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The batsman talks about why he can’t see a future for himself in the West Indies side as long as selection depends on playing domestic cricket

Tim Wigmore07-Jun-2016″The past is history.” So proclaims Lendl Simmons’ status on WhatsApp. It is the mantra of a man who wants to look forward in life, not moan.Yet Simmons cannot help but feel aggrieved. He, like Chris Gayle, Darren Sammy, Dwayne Bravo and Andre Russell, was not considered eligible for selection in West Indies’ ongoing ODI tri-series against Australia and South Africa. All those players did not play in this year’s West Indies domestic 50-over tournament, instead playing in the Big Bash.”It’s just foolish,” Simmons says. “We are available to play but we are not being picked. It’s just a stupid rule that they have. Unless that rule changes, no one will play for the West Indies, because I don’t think anyone is going to give up franchise cricket to play regional cricket when the fees are not suitable enough. A lot of other teams’ players don’t play in their domestic [competitions] but still play for their country. This is not the same for us, but such is life.”While wishing West Indies well, Simmons warns that “we could embarrass ourselves because Australia and South Africa are not coming here with their A teams. They are coming here with their full teams.”Simmons was gripped by anger two months ago as well. When he came out to bat in the semi-final of the World T20, with West Indies 19 for 2 after three overs, in pursuit of 193, Simmons was riled by Virat Kohli.

*Do not include T20Is for West Indies or representative teams like West Indies A or West Indies XI“When he fielded, he said something to me, and I said to myself, ‘I’m going to show you you’re not the only good batsman,'” Simmons says. He also reckons Kohli kept throwing the ball to his end to try and get under his skin. “That’s the way he is. He’s very arrogant, he’s very aggressive when he fields, and when he bats as well. He’s just a very aggressive person.”Those things motivate our players and it certainly motivated me. That really urged me to bat the way I did – to show him that he’s not the only one who can do it. That played a big role.”So too did simple fortune. Simmons was twice caught off a no-ball, and reprieved a third time when a catch off a legitimate delivery was overturned when Ravindra Jadeja was shown to be touching the boundary rope when he took it. “Every cricketer has his day and you just need to cash in when it is your day,” Simmons says. “I took full opportunity of that to bat until the end. It was mind-blowing doing that with all those people supporting India and being very loud. It was the highlight of my career.”Kohli might have reflected on the impact of his words as Simmons thumped five sixes into the Wankhede, en route to a 51-ball 82 not out. “When India chase, one of their top batsmen bats deep – that was my role, batting in the middle overs, especially because I play spin well. I know they didn’t have any good death bowlers, so with Russell, Bravo and Sammy to come once we passed the middle overs, those guys could always come out and finish.”It was left to Russell to score the winning runs, dispatching a full toss – from Kohli, of all people – into the Mumbai night sky. And when Carlos Braithwaite’s four towering sixes clinched the final, Simmons had gone from watching the World T20 at home, having originally not been selected because he was not fully fit, to being a world champion in the space of a week.

“Franchise cricket is the avenue for players to earn a living. Not everyone gets retained for the West Indies, and anyway our retainer is not sufficient to say you can live off this for three to four years”

