It wasn’t a night to remember for Arsenal, but the club got over the line and secured their place in the semi-finals of the League Cup on Tuesday.

Sure, it took a penalty shootout for them to do so, but throughout the match, the Premier League and Champions League leaders were far and away the better team and should have won by a significant margin if they had their shooting boots on.

Therefore, it would be fair to say that there were more than a few starters who are usually on the bench, who should now be in contention to start on the weekend.

However, there was one glaring omission from the team, someone who surely now has to leave Arsenal to avoid becoming the next Emile Smith Rowe.

Which Arsenal stars have played themselves into contention?

Starting at the back, and if Piero Hincapie is out for the weekend, Myles Lewis-Skelly surely has to keep his place in the side.

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Yes, there were a couple of moments when he lost the ball, but overall, the Hale Ender was calm, assured, and relaxed on the ball, and, more importantly, he once again demonstrated the passing and carrying abilities that make him such a special player.

Moving into the middle of the park, Mikel Arteta gave a rare start to Christian Norgaard, and the Danish international more than repaid his manager.

The former Brentford captain played the full 101 minutes, and while he’s not as flashy as a Martin Zubimendi or as explosive as a Declan Rice, he brought a real sense of calm to the midfield.

For example, he took 87 touches, won three of four ground duels, made three clearances, won three of five aerial duels, recovered the ball eight times and wasn’t dribbled past.

Finally, after underwhelming from the start in recent weeks, Gabriel Martinelli rolled back the years against Crystal Palace and looked like the winger who took the league by storm in 22/23.

The former Ituano gem had Jaydee Canvot chasing shadows in the first half, and were it not for the knock he picked up towards the end of the first 45, he may well have been as dangerous after the break as well.

In just 59 minutes of action, the Brazilian completed three dribbles, created two big chances, played five key passes and won four of seven ground duels.

However, while Arteta gave several players the chance to prove their worth against Palace, he left out someone who could be at risk of becoming the club’s next Smith Rowe.

The Arsenal star in danger of becoming the new Smith Rowe

When Smith Rowe was first making his way in Arsenal’s first team, there was a lot of hope and expectation that, alongside Bukayo Saka, he’d be one of the club’s main men in the future.

After all, in his best campaign for the club, the 21/22 season, he racked up a sensational tally of 11 goals and two assists from 37 appearances.

However, injuries kept him from making a significant impact on the team over the next two seasons, and then, when he was finally fit, the team had moved on and were challenging for the title without him.

Eventually, when it became clear he wouldn’t play a significant role in the squad, he was sold to Fulham.

Now, while it isn’t going to go the same way, and we are really quite far from it happening in any capacity, it’s not hard to see Ethan Nwaeri going down a similar path.

After all, the “phenomenal” Hale Ender, as dubbed by former professional Stephen Warnock, was a hugely important part of the squad last season, scoring nine goals and providing two assists in 37 appearances, but can’t get onto the pitch this season.

Subscribe to the newsletter for Arsenal squad insight Craving clearer takes on Ethan Nwaneri, youth loans and Arsenal selection debates? Subscribing to the newsletter delivers focused coverage and tactical analysis of the club’s prospects, transfer options and squad decisions to deepen your understanding. Subscribe Subscribe to the newsletter for Arsenal squad insight Craving clearer takes on Ethan Nwaneri, youth loans and Arsenal selection debates? Subscribing to the newsletter delivers focused coverage and tactical analysis of the club’s prospects, transfer options and squad decisions to deepen your understanding.

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In all, the 18-year-old has played just 446 minutes of first-team football this season, across 11 appearances, of which just three have been starts.

Nwaneri in 24/25

Appearances

37

Minutes

1378′

Goals

9

Assists

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.29

Minutes per Goal Involvement

125.27′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Therefore, with it clear that he won’t get much gametime as the season progresses, it would surely be best for all parties for the teenage sensation to leave in January.

Now, before the pitchforks and torches come out, he shouldn’t leave on a permanent, but a short-term loan to a team where he will get regular and essential minutes.

