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The ICC and Sri Lanka Cricket are closer to overcoming their stand-off after ICC made a conditional commitment to release further funds to SLC

Andrew Fidel Fernando14-May-2015The ICC and Sri Lanka Cricket are closer to overcoming their stand-off after the ICC made a conditional commitment to release further funds to SLC, while Sri Lanka’s sports minister pledged to hold board elections in January next year, SLC officials have said.Though the ICC has said it will release enough of the escrowed funds to ensure SLC can function as normal, they have maintained that SLC does not have voting rights at the ICC at present – a stance which SLC is protesting. The latest discussions were held in Dubai last week, at a meeting sports minister Navin Dissanayake and interim committee chairman Sidath Wettimuny described as “cordial”.”The ICC have agreed to release the funds on a certain basis,” Wettimuny said. “They said they do not want to jeopardise Sri Lanka Cricket in any way. They wanted to find out what our financial requirements are until the end of the year, and they’ll look at those cashflows and release the funds.”The ICC had already agreed to release 2.5% of the escrowed amount ten days prior to this latest meeting.Minister Dissanayake had previously suggested the interim committee would run cricket for one year, but a commitment to hold elections sooner appears to have come partly as a result of last week’s meeting with the ICC.”Some headway has been made with regard to resolving the concerns of the ICC and the minister and officials of the SLC interim committee are confident that the concerns of the ICC vis-a-vis SLC will be fully resolved in the very near future,” a sports ministry release said.However, it may be some time before SLC’s rights are reinstated at the ICC. In April, SLC treasurer Nuski Mohamed had been asked to leave an ICC board meeting, after he refused to attend it purely as an observer. SLC’s role at the ICC may be similarly diminished for some time, though discussions are ongoing.”There is absolutely no doubt about our full membership – that’s not in question,” Wettimuny said. “The only thing is, as an interim committee, because their constitution has changed, they think that we’ll need to come in as just an observer. We told them that that is not in their constitution to do that. There is a dialogue going on. There is nothing drastically out of order.”Wettimuny reiterated that progress was being made between the two administrative bodies.”We had a very cordial meeting with the ICC. Their concerns stem from some stakeholders writing in and saying there was chaos and so on. The ICC had legitimate concerns. The minister explained why he had to appoint an interim committee. He said it was for a short time, and now he has said that our committee will be dissolved by January, after which he will go in for elections.”

Short of winning the lottery and discovering a renewable energy source, it has hard to think of a way in which the first competitive day of this tour of the Caribbean could have gone any better for England.

