Nepal’s success at the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) women’s tournament has prompted the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) to consider organising an inter-school Under-11 combined (boys and girls) tournament in their bid to develop women’s cricket.Nepal reached the final of the week-long tournament at Johor in Malaysia where they lost to Bangladesh by eight wickets. Mohan Singh Rathaur, Nepal’s State Minister for Education and Sports, gave NPR 10,000 (US$ 153) to each of the 14 players and the coach Jung Bahadur Thapa for their achievements in Malaysia.Nary Thapa, the Nepal captain who won the bowler of the tournament award for her 12 wickets, said her side hadn’t imagined reaching so far in the tournament.Binay Raj Pandey, the CAN president shared her sentiments. “I would have been more than happy even if they had reached the last four but returning with runner-up trophy is simply an exceptional achievement,” Pandey told the . Thapa, the Nepal coach, was also pleased with the team’s performance. “We were an improved team in every other match,” he said.The matches at the ACC tournament were Nepal’s first-ever international fixtures. The tournament is expected to be played around the same time again next year.
Having won the presidential race for the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) against heavy odds, Jagmohan Dalmiya today threw the gauntlet at the Indian board (BCCI), asserting that its efforts to malign him would not go ‘unchallenged’.”I don’t believe in witch-hunting, but a lot of wrong has been done to me [by the BCCI]. This is not cricket. I can only say that whatever they do will not go unchallenged,” Dalmiya told a media meet after defeating challenger Prasun Mukherjee, the Kolkata Police Commissioner.”I will prove the truth. I needed a platform to bring truth to the fore. That is why I chose to fight the elections despite the chief minister’s [Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee] advice not to contest.”Pointing out that the board had suspended him from attending its meetings, slapped two show cause notices and even filed an FIR against him, Dalmiya said “I won’t be vindictive. But it has to come out who is the real culprit.”Asked how he proposed to utilise the CAB platform to fight the BCCI, Dalmiya said, “I myself don’t know. How we deal will not be in my hand. It is so confidential that I would like to keep it with me.”Dalmiya evaded a question whether he would appear before the BCCI Disciplinary Committee in the near future. “Leave the matter to me and my legal advisers. I was contemplating retirement from the cricket administration, but the peculiar way things turned out, I was forced to fight the CAB elections as I needed a platform.”On receiving cooperation from the Kolkata Police, “Why won’t I? Such apprehension should not be there. It is a democratic election and it is now over.”Questioned if he had anything to say against West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, who had publicly asked him not to contest the CAB election, Dalmiya said “I respect the chief minister. We need the support of the government to run the game and I have no apprehension.”
Shaun Tait, who made his debut at Trent Bridge, has been cleared of serious injury following scans of his right shoulder. Tait was taken to a London clinic yesterday by the team physiotherapist Errol Alcott to investigate some “mild shoulder soreness”.A Cricket Australia spokesman said the tests revealed a minor irritation of a muscle and he will continue to receive treatment for the problem. However, Tait is expected to be available for the two-day match against Essex at Chelmsford starting on Saturday, which is the Australians’ last fixture before the fifth Test at The Oval.”Shaun complained of some minor discomfort in his right shoulder following the fourth Test, and although we weren’t overly concerned about the issue, I felt it was a good opportunity to have it looked at in more detail,” Alcott said. “We will continue to treat the complaint.”Tait, who replaced Jason Gillespie, took 3 for 97 in the first innings at Trent Bridge, but he failed to add to his tally in a brief second-innings spell and England won by three wickets to take a 2-1 lead.