Doing this would massively help the youngster’s development and, hopefully, lead to more appearances at the Emirates next season and more chances to fulfil his incredible potential.

Ultimately, if Arteta isn’t going to pick Nwaneri this season, Arsenal should send him away on loan, even if it’s just to stop him becoming the next Smith Rowe.

Related Worse than Eze: Arteta must drop 5/10 Arsenal flop who lost 75% duels

It really was a night to forget in the League Cup for Eberechi Eze and one of his Arsenal teammates.

Posts 2 ByJack Salveson Holmes

The great thing about football is that it’s entirely continuous. Do you remember that period of time – about five minutes ago – when your life seemed torn apart and ultimately without meaning or distraction by the ending of the football season? Poor Chelsea – they got to celebrate for all of an evening before dragging their hungover corpses back to the grind.

Well, OK, they probably got a nice few weeks on a beach too.

But what’s wonderful for fans and horrible for the players is sometimes wonderful for the players too. This time, especially Liverpool players.

After defeat at the Britannia Stadium in May, a defeat that ranks up there with the Brazilians in Belo Horizonte in 2014 or the Italian Army in Caporetto in 1917 it’s no wonder Liverpool beat a retreat like Napoleon out of Moscow.

But what you want after a humiliating, emasculating defeat is – to borrow a phrase – to go again. And Liverpool have that unique chance – the chance to fully exorcise the demons of last season before getting stuck into the new season, with a raft of new players and a spring in their step.

[ffc-gal cat=”liverpool” no=”5″]

That’s the hope anyway. There’s just a word of caution.

Although Liverpool have strengthened, Stoke have strengthened too. There’s enough optimism around the Staffordshire club for ex-players to start talking about a top-four finish. Clearly there’s nothing like the heady optimism of opening weekend to put you on a high – or, you know, smoking something.

But Liverpool will still need to be careful, because this isn’t just the Stoke side that beat Liverpool 6-1 on the final day of last season, this is a Stoke side who have added some very good players in the meantime. Stoke 2.0.

But that’s not even the main reason for Liverpool to be careful on this trip. You’d still expect Liverpool to have enough firepower to beat Stoke. Even after the last time, and even with the added new faces to Mark Hughes’s side, you’d still make Liverpool favourites. But even at this early stage it’s already a big game for Liverpool.

Much has been made of the fact that Brendan Rodgers and his side will be running the gauntlet for their opening away fixtures. Thankfully the home games are very winnable – Bournemouth, West Ham, Norwich – so if Liverpool do lose a few of the tougher away games they should still claw back some points there.

But what’s important is momentum and form. For the last two seasons we’ve seen Liverpool live and die by form, when they’re good they’re very very good, but when they’re bad….

A few away defeats could dampen morale and make the home games even tougher, and Rodgers will need to make sure his team start as they mean to go on. So when you look at the tough away fixtures and you see that the most winnable away game for a while is Stoke, then you know the Stoke game is a bigger game than it might usually be.

That is, usually a draw at the Britannia is a good result, even a defeat you can chalk up to a tough away fixture. But given that the next six away fixtures are even tougher, a defeat could precipitate a bad run of form.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

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Now I’m not suggesting that Rodgers should be under pressure to win against Stoke, but this game is a very big game, psychologically speaking.

So we’ll see this weekend if Liverpool have exorcised the demons of May and the end of last season, if they do they can build momentum for the rest of the season – and, importantly, some good form going into some ridiculously early crunch games. If they lose, the same questions will be asked and Brendan Rodgers will be left wondering if the summer recruitment that brought in seven new signings actually helped his side to progress.

It’ll be too early to say for certain, but as far as opening day fixtures go, this is about as important as they get for Liverpool.

