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Dav Whatmore has said he had positive meetings with members of the Pakistan board in Lahore but there has been no definite decision taken yet on whether or not he will be the new Pakistan coach

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jan-2012Dav Whatmore has said he had positive meetings with members of the Pakistan board in Lahore but there has been no definite decision taken yet on whether or not he will be the new Pakistan coach. Whatmore, who has previously coached Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, had discussions with the panel the PCB appointed to select a coach and the Pakistan selectors, and also had a courtesy meeting with PCB chief Zaka Ashraf.”We had some good discussions,” Whatmore said. “A decision either way will be made later in the month. It’s a case of whether both parties can see a way forward.”While Whatmore and the PCB both maintained no appointment had been made, Whatmore said coaching Pakistan would be an opportunity he would relish. “If I do get the job it will be another challenge in my career,” he said. “Pakistan have the potential to be a pretty decent team. They’ve done well in recent times. If I am with the team every effort will be directed towards ensuring the team is super-competitive.”The PCB, in a statement, said Whatmore had told chairman Ashraf that “Pakistan possesses lots of cricketing talent and the team has the ability to beat any opposition”.Pakistan, under interim coach Mohsin Khan, are set to take on England tomorrow in the first of three Test matches in the UAE. Whatmore said it would be a tough challenge for the team. “England are the No. 1 team in the world, so it won’t be easy. But I am sure Pakistan will be prepared.”Pakistan have been without a permanent coach since Waqar Younis resigned after the tour of Zimbabwe in September.

Nine months after due to a blood clot in his lung stalled his career Michael Carberry has posted 300 not out, a career-best, sharing a mammoth 523-run stand with Neil McK

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Aug-2011In November 2010 news emerged that Michael Carberry was unable to tour Australia with the England Performance Programme due to a blood clot in his lung. Nine months on he has posted 300 not out, a career-best, sharing a mammoth 523-run stand with Neil McKenzie for Hampshire against Yorkshire.The career-threatening illness was treated last winter but he was unable to take long-haul flights and began the 2011 county summer uncertain whether he will be able to play regularly for Hampshire.Having not played any cricket since last September he returned for Hampshire 2nd XI though on July 6 and made his first Championship appearance of the season a week later at Hove.That alone was a remarkable comeback and a display of the tenacity that Carberry has shown throughout his career. He has fought back from frustrating periods early in his career at Kent and Surrey before making Hampshire his home in 2007. Since that move he has been a consistent run-scorer and impressed enough to earn an England Test cap against Bangladesh in March last year.His triple hundred here is a career-best and was constructed fluently over Thursday and Friday on an admittedly benign Rose Bowl track. The innings lasted 427 balls and he struck 43 fours and two sixes in all.”This was only my third match back in the team and I cannot believe it has gone so well,” he said afterwards. “It has been well documented that I had blood clots on the lung and it has taken nine months out of my life. I am lucky just to be playing again so to get 300 exceeded all my expectations.”With McKenzie making 237 himself, the pair looked set to beat the all-time best partnership in England of 555 between Yorkshire’s Percy Holmes and Herbert Sutcliffe against Essex at Leyton. McKenzie, though, fell shortly after tea on the fourth day and the pair had to settle for the record for best 3rd-wicket stand in Championship history.

Nottinghamshire Outlaws kept alive their faint hopes of qualification from Group C of the Clydesdale Bank 40 with a 41-run victory over Gloucestershire Gladiators

