Scorecard Bazid Khan seems to have taken a liking to the North West Frontier Province in Peshawar, he scored 170 in Federal Areas’ first innings on Saturday, and made another century on Sunday as his team followed on.Bazid’s second ton for the match – an even 100 – ensured Federal Areas avoided a defeat, after they fell 183 runs short of NWFP’s 573 in their first innings. Asked to follow on, Federal Areas were given a solid start by their openers Raheel Majeed and Afaq Raheem. The two added 53 before Waqar Ahmed snared them both in quick succession.The next three batsmen, however, consolidated on the foundation provided to bat their team to safety. Ashar Zaidi made 75 and put on 169 runs for the third wicket with Bazid. His 75 contained nine fours and two sixes and came off 143 deliveries, while Bazid took 164 for his 100, which included 13 boundaries.Yasir Shah, the legbreak bowler, dismissed the duo, but by then Federal Areas had wiped out the deficit. Sohail Tanvir helped himself to a 39-ball 50, as his team finished the day at 296 for 5.Earlier, resuming on 381 for 8 in their first innings, Federal Areas could add only nine runs. Nauman Habib ended with 4 for 76 for the innings, while Yasir scalped three.Despite earning no points from this game, Federal Areas are second in the table after Sind, three points ahead of NWFP in third.
Imran Nazir’s destructive career-best 160 was the centrepiece of Pakistan’s defiant 93-run victory over Zimbabwe under the Duckworth-Lewis method. It was a day full of emotion as they took the field for the first time since the death of Bob Woolmer, none more so than when Inzamam-ul-Haq’s final ODI knock ended and he walked off in tears. Pakistan powered to their highest World Cup total before Zimbabwe, already in a hopeless position, collapsed in a heap after a lengthy rain delay, in the process confirming Ireland’s place in the Super Eights.Whether the motivation came from playing for pride, their coach or their captain, Pakistan put in a proud display. In a fitting finish Inzamam took the final catch, off surprise wicket-taker Mohammad Yousuf, and the team broke out into smiles. The captain led his players off and took the applause of a small crowd. It was a brief moment of enjoyment during a dark period.Nazir’s blistering century set a series of landmarks. It was comfortably the highest score of the tournament – overtaking Jacques Kallis’s 128 against Netherlands – and is also the highest individual ODI total in West Indies. The eight sixes he struck equals the World Cup record for a batsman’s innings, set by Ricky Ponting in the 2003 final against India at Johannesburg.From a coincidental perspective it was Nazir’s second ODI ton, his first also coming against Zimbabwe in the Caribbean, during the 2000-01 tri-series. Nearly seven years have elapsed since and Nazir has been in and out of the team. When he returned in South Africa it was after an absence of two years, but this effort should ensure he is part of whatever team Pakistan rebuild when they return home.He began the innings in an aggressive, but controlled, manner as Pakistan juggled their batting order and used Kamran Akmal and Shoaib Malik in the first three. Both came and went after brief efforts as Nazir passed fifty off 57 balls. Then the acceleration came as three figures arrived from 95 deliveries, although he was dropped by Friday Kasteni on 81 at deep square-leg. Prosper Utseya and Sean Williams felt the full force of his bat, but none of the bowlers escaped, especially when his third fifty took just 21 balls. With him past 150 and eight overs to go, the first double century in ODIs was for the taking before one strike didn’t find the middle and was well held by Stuart Matsikenyeri at extra cover running backwards.
The effect of the past few days on Pakistan was clear when Inzamam came in at No. 4 and he appeared intent on leaving a mark for Woolmer in his final innings. With utmost professionalism he set about batting, stamping his authority with a straight six off Utseya and another over midwicket off Williams. When a couple of shots landed short of fielders it appeared it might be his day but then he picked out cover. Every Zimbabwe player ran up to shake his hand and the moment got to Inzamam as his Pakistan team-mates formed a guard of honour as he walked off.His stand with Nazir brought 70 in 10 overs and, after a rare failure for Yousuf, Younis Khan joined in a partnership of 82 in less than 10 overs for the fifth wicket. All the batsmen played with freedom although the lower order fell away until Rao Iftikar’s thumping 16-ball 32. Zimbabwe’s bowlers showed spirit but their limitations were cruelly exposed.The batting fared no better, in fact providing an ever starker reminder of Zimbabwe’s problems. The collapse started with just the second ball as Vusi Sibanda drove limply to point. Chamu Chibhahba didn’t help his own cause, trying to charge Umar Gul the ball after taking a painful blow on the hand and edging to Inzamam at second slip and he claimed a second catch when Friday Kasteni was beaten for pace by Mohammad Sami.A heavy downpour sent the players off for around two hours, but relented just in time to finish the innings when it was reduced to 20 overs. On resumption Zimbabwe needed 163 off 58 balls and both teams appeared keen to get it over and done with. The spinners bagged themselves a few wickets – Shahid Afridi reaching 200 in ODIs – between a flurry of sixes as the batsmen swung without too much care.
