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Cheteshwar Pujara led from the front with an unbeaten double-century to set India A to an imposing 543 for 8 in Croydon

Cricinfo staff18-Jun-2010
ScorecardCheteshwar Pujara led from the front with an unbeaten double-century to set India A to an imposing 543 for 8 in Croydon. It was another tough day in the field for West Indies A, whose bowlers struggled to contain the Indians, save for Andre Russell, who took a second five-for in as many first-class games.Pujara resumed his innings on 111 with Wriddhiman Saha, and the pair ensured India held the advantage early on. Saha fell for 62, caught by the wicketkeeper Chadwick Walton off Russell. Jaskaran Singh provided valuable support to Pujara as he neared a double-century. Jaskaran too helped himself to a half-century, hitting nine boundaries in his 58. Pujara declared the innings when on 208 and his knock included 34 fours and a six. Russell finished with 5 for 97.West Indies however lost the early wicket Kraigg Brathwaite for 3 to their nemesis on tour, Jaidev Unadkat. West Indies will look to bat out the third day and not let India retain the edge.

Sri Lanka were splendid today; they hustled on the field, the spinners kept hauling them back when India threatened to break free, and Dinesh Chandimal made the chase look ridiculously easy with a charming ton

The Bulletin by Sriram Veera05-Jun-2010Sri Lanka 270 for 4 (Chandimal 111) beat India 268 for 9 (Kohli 68, Yusuf 44, Thushara 3-57) by six wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were outDinesh Chandimal’s 111 steered Sri Lanka to a comfortable victory•Associated PressIt’s a script that never seems to go stale. Sri Lanka have yet again disposed India from a multi-nation tournament. They were splendid today; they hustled on the field, the spinners kept hauling them back when India threatened to break free, and Dinesh Chandimal made the chase look ridiculously easy with a charming ton.Sometimes desperate situations, like the must-win situation for India, force one to make the right decisions. India made two shows of intent: Yusuf Pathan was promoted to No. 4 and the batting Powerplay was taken in the 18th over. Sometimes the best intentions may not be enough.Sometimes the hunter becomes the hunted: If India were to get the bonus point that would have helped them in the quest to enter the final, they had to restrict Sri Lanka to 214 but for a while it appeared that it was Sri Lanka who were going for the bonus point, with Chandimal going on to become their youngest ODI centurion.Sometimes an unknown like Chandimal pulls off a blinder of an innings. When Tillakaratne Dilshan fell after a breezy 21, Sri Lanka were at 29 for 1 and you wondered whether they might slow down, if not stutter, but Chandimal unfurled an attractive innings to ensure that the run-rate never dropped. He impressed with his shot selection, his footwork and his aggressive bent of mind: he walked down the track to lift Pankaj Singh over mid-on, welcomed Pragyan Ojha into the attack with a six over long-off and later smashed him over long-on and crashed R Ashwin over long-off and long-on. And all these sashays down the track were made possible because he used the crease well, often dropping well back to create his own length for his cut shots against the spinners. And, so when the spinners tried to correct the length by hurling it fuller, he responded with his more adventurous hits. And he looked pretty secure in defense too. Unlike Upul Tharanga, who often groped outside the line, Chandimal offered the full bat-face in defense. It took a lovely carrom-ball from Ashwin to get him stumped but by then he had put the issue beyond doubt.Sometimes you should ask for the stars. Suresh Raina had said after losing the toss that he was looking to reach around 270-280 and he got what he wanted but it didn’t prove enough. His team made a steady start, reaching 46 for 2 in 10 overs, and collecting 27 runs in the bowling Powerplay. They shifted the gears gradually and hit 39 runs in the final Powerplay, courtesy some big hits from Yusuf, to reach a healthy position by the half-way mark but Sri Lanka clawed their way back in style.Sometimes if you remain tenacious enough, you will find a way to break down the spirit of opposition. Two instances stood out for Sri Lanka’s tenacity: Ajantha Mendis bowled two overs that yielded just six runs in the batting Powerplay; and Suraj Randiv removed both Yusuf and Rohit Sharma to pull India back from a comfortable situation. Even the third spinner Jeevan Mendis bowled a tight spell in the middle as India, who were at 125 for 2 in 23.5 overs struggled to 187 for 5 in 37.1 overs. Only 52 runs came in this crucial period of 13 overs and importantly three big wickets of Yusuf, Kohli and Rohit went down.Sometimes disciplined bowling is enough. It was Randiv who did all the damage, not with anything spectacular but with his steady supply of loopy offbreaks. He beat Yusuf in flight and lured him to hole out to long-on and did Rohit in with a big-spinning off break that breached the defences. In between, Kohli, who had until then crafted a responsible innings, had lifted Thushara straight to long-off. And when Raina fell to a stunning catch – Chamara Kapugedera flung himself to his left at short extra cover- off Dilshan’s bowling, India were wobbling at 204 for 6 but were saved by Ashwin’s cameo.Sometimes the catalyst comes from the least expected quarter; Ashwin pulled off a gem in the end overs to push India from 204 for 6 in 41.1 overs to a respectable total. Ashwin pinged wide long-on for a six and a four against Mendis in the 47th over and lifted Nuwan Kulasekara for successive fours in the 48th, with a paddle-swept boundary being the highlight. However, Sri Lanka struck in the last couple of overs, via Thilan Thushara, to prevent India from reaching a big score. It was the pattern of the day – India kept threatening to get ahead, and Sri Lanka kept pulling them back till India caved in under the relentless pressure.