It proved an expensive triumph. Simmons played at “85%” in the World T20, aggravating the problems with his lower back that had originally led him to miss the tournament. His back ultimately forced him to fly home after one IPL game. “But I think it was worth it – putting the West Indies back on the map by winning the World Cup again. It was a big achievement for the Caribbean. It meant a whole lot. We knew that everyone in the Caribbean was watching the final. We desperately needed that, because we know there’s a lot of politics in cricket right now – a lot going against the players right now.”Simmons suggests that his uncle**, West Indies’ coach Phil, shares his frustration, “but there’s not much he can do”.Having won two of the last three World T20 crowns – Simmons was not selected in 2012 – West Indies are shaping up as international cricket’s first dominant T20 side. Bravo has even suggested they could be as successful in the format as the Test side was in the 1980s.”It’s calypso cricket,” Simmons says of the West Indies’ success. “It’s because of the way we play our cricket – we are aggressive, very sprightly, and that’s how we are. We’re not good at Test cricket right now, but T20 is right up our alley.”Even a golden duck in the final could not dilute the memory of his innings, a distillation of the T20 qualities that have earned him attention from franchises the world over.”We are aggressive, very sprightly. We’re not good at Test cricket right now, but T20 is right up our alley”•Getty ImagesIndia has seen the best of him: Simmons has 1038 runs at 47.18 for Mumbai Indians. But he is also enthused about the Caribbean Premier League. It “pays well” and, for the first time ever, means leading players from foreign shores play domestic cricket in the West Indies, testing and improving Caribbean players without deals in other T20 leagues.Simmons is unashamed about the path he has chosen. Injuries have rendered him unable to play Tests – he never even scored a half-century during an eight-match career that ended five years ago – and he has not played an ODI, or even a List A match, since the World Cup. That will not change until either he or the West Indies Cricket Board change their minds about playing in the Nagico Super50. Neither seems likely.”Yes, I enjoy playing for Trinidad and I want to play for the West Indies, but people also have families that they need to feed and a life that they need to build,” Simmons says. He will continue to be a flag bearer for the age of the itinerant T20 player – a sign of the things and, he reckons, a shape of the future of West Indies’ best players too.”Franchise cricket is a very good thing. People can travel around the world and play cricket. You get paid well for your services, and people want our services,” he says.”Franchise cricket is the avenue for players to earn a living. Not everyone gets retained for the West Indies, and anyway our retainer is not sufficient to say you can live off this for three to four years.”It was ever thus. West Indies have always relied on foreign leagues – traditionally county and club cricket in England – to fund their players. Garry Sobers once almost missed an international to play an English club match, because it was more lucrative. The T20 globetrotting of Simmons and Co is new. But it is also entirely in keeping with West Indies’ past.** – June 8, 2016, 0830 GMT – the article originally stated that Phil Simmons is Lendl’s cousin. It has been corrected

Royal Challengers Bangalore had two of their three big guns out cheaply but Mandeep Singh took charge of the innings to set up AB de Villiers late surge, part of five key moments from Wednesday’s IPL Eliminator in Pune

