Andrew Hall, the South Africa and Lions allrounder, was found guilty on December 8 by Michael Kuper, an advocate, at a disciplinary hearing which was held at the head office of the United Cricket Board of South Africa in Johannesburg.Hall was charged with breaching the rules and code of conduct of the South African board during the Standard Bank Cup match between the Lions and Dolphins at the Liberty Life Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on December 2, 2005.Hall was charged and found guilty of contravening two clauses:Clause (1.2): Players and team officials must at all times accept an umpire’s decision and must not show dissent at an umpire’s decision.Clause 1.5 (1.5.2): Participants shall not engage in unbecoming or detrimental conduct which could bring them, the board or the game of cricket into disrepute.He was suspended for one match and hence is not eligible for the Standard Bank Cup match between the Lions and Warriors at Johannesburg on December 9.
Andhra 116 and 133 for 4 (Pathak 59*, Kulkarni 4-32) trail Mumbai 515 by 266 runs Scorecard Andhra hurtled towards defeat as Nilesh Kulkarni helped Mumbai into a strong position at the end of the third day’s play. Andhra were 133 for 4, following on, and were still 266 runs adrift of Mumbai’s first-innings score. Kulkarni, the left-arm spinner, picked up all four second-innings wickets. Andhra began their second innings well, with Amit Pathak and LNP Reddy defying the bowlers. Pathak was unbeaten on 59, while Reddy made 33, the only other meaningful contribution of the innings. But an outright loss was still the strongest possibility for Andhra, who have one more day to bat out just to secure the draw.Madhya Pradesh 296 for 4 (Dholpure 107) trail Karnataka 619 for 5 dec by 323 runs Scorecard Sachin Dholpure’s century kept Madhya Pradesh’s hopes up at the Chinnnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. At the close of the third day, Madhya Pradesh had reached 296 for 4 in response to Karnataka’s mammoth 619 for 5 declared. While Amay Khurasiya, the captain, fell to Chandrashekar Raghu without adding to his overnight score of 45, Dholpure cashed in. He scored 107 with 18 fours before being caught behind off Stuart Binny. With one day to play, the game is heading for a draw, and all honours go to Karnataka.Uttar Pradesh 132 and 163 for 2 (Raina 89*, Yadav 51) beat Assam 184 and 107 by 8 wickets Scorecard Uttar Pradesh completed an 8-wicket win over Assam at the Kamla Club ground in Kanpur. They began the day on 77 for 1 needing a further 82 runs to secure victory. In the end Suresh Raina ensured that there were no hiccups. He scored 89 not out with 15 fours and 1 six off 11 balls in the company of Jyoti P Yadav (61) and steered Uttar Pradesh to a comfortable win.Bengal 161 for 3 (Gavaskar 68*) and 298 lead Gujarat 361 by 98 runs Scorecard Having conceded the crucial first-innings lead to Gujarat at the Kanchanjungwa Krirangan ground in Siliguri, Bengal restored some pride with a healthy second-innings reply. They reached 161 for 3, and have an overall lead of 98 runs. Rohan Gavaskar did the bulk of the scoring, reaching 68 not out batting at No. 4. Deep Dasgupta kept him company on 36.Hyderabad 231 and 170 (Sanclecha 5-46) beat Maharashtra 83 and 233 (Jadhav 124, Singh 6-87) by 85 runs Scorecard Hyderabad clinched an 85-run win against Maharashtra inside three days. After they were skittled out for just 83 in the first innings Maharashtra struggled to catch up. A fighting 124 by Dheeraj Jadhav, the left-handed opening batsman, delayed the inevitable, but was not enough to stave off defeat. Narender Pal Singh, the medium-pacer, was the most effective bowler claiming 6 for 87.Delhi 216 and 101 for 1 (Dhawan 55) lead Railways 201 by 116 runs Scorecard Delhi’s bowlers did a fine job in bowling out Railways for just 201, thereby taking a slender 15-run first-innings lead. Railways, who began the third day on 147 for 5, were in with a good chance of overhauling Delhi’s poor score of 216. However, Amit Bhandari (3 for 55) and Sanjay Gill (3 for 48) bowled well enough to knock Railways over for just 201. Then, Delhi piled on the agony, reaching 101 for 1 at close.Punjab 175 and 370 for 4 (Mongia 108, Dharmani 92*, Kakkar 90*) lead Baroda 155 by 390 runs Scorecard Punjab rode on the high of securing the first-innings lead and clattered 370 for 4 in their second dig. The Baroda bowlers were first sent on a leather hunt by Dinesh Mongia who scored 108. Pankaj Dharmani (92*) and Ankur Kakkar (90*) were both on the verge of reaching three figures when the day’s play ended. Punjab now have a big lead of 390 runs with one day to play.