James Hopes will fly to Bangladesh to replace the injured Shane Watson in Australia’s one-day side. Watson is still recovering from a calf injury picked up when playing for Queensland in the recent Pura Cup final.Hopes and Watson have been jostling for position as Australia experiment with their squad ahead of next year’s World Cup, with Watson preferred for the recent tour of South Africa and then getting the nod for Bangladesh.But now Hopes will have the chance to stake his claims in the three-match ODI series which starts in Chittagong on April 23. He has taken three wickets in the eight one-dayers he has played since making his debut against New Zealand in 2004. Seven of those were earlier this year in the triangular VB series at home.
2005 Pavilion undergoes £8.2 million redevelopment 1999 Media centre (aka the gherkin) opened at the Nursery End 1998 Women admitted as members of MCC and allowed into the pavilion for the first time 1996 Old grandstand demolished at the end of the season and work on new grandstand (Architect: Nicholas Grimshaw & Partners) started (completed in 1998) 1995 New indoor school opened 1991 Compton and Edrich stands (Architect: Michael Hopkins & Partners) opened after a contentious building programme which ran over budget and over time 1990 First public tour of Lord’s 1988 Electronic scoreboard used for the first time 1987 Bicentary of MCC marked with a game between MCC and Rest of the World. New mound stand (architect: Michael Hopkins and Partners) opened. 1977 New indoor school opened. 1976 First women’s match (England v Australia ODI) 1975 First World Cup final (Australia v West Indies) 1968 New Tavern Stand opened (architect: Kenneth Peacock.) 1963 First limited-overs final (Gillette Cup, Sussex v Worcestershire) 1958 Warner Stand opened on site of old A enclosure (architect: Kenneth Peacock.) 1953 Coronation Garden opened 1949 First time former players are honoured with life membership 1938 First televised Test match (v Australia) 1934 Q Enclosure (renamed the Allen Stand in 1989) opened (architect: Sir Herbert Baker.); Harris Memorial Garden opened 1926 Grandstand opened (architect; Sir Herbert Baker) and topped with the Father Time weathervane, a gift from the architect 1923 Grace Gates opened (architect: Sir Herbert Baker) as a tribute to WG Grace, “The Great Cricketer” 1909 Imperial Cricket Conference (subsequently the International Cricket Council) formed. It retained its headquarters at Lord’s until 2005 1899 Albert Trott becomes the first -and to date only – man to hit a ball over the current pavilion 1898 Old Mound stand built on the site of the tennis courts, and new court built behind the pavilion 1890 Pavilion built (architect: Frank Verity) at a cost of £21,000 and constructed in eight months 1888 Lord’s future threatened by a plan to compulsorily purchase an area of land to build a new railway. This scheme was subsequently defeated 1887 Three-and-a-half acres of agricultural land (Henderson’s Nursery) bought, now the Nursery End ground 1884 The first Test at Lord’s (England v Australia) making it England’s third Test venue (behind The Oval and Old Trafford) 1868 Old Tavern built (architect: Edward Paraire) 1867 Original grandstand built (architect: Arthur Allom) 1866 MCC buy freehold of the ground for around £18,000. The club had declined to bid six years earlier when it was sold for £7,000 1846 Printing tent erected and up-to-date scorecards sold for the first time 1827 First Oxford v Cambridge match (the oldest first-class fixture) 1825 Original Pavilion destroyed by fire and all early MCC records lost. First Oxford v Cambridge match (the oldest first-class fixture) 1814 Thomas Lord’s third ground opened
Simon Jones’s hopes of making the full England tour of the West Indies will be given their most serious test yet this weekend when the A side begin their first-class leg in India.Jones, who is currently on standby for the Caribbean, is likely to play in the four-day game against Tamil Nadu at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, which begins tomorrow.Since Jones tore his cruciate ligaments in the Brisbane Test in November 2002, he has been on the sidelines working his way back to fitness. He suffered stiffness after bowling only 13 overs in two matches in Malaysia before the team arrived in India.However, after plenty of treatment to get fit for the final two one-dayers of the three-match series with India A, he bowled at about 90% of his full pace without further discomfort.”We were being cautious and didn’t expect any reaction,” insisted Stuart Osbourne, England A’s physio. “He’s good as gold.”