Amol Karhadkar in Pune 21-May-20153:12

Karhadkar: Royal Challengers found a second home in Pune

Living up to the billingThey had come to the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Gahunje to be enthralled by three batting geniuses. Chris Gayle, the smiling assassin, couldn’t get hold of a two-paced pitch. Neither did Virat Kohli. Once both openers were back in the dugout for hardly any entertainment quotient, the onus was on AB de Villiers to fire.But even the Protean was struggling to get going, more because of the conditions than due to the Rajasthan Royals bowling attack. At the end of the 14th over of the Royal Challengers Bangalore innings, de Villiers was stuttering on 17 off 21 balls. But the next 17 balls he faced saw 49 runs being scored, including three fours and four towering sixes, two each off Ankit Sharma’s left-arm spin and pacer Chris Morris. Incidentally, the two hits against Sharma started the de Villiers blitzkrieg in the 15th over and the ones against Morris were his last boundary hits before he was run out in the penultimate over while attempting an ambitious second.So much had de Villiers mesmerized the spectators that the crowd kept on chanting “A-B! A-B!” not only all through his innings but also during the Royal Challengers’ time in the field to every nook and corner the master batsman was stationed at.Mandy magicWith three of the all-time best T20 batsmen in the world struggling to cope with a greenish, two-paced wicket, Mandeep Singh seemed to be playing a different game. He took his time to get a sense of the wicket, playing five dot balls at the start but soon after he opened his account with an off-drive. Mandeep then targeted the best of the Royals’ bowlers, hitting Dhawal Kulkarni for four off his favourite pull shot and followed it up with a robust six over long-off.Mandeep continued his charge to outscore de Villers till the 16th over of the innings. Had it not been for Mandeep’s free-flowing 54-run knock, de Villiers wouldn’t have had a partner to stitch together a 113-run partnership which took Royal Challengers to safety after the early blows. Mandeep, who was brought in from Kings XI Punjab during the trading window ahead of the IPL auction, justified the faith shown in him by the Royal Challengers. Kings XI’s loss has undoubtedly been their gain.AB de Villiers may have top-scored for RCB but it was Mandeep Singh who helped drag the Royal Challengers innings out of the doldrums•BCCISupport StarcRoyal Challengers’ turnaround in the bowling unit is attributed to Mitchell Starc’s genius after his delayed arrival. While the Australia pacer deserves all the credit, the Royal Challengers’ Indian pacers don’t really get their due. On Wednesday, Starc was overshadowed in a way by the artistry of S Aravind and Harshal Patel.While Starc’s Australia teammate Shane Watson welcomed him with back-to-back boundaries in the opening over, Aravind forced Watson to chase a wide delivery and nick it to Dinesh Karthik behind the stumps in the next over. Patel, who was brought on in place of Starc after the opening over, bowled an excellent bouncer in his second over leaving Sanju Samson no option but to glove it to Karthik.Even David Wiese continued to play a part by getting rid of the danger man Steve Smith. While Starc came back well to finish off his spell with less than a run a ball, the day belonged more to the supporting cast than Royal Challengers’ main bowling protagonist.Yuzi, the go-to manEvery time Virat Kohli has required a wicket in the middle overs this season, he has thrown the ball to Yuzvendra Chahal. The leggie has delivered virtually on every occasion and Tuesday was no different.Royal Challengers were in firm control, with the asking rate rising well above two runs a ball. Still, they couldn’t heave a sigh of relief as long as Ajinkya Rahane remained at the crease. After he had bowled two economical overs, Kohli changed Chahal’s end. The leggie gave him the prize scalp in return, coercing Rahane into a mistimed slog, becoming the first spinner to join the 20-wicket club in IPL 2015.Royals’ only bright spotJust before Kulkarni ran in to bowl the last ball of the sixth over to Gayle, Kohli had indicated to the umpires that he would opt for the strategic time out at the end of the over. Kohli would have perhaps wanted to discuss a change of approach with Gayle, who was struggling to gauge the pace of the wicket. But Kulkarni had other plans. He bowled a perfect straight ball that scraped through Gayle’s charge and pegged his middle stump back.In his next over, Kulkarni accepted a return catch by Kohli, his former India Under-19 captain, to celebrate his selection in India’s ODI squad in style. A Royals victory would have been a perfect icing on the cake, but it wasn’t to be. Nevertheless, Kulkarni’s was the only heartening performance of the day for his team.

Self-belief, brave selection and an aggressive mindset helped Pakistan bounce back from a loss to Zimbabwe to beating the No. 1 Test team comprehensively