A career can end in many ways. Some prefer a planned exit, others an impromptu departure. Some retire too quickly, others too slowly. Some Asian cricketers drag out their demise, eking out every morsel of acclaim and monetary reward. The bigger they come the slower they fade. Kapil Dev and Javed Miandad are two prime examples. This is not just an Asian trait, but it certainly runs more strongly in our blood.Such dithering can become a little bothersome for a cricket board intent on a clearout. What to do with a great cricketer who won’t let the fat lady sing? The answer is genius in its simplicity: announce a farewell match and stop the debate. The question is, why has nobody thought of it before? And the man with a chance to go down in history as a pioneer is Waqar Younis.Waqar has had some difficulty in the last few months. He hasn’t quite got the message. After Pakistan’s abysmal World Cup performance it seemed inevitable that he would retire from international cricket. Indeed, if Pakistan were to fail in the World Cup, a bad failure probably suited the purposes of the Pakistan Cricket Board best. Off the record, Pakistan officials will admit that it was a relief – they now had a mandate for change.Instead Waqar vowed to fight for his place, with a return to county cricket as part of his comeback plan. But in the meantime Pakistan’s young fast bowlers have rendered Waqar obsolete. And the recent public tiff between Waqar and Shoaib Akhtar underscores the painful tussle between old warhorses and young bucks that has paralysed Pakistan cricket over the last year. In offering Waqar a farewell home game against South Africa the message from the Pakistan Cricket Board is clear and simple: thank you and goodnight. The subtext is that this is Waqar’s best chance of a dignified exit, whereas the alternative is adding his name to the long list of great Asian cricketers who have departed with acrimony.It is touching too that this planned farewell will be hand in glove with Wasim Akram’s. Together they formed the most potent fast-bowling partnership in the history of Asian cricket, perhaps in world cricket. Together they will reward their fans with a final hurrah. Wasim, as ever, has shown a shrewder touch. Sensing that the mood was against him, Wasim announced his retirement and was instantly rewarded with a farewell game. During the NatWest Challenge in England I asked Wasim if he thought he should be playing. His reply? “I’ve had my time. It is time for the youngsters to enjoy themselves in the middle.”Waqar should have taken a hint from Wasim’s retirement. Now the ignominy of having a farewell game foisted upon him can only be surpassed if he refuses to accept this unique offer. Waqar’s glittering career has brought many records. But there are no more on the horizon, except the dubious one of the first forced farewell. Waqar has still not accepted the Pakistan board’s proposal. He should. The selectors have said goodnight to Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram. Against South Africa in Pakistan it will be time for thank you.Kamran Abbasi, born in Lahore, brought up in Rotherham, is deputy editor of the British Medical Journal.
The naming of Australian Rob Smith is one of the features of the State Otago Volts cricket side for the first two rounds of the State Championship, beginning next Monday.Smith (27), a right-arm leg-spin bowler and useful lower-order batsman, has a solid playing pedigree.A member of the extended Queensland Bulls squad two seasons ago, Smith has also been part of the New South Wales squad, a second XI player for the English county Glamorgan and a talent scout for the Queensland Under-17 squad.A first-grade player for 10 years, Smith has taken 257 senior club wickets at 27.7 and scored 834 runs at an average of 18.In seven matches for the New South Wales Colts he took 26 wickets at 21.3 and in five games for the Queensland and New South Wales second XIs he secured 11 wickets at 26.A former league player in the United Kingdom, Smith’s best season (1998) saw him secure two hat-tricks and record a best bowling return of 7-6 for Bridgend.Smith is a qualified teacher and is completing a Masters in Sports Marketing and Management.