George Dobell in Basseterre06-Apr-2015
ScorecardAlastair Cook played fluently for his unbeaten 95•Getty ImagesShort of winning the lottery and discovering a renewable energy source, it has hard to think of a way in which the first competitive day of this tour of the Caribbean could have gone any better for England. Having brushed aside the St Kitts Invitational XI for just 59 in the first session of the match, they then witnessed their new opening pair bat for more than 50 overs in posting 158 for the first wicket.It was not a pretty, quick or even particularly entertaining stand. Indeed, some might even describe it as dull. But bearing in mind the identity of England’s opening batsmen and the testing months they have endured of late, it was wonderfully, reassuringly dull and a sign that, perhaps, a corner has been turned.First the caveats. This is a shockingly weak St Kitts side containing several men without first-class experience and one 16-year-old. Compared to the challenges that await England later this year – particularly Australia – it was like preparing to wrestle a lion by petting a kitten. If England want to test themselves a little more in the second warm-up game, starting on Wednesday, they may have to negotiate the inclusion of their unused squad players within the opposition.But England will still have benefited from the experience. Not only was Jonathan Trott able to settle back into the side with a calm innings that bore no traces of the struggles he has endured, but Alastair Cook batted with increasing fluency, Ben Stokes bowled with admirable control and England’s fielding was faultless.Their catching, in particular, was excellent. The best of several sharp chances taken in the slips was claimed by James Tredwell, diving low to his right, but Cook and Gary Ballance also clung on to catches that less confident, less content teams often fail to hold.There were some lessons here, too. We learned that Ian Bell has been appointed vice-captain for the tour – a modest change of approach as Cook has previously suggested that appointing someone to the position could discourage other senior players from taking responsibility – and we learned the likely make-up of the first seven in the Test batting line-up, at least.It is now unthinkable that, barring injury, Trott will not return to the England side for the Antigua Test and that Stokes will not return to fill the role of allrounder. With Chris Jordan, who also bowled nicely, preferred to Mark Wood or Liam Plunkett, both of whom are fit, it would appear that the final place in the Test side may come down to a tussle between Adil Rashid and Tredwell.Cook experienced only two nervous moments in reaching an unbeaten 95 by stumps. On 17, he top-edged a pull off Jeremiah Louis only to see the ball fall into space and then, on 92, St Kitts claimed a catch in the belief that a cut shot had bounced off the silly-point fielder’s boot and on to cover. Cook, and more importantly the umpires, were unconvinced.In between, he demonstrated a slightly more open stance, left the ball with far more certainty about the location of his off stump and, having reached his half-century from 95 balls, skipped down the pitch and planted a six over long-on in an innings that hinted at a more calm mind and more reliable technique than has been in evidence of late.Trott, meanwhile, was unhurried and solid. While never at his most fluent, this was an innings that will have settled some lingering nerves and, having reached his 50 from 113 balls, he demonstrated a couple of nice sweeps, pulls and one vintage drive through extra-cover to provide a reminder of his abilities.For both men greater challenges lie ahead. But it was a partnership that demonstrated a great appetite for crease occupation and suggested their powers of concentration, at least, have been boosted by an extended break from the fray.Stokes was the pick of the bowlers in the morning session. Maintaining a tight line to right and left-hand batsmen, he bowled with increasing pace and gained a surprising amount of swing in claiming three wickets in five deliveries at one stage.James Anderson beat the bat often in his spell with the new ball and produced a beauty that defeated Sherwin Peters’ footless grope and took the top of off stump, while Stuart Broad’s modest first spell was followed by a slightly improved second one that gained two wickets with short balls.Adil Rashid’s first ball – a horrid long-hop – was pulled for four, but he improved after that and, having set up Quinton Boatswain with a series of leg-breaks, defeated him with a googly. Tredwell was the last of the attack to win an opportunity and struck with just his third ball; Sheno Berridge attempting to sweep a straight one and missing.And while it tells you everything you need to know about the St Kitts performance that a stray dog that ran on to the playing area during the morning session provided more resistance to leaving the pitch than any of their batsmen, England could hardly have dealt with them more clinically. Australia must be quaking in their boots.

Which African All-Stars could be part of the Red Devils’ reconstruction under their incoming Dutch coach?

Getty ImagesTen Hag signs on

Erik ten Hag has finally been confirmed as the new Manchester United manager, ending months of speculation as to who will be the next man in the Old Trafford dugout.

The scale of the rebuilding job on his hands is massive given how far United have fallen behind their rivals and, just on Tuesday, interim manager Ralf Rangnick said the club could need up to 10 new players to get to where they need and want to be.

As Ten Hag plots his transfer targets, GOAL's Joel Omotto looks at six African players who could help his rebuilding job.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesEdmond Tapsoba

Harry Maguire, Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof, Eric Bailly and Phil Jones cost United a combined fee of nearly £200 million yet the club badly needs a defender.

United’s leaky backline has conceded 48 goals in the Premier League this season, the highest among the top 10, a damning indictment on their recruitment.

They can start getting it right by bringing in Burkina Faso defender Tapsoba, who has been in impressive form for Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen.

Tapsoba is a ball-playing defender who is good in one-versus-one situations while also athletic, features none of the current United centre-backs possess.