Cricket has a rare tradition of allowing players to judge those whopronounce verdicts on them. During the domestic season in India,captains of both teams, and the match referee, submit a report assessingthe umpires and expectedly, not all the comments are flattering. Theirreports of the 2003-04 season, a copy of which is available withWisden Cricinfo, make for remarkable reading.The most interesting case concerns the fourth round Ranji Trophy matchbetween Andhra Pradeshand Mumbai. Sairaj Bahutule, the Mumbai captain, was scathing in hisreport. In his report on the first day, he wrote, “It was a flat wicket. [The Umpire]did not have much work to do throughout the day but at the end of theday Mr. Gomes made very silly mistakes. This gives an impression that hecame under pressure . Bad judgment of light. After stopping the game,within 2 minutes [of] the time [that the] batsmen reached the boundary line theumpires asked them to start the game. I am surprised the light improvedin two minutes – what a judgment – 2 balls later he again stopped and welost a wicket. Such kind of umpires’ eyesight should be checked.”As the days progressed, the reports got worse. “I think this kind ofumpires are spoiling the games all over India,” wrote Bahutule.”Naturally the game is not going to improve. We understand that one canmake [a] mistake, but not [that] one does not know ABCD of the game.”I do not know whether my report is going to be considered, but Iam doing my duty as a captain to inform the board,” wrote Bahutule ofFrancis Gomes, one of the umpires standing in the match. “It is a pity,I have been playing for a long time and see many umpires on the fielddespite their getting bad reports.”But, in case you think the traffic was one-way, have a look at what theumpires report said of the players for the same game. “The behaviour ofMumbai players, particularly Sairaj Bahutule and Robin Morris, was veryrude. They used abusive language and advanced towards the opponents andumpires in aggressive manner. Chandra Kant Pundit [sic, Mumbai’s coach] shouted at thetop of his voice. The captain threatened to spoil the umpires report andgive zero mark.”And then the match referee weighed in with his comments. “At the end ofthe game I had received a complaint from the umpires. The attitude ofMumbai players was not up to the mark. For Ranji Champions they weretrying to pressurise the umpires unduly for getting first-innings leadin close match.” Close match? Mumbai made 504 for 6 declared and Andhraresponded with 298 all out. Does Rahul Sapru, the match referee,genuinely believe that is a close match?While this match drew the juiciest comments, there were several othersin a similar vein. Mandar Phadke, the Goa captain, had this to say in oneof his reports. “Three lbw decisions were not up to the mark. Thesedecisions showed the lack of knowledge of both umpires regarding [the] lbw law.Too many controversial decisions given. Mr. Choudhury has absolutely noknowledge regarding lbw rule. The knowledge of both umpires regardingdecision making is absolutely zero. Both umpires were not able to handlepressure. Such umpires should not be allowed to officiate in RanjiTrophy matches.”But it’s not just Ranji Trophy matches that have come under thescanner. Anil Kumble made his views quite clear when he filled out hisreport after leading India A in a Challenger Trophy match. “Poorstandard of umpiring in such an important and high profile tournament.”The umpires in question were Narendra Menon and SP Gupta. Sourav Gangulytoo did not mince words. “The umpires were too ordinary,” he wrote,after leading Rest of India in the Zal Irani Cup match against Mumbai.For international flavour there is the report filled out by Lanka deSilva, captain of the Sri Lanka A team which played against India A.Umpire BA Jamula was the man in question. “Fast bowler Lasith Malingawas warned “not to hit the batsman” when he was bowling. With all duerespect it is up to the batsman to avoid being hit, especially a middle-order batsman (40 not out). The umpire cannot ask the bowler not to hitthe batsman unless it is deliberately and continuous initimidatorybowling which it clearly was not.”How much weight these reports carry when it comes to postings umpiresreceive is not entirely clear. Umpire K Parthasarathi, for example,clearly did not think they meant much. During the Services v HimachalPradesh match he left the ground with 20 overs remaining in the day, andreturned in civvies, abandoning his shoes and umpire’s uniform. When oneof the players complained, he is alleged to have told them they couldreport the matter to the BCCI for all he cared.At the end of the year, the board has a thick file full of reports onumpires written out by players and match referees. If you speak to theumpires, they tell you that the captains report is simply a device bywhich captains let off steam and lash out at umpires for their own poorperformances. The players say it’s the only way they can complain abouta panel of umpires that is badly trained and worse motivated. The truthlies somewhere in between.Anand Vasu is assistant editor of Wisden Cricinfo.