Former tennis star Ashleigh Barty has turned her hand to cricket, signing with the Brisbane Heat for the inaugural Women’s Big Bash League season this summer. Barty, 19, reached the doubles finals at Wimbledon, the US Open and Australian Open with partner Casey Dellacqua in 2013 and has competed in the singles at all four grand slams, but walked away from tennis last year.Barty approached Queensland Cricket earlier this year to enquire about making a switch to cricket and she has since then joined Western Suburbs in the Brisbane Women’s Premier Cricket competition. Last weekend she top scored in her first T20 game with 63 not out from 60 balls, as well as taking 2 for 13 from four overs.Barty has been training alongside the Queensland Fire squad since July, having become interested in a switch to cricket when she addressed the Southern Stars team as part of their winter training programme earlier this year. She said she was drawn to cricket as a team sport as compared to tennis.”It is tough when you’re by yourself and I think that’s why team sport is so appealing,” Barty told reporters in Brisbane on Wednesday. “I’m still connected very much to tennis and everything it has to offer. It’s been a part of me since I was four years old and is never going to leave me.”There’s never a lonesome moment on the [cricket] field if you’re struggling. There’s 10 other girls that can help you out and get you through the tough times.”Queensland Fire coach Andy Richards was impressed by the “transferable skills” Barty brought to cricket from her tennis background, and predicted she could be a future Australia representative if she pursued cricket seriously.”Her skill from the first time she picked up a bat was outstanding from a coach’s perspective,” Richards said. “She never missed a ball in her first session. She’s probably hit more balls than most of our cricket players coming through.”It might not have been a cricket ball, but it’s a ball at 120kph plus an hour. That’s what attracted me as a coach to her as a player, her ability to pick up things really quickly.”
The likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are not likely to be seen in the Premier League in the near future but the rest of Europe is certainly open to trading for the big guns in the English game and whether it be in January or the summer, there could be some more big names on the plane to the best league in the world.
The likes of Ronaldo, Robinho, David Silva, Carlos Tevez and Fernando Torres have graced the Premier League in recent years and that has turned the English game into the best in the world. Here is a list of players in Europe that are targets for Premier League clubs and could be seen here in the near future. Who would you like at your club?
Click on Ricardo Montolivo to unveil the top 10
[divider]
List compiled by Brad Pinard
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Lyon leapt back to third on the Ligue 1 table with a 2-0 win at Sochaux on Saturday, while Saint-Etienne and Toulouse broke losing runs.Lyon, who were temporarily displaced from the Champions League places by Marseille on Friday, saw off the French champions’ challenge through goals to Lisandro Lopez and Miralem Pjanic.The result ensures the enthralling battle for the league title is set to continue with just one point separating the top four on the Ligue 1 table, while Paris Saint-Germain are also still in the running a further four points back.Lopez needed just 22 minutes to find his 12th goal of the season for Lyon on Saturday, the prolific Argentinean side-footing a neat finish past Sochaux goalkeeper Pierrick Cros after being played through by Bafetimbi Gomis’ clever back-heel.Pjanic doubled Lyon’s lead in the 63rd minute, the Bosnia-Herzegovina midfielder powering a left-footed shot beyond Cros from Jeremy Pied’s pass. The win gives Lyon some welcome momentum ahead of their midweek Champions League trip to Spain to face Real Madrid, with the tie evenly poised at 1-1 after the first leg in France.Elsewhere, Saint-Etienne ended their four-game losing streak with a 2-0 win at home to lowly Brest, while Toulouse defeated Lens 1-0 to snap their own run of four straight losses.Bakary Sako put Saint-Etienne ahead from the penalty spot in the 35th minute, before Dimitri Payet ended a league goal drought stretching back to October with an 88th-minute strike.Paraguayan striker Federico Santander was the hero for Toulouse, finding the net in the 74th minute for his first league goal since late December.In other results, Lorient were held 3-3 at bottom-placed Arles, who fought back from a 3-1 deficit through goals to Yann Kermorgant (63) and Remy Cabella (80).Camel Meriem had put Arles up in the sixth minute, before Morgan Amalfitano (19), Sigamary Diarra (45) and Kevin Gameiro (52) piled on goals for the visitors.Nice triumphed 1-0 over Auxerre Eric Mouloungui’s 61st-minute winner, and Nancy defeated 10-man Caen 2-0 on goals to Landry N’Guemo (38) and Bakaye Traore (84).Caen’s Malines striker Sambou Yatabare was sent marching for a second caution in the 72nd minute.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is hoping his side can make an instant impact at the start of the Premier League campaign.