Unlike Varane, Bailly and Jones, who cannot keep injuries at bay, Tapsoba has no such troubles as he has already featured in 60 Bundesliga games since joining Leverkusen in 2020, giving United continuity and stability.

ProshotsNoussair Mazraoui

Another area that needs a makeover is right-back, where Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Diogo Dalot have failed to impress over the last three years.

The two offer little going forward and are not defensively sound, making Morocco’s Mazraoui an upgrade for this position if Ten Hag opts to raid his former team.

Going for a former player would make adaptation easy for Mazraoui since he understands the Dutchman’s philosophy.

Mazraoui is good at keeping the ball and has no problem bombing down the wing while providing pin-point crosses, something United have lacked for years.

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(C)Getty ImagesYves Bissouma

The Mali central midfielder, who plays for Brighton and Hove Albion, possesses everything that United do not have in the engine room.

The six-foot-tall defensive midfielder is a towering presence who is good at reading the game and adept at progressing the ball through long and short passes which will allow United to play through the lines in Ten Hag’s favoured possession-based 4-3-3 system.

He will not come cheap though since Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are also said to be interested, but United could finally find a replacement for Michael Carrick if they managed to get Bissouma.

The legendary Portuguese helped his side piece together a quite remarkable run of results, but they're still well adrift of the runaway leaders

Cristiano Ronaldo just could not let it lie. It had been an especially bad-tempered game, with the Al-Nassr star clashing with a play-acting opponent, seeing two goals disallowed for marginal offside calls and also being clattered by Al-Hilal goalkeeper Yassine Bounou without a penalty being given.

And with Ronaldo quietly simmering after all this misfortune compounded a disappointing 3-0 defeat for his side, he was drawn into a fiery argument with Al-Hilal chairman Fahad Bin Nafel en route down the tunnel.

Eventually, he did trudge back to the dressing room. Once there, he would have reflected on the result and his side's season so far, likely concluding that his dream of lifting a first Saudi Pro League title may already be out of reach – less than halfway into the 2023-24 season.

GettyResponding to early setbacks

The incredible run Al-Nassr had been on prior to that comprehensive, albeit controversial, Al-Hilal defeat will have only led to the result hurting more. After lifting the Arab Club Champions Cup in the summer, they started their Pro League campaign horrendously, falling to damaging defeats against Steven Gerrard's Al-Ettifaq and plucky underdogs Al-Taawoun in their opening two games.

However, since then, Luis Castro's side have been near perfect, both in the league and in various cup competitions. After that early-season blip, they pieced together a 10-game winning run, a period that included two AFC Champions League group-stage triumphs and a dramatic 4-3 victory against fellow state-owned side Al-Ahli.

The wind was taken out of their sails somewhat when they were held to a disappointing 2-2 draw by lowly Abha at the beginning of October, but once again Al-Nassr responded superbly, winning their next eight matches in all competitions.

AdvertisementGettyRonaldo has been absolutely key

Right at the heart of this recovery has been Ronaldo. Before the season properly got going, he had already helped his team claim the Arab Club Champions Cup, netting twice in the final as Al-Nassr overcame Al-Hilal 2-1 after extra-time.

His exploits in that victory resulted in Ronaldo missing the first game of the Pro League campaign through injury. He also did not look at his best during the Al-Taawoun loss, but this sluggishness was soon shaken off; the 38-year-old kick-started his side's season with a superb hat-trick against Al-Fateh on matchday three.

Ronaldo has used that performance as a platform to silence any critics who believe he's too old to score regularly. Since that treble, he's failed to net in just three of the following 12 Pro League games, also grabbing a vital brace in a Champions League victory over Al-Duhail.

It's not just the goals that have been important either. As Al-Nassr coach Luis Castro revealed earlier this season, his leadership role is also vital. "He has a lot of focus on everyday football. He transmits a contagious energy to the game and to his team-mates. The day-to-day training, recovery, is fantastic," Castro said back in August.