ESPNcricinfo staff26-May-2011
ScorecardNottinghamshire Outlaws kept alive their faint hopes of qualification from Group C of the Clydesdale Bank 40 with a 41-run victory over Gloucestershire Gladiators.After Adam Voges (74) and Riki Wessels (51) had led the hosts to 270 for 9 from their 40 overs, Paul Franks picked up five for 43 as Gloucestershire were bowled out for 229. The visitors were in contention until the 35th over, bowled by Franks, who yorked both Gloucestershire’s top scorer Ed Young (50) and Jon Batty to swing the game Nottinghamshire’s way.It was Franks’ best domestic one-day figures since May 2000 and the third five-wicket haul of his career, helping Nottinghamshire move up to fourth in their group having played five matches.The home side’s total of 270 always looked competitive with Gloucestershire batting second under the Trent Bridge floodlights. Wessels made an impressive home debut as he added 88 for the second wicket with Samit Patel before both were caught in the deep in consecutive overs from Alex Gidman.Patel’s cause was helped by being dropped three times, while the Gladiators also gave away 32 extras in a sloppy display in the field. The dismissal of Steven Mullaney in the next over appeared to check the Nottinghamshire’s momentum, but Voges consolidated in partnership with Chris Read (39) before the pair took the batting powerplay in the 32nd over and wreaked havoc.With 59 runs scored in the powerplay and 100 in the final 10 overs, the pair’s combination of quick running between the wickets and strong hitting put Nottinghamshire firmly in charge, despite a late flurry of wickets at the death. Voges in particular excelled with seven boundaries in his 60-ball innings before he became one of three wickets for Jon Lewis.Needing close to seven runs an over to win from the start, Gloucestershire came out swinging, with Alex Gidman hitting seven fours off 38 balls before he feathered a thin edge off Andre Adams to Read behind the stumps.Franks’ arrival proved crucial as he removed Chris Taylor lbw for 34 and Kane Williamson, caught at midwicket for 35, in consecutive overs. Ireland’s World Cup hero and former Nottinghamshire player Kevin O’Brien ran himself out before Young displayed a strong bottom hand to keep Gloucestershire hopes alive with a 37-ball 50.But when Franks bowled Young and Batty the game was all but finished, with Ian Saxelby miscuing to cover and Franks having Lewis caught at point to close out the match, with Will Gidman absent hurt.

One swallow doesn’t make a summer, but one Finch made Australia’s day at the MCG, where the hosts ended England’s eight-match winning streak in Twenty20 games

The Bulletin by Brydon Coverdale at the MCG14-Jan-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAaron Finch’s unbeaten 53 set up Australia’s win•Getty ImagesOne swallow doesn’t make a summer, but one Finch made Australia’s day at the MCG, where the hosts ended England’s eight-match winning streak in Twenty20 games. In his second game for his country, the hometown batsman Aaron Finch muscled a promising unbeaten half-century that pushed the total to 7 for 147, and the seamers held their nerve to give Cameron White his first victory as Australia’s captain.In another tense finale after the final-ball thriller in Adelaide, England needed 13 off the last three deliveries, and Chris Woakes slammed Brett Lee over long-on for a crowd-silencing six that made the equation seven from two balls. But Woakes and Tim Bresnan couldn’t repeat the dose against the pace of Lee, who bowled short at the end, and Australia’s four-run win was confirmed with a pair of singles.England’s chase had started well, as Ian Bell cut and drove a pair of sizzling boundaries through point off Shaun Tait’s first over, and he and Steven Davies reached 0 for 60 in the eighth over. England’s Twenty20 record looked certain to extend to nine consecutive wins, but things became much tighter when Bell was yorked on 39 by Mitchell Johnson, who finished up with 3 for 29.Kevin Pietersen fell in the same over as Bell, having driven Johnson to White at short cover, and it was game on. The loss of Paul Collingwood, who scooped Shane Watson to mid-off trying to lift his rate, added to England’s problems, and he was gone for 6 from 10 balls. As he was in Adelaide, Watson was Australia’s best bowler, keeping things tight while also collecting wickets, and he ended up with 2 for 17 from four overs.A couple of overs later, Watson added Davies, who scored 29 from 26 balls, and was caught by David Warner at mid-on. Luke Wright (18) was sharply taken at mid-off by Steven Smith off Johnson and when Morgan, on 14, was caught on the boundary by Finch off Shaun Tait, it left the equation firmly in Australia’s favour. Bresnan and Woakes were left needing 29 from the final two overs, and just fell short.It was a fine result for Australia, after they stumbled to 5 for 80 from 12 overs. England’s spinners strangled the runs following a brisk start from Watson and Warner, and it took the young Finch to set the innings in flight once again. Graeme Swann collected 2 for 19 from his four overs and Michael Yardy finished with exactly the same figures, and the spin duo was so successful that Paul Collingwood turned to Kevin Pietersen’s offbreaks once Swann had bowled out.Pietersen didn’t have quite the same success, and was launched down the ground for six by Finch, who top scored with 53 not out from 33 balls. Finch and Steven Smith put on 51 for the sixth wicket, including several crowd-pleasing shots from Finch, notably an audacious scoop over his shoulder for four off Ajmal Shahzad.A short but muscular batsman whose style resembles that of his fellow Victorian Brad Hodge, Finch also showed his power when he slapped a slower ball from Shahzad over midwicket for six just after Shahzad had Smith caught at cover for 13. They had come together with the score at 5 for 80, when a horribly scratchy David Hussey was put out of his misery for 8 from 16 deliveries when he pulled Yardy to deep midwicket.Such was Hussey’s struggle to time the ball against the spinners that even his hometown crowd was collectively groaning at every dot ball. Tim Paine scored much faster and made 21 from 12 balls, including a mistimed six to get off the mark when he drove Woakes down the ground to long-on, and Watson (17) had also launched two sixes off Shahzad and Woakes, while Warner worked his way to 30.Perhaps the strong start was spurred by a bout of patriotism, after the pre-match build-up included the crowd supposedly setting a new world record for the most people simultaneously doing the chicken dance. The idea was sponsored by a certain company for whom the collective term for chickens is a bucket, and it was about as credible as the honorary colonelship given to Harland Sanders by Kentucky governor Ruby Laffoon in 1935.A much more laudable effort was to come from the Australians on the field.