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Sridharan Sriram stroked his way to an unbeaten 92 as Tamil Nadu madea confident start, scoring 153 for one wicket off 47 overs at close ofplay on the first day of their South Zone Ranji Trophy league matchagainst Andhra at the Guru Nanak college ground in Chennai onWednesday.Morning showers delayed the start of play but good work by the groundstaff saw the game start at 1.15 pm after a delay of 185 minutes.Winning the toss, Tamil Nadu were served well by openers Sriram andRajat Bhatia (21) who put on 62 runs off 20 overs. Bhatia was thencaught by Madhukar at mid off off Ranganath. His fall brought two lefthanders and India players Sriram and Hemang Badani together and thetwo proceeded to accelerate the scoring rate. Off 27 overs, the twoadded 91 runs for the unbroken second wicket when stumps were drawn.Play was extended by 60 minutes and 58 overs were to be bowled on thetruncated day. But bad light lopped off 11 overs towards the end.Sriram was the more aggressive of the two batsmen. He had announcedhis intentions early when he hit medium pacer Shahbuddin over squareleg for a rousing six. His purple patch came when he clouted offspinner H Vatekar for 17 runs off five successive balls (42461). Byclose, he had faced 154 balls and hit six fours and two sixes. Badani,who was composed during his innings of 33, faced 80 balls and hit twoof them to the ropes.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details 1:56

‘Kookaburra balls swings more’ – Ishant Sharma

Ishant Sharma’s searing opening spell defined day two of the tour match, as he tore through half the opposition inside 21 balls, after India had reached 351. Sixteen wickets fell in total during the day – most of these to the new ball, on a surface that remained helpful for seam bowling.The Indians themselves were in trouble at 28 for 3 in the second innings, but were steadied by KL Rahul and Cheteshwar Pujara, who led the team to 112 for 3 by stumps. The visitors lead the Board President’s XI by 342.Ishant prospered bowling full and straight, finding sharp movement off the seam, as well as a little swing in the air. Though the Board XI’s attack is comprised of inexperienced first-class cricketers, the top order is packed with Sri Lanka players. Three of Ishant’s victims – Kaushal Silva, Lahiru Thirimanne and Upul Tharanga, had played in Sri Lanka’s most recent Test in Pallekele. His two other scalps – Kusal Perera and Dhananjaya de Silva – also played in the recent T20 series against Pakistan, at the same venue.

“Major difference is the ball” – Ishant

The extra movement on offer in Sri Lanka was the major change from bowling in India, Ishant Sharma said. Ishant used the movement in the air and off the surface to claim figures of five wickets for five runs in his first competitive spell in the country.
While an SG ball is used for Tests in India, Sri Lanka uses the Kookaburra ball. “Initially with Kookaburra ball it swings, and there was help for fast bowlers today,” he said. “Major difference is the ball. They also leave some grass here so the ball is seaming and swinging a bit. As you can see we also lost three wickets and they also lost quite a few wickets. New ball is important and after that how consistent you are with the old is going to make a huge difference.”
Reverse swing often also plays a role in Sri Lanka, particularly at Galle, where the track is often dry and a strong breeze blows off the sea. “We have been discussing how to maintain the ball, and how we will bowl in certain situations when the batsmen are set and ball is old. Ball is going to swing for 12-14 overs so after that how you will bowl is really important.”