"He is a captain for what he does every second of his day. Food, rest, hours of sleep, it's total control of his body. On the field, he is that player. He can go to his own limits."

GettyFalling short

One of the only players who has managed to hold onto the in-form Ronaldo's coat tails in the Pro League scoring charts is Aleksandar Mitrovic. And, fittingly, it was the Al-Hilal talisman who ended up dealing his main rival for the Golden Boot a major blow in the title race last Friday.

Things were delicately poised heading into the contest – Ronaldo and Co hovering menacingly just four points behind the table-toppers. But it just didn't happen for Al-Nassr. They had no issue dominating the ball, racking up 64 percent possession, but were disrupted by Jorge Jesus' physical side who committed no less than 20 fouls during the game.

Ronaldo, in particular, had a tough time against veteran defensive bruiser Ali Al-Bulayhi, who gave Lionel Messi similar treatment when Saudi Arabia shocked Argentina at the 2022 World Cup. He eventually had enough, angrily confronting the centre-back with some assistance from Sadio Mane just before Albulayhi was shown a very late red card.

His tormentor picking up a suspension will have done little to cushion the blow of the defeat, though. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic put Al-Hilal in front with a perfectly-timed glanced header midway through the second half, before his Serbian compatriot Mitrovic outjumped several opposing players to make it 2-0. The former Fulham man then put the icing on the cake with a well-taken second two minutes into stoppage-time.

It was a serious blow for Al-Nassr. Although 3-0 was probably not a completely fair reflection of the contest, Ronaldo was never truly in the game, while his partner in crime Anderson Talisca had a rare off day in front of goal, taking seven shots with a combined value of 0.74 xG without making the net bulge. Mane, too, was not at his best.

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Getty ImagesNo Neymar, no problem

Al-Nassr's deflation could not contrast more with the sheer elation witnessed in the Al-Hilal dressing room at full-time. The victory put them seven points clear at the Pro League summit, still unbeaten and having scored the most goals while conceding the least.

In the aftermath of their derby-day win, a video emerged on social media of club chairman Nafel promising the squad a bonus for their efforts, a gesture that was greeted with unbridled joy, particularly by the lower earners in the squad like Al-Bulayhi who have been so critical to their runaway success.

While they were always expected to do well after a wild summer that saw the likes of Malcom, Ruben Neves and Kalidou Koulibaly make the move to Riyadh, the sheer ease with which they have been able to pull away from their rivals has been surprising – particularly after they were handed a potentially season-derailing blow back in October.

It's worth remembering that Al-Hilal's almost-flawless Pro League record has been achieved without their marquee signing, Neymar, who suffered a nasty ACL injury while on international duty in the autumn.

Jesus' side have not let this bad fortune knock them off course, though. Experienced Pro League operator and captain Salem Al-Dawsari has simply stepped up to the plate, scoring seven times and providing two assists from the left-forward berth that the Brazilian would have been pencilled in for during transfer negotiations.

Mitrovic has also repaid Al-Hilal for their persistence with a killer touch in front of goal. For a long while, it seemed like the 29-year-old would be staying at Fulham, but the Saudi side refused to admit defeat and they've been rewarded with the striker turning out to be the smartest signing of the league's entire summer transfer window amid some stiff competition.

Julian Gressel has explained why the Lionel Messi-led ex-Barcelona clique at Inter Miami is not a problem, with there no divides in the camp.

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Argentine icon moved to America in 2023Joined by a number of familiar facesMartino working with happy camp in FloridaWHAT HAPPENED?

Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi completed a stunning move to the United States in the summer of 2023. He has been joined at Chase Stadium by former Camp Nou colleagues Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez. That quartet are understandably close, but they have not broken away from the rest of Tata Martino’s squad.

Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowAdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT GRESSEL SAID

USMNT star Gressel has said, per , of the iconic foursome that continues to capture the imagination in Florida: “Of course they are good friends. We all know that. That's why it's completely normal that they are a little more connected. They have achieved a lot together and the families get along well too. That's why naturally they work a lot in a group of four. But they are very integrated, they take the whole team with them and make a lot of jokes. We had barbecues together. This is a completely normal team structure, like in any other team of which I was a member.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

While considering Messi to be one of the guys in Miami, Gressel admits that working alongside the all-time great does take some getting used to. He added on that process: “Of course at first it seems a little surreal. You don't even know what to expect. And it's hard to realize all this right now. And that's how it still is, if I'm honest. It's hard to put into words what you feel. But so far everything is going well, he is a very nice guy. It is easy to talk to him, and even joke. And of course the quality of the place is incredible. Being there so close is really great and a great experience for me.”

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GettyDID YOU KNOW?

Gressel went on to say of the aura that surrounds Messi: “The first time I saw him he was in the locker room. I came in, said good morning and introduced myself, I said I was Julian. And he said, 'I'm Leo', in such a way that everything fits together. He's a normal boy, a shy boy who doesn't talk much now. But it's crazy, generally crazy to play with him. Of course he is an eight-time Ballon d'Or winner and, in my opinion, the best player who has ever played. That's why he is special and he also has a special status, which is also completely normal. But as a team-mate and as captain is really good and approachable in a normal way. He's a really nice guy and a normal family man.”

Hamish Rutherford warmed-up for the Test series next week with an aggressive hundred against England Lions as the second-string bowlers failed to impress at Grace Road

Andrew McGlashan at Grace Road09-May-2013
ScorecardHamish Rutherford’s innings was studded with off-side drives•Getty ImagesHamish Rutherford warmed-up for the Test series next week with an aggressive hundred against England Lions as the second-string bowlers failed to impress at Grace Road before rain wiped out half the overs.Although New Zealand won against Derbyshire, their top order did not cover themselves in glory against what was largely a reserve county attack. The line-up facing them here is a significant step up, and an important increase in intensity ahead of the Test match, although only Graham Onions produced the consistency required on a blustery day, which appeared to impact the bowlers’ rhythmsRutherford’s innings, coming after the visitors were inserted on a green pitch that offered less than appeared likely, contained the hallmarks of his debut series in March: a strong preference for the off side, an attacking mindset, but also the propensity to offer bowlers a chance with a lack of footwork when he drives.He knows the value of warm-up runs, having made 90 in Queenstown before his Test debut where he made 171, and with his only previous cricket in the British Isles coming during two seasons in Scotland, but he also knows this is not his most important innings.”It doesn’t really matter scoring them in the warm-up games it matters in the proper games,” he said. “For me, personally, it’s nice to spend some decent time at the crease in these sort of conditions.”During this innings, the ones he flashed at did not take the edge and the ones he struck regularly came out of the middle but he was handed on life on 85 when Michael Carberry could not hold a swirling chance at deep midwicket off Simon Kerrigan, who then felt the brunt of Rutherford’s bat.His 110-ball hundred included 15 boundaries and three sixes, all straight off Kerrigan, the third of which took him to his century the ball after a similar blow had just failed to be gathered inside the boundary at long-on by Onions. After trying keep himself inside the playing area, Onions turned to the people sat behind him for confirmation of whether it was six or out: it was the New Zealand dugout who were able to confirm.”It was a gameplan,” Rutherford said, “you see the ball tossed up it’s a tough asking for any bowler into that breeze we had today although I did pitching-wedge a couple.”Rutherford continued to latch on to Kerrigan, the Lancashire left-arm spinner who was bowling into the stiff breeze, which enabled the batsmen to hit with it as Rutherford struck his fourth six moments after passing three figures. It was similar to the treatment he dished out to Monty Panesar at stages during the series in New Zealand.Also very familiar from the previous series was his strength through the off side from cover to backward point, an area fed by the Lions bowlers who gave him too many wide deliveries to pick off. Twice he took three boundaries in an over, once off Chris Woakes then again from Toby Roland-Jones who struggled bowling into the strong breeze.”We found him quite tricky to bowl at, he manufactures width pretty well which he showed throughout his innings and he’s pretty aggressive,” Roland-Jones said. “We tried to straighten up on him and restrict his boundaries and I felt as the day wore on we got better with that.”The first wicket came in the seventh over when Peter Fulton played round a full delivery from Onions which would have taken out middle as his tricky start to the tour continued. When England’s attack did not find much movement in New Zealand Fulton was able to play to his favoured leg side with less risk, but the extra nip with the Duke ball on greener pitches makes it a likely mode of dismissal for him.Onions was given an eight-over spell with the new ball and pushed his length fuller than the other frontline quicks. He could have claimed Kane Williamson for 2 but Woakes spilled a rapid chance at gully. Williamson, however, did not build on his reprieve and pulled a short ball from Roland-Jones low to midwicket.Ross Taylor’s first innings of the tour began in slightly uncertain style. Barring the hundred he made in the one-day series against England he has struggled since returning after the captaincy fall-out. He was beaten a couple of times outside off, drove close to point although after the lunch break started to look a little more at ease until, like Fulton, playing round a full delivery to be lbw.That was a second wicket for Roland-Jones, who had changed ends to have the wind behind him and struck in his first over of a spell for the second time in the day, as he clawed back his figures from the earlier punishment.”It was pretty difficult to be honest, combining into that wind with going uphill and it was about trying to do a job,” Roland-Jones said. “There’s always a job to do coming up the hill, but as a tall bloke it’s much nicer to come down the hill.”Dean Brownlie, who eased debate over his Test place with 71 against Derbyshire, survived a strong appeal for caught behind against Chris Wright before rain forced the players off for an early tea. They did not have the chance to resume.