With a difficult opening game away at Liverpool on August 15, the Gunners then face Blackpool, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Sunderland and West Bromwich Albion before an away day trip to Chelsea and Wenger wants the side to get a solid start in order to keep in touch at the summit.
"The aim is to continue to progress as we have been doing," Wenger told Arsenal's official magazine.
"We were very close last year – closer than the previous season – so we are heading in the right way. We hope we can continue that this season.
"It is important to start well, start strongly and get into a good position early on and to try to maintain the level."
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Arsenal go into Sunday’s game against Stoke in their 100th match at the Emirates Stadium looking to maintain their recent good form but will have to cure their European hangovers first.
The Gunners have lost all four games that have preceded a Champions League fixture and haven’t won a domestic game following a Europ
ean tie since last November. However they do look a better side than the one that started the season and have won their last three games at home. The much maligned defence is starting to tighten up and have conceded just five goals in their last six games. Per Mertesacker continues to adapt to the pace of the Premier League whilst Laurent Koscielny has improved tenfold this season. Arsene Wenger’s decision to sign Mikel Arteta from Everton looks a shrewd one but he will have concerns over Andriy Arshavin and Theo Walcott who continue to struggle on the wings. The pair have looked anything but clinical in the final third and it’s something Wenger needs to address. Once again though it’s likely Arsenal will rely on the goals of Robin Van Persie with the Dutchman going through a prolific streak. He’s hit 27 goals in his last 33 games in all competitions for the club including a game winning double against Sunderland last week with his 29 second opener the fastest goal of the season to date.
It’ll be a tough ask for Tony Pulis’ side to stop Van Persie but if there is anyone who can it’s the Potters. They’ve become one of the hardest teams to beat in the top flight and have adapted well to additional fixtures a Europa League brings. It’s likely Pulis will freshen things up after their midweek win in Europe with former Tottenham striker Peter Crouch likely to relishing a return to North London. The Potters are looking to end a torrid run in the capital having failed to beat Arsenal in 30 years and have yet to claim a point in their three visits to the Emirates.Their form away from the Britannia Stadium isn’t the best either and they’ve lost their last two on the road. Pulis’ back four will come in handy against the Gunners with the gambles on Jonathan Woodgate and Matthew Upson paying off considerably. Five years ago both players would have cost an arm and a leg but the fact the Stoke boss picked them up for nothing is testament to his ability to get the best out of players.
Key Players
Robin Van Persie – Arguably his impact and leadership as captain has been considerably more effective than Cesc Fabregas’ when he held the armband. Everything the Dutchman touches at the moment turns to goals and it’s good to see him finally scoring on a regular basis and staying free from injury.
Peter Crouch – Scored a hat trick for Liverpool against Arsenal in 2007 and will be hoping to repeat the trick this weekend. His aerial dual with Mertesacker will be one to watch and if he can get the better of the big German then Stoke will be confident of claiming their first win at the Emirates since their promotion in 2008.
Prediction: 2-0
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Robin van Persie scored his fourth and fifth game of the season last weekend. The Arsenal striker has been unlucky so far this season, and his return of 5 goals comes from 35 attempts at goal with 63% on target. By comparison, Rooney has scored 9 from 32 attempts with 59% on target. Van Persie’s goals lifted him 45 places to 23rd in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, making him Arsenal’s highest ranked player Peter Crouch covered most distance in that game with 10.786km in a Stoke team that together covered 110.461km Jonathan Walters scored his second goal of the season against Fulham. The striker has had 10 attempts at goal this season, getting 50% of his shots on target
Struggling Championship club Coventry City have sacked manager Aidy Boothroyd just 10 months after his appointment.The Sky Blues have won just one of their past 16 league affairs, most recently being beaten 1-0 by Hull City at home, and sit seven points above the relegation zone.City released a statement on the club website confirming an overhaul in the coaching ranks at the Ricoh Arena.”The board of Coventry City Football Club has today relieved Aidy Boothroyd of his first-team duties with immediate effect,” the statement read.”Assistant manager Martin Pert has also been relieved of his duties. First-team coach Steve Harrison and chief scout Andy Thorn will be placed in temporary charge of team affairs.””We would like to place on record our thanks to Aidy and Martin for their efforts.”Coventry are now on the hunt for their 10th manager in the past decade since the departure of Gordon Strachan in 2001.