Silva was dismissed off the first ball Ishant delivered. The bowler sent one at the stumps and jagged it in at the batsman to trap him in front. De Silva was gone by the end of that over, when he let another full Ishant delivery through his defences. Tharanga was also out lbw, and Thirimanne and Kusal fell off consecutive deliveries. Thirimanne was caught in the slips as he pushed at a ball just outside the line of the stumps. Kusal barely had time to register the delivery that clattered into his stumps, before he was headed back to the pavilion.Thirimanne’s failure may be particularly significant in the context of the series. His place in the Test XI had been under significant contention, following a string of low scores against Pakistan. He will now know he needs a second innings score to shore up his position.Having reduced the opposition to 10 for 5 inside eight overs, the Indians eased off the throttle. Ishant was taken out of the attack to allow Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron a run at the lower order. They teased batsmen’s edges by consistently delivering the ball that shaped away from left-handers. There was plenty of pace in that spell too. Of the few runs the Board XI could manage against the new ball, most came behind square.Milinda Siriwardene survived for 47 deliveries, in which he hit 32 runs. The cut and the square drive were his most productive strokes, until he edged Aaron behind, having pushed the score beyond 50.Niroshan Dickwella and Danushka Gunathilaka came together with the score on 51 for 7 to put on 63 together. The ball had aged enough to dull some of the movement, and the zip off the pitch, and both men chose to attack, even when Ishant returned to the bowling crease. It would eventually be the spin of R Ashwin that removed them. Gunathilaka gave up a top-edge as he attempted to launch Ashwin over the legside, and Dickwella was bowled. The board XI innings was wrapped up for 121 runs.The new ball brought wickets again towards the end of the day, when left-armer Vishwa Fernando and Kasun Rajitha combined to claim the Indians’ top three in quick succession. Rohit Sharma collected his second single-figure score of the match when he was lbw to Fernando for eight. Wriddhiman Saha received a somewhat more contentious lbw decision when the ball hit him somewhere near the top of his pad, third ball. Kohli fell for his second low score in the match as well, chipping Fernando straight to cover.Pujara was again on hand to stem the quick loss of wickets, combining with Rahul put on a slow but risk-free 84 runs. Rahul was not out on 47 at day’s end, and Pujara on 31.

Glenn Maxwell says he is not a fan of the law change that permitted him to pull off one of the most brilliant outfield catches of the year during yesterday’s fourth ODI at Headingley.Maxwell, fielding at deep midwicket during the closing stages of England’s series-squaring three-wicket win, dismissed Liam Plunkett after parrying the ball on the edge of the boundary, then jumping to complete the take in mid-air despite his last point of contact with the ground having taken place on the wrong side of the rope.Prior to October 2013, the law had stated that the fielder needed to have started in the field of play and be grounded in bounds before securing the catch. That was amended by MCC to reward athleticism in the outfield but Maxwell, one of the best exponents of the art, said he didn’t see the point of the change.”I don’t think it makes a whole lot of sense,” Maxwell said after the Headingley match. “I think you should have to get back into the boundary.”I think if you look at the basketball rule. You have to jump from inside to throw it back in, you can’t jump up in the air and catch it on the way back in.”You’ve got to make sure your feet have landed inside the court and I think it should be the same in cricket.”But while we’re taking catches on our side it doesn’t really bother me, but I know if I was a batsman I’d be pretty upset if that was the dismissal. You’ve just go to play the rules you’re given.”Eoin Morgan, England’s victorious captain, who also fell to a moment of brilliance from Maxwell when he was caught one-handed in the gully for 92, hailed the catch as “fantastic” but also admitted that the rule change had caught him unawares.”I’m unclear on the rules to be honest,” Morgan said. “I think it’s changed a couple of times so I will be asking so that I know for the future.”Maxwell himself only became aware of the law change after commenting on Twitter during a similar incident in Australia’s Big Bash in January. Josh Lalor, Sydney Thunder’s fast bowler, dismissed Cameron White, Melbourne Stars’ captain, having also started with his feet outside the field of play. Maxwell tweeted:He later admitted he was “happy to be proven wrong”, but added he thought it was a poor amendment. MCC later clarified the rule change on its website.”I think it makes it easier as an outfielder,” Maxwell said. “You’ve got to be aware of the rope as well but it made the catch a lot easier to complete, to be able to jump from back over [the boundary] and catch it in the air.”Obviously I didn’t really want to have to do it, but I lost a bit of balance on the boundary line so I thought I had to throw it up, and obviously with the law being like it is, jump from over the rope and back in and catch it in mid-air.”