Celtic have managed to beat their Old Firm rivals on two occasions this season in the Premiership and now look likely to take the league title away from them as well.

Looking back down the years, it’s not just on the pitch that the Hoops have gotten one over on their Glasgow enemies.

In terms of previous transfer deals, one player who was on Rangers’ radar before eventually making the move to Parkhead is Kris Commons.

Before joining the Bhoys from Derby County back in January 2011, the midfielder was being eyed up by the Ibrox outfit.

Speaking about the player and the club’s interest in him at that time, the late Walter Smith said: “He’s someone we would be interested in trying to get. We have made an enquiry and we are in talks with Derby to see what the situation is with him.”

As it turned out, this enquiry from Rangers didn’t equate to much, as the Scotsman eventually ended up in a Celtic shirt after the Bhoys splashed out £300k for his services.

During his time with the Hoops, the midfielder racked up a total of 227 appearances across all competitions. In that time, the 38-year-old delivered 161 goal contributions in total, with 89 goals scored 72 assists provided before leaving in the summer of 2017 and retiring a year later.

To further highlight how much of an attacking threat he was for the Parkhead club, Commons had 206 shots on target over six Premiership seasons. This shows just how much of a danger he was for opposition goalkeepers who would have been glad to see the back of him when he left Celtic.

Back in 2013, former Hoops manager Neil Lennon couldn’t help but share his praise for the midfielder after a particularly hot run of form.

He said: “Kris is wonderful and he is in wonderful form. Commons has been huge for me in the past couple of years.”

Taking all this into account, it’s safe to say that Celtic played a blinder over their Old Firm rivals by securing the former Hoops star’s signature when they did.

In other news: “There is…” – Big transfer development emerges, it’s great news for Celtic supporters

Wolves transfer target Joao Palhinha is reportedly at the top of the list of players that current employers Sporting Lisbon are happy to sell this summer.

What’s the story?

That’s according to Correio da Manha, via Sport Witness, who claim that the Portuguese giants will need to raise funds by selling assets this summer.

Moreover, the report states that it ‘seems impossible’ that Sporting could now demand €40m (£33.5m) for the midfielder’s signature after a dip in form, meaning that Wolves could sign the 26-year-old for a cut-price fee.