Firdose Moonda in Abu Dhabi17-Oct-2013There is supposed to be some kind of certainty in covering the teams at the top and bottom of the Test rankings. You have a fair idea of who is expected to win and who is expected to lose. In the last month, that assumption has been twisted out of shape and it’s all because of Pakistan.It was barely believable that they lost to Zimbabwe in Harare and almost equally surprising that they dominated South Africa to earn such a comfortable win in Abu Dhabi. Misbah-ul-Haq put it down to conditions but there’s much more to Pakistan’s performance than just the comfort of a flat track.For a start, the pitch at Harare Sports Club would be flattered to be classed under the bowler-friendly category. Although conducive to quicks in the morning, especially on the first and second days, it’s closer to the harmless Natal green snake than the mamba it has been made out to be.Pakistan’s defeat was a result of carrying an unsuccessful opening pair, who were separated all too easily, having their younger batsmen frustrated by an inability to score runs through disciplined if not exactly scary seamers and three batsmen, Tino Mawoyo, Hamilton Masakadza and Brendan Taylor, who have developed as players of spin and have the temperament to bat out tough periods.Those who were at HSC may well say Zimbabwe won because they were the more determined side, or in clichéd, cricket-speak, the side which ‘wanted it more.’ And the same could be applied to describe the way Pakistan performed at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.They went into the game confident of their ability in the UAE. The insecurity of an unfamiliar surface was absent and so was their biggest weakness. Dropping Mohammad Hafeez robbed Pakistan of experience and an additional bowler, but it appears the bravest, and perhaps even the best decision, the administrators have made.Hafeez’s awareness of the off stump may have been better in these conditions but his form against top-class bowlers has been wanting and benching in him in favour of players with a more sound technique to man the opening slot was the right decision.That does not mean Khurram Manzoor or Shan Masood are the future. Not yet. They were both dismissed in Hafeez-esque ways in the second innings but they showed promise. They have a balance between patience and intent that saw Pakistan score at a rate between three and four runs an over, while giving them a base to build from and allowing the middle-order to bat without the pressure of survival is what set Pakistan up for victory.The quality of Pakistan’s innings was aided by a confused performance from their opposition, who misunderstood the length required of them. But it was also spurred on by a more aggressive mindset from Pakistan. Everyone from Manzoor to Adnan Akmal seemed to understand they score runs. In Zimbabwe and in South Africa earlier this year, Pakistan played as though they thought they could not.Since 2010, Pakistan have not lost in the UAE. It is not their home but they have come to think of themselves as having ownership here. They allowed themselves to drive Dale Steyn through the offside when he ventured too wide or pulled Morne Morkel if he dropped it short.It is also on these surfaces where they know their ability against spin can come to the fore, be it while bowling or batting. South Africa’s spin department for this Test was weak and Pakistan took full advantage. While Robin Peterson offered them too much flight and bowled too many full tosses, the South African middle order were easy targets for Saeed Ajmal and Zulfiqur Babar.South Africa are not bunnies against spin. They have decent records against the likes of Graeme Swann and even Ajmal from the last tour. But just as they have improved in their footwork and ability to read a turning ball, Ajmal has become more cunning. Faf du Plessis and most of the tail were troubled by him and because he can bowl all day, Pakistan used him in that capacity.Though, Pakistan did not rely solely on Ajmal. Babar was a more than adequate back-up and the two seamers were exceptional. Mohammad Irfan has worked on his stamina and can bowl longer spells without the fear of breaking down. Junaid Khan was described by Zimbabwe’s players – who will be quietly chuckling to themselves that they are now the yardstick – as the most improved bowler from the Pakistan of two years ago. He is dangerous with both the new and old balls and creates problems with his angle.With all of these elements working together, Pakistan put on an all-round performance they can be proud of. They were committed in the field as well, with Irfan showcasing many inelegant but effective methods of saving runs. This was the performance of a team who had something to prove, against one who may have felt their long unbeaten record on the road meant they had already shown what they are capable of.It is not like South Africa to take things for granted but with minimal preparation and a long absence from Test cricket, they still declared themselves ready to play, from mid-way through the warm-up match when some of their players said they would be able to walk into a Test match, “tomorrow.” Pakistan might have sensed that as over-confidence and they pounced on it.The importance of this result for Pakistan and their personnel was highlighted merely by watching Dav Whamore’s reaction. When Misbah launched Peterson for six, Whatmore was out of his seat almost before the ball had landed on the other side of the boundary and was on his way to shake hands with the South African support staff.He waited on the sidelines for Misbah, to whom he offered no outstretched hand. The pair were couched in a bear hug which said more than any words could. They were joined in relief and joy, knowing some part of the job is done but there is still more to do. Just a few weeks ago, they were united in embarrassment following the loss to Zimbabwe.Is this the same team who were humiliated in Harare? Some parts of it are and the parts that are not appear improved, infused with optimism and in touch with what they need to do to win.0:00

‘Pakistan will get stronger after win’ – Waqar Younis

Australia are looking for a No.3 in their ODI side. Phillip Hughes might have been the man for the job, but has been overlooked again