Shashank Manohar has been formally elected BCCI president at the board’s special general meeting (SGM) in Mumbai on Sunday. Soon after, at his first press conference, he announced a wide range of measures to tackle various critical issues facing the board, including conflict of interest, corruption in cricket, the lack of transparency in the board’s operations and financial accountability of the state associations.His overall message was clear: “Nothing is wrong in the board.” The problem, he said, was one of perception, created by the lack of information flowing from the board. “Therefore, to clear that myth and change the perception, we would [implement the changes] immediately,” he said. How immediate? “In two months’ time all these things about which I have spoken will be implemented in full force.”He also stressed on the board’s unity, a point reinforced by his specific comments – “Excellent secretary, better than most of the secretaries I have seen in this board” – on N Srinivasan, the ICC chairman and seen as an adversary. “We are not working here with a vindictive attitude,” he said. “The entire Board, when we discussed together, were united. All 30 members including the Tamil Nadu Association said we have to work together and build the image of the Board and not fight amongst ourselves.”For starters, he said, the BCCI would appoint an independent official to preside over matters relating to conflict of interest – the one issue at the heart of the BCCI’s credibility problem since 2008, when the constitution was changed to allow officials to be stakeholders in the IPL. “The board would frame regulations with regards to conflict of interest of administrators, players and their staff. That would be done within a month’s time,” he said. “And the board would also appoint an ombudsman or an ethics officer who would be independent of this board and who would look into the complaints regarding conflict of interest.”The IPL also threw up the board’s single biggest crisis of the past few years, the 2013 spot-fixing case. Investigating that case revealed several shortcomings in the board’s process, including its lack of teeth in carrying out deep and meaningful inquiries. To that end, Manohar said, he hoped to discuss with government officials the possibility of engaging their investigating agencies, who would have far greater powers. It would help that the board secretary, Anurag Thakur, is a senior member of India’s ruling party, the BJP.Much of the public distrust of the board is the lack of transparency, especially in financial matters, which has given the BCCI an image of being a closed club. The board is not accountable to any outside agency, nor even to the public under the Right to Information legislation, and Manohar stressed that the latter should apply only if the government amends the law. However, he seemed to take a step forward by saying the board’s constitution – so long inaccessible to all outsiders – would be posted on its website. Also to be posted are the board’s balance sheet and any expenditure above Rs 25 lakh (approx. US$ 38,000).Similarly, he aims to tighten controls on the state associations, who receive funds from the central kitty but whose spending is not monitored. “A lot of debate goes on that the associations are paid huge money by the board and nobody knows what happens to that money,” he said. “The accounts of all associations are audited by their auditors. However, we would build a system by which the accounts of the affiliated units would be audited by an independent auditor appointed by the board, where after [thereafter] the further money would be released to the state associations. The board would also be empowered to take action in case the board finds that the money which has been given to the state association is not being properly utilised.”Manohar also held out some hope for that most forgotten stakeholder in Indian cricket, the ordinary fan. He made several references to the fans and acknowledged their role in making the BCCI the powerful organisation it is today. “The BCCI is a huge brand in itself. [But] without the support of the fans it would not have been possible for the board to become this big. The confidence of the cricket-loving fans has shaken due to certain unpleasant things that have happened. [It is the duty of] all members of the board to build the reputation of the board and bring it back to its full reputation.”Manohar’s election, which was necessitated by the death last month of the incumbent Jagmohan Dalmiya, became a formality after he was the only person nominated for the post on the eve of the election. He had first emerged as the front-runner for the post when the Bharatiya Janata Party backed him.

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.”

Match facts

November 14-18, 2015
Start time 0930 local (0400GMT)4:01

Manjrekar: India may leave out a seamer to pick Rohit Sharma

Big Picture

While Bangalore is set to break a 100-year-old rain record for the month of November, South Africa are facing their worst drought in more than two decades. What an apt metaphor that is for the status of the ongoing series. The hosts are swimming through calm waters, after their success in the first Test while the visitors are negotiating choppy seas of spin even as they are parched for players.This is only the second Test but already South Africa have a fourth injury on their books. After JP Duminy and Morne Morkel had to sit out in Mohali with a hand and quad problem respectively, and Dale Steyn suffered a groin injury mid-Test, now Vernon Philander has been ruled out of the series with torn ankle ligaments. That the majority of the wounded are South Africa’s premier pacemen tells you the seriousness of the predicament they find themselves in. Their team balance has been thrown as they grapple with how to accommodate enough batsmen and enough spinners while still maintaining their firepower.India do not have the same concerns. Although their batting underwhelmed in Mohali, it came good when it needed to and their bowlers drowned out any concerns by overpowering the opposition. They made full use of the home advantage India are using as their 12th man, which allows them more flexibility in team composition terms. They may still relook at the length of their batting line-up, especially as the remaining matches may not all be as low-scoring as the first one was, but will still feel they have the upper hand in the series. All South Africa are hoping is that it will rain sometime soon.