A fumbled catch, a sensational run-out, a few reckless strokes, an abandoned match and, suddenly, the euphoria of the West Indies’ opening World Cup victory over South Africa has turned to apprehension over whether they can get past the preliminary round.The situation has been compounded by the untimely loss of form of Chris Gayle and Wavell Hinds, the left-handed openers who had such a profound influence on the stimulating 4-3 triumph in the One-Day series in India last November, and by the uncertain catching.Had the Bangladesh match gone the required distance, the West Indies surely would have won and taken the full four points.Barring slip-ups, cricketing or meteorlogical, in future engagements against Canada and Kenya, they would have taken on Sri Lanka without the pressure of needing victory since South Africa would have been the ones to miss out.The Benoni rain has thrown the home team back into contention and Sri Lanka’s remaining matches against the West Indies and South Africa are likely to determine which two join New Zealand in the Super Sixes.Inferior catchingTo advance, the West Indies must play appreciably better than they have in their last two matches against the confident Sri Lankans, who defeated New Zealand in their opener and have been utterly ruthless against Bangladesh and Canada since.The inferior catching, characterised by costly deep field misses in the late overs by Pedro Collins against South Africa and Marlon Samuels against New Zealand and three in the slips against Bangladesh, and the faltering top order batting do not constitute the recipe for winning the World Cup – or even getting through to the next round.Even Brian Lara’s run-out by a piece of New Zealand magic was too casual at this level.The catching problem is nothing new and no amount of practice seems to make a difference.It has been the most frustrating aspect of Roger Harper’s tenure as coach. As peerless a fielder as there has ever been, he must die a little with every dropped catch.Hooper and Gayle, two specialist and usually reliably slip fielders, each put down straightforward offerings on Tuesday."We have to learn in the tougher games that we have to take these chances when they come," was Hooper’s self-evident observation.It would be helpful as well if Gayle and Hinds could find some form against Canada in the next match at Centurion on Sunday, leading up to the Sri Lanka match five days later.Gayle, tall, commanding and a fierce striker at his best, is yet to come to terms with conditions with scores of two, 22 and nought.He dragged on a flat-footed drive against South Africa, slashed high to slip against New Zealand and drove to extra-cover against Bangladesh.Hinds, who has made nought, 14 and 18, was undone by a bad umpiring decision against South Africa, drove loosely to short extra-cover against New Zealand and got a good one that he edged to slip against Bangladesh.Their partnerships have been four, 34 and 19, well short of their resounding successes in India."The tracks are a bit different and they’re struggling a bit to find their feet," Hooper noted.But there was no thought yet of changing them."They did wonderfully well for us in India where they had some huge stands at five, six, sometimes seven runs an over that set us up for big totals," he said."It’s a bit of a worry now but the important thing is to believe in them. I think they’ll come good sooner or later."Their useful bowling is a bonus but, if their form doesn’t improve soon, change would be necessary.Promoting Shivnarine Chanderpaul to open, as he has often done with success, would allow the introduction of Samuels, whose rich talent is being wasted in the dressing room but who cannot find a place, given Ricardo Powell’s spectacular hitting at No. 7.Powell has been one of the revelations of the tournament.While the established candidates Lara, Sanath Jayasuirya, Herschelle Gibbs, Stephen Fleming have made an immediate impact, Powell, out of the West Indies team only nine months ago, has returned with a bang.His shot selection has improved without any loss of power and his 40 off 18 balls against South Africa and 50 off 31 against Bangladesh have included some of the longest hits of the tournament.In both matches, his finale in partnership with Ramnaresh Sarwan against South Africa powered the West Indies along at more than ten-an-over in the closing stages."We’ll hear a lot more of Ricardo Powell in this tournament," Hooper said after the Bangladesh match.Perhaps we will, but only if the West Indies move on to the next round.
Ian Harvey held his nerve to clinch a Gloucestershire an eight-run Norwich Union League success over arch-rivals Somerset at Taunton.The Australian claimed 4-42, conceding just two runs off the final over to restrict Somerset to 211-8 in reply to 219-9.Gloucestershire’s total after winning the toss did not look likely to be enough, despite Kim Barnett’s rock-solid 94, made off 119 balls, with seven fours.The visitors were 163-2 at one stage in excellent batting conditions as Tim Hancock (43) and Matt Windows (33) helped give them a fine start.Keith Parsons, who had dropped Barnett on 20, removed Hancock and Jeremy Snape with successive balls, and later produced a brilliant throw from deep backward point to run out Harvey for four.From that point the Gloucestershire innings fell away and Somerset must have fancied their chances of getting 220 in bright sunshine on a good pitch.Surprisingly, the hosts chose to alter their batting order. And, whileRichard Johnson hit a quick 20 on promotion to open, leading batsmen Parsons and Mike Burns did not appear until six and seven respectively.Peter Bowler did his best to match Barnett’s effort with a steady 60. But wickets fell regularly around him and by the time acting skipper Burns came in at 145-5 Gloucestershire had taken a grip.Burns hit an unbeaten 32 as some late swipes by Rob Turner and Keith Dutch gave Somerset renewed hope.But Harvey again proved his worth bowling at the end of a limited overs innings and produced a faultless last over to give Gloucestershire the points.
Arsenal are interested in a deal to bring Cody Gakpo to The Emirates in the summer transfer window.
What’s the talk?
That’s according to a report by Dutch media outlet Voetbal International, who claim that Mikel Arteta’s side are currently leading the race for the PSV Eindhoven forward, while the likes of Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Manchester City are also believed to be keeping a close eye on the situation of the 22-year-old – who the Eredivisie side reportedly value at around £42m.