Their next Neves?

After seeing a major downturn in his side’s form of late that could well cost Wolves a place in Europe next season, Bruno Lage will undoubtedly be keen to add high-quality recruits this summer with Palhinha certainly high up on that list.

Furthermore, it does appear as though midfielder Ruben Neves will be allowed to depart Molineux this summer after five years of loyal service if a suitable offer was to be received, with Arsenal and Manchester United reportedly interested.

Therefore hiring new recruits in the middle of the park is absolutely vital, particularly if Joao Moutinho is also to seek a new challenge upon the expiry of his contract next month.

With 24 league appearances this term as well as six in the Champions League, Palhinha is a vital cog in the Sporting midfield and certainly fits the requirements of what Wolves will seek.

Labelled as “special” by Sporting manager Ruben Amorim, the 26-year-old has averaged a 7.13/10 rating in the Portuguese top-flight this term, better than Moutinho’s 7.03 in the Premier League and slightly below Neves’ 7.17, certainly making him a worthy replacement if either are to depart.

Like his 35-year-old countryman, the Sporting midfielder averages an 87% passing accuracy with Neves’ slightly lower at 84%.

However, as expected with the intensity of the Premier League, both Moutinho and Neves average a higher amount of touches per match with 69.6 and 72.5 respectively compared to Palhinha’s 53.9.

With the high amount of Portuguese talent Wolves have signed over the past five years, making a move for Palhinha makes perfect sense, especially when replacing a fellow countryman of the 26-year-old.

Therefore, to receive a golden chance to sign the midfielder is a major boost for Wolves and it must be taken if they are to replace Neves sufficiently if the 25-year-old leaves Molineux this summer.

AND in other news: Lost the ball every 2.6 touches: “Inconsistent” Wolves passenger failed Lage yesterday

Pakistan do not want to bat last in Bulawayo on a pitch that is expected to break up as the match wears on

Firdose Moonda in Bulawayo03-Sep-2011Pakistan do not want to bat last in Bulawayo on a pitch that is expected to break up as the match wears on. After bowling Zimbabwe out for 412, Pakistan closed day three 55 runs behind on a day of measured batting from four of the five batsmen.”That is the plan [to bat once],” Azhar Ali said. “The wicket was quite flat to start with but it’s got slower and slower and it’s become quite tough to drive the ball. Even when you do drive it, it’s difficult to get away.” Ali, whose 75 runs came off 193 balls in over four hours, thinks that batting will become more difficult and expects the spinners to play a deciding role in the result of this match.Greg Lamb, who was Zimbabwe’s highest wicket-taker with three scalps, got a fair amount of turn on the third day, but it was the veteran Ray Price who according to Ali “made the difference.” Price conceded 29 runs off his first 30 overs and proved almost impossible to get away. Ali started having trouble against him yesterday and arrived at the ground early on the third morning to work on his strategy for facing Price. He had a net session with his captain, Misbah-ul-Haq. “We were working on picking up the lengths and getting the footwork right,” Ali said.Price got no reward, in wicket-terms, for his strangling effort, but was not concerned with the number in that particular column. “It’s my job to try and keep the runs down so I have to do that,” he said. “We were happy that they didn’t score too quickly.”With the spinners proving the only threat, Price said it was a testing day for Zimbabwe’s young seam attack of Brian Vitori and Kyle Jarvis, particularly Vitori who was expensive early on. “I think he got a bit of a shock coming here from Harare Sports Club because it’s flat as a table here,” Price said. “But he is learning quickly. In his second spell he held it back a bit and his third spell tonight was very good.” Vitori took the second new ball towards the end of the day and bowled four overs for 15 runs, in which he got some to shape in to the right-hander.The three seamers have just one wicket between them so far but Price said they had been suitably warned about the conditions they will have to battle in Bulawayo. “We’ve had to tell them that there are a few seamers buried in the outfield here, it is tough work.” Their lack of success has also caused the young captain, Brendan Taylor, some frustration as he ran out of ideas to take wickets, especially after four catches were put down today.Taylor looked flustered at the time but Price praised the captain’s strategy. “He is learning to trust his gut and he is doing quite well. He is trying different field placings and a few things here and there,” he said. “With a young attack, he also has to try not to shout at them too much.”The bulk of the responsibility will rest on Price and Lamb, to skittle what remains of the Pakistan line-up. Price has called for a team effort, warning his colleagues that they have to make inroads early tomorrow morning, because “Pakistan’s spinners spin the ball more than I do and it will be difficult to bat.”Despite the danger of Saeed Ajmal, Price indicated that Zimbabwe will not go into a shell and bat for the draw. “We will definitely play for the win,” Price said. “I don’t think we can get a draw unless they bat really slowly tomorrow morning but I think their tail will play a few shots.”

