move is probably the most likely just because Villa at the time when they signed him, he was a club-record signing wasn’t he, and he was looking to finally get into gear before picking up what Dean Smith said was one of the worst injuries he’s ever seen, so yeah, I think a season on loan,” Hatfield told Transfer Tavern.

A source told Football Insider that manager Dean Smith was willing to offload both Anwar El Ghazi and Wesley, with the report stating that clubs in Belgium, Turkey and Holland were interested in Wesley.

Villa have been active in the transfer market this summer with incomings as Ashley Young, Axel Tuanzebe, Emi Buendia, Leon Bailey, Danny Ings and Caleb Chukwuemeka have all arrived at Villa Park.

A round-up of the first day’s play in the fourth round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy

Cricinfo staff14-Jan-2009Group A
Ahmed Shehzad scored his maiden first-class century © Cricinfo Ltd.
Khan Research Laboratories pinched a 36-run lead over Lahore Shalimar at the Lahore Country Club. Their decision to field first paid rich dividends, what with the new-pair combo of Jaffar Nazir and Junaid Khan slicing through the top and middle orders. Nazir, in his 12th season of first-class cricket, had the most success with 4 for 44 and Junaid took 3 for 50. Their own start with the bat didn’t start well, but Saeed Anwar jnr’s 65 smoothed over the loss of two early wickets. However, Lahore came back well to take four wickets for 38 runs before stumps. Mohammad Naved took 4 for 65.Another day of medium-pace domination in Sargodha, where Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited bowled out Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited for 156. Mohammad Khalil, the fast bowler who represented Pakistan five times in 2004-05, wrecked the top and middle orders with his Azhar Attari, after which Junaid Nadir took 4 for 29. The innings was over in 59.4 overs. Samiullah Khan then cleaned up Inam-ul-Haq for 0, and the ZTBL top order played out the evening to take the score to 35 for 1.To prove that not all of Karachi was succumbing to medium-pace, there were four half-centuries in National Bank of Pakistan’s 339 for 6 against Karachi Whites at the Southend Club Cricket Stadium. Nasir Jamshed (62), Naumanullah (66), the captain Fawad Alam (87) and Qaiser Abbas (98) all contributed, but Karachi did well to deny each of them centuries. New-ball bowler Fahad Khan took 3 for 87.Ahmed Shehzad’s maiden first-class hundred helped Habib Bank Limited to 247 for 2 against Sui Southern Gas Corporation on day one at Karachi’s Quaid-e-Azam Park. Shehzad’s top-order performances for Pakistan Under-19 had already caught the eye, and he made it a memorable day with an unbeaten 122, scored from 245 balls and with ten boundaries. He featured in an opening stand of 80 with Rafatullah Mohmand (45) and an unbeaten 139 with Khaqan Arsal (59 not out).Rameez Aziz, 18, hit his first century in his fourth match for Pakistan Customs, against Pakistan International Airlines at the NBP Sports Complex. He lost his fellow opener Imran Qadir for 0, but that didn’t prove a deterrent. Aziz had an experience partner along the way in his captain Zahoor Elahi, the former Pakistan batsman, who scored a rapid 52 a stand of 89. Yasir Hussain contributed an unbeaten 21 as Customs took stumps on 236 for 5, with Aziz still batting on 113 from 248 deliveries.Group BTwenty wickets fell on a frenetic opening day at the Diamond Club Ground. Islamabad won the toss and chose to field and blew away Multan for 118, only to stumble to 159 themselves. For the hosts, the right-arm fast-medium pacer Shehzad Azam took 5 for 45 and was ably supported by new-ball collaborators Rauf Akbar and Saad Altaf. Multan’s best was 31 from Kashif Naved and they lasted just 33.5 overs. In reply, Abdur Rauf, with his third five-wicket bag of the season, and Ansar Javed and Mohammad Irshad ran through Islamabad in 33 overs. Four players made it past 20, and their strike-rates suggested they didn’t intend to stick along too long. In two deliveries before stumps, Multan’s openers managed to stay together.Sialkot took firm control over Quetta at the Jinnah Stadium, rolling them over for just 92 and then gaining a 61-run lead by the close. Nadeed Javed snapped up 5 for 18 to extend his season tally to 17 wickets, and new-ball bowler Naved Arif helped himself to 4 for 45. Sialkot had far less trouble batting on the same pitch just 36 overs into the day. The openers Kamran Younis (50 from 78 balls) and Naeemuddin (53) put on four more in their stand than Quetta’s entire side managed, and after they fell Bilal Hussain and the captain Mohammad Ayub carried on to stumps.Rizwan Akbar continued his good form with a four-wicket haul and, along with some tidy back-up from Mohammad Rameez, helped Rawalpindi dismiss Faisalabad for 252 at the Mirpur Stadium. Rawalpindi, who chose to field first, had struck early to leave Faisalabad 2 for 3, and then took two more to make it 86 for 4. Usman Arshad stemmed the rot with 47, but his wicket was followed by another double blow. Then Mohammad Salman, the wicketkeeper, stood firm with 65 from 107 balls and found some assistance from the lower order, but Faisalabad were bowled out in 74.5 overs.The honours were shared between Karachi Blues and Peshawar at the United Bank Limited Sports Complex in Karachi. Peshawar batted first and made 261 for 5, without entirely dominating. The most aggressive innings came from the 18-year-old debutant opener Israrullah, who showed no signs of nervousness in hitting a 77-ball 88, with 13 fours and a six, in a stand of 112. His fellow opener Adil Amin, in his third match, was far more circumspect with 27 from 86 balls, and Sajjad Ahmed (62 not out) and Mahrooz Sabri (42) were similarly conservative.

Shoaib Malik will lead Sialkot Stallions’ 15-man squad in the Champions League with spin set to be a major part of the game plan

Cricinfo staff25-Nov-2008Shoaib Malik will lead Sialkot Stallions’ 15-man squad in the Champions League with spin set to be a major part of the game plan.Sialkot are Pakistan’s one representative in the tournament after receiving a late invite following the expulsion of Kent, the English Twenty20 runners up, because of their ICL players.Malik, Abdur Rehman and legspinner Mansoor Amjad will provide frontline spin options for a tournament where the slow bowlers are likely to play a major role.Squad Shoaib Malik (capt), Abdur Rehman, Adeel Malik, Ali Khan, Bilal Hussain, Faisal Naveed, Kashif Raza, Kamran Younis, Mansoor Amjad, Mohammad Ayub, Mohammad Ali, N Qazi, Qaisar Abbas, Sarfraz Ahmad, Shakeel Ansar