The next Dennis Bergkamp
Considering the sheer amount of potential Gakpo quite clearly possesses, it is easy to see why Mikel Arteta is plotting a move to bring the Netherlands international to Arsenal this summer.
Indeed, over his 20 Eredivisie appearances this season, the £22.5m-rated winger has been in sensational form for PSV, scoring eight goals, providing 13 assists and creating ten big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of three shots and making three key passes per game.
These metrics have seen the £7.4k-per-week forward who journalist Agragami dubbed a “serious talent” average an astonishing SofaScore match rating of 7.58, ranking the 22-year-old as the fourth-best player in the top flight of Dutch football.
However, it has not only been in the league that Gakpo has impressed, with the PSV starlet bagging a further eight goals and registering two more assists over 17 appearances in domestic and European cup competitions, taking his haul for the current campaign to a whopping 16 goals and 15 assists over 37 fixtures.
As such, while the two players do not particularly occupy the same position on the pitch – although Gakpo is capable of operating just off a centre-forward, as well as up top himself – should the Dutch prodigy be able to continue his remarkable goalscoring and creative form after a switch to north London this summer, the youngster could well go on to become the Gunners’ next Dennis Bergkamp – a player if the same nationality who bagged 113 goals and registered 94 assists over his 410 appearances for the club.
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However, before we get too carried away with the comparisons between Gakpo and both a Dutch and Arsenal legend, Arteta must ensure that he beats off the competition from Bayern, Liverpool and Manchester City for the 22-year-old – as it is clear for all to see that the winger could be a transformative signing for the Spaniard this summer.
AND in other news: Arteta can finally axe £27m-rated “practice dummy” as AFC bid for “sneaky” £13m dynamo
ScorecardAl-Amin Hossain had a good game, picking up 2 for 34, including Tamim Iqbal•BCB
Barisal Bulls’ batting revival came at the perfect time for them, although it was not quite so for Chittagong Vikings who were crushed at their home ground by 33 runs. Mahmudullah, Seekkuge Prasanna and Mehedi Maruf played without fear, on a good pitch to pile on 170 for 7, which was more then enough for their bowlers.While Chittagong slipped to their fourth loss in five matches, Barisal put up their third win in four matches and did so only after overcoming some stutters.The start of the Barisal innings was a grim reminder of how they got bowled out for 108 and 89 in their last two innings. Evin Lewis, Rony Talukdar and Sabbir Rahman all fell lbw to leave the score at 12 for 3 in the third over. Maruf, playing in his first match of this campaign, mounted resistance when he whacked Enamul Haque jnr’s full toss for a straight six. Then he paddled Elton Chigumbura over the square leg boundary, a shot that stood out among the nine sixes and eight fours in the innings. But Maruf was dismissed in the 10th over for a bright 28 off 25 balls, and Barisal slipped again when Nadif Chowdhury was the fourth leg-before victim in the 12th over.Mahmudullah and Prasanna ensured there wasn’t a lull in the scoring though and eventually they started hitting sixes almost at will. Their partnership for the sixth wicket provided 61 runs in 33 balls.Prasanna bashed Ziaur Rahman for two sixes over midwicket and Mahmudullah smashed Enamul over long-on. With runs leaking and pressure mounting, Chittagong played a hand in their own undoing. Ziaur and Naeem Islam, at long-off and long-on, dropped Prasanna and parried the ball on both occasions for sixes in the 16th over. The second instance was a no-ball as well. Prasanna was finally dismissed for 36 off 20 balls, after hitting a four and four sixes. A measure of Barisal’s misfiring batting until this match was that this partnership was only their second fifty-plus stand in the competition.Mahmudullah pushed on and made his second half-century in the competition. He was caught behind at the end of a nine-ball over by Chigumbura, who conceded 16 and 22 in his two overs, not to mention the four wides and a no-ball. All of them added up to a total that became too much to chase.Chittagong’s reply would have depended heavily on their top order but Al-Amin Hossain dealt a major blow when he had Tamim Iqbal caught at mid-on. Kamran Akmal, playing his first BPL game this season, was run out after he ran wide of the crease and then failed to drag his bat in the third over. Mohammad Sami then took an excellent catch at mid-on to get rid of Dilshan who made 19.Al-Amin struck again in the sixth over, drawing Anamul’s leading edge which was easily taken at point. In came Chigumbura, with his team at 40 for 4 before the Powerplay was even done, and his day only got worse as he was caught behind after making 5 off 11 balls.When Ziaur was caught at long-on off Sami in the 14th over, Chittagong’s chase was all but over. They were 77 for 6, with only the tail to rely on to handle an equation that read 94 needed off 37 balls. Naeem Islam was the only notable contribution – 38 off 40 balls. Kevon Cooper ended up with three wickets to take him to second place among the top wicket-takers in the BPL so far, while Al-Amin took 2 for 34.