Somerset regained the leadership of Group C with a comfortable six-wicketvictory over the Unicorns in the Clydesdale Bank 40 match at Taunton

21-Aug-2011
ScorecardSomerset regained the leadership of Group C with a comfortable six-wicketvictory over the Unicorns in the Clydesdale Bank 40 match at Taunton.The visitors posted 208 for 5 after winning the toss, Michael Thornelybecoming the first Unicorns player to score a century in the competition thisseason. The opener was unbeaten on 105 at the end of the 40 overs, while captain KeithParsons contributed 38. George Dockrell was the pick of the Somerset bowlerswith one wicket for 24 runs from his eight overs.The total was never likely to test Somerset’s strong batting line-up. MarcusTrescothick (53) and Craig Kieswetter (45) put on 99 in 14 overs and after bothdeparted James Hildreth (50 not out) ensured victory with more than five oversto spare.Spinners Bradley Wadlan (two for 39) and Luke Beaven, who conceded only 34 fromhis eight overs, did their best to tie the home side down, but the Unicorns were50 runs short of a competitive total. That was despite a tremendous effort from Thornely, who hit 11 fours in facing 115 balls. He gave one chance in the final over when he was dropped by JosButtler at deep midwicket off Alfonso Thomas.By then Thornely was on 104, having paced his innings well. Former Somersetfavourite Parsons leant good support in a fourth wicket stand of 53 and willhave been disappointed to sky a catch to deep midwicket with his team 115 forthree in the 26th over. Dockrell, who opened the bowling with his left arm spin, showed excellentcontrol and variation to go for just three an over.Trescothick and Kieswetter looked set to make light work of their target. But,on 45, Kieswetter drove a catch to cover off Luis Reece and it sparked a blip inthe Somerset innings.Trescothick soon followed, having hit seven fours in his 42-ball innings,bowled trying to reverse sweep Wadlan. And when Peter Trego was caught at coverto give Wadlan another wicket it was 116 for three. Nick Compton celebrated the award of his county cap at the interval with a steadying 25 off 43 balls, allowing Hildreth to go for his shots as he moved to a half-century off 50 deliveries.When Compton was bowled by Andy McGarry with 27 runs still needed, Jos Buttlermarched out to hit 23 of them off just eight balls, ending the game with a bigsix over midwicket off Glen Querl. A victory in one of their two remaining games should now be enough to put Somerset in the semi-finals.