Graeme Smith, South Africa’s captain, has been cleared to resume training for the ICC World Twenty20 after recovering from the finger injury

Cricinfo staff13-Apr-2010

Graeme Smith, South Africa’s captain, has been cleared to resume training for the ICC World Twenty20 after recovering from the finger injury that forced him to return home mid-way through the ongoing Indian Premier League.”Cricket South Africa’s medical team is satisfied that Graeme has made a complete recovery from his finger injury,” South Africa’s team manager Mohammad Moosajee said. “He has been given the all clear to resume training in preparation for the ICC World Twenty20 in the Caribbean and the South African tour of the West Indies that follows. Graeme did pick up a slight fever last week but he should be ready to start practising on Wednesday.”Smith broke the middle finger of his right hand while taking a catch in Rajasthan Royals’ match against Delhi Daredevils on March 15 and had to return to South Africa. It was the second finger injury Smith had picked up in little more than a month. He had hurt his little finger on the left hand during the build-up to the Eden Gardens Test in February, which kept him out of the one-dayers against India.South Africa will play World Twenty20 warm-up games against Sri Lanka and England, before beginning their campaign against India in St. Lucia on May 2 and Afghanistan in Barbados on May 5.

Heart & Hand’s David Edgar has shed some light on the kind of player Rangers might target to replace Nathan Patterson. 

The lowdown

The 20-year-old completed his move to Everton on Tuesday, with Rangers set to receive a £16m fee. That would make it the most lucrative sale in the club’s history, surpassing the £12.15million departure of current manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst in 2001.

Patterson has been playing second fiddle to captain James Tavernier, but he has still made 11 appearances this season, including two Premiership starts and one in the Europa League.

The latest

Writing on the Heart & Hand Twitter account, Edgar said: “I’d expect a young promising player as backup to replace Nathan.”

He thinks the signing ‘will be a bit like [Calvin] Bassey’, who arrived from Leicester City as a 20-year-old ahead of the 2020/21 season.

The verdict

It’s hard to say if this is the right move for Rangers. If they bring another top prospect, then the problem they faced with Patterson could repeat itself.

Tavernier is effectively undroppable given his level of performance and output. According to WhoScored metrics, he has been the Gers’ top player this season, recording four goals and 10 assists. At 30 years of age and under contract until 2024, he could feasibly have that spot tied down for another few years yet.

Perhaps it would be better to go the opposite way and sign a veteran who can accept limited game-time but deliver dependable performances whenever called upon.

In other news, Van Bronckhorst has said something ‘concerning’ about transfers

Leeds United would be making a major howler by signing Chelsea outcast Ross Barkley in the January transfer window.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent weeks have suggested that Marcelo Bielsa’s side are eyeing up a swoop for the English midfielder, and now, journalist Pete O’Rourke has delivered an update on the situation.

He said: “They do like him (Barkley), but I don’t think it’s a major priority for Marcelo Bielsa to bring in another attacking midfielder.”

Massive howler from Leeds

While Leeds undeniably could do with some reinforcements in the January transfer window – injuries have more than taken their toll on Bielsa’s side – a swoop for an injury-prone ace who has played just 51 Premier League games in the last three years doesn’t seem like the best fit.

Earning a reported £100k-per-week, Barkley endured a woeful campaign while on loan at Aston Villa last season, managing only three goals and one assist in the top-flight – in fact, following the end of January, the midfielder netted no goals whatsoever.

And, speaking on The Athletic’s 1874 podcast, Aston Villa correspondent Gregg Evans slammed: “He doesn’t do enough for me now. I’ve seen enough of Ross Barkley now to realise that he’s becoming a bit of a liability for Villa. He’s not helping out enough as he should, really.”

Barkley has faced numerous injury problems that have really plagued his career since really making his breakthrough at Everton, and given his big wages too, he doesn’t scream a player who could really take Leeds to the next level.

The last thing the Whites need in January is another player to sit on the treatment table and barely make it onto the pitch, in what could be a crucial second-half of the campaign given the kind of season they’ve had thus far.

Barkley hasn’t proven himself to be a reliable performer who Bielsa could count on week-in and week-out, and that’s not even to mention the lack of end product when he does actually get himself on the pitch either – he’s scored just seven goals in the Premier League in the past three seasons.

Victor Orta would be heading for a significant Leeds nightmare with a swoop for Barkley and fans would surely be fuming.

Meanwhile, Leeds are eyeing this Uruguayan star…

أراد جول كوندي إرسال رسالة تهدئة إلى جماهير برشلونة، رغم غيابه المرتقب عن المرحلة المهمة التي سيواجهها الفريق في أكتوبر المقبل، بعد الإصابة التي تعرض لها الفرنسي.