Hampshire fought back well against Durham after Michael di Venuto and Will Smith’s century opening stand put them on the back foot at the Rose Bowl. Resuming on 160 for 5, Hampshire lost their last five wickets for 72 today and then watched di Venuto pile up a century, as he and Smith (28) added 116, then Gordon Muchall (58) joined him to add a further 94. But di Venuto’s dismissal, for 124, heralded something of a collapse, with Durham falling from 210 for 2 to 247 for 7.Brad Hodge’s 46th first-class hundred put Lancashire firmly in the driving seat against Kent at Old Trafford. Hodge helped the runs to pile up, assisted by half-centuries from Iain Sutcliffe, Mal Loye and Stuart Law and they reached 451 for 5 before declaring. Kent were 14 without loss by the close.Warwickshire managed to boost their total from 86 for 4 to 343 at Edgbaston, thanks to the efforts of Jim Troughton, who hit his 13th first-class century. Worcestershire lost just Phil Jaques before the close, reaching 77 for 1.The leaders Yorkshire were given a thorough working over by the champions Sussex after play finally got underway on the second day at Headingley. Jason Lewry and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan proved virtually unplayable as they combined to reduce the top order to 26 for 5. Robin Martin-Jenkins and Mushtaq Ahmed did further damage as Yorkshire slid to 139 all out. A rare bright point was the 32 not out made by Ajmal Shahzad in just his second first-class match this season. 21-year-old Shahzad shared in two stands, for the ninth and final wicket, which boosted Yorkshire from 85 for 8 to 139. But Sussex have an early glimmer of leapfrogging Yorkshire to the top.
Division Two
Essex’s seamers took three quick wickets to leave Middlesex struggling on 74 for 3 – trailing by 302 – on a curtailed second day at Lord’s. Essex’s lower order was quickly wrapped up – bowled out for 376 – but Alex Tudor made the most of the swinging conditions to remove Billy Godleman and Owais Shah, while Martin Saggers dismissed Nick Compton. Heavy rain ended the day early.Somerset continued to boss proceedings in a way to make Alan Sugar proud – with gritty authority – at Bristol, dismissing Gloucestershire for 121. But Andrew Caddick’s performance was from no apprentice – he took 7 for 30 from 18.5 overs. Marcus Trescothick took five of those catches, although he was later to lament a duck. With conditions favouring quicker bowlers, Justin Langer used just four bowlers; Charl Willoughby claiming two and Peter Trego the other. Langer was Somerset’s other faller as Neil Edwards and James Hildreth quickly erased the deficit and ended up with unbeaten half-centuries.Leicestershire piled on the misery for Northamptonshire on another truncated day at Northampton. Resuming on 53 for 3, they struggled to 105 for 6, before David Sales (72*) and Steven Crook (32*) put together the first meaningful partnership of the innings. They added an unbeaten 66 before an early stumps, with David Masters now having three wickets to his name.A ball has still yet to be bowled between Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire at Nottingham.
Denying any involvement in leaking Greg Chappell’s controversial email last September, Jagmohan Dalmiya, the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), dismissed Sourav Ganguly’s charges against his group saying he did not expect loyalty as he was no more the chief of the Indian board (BCCI).”I am no longer in the BCCI. I have nothing to give. So, I do not expect loyalty from him,” Dalmiya told newspersons shortly after Ganguly’s email was made public by CAB dissidents.Ganguly blamed Dalmiya for leaking Chappell’s sensational email but Dalmiya said that Chappell himself had not wanted to send the mail to him. “Yes, I was one of the intended recipients,” he continued. “But in the meeting of the high-powered committee held in Mumbai after the controversy erupted, Chappell himself stated that he could not send it to me.The six-member committee, set-up to investigate that email, comprised Dalmiya, Ranbir Singh Mahendra, the then BCCI chief, SK Nair, the secretary, and three former India captains — Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri and S Venkatraghavan. Asked whether he agreed with Ganguly that the email was leaked to damage his career, Dalmiya said “the e-mail does not concern me.”You put the question to those quarters who leaked it,” he said at a hurriedly convened media meet at the Eden Gardens. “This question can be best answered by the affected and those who made him affected.”