Brydon Coverdale16-Jul-2012Twenty players were chosen in Australia’s limited-overs squads for the series against Pakistan. A few others must have come close, including Aaron Finch, Rob Quiney and Nathan Lyon. But there was no sign of the man with the highest one-day average of all current Australian batsmen. He also has the highest Twenty20 average of all time among Australians, and is the No.1 run scorer in the county T20 competition this year.His name is Phillip Hughes. And he has played 17 Tests, no one-day internationals and no T20s for his country.It is odd that Hughes has been viewed as a Test specialist. The only other batsmen in the past decade to play Test cricket for Australia without appearing in one-dayers have been Ed Cowan, Usman Khawaja, Chris Rogers and Martin Love, all men with conventional techniques, whose role is as much crease occupation as run-scoring. Hughes is not in that category.Of course, it is easy to look at Hughes and say that he has had his chances. That is true, in the longer format. He has made Test hundreds but has also had his technique picked apart, first when facing the short ball and then when he could not help playing at balls seaming across him. But a slashing, stroke-playing technique is not a bad thing in limited-overs cricket.Perhaps the selectors have felt, in the past, that Hughes was better off focusing on his Test-match game. That is not an issue now, for Cowan and David Warner are settling as an opening combination, with Shane Watson capable of stepping back into the role should Cowan falter. Hughes has lost his Cricket Australia contract and is not part of the Australia A squad to play first-class matches in England over the next few weeks.But he has proven himself capable of scoring runs at international level, and is a naturally aggressive player who can pierce or clear the field. Not to mention the fact that Australia are currently looking for someone to play first-drop in the ODI side. Since Ricky Ponting’s departure from the ODI outfit, Australia have tried Watson, Peter Forrest, Matthew Wade, Michael Clarke and George Bailey at No.3, for a collective average of 25.33.Hughes has been batting at No.3 for Worcestershire this year, and he has made two centuries there. He is fourth on the run tally in the Clydesdale Bank 40-over competition, and is averaging 96. In the Friends Life t20 tournament, nobody has bettered his 322 runs at 80.50, with a strike-rate of 121. For the first time in the competition’s current format, Worcestershire have reached the quarter-finals.Consider the all-time list of T20 averages. Hughes is the leading Australian, averaging 47.16 at a strike-rate of 115. That may drop as he plays more games – he has appeared in only 24 T20 matches – but it’s a pretty good start. On the list of all-time List A averages, only the retired Michael Bevan, Dean Jones, Darren Lehmann, Matthew Elliott and Matthew Hayden sit above Hughes’ 44.48 among Australians.Of course Hughes is far from the only man worthy of an ODI call-up. Callum Ferguson deserved another chance, and has been given it. Quiney would be a capable one-day international player, as would Aaron Finch or any number of others.But Hughes has form, style and international experience on his side, not to mention youth – he is still only 23. His chance in the coloured clothing for Australia might not have arrived just yet, but it should soon. He certainly has the game for it.

Openers are a neglected breed on the country’s domestic circuit, and that’s been a key reason for the team’s failures in Tests in recent times