SYDNEY, Dec 16 AAP – The repercussions of Shane Warne’s shoulder injury will be felt next week, next year and, possibly, by the next generation of Australian spin bowlers.Warne underwent surgery today on his dislocated shoulder and will be out of action for at least four to six weeks, opening a huge hole in the world’s best cricket side.The first job for the national selection panel will be finding a replacement for Warne ahead of the tri series match against Sri Lanka on December 22 in Perth.Then it has to find another spinner for the fourth and fifth Test matches in Melbourne and Sydney.After that it’s the rest of the one-day series which lead to the World Cup.Australian team doctor Trefor James said Warne was a good chance of being fit for the World Cup which starts in seven weeks.But the selectors will have to be prepared for an Australian team without the famous No.23.National selection convenor Trevor Hohns admitted the next few days would be tough for the selectors.”We’ve certainly got a lot of thinking to do,” Hohns said.”We, as a group of selectors, have several options.”Hohns said it was hard to make decisions about Warne’s immediate successor.He emphasised the selectors’ attitude was to pick the best available team each time rather than use upcoming matches to test credentials of those in the queue.”We pick the best team – it’s not a matter of giving someone an opportunity for the sake of it.”We’ll be picking the next best spinner.”Finding a replacement for the Perth match is the least of the worries as the bouncy WACA ground suggests the addition of pace bowler Andy Bichel would be a way around the matter, with Darren Lehmann’s occasional spin as a back-up.For the Test matches, there’s really only one option – Stuart MacGill.MacGill’s Test career has been brilliant with 82 wickets in 17 Tests at an average of 25.Against England he’s been phenomenal with 27 wickets from four Tests at an average of 17.That gets the selectors through to the New Year.But what happens for the World Cup if Warne doesn’t regain full fitness, or reinjures the shoulder?The big problem the selectors face is that MacGill is not in the Australian 30-man World Cup squad.The legspinner included in that squad is Victorian youngster Cameron White.The squad also includes leftarm spin bowlers like Mark Higgs, Brad Hogg and all-rounder Michael Clarke, who is already close to inclusion in the final 15-man squad.White is an ideal one-day prospect, he’s a good bowler, he can bat like a top-order player and he led the Australian under-19 side to victory in the youth World Cup.But he’s only 19.Whether he’s ready for the big stage on the high veldt is a tough question.That’s why the national selectors have been trying to get in touch with the International Cricket Council (ICC).”We’re seeking a bit of clarification from the ICC about bringing in someone from outside that 30-man squad,” Hohns said.And he’s not talking about Steve Waugh.If the Australian Cricket Board gets the green light to bring in a player from outside the 30-man squad, bet on it being MacGill.MacGill is regarded as an expensive one-day bowler because of his attacking style.But in three one-dayers for Australia, he has taken six wickets and conceded only 3.5 runs per over.In one-dayers for NSW and Australia A he’s taken 94 wickets at 21.70 and conceded 4.79 runs per over.
Indian bowling spearhead Anil Kumble on Saturday said that the regional cricket academies started by the Board of Control for Cricket in India was a good step in developing the game.”I have only been to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) at Bangalore. It is really good and I hope that it will help in producing talented cricketers”, he said speaking to reporters in Mumbai.The ace leg spinner, who was in the city to give away prizes of Brunswick bowling tour, was of the view that there was a need to nurture talent and these academies were one way of doing it.However, Kumble refused to comment on the much talked about contract system for the players. Speaking about his fitness after the shoulder operation he said he was hoping to be fit for the forthcoming Sri Lankan tour from July 1 to August 3.”Though my shoulder is getting better, it is too early to say when I will be fully fit”, the ace leggie said and added that he would play some matches before deciding anything.