A round-up of Tuesday’s matches in the WICB one-day tournament

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Oct-2010Leeward Islands grabbed the second semi-final berth from Group B with their first victory in the tournament, a 14-run win against Guyana in the rain-affected fixture at Sabina Park.A damp pitch at the scheduled start of play curtailed the game to 46-overs-a-side, the first of many weather-induced revisions. Guyana chose to field, but play was stopped after three balls when Esuan Crandon raised concerns about the area where his left foot was landing. The officials then decided to shift the game to an adjacent wicket, reducing it to 40 overs per innings.Leewards resumed aggressively, with the opening partnership raising 38 off 31 balls before Javier Liburd fell to Steven Jacobs for a lively 16. The middle order was unable to consolidate on the start with Chesney Hughes, Steve Liburd and Gavin Williams perishing for a combined contribution of three runs off 29 balls, Jacobs adding two more wickets to his tally. The losses forced opener Montcin Hodge to go into his shell as he attempted to repair the innings. He contributed 31 off 61 balls, as Wilden Cornwall arrested the slide at the other end with 22 off 33, but the fall of both batsmen before the 25th over, with the score yet to reach three figures, left Leewards in a tight spot.Jahmar Hamilton then revived the innings with an attacking 37 off 27 balls. He hit four sixes and a four in his knock, and, aided by contributions from Justin Athanaze, Lionel Baker and Anthony Martin, propelled his side to a strong score. Guyana missed a trick after the ninth wicket fell in the 34th over, allowing the last pair to add 30 runs before finishing the innings in the final over.Guyana’s reply ran into trouble after a brief surge from Richard Ramdeen: 19 for 0 turned into 28 for 5 in no time as Gavin Tonge and Martin nipped out five wickets in as many overs. Showers held up play again in the tenth over, leaving Guyana in an unfavourable position with regards the D/L par scores. On resumption, Shivnarine Chanderpaul held one end up while Royston Crandon attacked for 43 off 59 balls, but Guyana still fell 14 short of the par score at 23 overs when the match ended.While Leewards managed to win despite several interruptions, there was no such luck for Sagicor High Performance Center who were in a dominant position against table-toppers Barbados when play was called off at the Trelawny Stadium. The result meant Sagicor finished their group engagements winless, but a victory would have left them tied on points with Leewards.Asked to bat first in a 40-overs-a-side game, Sagicor were guided by Rajindra Chandrika’s patient half-century. He struck three fours in his 52 off 89 balls before being run-out. The other significant contribution came from Devon Thomas who made 31 off 30 balls, includng two fours and a six, as Sagicor finished with 154 for 5.Barbados’ chase was rocked early as Jason Holder and Veerasammy Permaul picked up a wicket each, while two batsmen succumbed to run-outs, reducing the score to 19 for 4. However, it began to rain in the 12th over after which no play was possible, resulting in a washout.Semi-final line-upLeeward Islands v Windward Islands at Kingston on October 21
Barbados v Jamaica at Greenfields on October 22

Tottenham Hotspur now also want to sign Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans while they weigh a move for Christian Eriksen as fresh transfer news emerges.

The Lowdown: Lilywhites enter Eriksen chase…

Links to their former superstar playmaker have been prevalent in the last few weeks as Tottenham reportedly eye a move to re-sign Eriksen on a free summer deal.

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90min recently claimed that Tottenham are interested in a move for the 30-year-old, as did reliable iNews correspondent Mark Douglas, with big name source The Times also backing these reports.

Journalist Gary Jacob, making a Tuesday night claim, says Spurs are weighing a move for Eriksen but, as per his information, he isn’t the only midfielder on their radar.

The Latest: Paratici eyes Tielemans move…

Writing for The Times, he claims that Spurs want to sign Leicester’s star midfielder as they keep tabs on his situation.

He comes as a fellow target alongside Eriksen, with Tielemans about to enter the last year of his contract at the King Power Stadium, potentially putting Paratici and co in a strong position to move.

The Verdict: Good candidate…

While Eriksen on a free could come as the more romantic move, certainly amid supporters at least, you cannot rule out Tielemans as a good candidate to strengthen Antonio Conte’s midfield options.

The 24-year-old, who wants to play in the Champions League as Spurs compete for a place there next season, has been lavished as ‘one of Europe’s top midfielders’ by Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers this season.

In another promising claim, Leicester could let him go this summer for as little as £35 million, coming after they demanded as much as £60m last year (Het Nieuwsblad via The Metro).

Amid this £25m drop in price, it’s little wonder Spurs are now eyeing a move.

In other news: Conte personally approves ‘monster’ player move as Tottenham take pre-summer action, find out more here.