Sidharth Monga09-Jul-2009This is not a post-mortem. One frame on TV during the Galle Test, though, summed up a bulk of Pakistan’s problems. The screen was split in two, each one showing the stances of Salman Butt and Khurram Manzoor, the former’s weight too far forward and the latter’s back. Those who follow Pakistan cricket will say, “What’s new?” Those who follow Pakistan cricket will know there haven’t been solid Test-match openers since Saeed Anwar and Aamer Sohail, and very few before. Even Anwar was a naturalised opener: he used to play in the middle order in domestic cricket.There is no better feeling in a small chase than the knowledge of having reliable openers, especially when the bowlers have finished their stupendous work in the final session, with an edgy period to follow. In the first innings in Galle, Pakistan lost Butt and Manzoor before the half hour was out on the first day; in the second they lost Manzoor in the evening and Butt first thing in the morning. There is no way the openers should solely be blamed for the dramatic loss, butNo’s 1 and 2 have always been a lottery since Sohail and Anwar opened together for the last time in March 2000.Nineteen different openers have been tried since that period – and 37 combinations – including Abdul Razzaq, Azhar Mahmood, Kamran Akmal, Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi. That even by Pakistan’s standards is a fairly big number: 56 players opened in their 48 years of Test cricket before that.Younis Khan’s response to the issue tells a story. “If you see, this has been the story for the last four-five years,” he said moments after the defeat. “Sometimes they do well, sometimes they do badly. That’s not a big issue – anybody who’s played there. It keeps going up and down like this.” In the land of reverse-swing, masterful spinners and great middle-order batsmen, opening the innings has been a neglected art, perhaps non-glamorous. Heroes do play a big part, andPakistan simply haven’t had enough heroes opening the batting.Ramiz Raja, himself a fairly successful naturalised opener, wants an emergency declared on the opening front. He has seen over the years that in all levels of cricket in Pakistan the opener is the most neglected entity. “It has never been given importance by captains,” Ramiz told Cricinfo. “It was thought that on docile subcontinental pitches, where you played almost 70-80% of your cricket, specialist openers were really not required. That has been the thinking of most Pakistan captains, but it doesn’t help.”The approach perhaps comes right from the domestic circuit, where more such pitches mean the openers are hardly tested, and anybody does the job. The business, as is the case in Indian domestic cricket, starts in the middle order. Sohail, one of the more traditional openers, has an interesting theory.”Ultimately reverse-swing hasn’t helped Pakistan cricket at all,” Sohail told Cricinfo last year. “How many new-ball bowlers have you seen who are very good? Reverse-swing has helped Pakistan achieve things temporarily, but when you look at it in the long term, it has actually hampered Pakistan cricket. You are not getting good new-ball bowlers. If you are not getting good new-ball bowlers in your first-class structure or club cricket or at the top level, how do you actually think of getting good openers?”

“You need a special temperament for the job. Different levels of energy for different situations and times. There isn’t enough emphasis on that at the domestic level, or at the academy level. Openers are not made at Test level.”Ramiz Raja

But if that be the case, why aren’t there openers scoring thousands of runs in domestic cricket and putting pressure on Butt, who can’t complain of not having been given a full run? “I have no plausible reasoning,” Ramiz says. “The players in the seventies, even in theeighties, had a chance to hone their skill in county cricket, so that helped Pakistan batsmen to rise to a certain level. When it got stopped, our domestic set-up was not of a certain standard that provided a strong base for openers to grow.”It’s just that we have got to develop openers,” Ramiz said. “There is not enough importance given to that aspect. When I say that, I mean both technically and temperamentally. You have to leave a lot of balls, you have to be technically correct, you have to see off toughsituations like batting in the last half an hour of the day. You need a special temperament for that job. Different levels of energy for different situations and times. There isn’t enough emphasis on that at the domestic level, or at the academy level. Openers are not made at Test level.”Times changed, foreign coaches came and went, but the callous attitude towards openers didn’t. In the 2005-06 series against England, under Bob Woolmer and Inzamam, Pakistan went with Butt as the only specialist in the squad of 16, with Akmal, Malik and Afridi as options.Butt, who’s enjoyed the longest run in the post Sohail-Anwar era, had the promise, but needed a better opener to learn from. Openers grow together. They are a team within a team. They are often good friends, they often sit and discuss their batting and the bowlers even afterthe cricket. They are honest enough to ask the other to farm the strike against a particular bowler who’s troubling one of them. They point out to each other the mistakes they are prone to making. They are almost a couple, and Butt has been pretty polygamous there, though not by his choosing.There is an interesting story about how Sohail chose to become an opener. When he was fairly young, Wasim Raja, his captain at Lahore, told him if he wanted to play for Pakistan he needed to start opening the innings. Sohail hesitated. Raja said, “Do it. Pakistan won’t be needing middle-order batsmen in the next four or five years. There is Saleem Malik, there is Javed Miandad; it will be hard for you to get in. Start opening the innings, you will play for Pakistan.”By that logic, chances of a 16-17-year-old starting to open the innings look bleak. From the current middle order, Yousuf and Younis are nearer to the end than the start. Pakistan better start doing something about it, as Ramiz said, at the school level, club level, academy level and first-class level.