Derbyshire have signed the New Zealand batsman Neil Broom on a two-year deal from next season.Broom, 31, holds a British passport, will play in all formats and will feature alongside his fellow countryman Hamish Rutherford.He has played 22 ODIs and 10 T20s for New Zealand – his most recent international appearance coming in a T20 against Sri Lanka in 2013. The last of his one-day appearances came back in 2010 and he has a top score of 71 from his ODI career.In the 2014-15 Plunket Shield season – New Zealand’s first-class competition – he scored 820 runs at 45.55.”We’re delighted to have Neil with us for the next two seasons,” Graeme Welch, the Derbyshire head coach, said. “We know we need to strengthen our batting and adding a player of Neil’s experience and calibre will certainly do that.”He has competed at the highest level and played with Hamish Rutherford before so we know he’ll bring us something extra both on and off the field. Our youngsters will also benefit massively from playing alongside experienced international batsmen who can play all formats as they continue their development.”Broom said: “It’s a great opportunity for me to be able to play all forms in England over the next two summers. I have heard great things about the progress being made at Derbyshire and I am very much looking forward to joining up with my new team-mates next year.”
Premier League leaders Manchester United host newly promoted Norwich City at Old Trafford on Saturday intent on getting back to winning ways after dropping their first points of the season last week.
The Red Devil’s storming start to the season came to an abrupt halt as they failed make it six consecutive wins at Stoke City last week with Peter Crouch’s second half header securing a 1-1 draw for the Potters. As invincible as United looked in the opening weeks of the campaign they now look decidedly vulnerable after stuttering to a 3-3 draw in the Champions League against Basle with Ashley Young saving their blushes with a late header. They have been hindered by the absence of Wayne Rooney who missed both games although Sir Alex Ferguson will hate to rely solely on the England man to inspire his side. Defensively they were poor on Tuesday with Phil Jones and Rio Ferdinand struggling to operate in tandem although it’s likely they’ll be paired together again on Saturday with Nemanja Vidic and Chris Smalling injured along with Tom Cleverley. Danny Welbeck could be given another chance up front after he scored twice against the Swiss side keeping out Javier Hernandez who was forced off at Stoke last week after a class with Asmir Begovic. Jonny Evans should also return to the side and provide backup to Ferdinand and Jones from the bench.
A few weeks ago many people will have written off the Canaries but after two wins on the bounce they go into the game against Ferguson’s side booming with confidence. It’s been a promising few weeks with back-to-back victories over Bolton and Norwich seeing some self belief start to creep into the players at Carrow Road. Paul Lambert has moulded his side into one capable of coping with Premier League life and their performance on Monday against the Black Cats was an accomplished one. The former Colchester boss has proved himself to be a shrewd operator in the transfer market with lower league signings Elliott Bennet, Marc Tierney and Anthony Pilkington excelling in the top flight so far this season. Taking maximum points at Old Trafford could be a task too far for Lamberts’ side with United unbeaten in 36 games at home. He suffered a blow in mid-week with the news James Vaughan will be out for four months joining Zak Whitbread, Elliott Ward and Dani Ayala on the sidelines. Lambert will also have to do without Ritchie De Laet who is unable to play against his parent club.
Key Players
Ashley Young – After scoring his first Champions League goal against Basel on Tuesday the winger will be hungry to inflict some pain on Norwich this weekend. He’ll be tasked by Ferguson with providing Rooney with the bullets and also getting in some shots of his own.
Bradley Johnson – Since signing from Leeds in the summer Johnson has been a real presence in the Canaries midfield with his energy making him a fans favourite already. Scored his first goal for the club at Bolton two weeks ago and will relish the opportunity to play at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Verdict: 3-0
Ashley Young is currently third in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, behind only his teammate Wayne Rooney and Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero Young has also completed the most dribbles (30) of all players in the Barclays Premier League this season, one completed dribble ahead of his teammate Nani. Bradley Johnson had an average speed while the ball was in play against Sunderland of 6.64MPH. This was over 1MPH more than any other Norwich City player during the game. The Norwich City players covered a total of 125,306m (77.86miles) in Monday night’s 2-1 win against Sunderland
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[LEGACY: Something handed down from an ancestor or a predecessor or from the past.]
Liverpool have experienced a rocky voyage from leading and competing against Europe’s finest clubs and battling for the domestic cup, to hovering just above the relegation and playing teams such as FC Utrecht in the Europa league.