David Warner will be out to prove he can become a Test opener when he faces the new ball during Australia A’s upcoming four-day series in Zimbabwe

Brydon Coverdale22-Jun-2011David Warner will be out to prove he can become a Test opener when he faces the new ball during Australia A’s upcoming four-day series in Zimbabwe. Warner is generally regarded as the quintessential Twenty20 basher, but an encouraging finish to the Sheffield Shield season has him determined to show that he can thrive in the longer format.He has timed his run well, and although he won’t be the first choice as a Test opener to replace Simon Katich, Warner is clearly in the selectors’ wider field of vision as they look to the future. He is expected to open with Phillip Hughes during the Australia A four-day fixtures against a Zimbabwe XI next month, a vote of confidence in itself given that the squad also includes Usman Khawaja and Nic Maddinson, who could potentially partner Hughes.Warner collected his maiden first-class century against Western Australia in March, and it was an important achievement for a man who made his Twenty20 international debut before he had played a first-class game. Now, he has found the patience for the longer format, according to the Australia A captain Tim Paine, who has been impressed by Warner’s work ethic during the team camp in Brisbane this month.”I would say at this stage it would probably be David Warner [to open] in the four-dayers,” Paine told ESPNcricinfo. “He’ll probably get the chance to push on from the impressive finish he had to his domestic season. Hopefully if he can transform what we know he can do in the shorter formats into the longer formats then he’s going to be a pretty devastating opening batsman in the longer form, similar to something like what Sehwag does for India. That’s something he’s looking to bring into his game.”The last six months he’s started to find some hunger to actually play in the longer forms of cricket for Australia. Even today I reckon he batted for two and a half hours, which is something that in all the time I’ve been coming to the Academy with him as young guys, it’s not something he has done. He’s been a bloke who goes in and hits them really well for 20 minutes and he’s happy with that. But at the moment there’s a different drive to Dave Warner and he’s looked good the last two weeks.”At a time when Cricket Australia wants to attract more young fans by expanding the Big Bash, it is encouraging that a short-form specialist like Warner still harbours Test aspirations. However, despite the belief of Greg Chappell – who will be the selector on duty in Zimbabwe – that Warner can be an effective batsman in the longer format, it’s unlikely he’ll win a baggy green in the immediate future.When Katich was cut from Australia’s contract list this month, there was still no room for Warner in the 25-man group, a sign that for the time being, the selectors consider his place to be in Twenty20 and 50-over cricket. The likely partner for Shane Watson on Australia’s Test tour of Sri Lanka in August is Hughes, who Paine said was handling the pressure well ahead of the Australia A trip.”He’s been fine,” Paine said. “He’s been no different to when I’ve ever seen him. Hughesy is just Hughesy, he goes about it as he does. He’s a fine player, so I’m sure if he gets the opportunity he can score a lot of Test runs – he already has, for a guy so young. I’m sure he’ll be very, very keen to do well in Zimbabwe. He has a knack of scoring runs and I’m sure he’ll do that in Zimbabwe and in Test matches he may get to play in in the future.”Hughes is one of several members of the Australia A squad who has a strong chance of making the Sri Lanka tour, along with Khawaja, Paine, Jason Krejza, Michael Beer, Ben Hilfenhaus and Callum Ferguson. But Paine said despite the axing of Katich suggesting that younger men might win Test opportunities, there had been no loss of focus within his side.”Not so much around this group,” he said. “It’s been more in the media. I haven’t heard anyone in the last two weeks that I’ve been here in our team talk about the contract list and who’s out, and what the opportunities are going to be coming up. It’s just everyone is pretty focused on getting over there and performing and giving themselves the best chance of being picked to replace those players if it does happen.”The Australia A players fly to Zimbabwe on Saturday for a triangular one-day series featuring the hosts and South Africa A, before they take on Zimbabwe in a pair of four-day games.