Form guide

(last five completed games, most recent first)
India WWWLD
South Africa LDDWD

In the spotlight

It can be lonely being a seamer in a spinner’s game but Ishant Sharma has found a way. He plucked 13 wickets at 23.23 in Sri Lanka in August – which included his 200th Test wicket – to usher India to a series win and he will be back to lead the attack at home. Ishant was suspended for one match after having too much too say too often to the Sri Lankan batsmen which will only add to the spice of the contest against South Africa, a team he would want to improve his record against. Ishant has 20 South African wickets from eight previous Tests against them at an average of 47.95 – his worst against any opposition.On the occasion of his 100th Test, all eyes would be trained on AB de Villiers who is also South Africa’s most in-form batsman. De Villiers was their only player who had some measure of the slow Mohali surface, where he showed composure and class even as the spinners ran riot. He has already scored more than 1000 runs in ODIs this year and is in fine form across formats. Coupled with his intention to do “whatever it takes” to get South Africa back into the game, all indications are that we can expect something big from de Villiers at his adopted home ground.

Team news

Ishant has served his suspension and should slot straight back into the XI, probably at Varun Aaron’s expense. India’s insistence on five bowlers will mean Umesh Yadav operates as the other seamer alongside three specialist spinners, and the net sessions also suggested so. Captain Virat Kohli said on Friday “don’t be surprised if Gurkeerat plays very soon.”India: (probable) 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 M Vijay, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli (capt), 5 Ajinkya Rahane, 6 Wriddihiman Saha (wk), 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Amit Mishra, 9 R Ashwin, 10 Umesh Yadav, 11 Ishant SharmaWith Vernon Philander ruled out of the series and Dale Steyn out of the match, South Africa will be down to just one of their premier pacers in the fit again Morne Morkel, who will lead the attack. Kagiso Rabada and Kyle Abbott, who flew in as Philander’s replacement on Thursday “will be ready” according to Hashim Amla, are the only other two seam-bowling options. That will leave them with space for only one specialist spinner because JP Duminy is certain to be back after recovering from a cut on his hand. Duminy will ensure the batting line-up is lengthened with seven specialist batsmen in the team and will have to bowl offspin to provide South Africa with another slower-bowling option.South Africa: (probable) 1 Dean Elgar, 2 Stiaan van Zyl, 3 Faf du Plessis, 4 Hashim Amla (capt), 5 AB de Villiers, 6 JP Duminy, 7 Dane Vilas (wk), 8 Simon Harmer/Kyle Abbott, 9 Kagiso Rabada 10 Morne Morkel,11 Imran Tahir

Pitch and conditions

Rain over the last week has meant the pitch has not had an opportunity to bake but K Sriram, the curator, has calmed concerns of an undercooked surface. He began preparation on November 1 from under a tent. The grass covering is set to disappear before the match starts but it could be the overhead conditions which may have more of an impact. Dense cloud cover and high humidity could mean swing through the air. Wet weather is predicted for the middle three days of the match with the first and last day forecast as dry.

Stats and Trivia

• India have won their last seven home Tests, three behind their longest winning streak of 10 triumphs on the trot at home between December 1988 and November 1994.
• South Africa have never won an away series after being 1-0 down, but they have managed three series victories after falling behind at home: against West Indies in 2007-08; against India in 2006-07 and against NZ in 1994-95.

Quotes

“As a team, we’ve all enjoyed the fact that AB is playing his 100th game. We’ve celebrated that and hopefully AB gets onto the park tomorrow and has a wonderful game for us and we win the Test match. That would be an ideal game for him and for us. It’s great to have him playing his 100th game and for us to have something to celebrate but in terms of it taking our focus off the game, I dont think it has.