Just where has this sudden change come from?
Well, Rafael Benitez joined the club in the summer of 2004 and firstly convinced Steven Gerrard not to join rivals Chelsea, then managed to reach the Carling Cup final and recover from a poor start to win the Champions League.
There was no doubt that Benitez’s decline from 2009 onwards and their failure to win silverware was because of his inefficient and bad spending in the transfer market.
Benitez spent £240 million throughout his reign at Anfield, during which he captured over 80 players and the majority were simply not good enough for the squad.
The club suffered after the Spaniard’s relationship with American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks collapsed after reports revealed that Jurgen Klinsmann had been offered the post before Rafa but had rejected it for Bayern Munich.
Financial backing had always been a problem for Benitez during his time on Merseyside as numerous expensive signings such as Robbie Keane, Alberto Aquilani and Ryan Babel all failed to deliver at Anfield.
An abundance of transfers for under £10 million saw Liverpool cross names off their squad-sheets faster than they could keep up with. From the 60+ transfers that Benitez made during his helm, only four can be recognised as substantial – Reina, Mascherano, Alonso and Torres, all for multi-million pound deals and perhaps the most obvious signings for any top club, but nevertheless quality additions to Liverpool.
The Latin quarter had been added to Melwood, which sparked a Spanish revolution within the camp. However this all changed very quickly when Xabi Alonso, Liverpool’s pivotal playmaker and the only Premier League player to reach 1,000 completed passes in a single season, left the club for Real Madrid on a £30 million deal in 2009.
Alonso’s departure signalled not only the decline of Liverpool in the years to come, but the eventual demise of the Rafa Regime on Merseyside.
Despite reports suggesting that Alonso was happy to say, he left the club following a disagreement with the manager. It was a combination of Alonso’s departure and Benitez’s failure to competently replace him with suitable quality which pushed Liverpool to its limits in the 2009-10 season – finishing 7th in the league, crashing out in the FA Cup 3rd round to Reading and finishing bottom of their Champions League group.
Perhaps just a poor season? No.
When you sell Alonso for £30m you expect to buy a player of equal or potential talent, to not suffer a loss of quality within the squad. Looking back, Benitez’s replacement, injured Alberto Aquilani, comes to no surprise when analysing the Spaniard’s previous transfer list. He halved the Alonso funds on the Italian and on bringing Glen Johnson in from Portsmouth, and played Brazilian Lucas Leiva in his place whilst Aquilani recovered.
Rafa defended his legacy after leaving the club saying that:
“When I left the club, (Javier) Mascherano, (Yossi) Benayoun and (Albert) Riera were there, along with Carra (Jamie Carragher), (Steven) Gerrard, (Jay) Spearing, (Stephen) Darby, (Emiliano) Insua, (Diego) Cavalieri and (Jonjo) Shelvey.”
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Despite starting the season with Liverpool, Mascherano left the club in destination of Barcelona for an alleged £23 million, reducing Rafa’s era to just Fernando Torres and Pepe Reina, as Yossi Benayoun left for Stamford Bridge on a reported £4m deal in the summer.
When Benitez left the club “by mutual consent” (aka sacked) in June, so did his tactics.
Man marking was abolished by Hodgson as early as the first pre-season games, and players which Benitez signed and failed were either sold or sent out on loan: Insua (Galatasary), Aquilani (Juventus), El Zhar (PAOK), Degen (VfB Stuttgart), Riera (Olympiakos), Dalla Valle (Fulham) and Plessis (Panathonaikos) all left on loan, whilst Ryan Babel completed his recent move to Hoffenheim in January.
Fernando Torres’ £50m deadline day transfer to Chelsea, and the club’s acquisition of two young forwards in Andy Carroll (English, 22) and Luis Suarez (24) marks the end of the Benitez era at Anfield (Pepe Reina is still there, but he is expected to leave in the summer as he has no mates left), and it was very much a case of poor scouting and lack of support and communication from both parties which eventually pushed the Spanish era out of Merseyside.
It only took 6 months, two managers, a double-defeat to Blackpool, and another Europa League campaign, but the Reds are finally grating the last of the Benitez cheese, and with Kop-legend Kenny Dalglish back at the helm alongside a proper scout like Damien Comolli and some proper American businessmen, Liverpool are set to remerge themselves with Europe’s elite, or are they?