Regan West, the Ireland left-arm spinner, has retired from international cricket due to a serious shoulder injury

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Apr-2011Regan West, the Ireland left-arm spinner, has retired from international cricket due to a serious shoulder injury. He wasn’t part of Ireland’s squad for the 2011 World Cup, but played 10 ODIs and 23 first-class games, taking a career-best of 7 for 88 against Scotland in Aberdeen in 2009. Following an examination of his injured left shoulder, West was advised not to bowl for fear of further damage.”I’m pretty gutted with the outcome really. At the beginning it wasn’t a case of if I would bowl again, it was just how long it would take to recover,” West said. “My left shoulder is not in good shape, so the recommendation that I shouldn’t bowl again didn’t come as a surprise but it is still very disappointing.”Being part of the Ireland team has been the highlight and most enjoyable time of my cricket career. I feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to represent Ireland, and it is sad for me that that is now over.”West was part of the New Zealand Under-19 team and represented Northern Districts before making his international debut in August 2008. “Regan is a massive loss to the Irish squad,” Ireland coach Phil Simmons said. “His wholeheartedness and dedication will be missed. I personally would like to thank him for his efforts, not just when he was in the team, but in the last six months in his battle to be fit enough to be in an environment he has enjoyed.”

Spin bowler Imran Tahir took five wickets but the battle between the bottom two sides in Division One moved firmly in Worcestershire’s direction at the end of the third day