Multan Sultans, who lost last year’s thrilling final against Lahore Qalandars by one run, opened their campaign with a thumping 55-run victory against allrounder-heavy Karachi Kings at the Multan Cricket Stadium.Sultans’ overseas signings Reeza Hendricks of South Africa and Englishman Dawid Malan struck half-centuries in the home team’s challenging total of 185 for 2 after Kings won the toss and elected to field.Veteran Shoaib Malik struck 53 off 35 balls and Kings captain Shan Masood struggled for his 30 off 31 balls against his former franchise as Sultans restricted their opponents to 130 for 8 in 20 overs.West Indian power-hitter Kieron Pollard (28 not out) was the other batter to reach double-figures in an otherwise lackluster performance by former champions Kings.Hendricks struck an unbeaten 79 off 54 and Malan made a resolute 52 as both set up a strong total with a 121-run second-wicket stand. Malan fell soon after completing his half-century when he holed out in the deep off Daniel Sams’ slower delivery, but Khushdil Shah provided a late flourish with a 13-ball 28 not out.Fast bowler Mohammad Ali (3-23) ran through Karachi’s lower order and David Willey (2-22) chipped in with the wickets of James Vince and Saad Baig off successive deliveries in his second over as Kings’ chase never got going against Sultans’ pace.

An emotional Steven Smith press conference ended with the Australian captain in tears, saying that he was truly sorry for ball-tampering

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Mar-2018

DEVASTATING!

— Michael Clarke (@MClarke23) March 29, 2018

Tough to watch Cameron & Steve go through the 2 statements they just made. They will learn from this & be better in the future I’m sure!

— Mitchell Johnson (@MitchJohnson398) March 29, 2018

So very hard to watch, well done Smithy and Bangas, horrible to see the pain they are in! They did wrong but will be back bigger and better! #goodyoungmen

— Ryan Harris (@r_harris413) March 29, 2018

Genuine, raw and emotional. A strikingly contrite response to the hysteria, outrage and vitriol clogging up the feeds. I could barely keep it together watching that. A bad mistake won’t define for me the character I’ve seen for a decade. Good human, bad choice. Still a good human

— Peter Nevill (@pmnevill) March 29, 2018

Just seen @stevesmith49’s press conference. As a parent, I’m gutted for him & his family!

Shout me down if you want, but I’m speaking as a parent!

It will get better mate!

— Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) March 29, 2018

And boy do I hope that a lot of us are completely wrong in thinking these 3 weren’t the only ones to know, cos it’ll be A WHOLE LOT WORSE for those who knew, if they did…!

I’m done on this subject now!

— Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) March 29, 2018

pic.twitter.com/0X16XHhm5T

— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) March 29, 2018

pic.twitter.com/w7LX6a2EYU

— Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) March 29, 2018

Absolutely disgraceful to everyone there.. can’t treat Steve smith like this @stevesmith49… u all are crazy pic.twitter.com/zGXgFWL9PP

— Sourav Ganguly (@SGanguly99) March 29, 2018

Just watched Smith presser. Hope everybody has had their pound of flesh now.

— mark butcher (@markbutcher72) March 29, 2018

‘Good people make mistakes’ .. I honestly think Steve Smith & Cam Bancroft are decent guys who had a moment of madness .. they deserve a 2nd chance and hopefully get the right support around them now .. Takes a lot guts to do what they did today ..

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) March 29, 2018

Hope in time I can earn forgiveness says Steve Smith.
He has already got mine.
Cricketers have done worse & never admitted their guilt.#StevenSmith

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) March 29, 2018

At least Steve smith as the courage to admit like a man but absolutely gutted to see Steve smith breaking down @ the press conference & also they way people treating him @ Airport & in Australia its sad leave that poor chap alone now ..

— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) March 29, 2018

A year ban for ball tempering ?? That’s a joke.What kind of crime they have done ?Taking the game away from someone for a year is absolutely nonsense.understand if ban was for 1 test series or 2 but this is ridiculous.hope @CricketAus reduce th ban @stevesmith49 @davidwarner31

— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) March 29, 2018

Crystal Palace are considering a move for Liverpool ace Harvey Elliott and could try to make it part of a swap deal involving defender Marc Guehi.

• Palace consider move for Elliott
• Liverpool in negotiations for Guehi
• Could form part of swap deal

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to , Palace are big admirers of Elliott and could look to sign the midfielder as part of a potential swap deal with Liverpool for star defender Guehi. The Reds are in negotiations with the Eagles over the England international as they look to add greater depth to their centre-back options, though there is a fear at Anfield that a transfer may not materialise. 

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Elliott has made no secret of his desire for regular first-team football, having made only two starts in the Premier League last season. He has reportedly been lined up by RB Leipzig as a potential replacement for Xavi Simons, who has been linked with Chelsea, but Palace also view him as a possible successor to Eberechi Eze, who is being targeted by Tottenham.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Liverpool are thought to value Elliott at around £40 million (€46.4m/$54.3) and manager Arne Slot won't stand in his way if an acceptable offer comes in, but the Premier League giants are also happy to keep the 22-year-old if their monetary quotation isn't met.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ELLIOTT?

  For now, Elliott remains a Liverpool player and could be part of the defending champions' squad that faces Bournemouth on Friday night in the Premier League's curtain-raiser for the 2025-26 season.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Botafogo divulgou na tarde desta quarta-feira os canais de transmissão do amistoso contra o Crystal Palace. Os dois clubes se enfrentam no próximo sábado, às 9h30, no Selhurst Park.

CONFIRA ONDE ASSISTIR AO JOGO ENTRE BOTAFOGO E CRYSTAL PALACE

– Botafogo TV

– SBT (Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, Belém, Alagoas Mato Grosso e Mato Grosso do Sul)

– Fanatiz e OneFootball (América Latina)

– Palace TV+ (Nos demais continentes do mundo)

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TRANSMISSÃO 🔛
Fogão x Crystal Palace no Selhurst Park, ao vivo com imagens:

🖥️ Botafogo TV (Brasil)
📺 SBT (Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, Belém, Alagoas, Mato Grosso e Mato Grosso do Sul)
📲 Fanatiz e OneFootball (América Latina)
🌎 Palace TV+ (Nos demais continentes do mundo) pic.twitter.com/R512JEZvrV

— Botafogo F.R. (@Botafogo) November 30, 2022

+ Lesionado desde outubro, Eduardo faz previsão de retorno aos gramados

Antes da disputa deste amistoso, Botafogo contará com outro compromisso na Inglaterra. Nesta quinta-feira, os alvinegros encaram o Charlton, clube da terceira divisão inglesa. Para ambos os duelos, Luís Castro relacionou 23 jogadores.

+Luís Castro projeta jogos do Botafogo contra Crystal Palace e Charlton

O Glorioso chegou em Londres na última segunda-feira e retorna ao Rio de Janeiro após os dois amistosos. O intuito da excursão é proporcionar experiência ao elenco alvinegro e valorizar a marca do clube internacionalmente.

The top four is taking shape ahead of finals with three teams level on 14 points

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff15-Nov-2023Adelaide Strikers 119 for 4 (Wolvaardt 47, Patterson 36*, Smith 3-16) beat Sydney Thunder 118 for 6 (Athapaththu) by six wicketsAdelaide Strikers’ bowlers were outstanding in a six-wicket win over Sydney Thunder, now in fourth on 13 points, with stylish opening batter Laura Wolvaardt leading the successful run chase at Karen Rolton Oval.Strikers have a bowling attack which boasts economy and variety and as a collective they found their groove to restrict Thunder to 118 for 6.Related