After three days of performing the role of a weather reporterat Dhaka, scribes finally had a chance to do what they had comehere for. A window of opportunity in the form of a spell of goodweather made play possible at the Bangabandhu Stadium. If thesun gods took mercy and shone hard all afternoon, Aravinda deSilva took over under the lights and dazzled. An unbeaten 96from the veteran in his first knock as opener saw Sri Lanka breezeto a nine-wicket victory in the opening match of the seventhAsia Cup.When Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya won the toss and putthe hosts in to bat, Chaminda Vaas responded well, accountingfor two wickets in quick time. Even as Javed Omar waged a lonebattle at one end, Bangladesh slowly but steadily lost wicketsat the other end. Former skipper Akram Khan gave Omar good companywhile he was at the crease with some solid blows. The two cametogether with Bangladesh on 27/3 and pushed the score past thehundred mark. Just when Akram Khan looked like he was attemptingto push the scoring rate, he feel to a good running catch inthe outfield by Upul Chandana off the bowling of Aravinda deSilva. Earlier in the over he struck two boundaries off the spinnerbut could not keep the momentum going.After the fall of the burly Akram Khan, Omar found no one topartner him in any meaningful manner. Although he helped himselfto an unbeaten 85, Bangladesh could muster only 175 in theirallotted 50 overs.Debutant Kaushalya Weeraratne, who impressed with his mediumpacersin the recently concluded Youth World Cup in Sri Lanka, was apicture of delight when he picked up his first wicket in OneDay Internationals with just the fifth ball he bowled. He endedwith the most respectable figures of 7-1-18-1If watching Bangladesh take the field against the former World Cup championswas reward enough for the crowd at the Bangabandhu Stadium, AravindaDe Silva’s silken touch at the top of the innings was an unexpectedbonus. When asked before the tournament, the Sri Lankan managementdid not either confirm or deny the rumours that De Silva wouldopen the innings. Partnering the explosive Jayasuriya who isnot in the best of nick, De Silva unveiled his complete arrayof strokes. Starting with a trademark pull shot, he lacedthe ball through the covers at will. Finding the gaps with consummateease, De Silva thoroughly justified Dav Whatmore’s experimentof using him at the top of the innings.Even the loss of Jayasuriya to a rush of blood did not slow downDe Silva. Marvan Attapattu joined De Silva in the middle andthe two made the best of a flat batting track. Before the 31stover could be completed, De Silva was close to a century, Attapattuon 41 and Sri Lanka past the target.Naimur Rehman, who was run out without facing a ball earlierin the day, grassed a catch that De Silva offered when he wasjust 13. When De Silva walked up to receive the man of the matchaward, all Rehman could do was stand back, applaud and rue hisluck.If De Silva’s innings today was a hint of things to come, itwill take more than luck to stop the Lankans in this series.

An unbroken third wicket partnership of 61 runs off 17.3 overs between S Badrinath and Dinesh Mongia has given Jolly Rovers more than a ray of hope in their Buchi Babu all India invitation tournament pre quarterfinal against Kerala Cricket Association XI at the IIT-Chemplast ground in Chennai. At stumps on the second day on Monday, Jolly Rovers were 95 for two in reply to KCA’s first innings total of 299.Because of overnight rain which rendered the playing conditions unfit, play started only at 2 pm. The Kerala tail did not wag for long and about the only defiance was shown by skipper KN Ananthapadmanabhan who was last out for 48. Ganesh Kumar, who took two of the three wickets to fall on Monday (Kerala resumed at 275 for seven) finished the most successful bowler with four for 64.When Jolly Rovers batted, experienced campaigner Sunil Oasis removed both openers J Joseph (20) and skipper Sujith Somasundar (10) with only 34 runs on the board. But Badrinath and Mongia weathered the storm and came through unbeaten at stumps. By close, the watchful Badrinath had faced 83 balls for his 28 and had hit only one boundary but the more enterprising Mongia hit three fours while facing 55 balls for his 32. The stage is set for a keen tussle for the vital first innings lead on Tuesday.