25-Aug-2011
Scorecard
Spin bowler Imran Tahir took five wickets but the battle between the bottom two sides in Division One moved firmly in Worcestershire’s direction at the end of the third day. Tahir finished with five wickets for 29 runs and left arm pace bowler Chris Wood took 4 for 35 but Worcestershire still managed to finish with a slender first innings advantage of 29 at The Rose Bowl.By the close this had began to look of vital importance because Hampshire ended the day only 53 ahead at a perilous 84 for 6 in their second innings. Medium pacer Gareth Andrew, who took three wickets in the Hampshire first innings, took another three in the second to leave second-from-bottom Worcestershire in with a great chance of victory.The visitors began the third day 67 behind at 112 for 1 with the first 75 minutes – and 12 overs – lost to overnight rain. Worcestershire appeared to be heading for a commanding lead at lunch when they were 135 for 1 with Vikram Solanki in control.But Wood induced a collapse in which Worcestershire lost five wickets for six runs in only four overs. Wood dismissed James Cameron, Moeen Ali two bowls later, and then had Alexei Kervezee caught at the wicket to give him three wickets in five balls.James Tomlinson then bowled Aneesh Kapil and Wood removed Andrew to give him figures for his spell of 4 for 8 in five overs. There was a late resistance between the obdurate Solanki and Ben Scott who added 43 for the seventh wicket but then Tahir quickly ran through the tail.The Pakistan-born, South Africa-qualified legspinner sent back Scott, Richard Jones, Kemar Roach and last man Alan Richardson as Worcestershire were all out for 204 – having lost their last nine wickets for 69. Only Solanki resisted, finishing with a crucial 79 not out from 156 balls – an innings which included 11 fours.Hampshire was soon in trouble again when they batted a second time with Liam Dawson, Michael Carberry and Neil McKenzie all out before the deficit had been overcome. Worse was to follow for the bottom-placed hosts with James Vince out on 43, Sean Ervine 10 runs later and then, just before bad light brought the players off, Nic Pothas.Andrew finished with 3 for 31 and there were two wickets for West Indian pace bowler Roach, making his county debut. However, Hampshire know a sixth defeat of the season will push them nearer relegation.

On a rain-hit day in Canberra, the Indians’ top order did not make use of what could be their last chance to bat in a competitive match ahead of Boxing Day

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Dec-2011
ScorecardVirender Sehwag was out cheaply on a rainy day•Getty ImagesOn a rain-hit day in Canberra, the Indian top-order batsmen did not make use of what could be their last chance to bat in a competitive match ahead of the Boxing Day Test. They slipped to 4 for 84 against the CA Chairman’s XI, after play had begun two hours and 40 minutes late, before a positive partnership between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma steadied the innings.Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid were rested for this tour match, while Virender Sehwag, MS Dhoni and Zaheer Khan were included in the thirteen after sitting out of the first game. Ishant Sharma, whose fitness is still doubtful, also missed out.After choosing to bat on a gloomy day – there was an interruption for bad light soon after the play finally began – the Indians lost Sehwag for a run-a-ball 12, caught off the bowling of Peter George. Gautam Gambhir, like he had in the first tour game, fell after getting a start. He was bowled for 24 by Jason Behrendorff, who was the most economical of the Chairman XI bowlers with figures of 1 for 8 in nine overs. Ajinkya Rahane, India’s reserve opener on the tour, also failed for the second time in two innings, and when he and Gambhir were dismissed in quick succession India had crawled to 3 for 53 in 21 overs.VVS Laxman showed signs of repairing the innings with Virat Kohli. Laxman struck a couple of fours – including a well-timed on drive – before missing one from left-arm spinner Jon Holland while trying to work it to the leg side. Holland had replaced Doug Bollinger from the Telopea Park end, after the fast bowler – who’s looking to work his way back into Australia’s Test team – had failed to pick up a wicket.Rohit Sharma was dropped first ball at short leg, after pushing at a delivery. Kolhi, who’s in a race with Rohit for the No. 6 spot in India’s batting line-up, counterattacked. He too had a bit of luck early on, edging wide of the slip cordon, but he made the most of it, driving through the covers, pulling and punching down the ground for boundaries.Kohli brought up his fifty, and Rohit too began to show some aggression. He drove twice through the covers and lofted the ball over long-off to bring up India’s 150. The pair added 78 off 104 balls before stumps – though Rohit was dropped once again, by Usman Khawaja in the slip cordon off legspinner Cameron Boyce – to take the Indians to 4 for 162.The Chairman’s XI captain, David Warner, left the field a couple of times during the day to get treatment for a sore back, though it wasn’t deemed a serious problem.