وتعرض كوندي لإصابة إثر مشاركته مع منتخب بلاده فرنسا أمام النمسا، ليلة الخميس في منافسات دوري الأمم الأوروبية.

وأعلن برشلونة تشخيص إصابة كوندي بعد عودته وخضوعه لفحص طبي، واتضح إصابته في العضلة ذات الرأسين للفخذ الأيسر.

اقرأ أيضًا | أراخو يحسم موقفه من الخضوع لجراحة قبل مونديال قطر

من الممكن أن يظل كوندي خارج الملعب لأكثر من شهر بقليل بعد استبعاد إصابته في العضلة ذات الرأسين الفخذية في فخذه الأيسر.

من خلال منشور على حسابه الرسمي على “إنستجرام” كتب كوندي رسالة أفاد خلالها أنه يعمل للعودة في أسرع وقت ممكن.

كما تمت الإشارة في الساعات الأخيرة، سيغيب قلب الدفاع الفرنسي لمدة أربعة أسابيع تقريبًا، وسيكون جاهزًا للمباراة ضد بايرن ميونخ في دوري أبطال أوروبا المقرر إجراؤها في 26 أكتوبر المقبل.

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Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsShane Watson dominated the second half of the day with 96 not out•Getty Images

Shane Watson and Brendan Nash were team-mates at Queensland three seasons ago. Now Test opponents, their contrasting ninety-somethings on the second day kept the century-old scoreboard at the Adelaide Oval whirring as both Australia and West Indies racked up hefty numbers that ensured both teams were still in the contest with three days to play.Watson will have a restless night after finishing unbeaten on 96, an innings that he hopes will prove he has the ability to be a long-term Test opener. Nash nudged and ground his way to 92 and guided West Indies to an impressive 451, which was their highest total in a Test innings against Australia since the tail-end of their glory years 17 seasons ago.It was a frustration for Australia as the final four West Indies partnerships added 178 but the hosts soon discovered that their own batsmen could use the flat surface to their advantage just as easily. Watson and Simon Katich combined for their first century stand as a Test opening pair and at stumps were 0 for 174.Katich had reached 71 by the close, having played back-up to Watson’s centre-stage performance, although he did take the spotlight on one occasion when he slog-swept Sulieman Benn for six. There was no doubt that the second half of the day belonged to Watson, who struck 16 boundaries to Katich’s five.Watson entered the match having made a duck in his only innings at the Gabba and keen to prove to his doubters that he can handle the new ball in five-day cricket. He concentrated hard to avoid falling victim to his perceived weakness, the delivery angling in to his pads, and he reached fifty for the fourth time as a Test opener with a safe late-cut for four off Dwayne Bravo.There were moments of discomfort, like when he tried to hook a Ravi Rampaul bouncer and suffered a painful blow to the midriff, but he didn’t lose confidence. The next ball after the thump from Rampaul he stepped across and crunched a drive through cover-point to the boundary, giving the bowler no time to assert any authority.Technically, Watson is a sound batsman and has the ability to stay at the crease for long periods. But he proved himself first as a one-day opener and the attacking mindset remained as he found the boundary regularly, including three fours from five deliveries in the over before tea from Darren Sammy.Watson has a certain flair that his former Queensland colleague Nash doesn’t quite possess, but that should by no means detract from Nash’s efforts in Adelaide. His one-time flat-mate Mitchell Johnson forced Nash to retire hurt on the opening day with a nasty strike to the forearm and Johnson provided another blow to the same spot before lunch on the second day.But Nash fought through the challenges in a circumspect manner and continued West Indies’ theme of redemption after Brisbane, where he had been scratchy. He ticked the score over with singles and cut Johnson confidently for a pair of fours, never becoming too bogged down as had been the case at the Gabba.Just as Watson needed this innings to show himself to be a quality Test opener, Nash required a significant contribution to prove that he deserved his place ahead of Travis Dowlin, who was unlucky to be dropped. Eventually Nash was the last man out for 92, disappointed at missing the chance for a second Test hundred when he misjudged a ball from Johnson that nipped back in and rattled his stumps.By then, he had overseen a lower-order resistance that added 115 to the visitors’ overnight total and gave them their highest Test innings against Australia since Brian Lara’s unforgettable 277 at the SCG in 1992-93 set up a score of 606. He also combined in a West Indies Test record 68-run partnership for the tenth wicket with Rampaul, whose entertaining 40 not out featured one monstrous six over long-on off Watson.The Australians had earlier been frustrated by a 44-run stand from Nash and Sulieman Benn, who scuppered Australia’s hopes of a quick kill after they claimed a wicket with the first ball of the day. The TV official Bruce Oxenford was in the action immediately having taken over from Asad Rauf, who was forced onto the field to replace the unwell Mark Benson.Sammy was lbw to Peter Siddle for 44 to start the morning and Oxenford was asked to review the decision. It was one of only four wickets to fall throughout the day, which will almost certainly mean a five-day Test after the three-day affair in Brisbane.