All posts by h716a5.icu

Rumesh Buddika and Banuka Rajapaksa starred with bat and ball respectively to help Sri Lanka Under-19 upstage the home side in a one-sided contest at the Wanderers

Cricinfo staff31-Dec-2009
ScorecardRumesh Buddika and Banuka Rajapaksa starred with bat and ball respectively to help Sri Lanka Under-19 trounce the home side in a one-sided contest at the Wanderers. Buddika’s 139 propelled Sri Lanka to 283 but South Africa Under-19’s response was so meek, they managed to bat out only 33 overs and conceded the game by 148 runs. Rajapaksa, for his part cleaned them up with a six-wicket haul.The Sri Lankans opted to bat but got off to a shaky start, losing their openers in the fifth over with the score on 17. South Africa held the advantage till the 15th over, when the fourth wicket fell on 82, before Buddika took the initiative away, and there was no looking back from thereon. Akshu Fernando added 123 for the fifth wicket with Buddika and that was the launch-pad for a big score. Fernando hit 51 off 59 balls before he was dismissed in the 35th over, ending an association with Buddika which lasted just over 20 overs. Buddika’s 139 featured 18 fours, before he was run out in the 47th over. Kirk Wernars, the right-arm seamer, ran through the lower order to pick up 4 for 42.The South African openers got the chase off to a good start, adding 53. However, they lost control after Chathura Peiris removed the pair in the same over. Thereafter, it was a downward slide as Rajapaksa ran through the middle order to finish with 6 for 29, more than compensating for his third-ball duck. The win also gave Sri Lanka a much-needed bonus point, after having lost both games prior to this.

Glasgow Rangers have been dealt a fresh injury concern ahead of their upcoming Europa League clash at Ibrox.

What’s the latest?

According to a report by CNW, Kemar Roofe is once again an injury doubt ahead of the visit of Sparta Prague on Thursday evening, as the centre-forward does not look to have recovered from a knock picked up while on international duty with Jamacia earlier this month.

The Daily Record also report that the 28-year-old is unlikely to feature in the European tie after missing Gers’ 3-1 League Cup semi-final defeat to Hibernian last weekend, while the extent of Roofe’s injury is yet to be revealed by the club.

Van Bronckhorst will be gutted

With goals having been something of a problem so far in Rangers’ Europa League campaign, with the Light Blues having only notched three times over their four games in the competition, the continued absence of Roofe would be a huge blow for the club, not to mention something that would leave Giovanni Van Bronckhorst gutted.

Indeed, with Gers knowing that victory by a margin of two or more goals would see them through to the knockout stage of the competition, while defeat could spell the end of the club’s hopes of progression from their group, a full-strength attack is something that would undoubtedly increase the chances of the Dutchman picking up all three points in his first game in charge of the club.

However, without Roofe – who has scored a highly impressive 27 goals over his 54 appearances for Gers – the 46-year-old manager’s task of securing a win against a side who rather resoundingly defeated Rangers in the reverse fixture will be made all the more challenging.

In other news: Rangers appear set for exciting behind the scenes announcement, fans will be buzzing

Taking to Twitter, many West Ham United fans have absolutely erupted over a fresh transfer update involving Manchester City defender Nathan Ake.

David Moyes has been tipped to target new defenders in the January transfer window following a blow to his colossal centre-half Angelo Ogbonna, who has now undergone cruciate ligament surgery.

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This is his main problem at the back even though Moyes is currently having to contend with mounting injury concerns in that department at the moment.

Bringing the latest on their search for a defender, 90min believe that West Ham could now target Netherlands international Ake, who has started only a handful of Premier League games under Pep Guardiola this season.

It is believed that the Hammers have registered their interest in the 26-year-old as they look to pursue a season-long loan deal with a potential obligation to buy.

West Ham fans erupt…

Despite his lack of game-time at City overall, Ake comes as a potentially fruitful addition, especially going by his past praise from some of the Premier League’s biggest figures.

For example, international colleague Virgil van Dijk has called him a ‘fantastic player’, with the versatile ace also capable of playing as a centre-back, left-back and in front of the defence (WhoScored).

The 26-year-old still has a long shelf life in terms of career and is already a pretty composed defender, having averaged a higher pass accuracy (92.4%) than any Irons regular with more than two starts this season (WhoScored).

Ake comes with a lot of merit, leaving little wonder why many West Ham fans think he could be a “quality signing” – check out some of their verdicts below:

“Would be a fantastic signing”

Credit: @HammerHopeless

“This would be a quality signing”

Credit: @liamforrest5

“I beg we get this bloke in. Exactly what we need”

Credit: @szn_bowen

“get it done”

Credit: @alfie_chambers1

“Would be a great deal”

Credit: @happyhammer190

“That would be a brilliant signing for us”

Credit: @EamonnDriscoll

“Should be all over this, Left footed replacement who’s still young, top signing if we get this one”

Credit: @Luke_Smith66

In other news: ‘Begging’, ‘Newman finally doing his job’…West Ham fans flock to ‘exciting’ offer claim, find out more here.

Trent Copeland’s incredible ten-wicket first-class debut has earned him a call-up to the New South Wales FR Cup squad to take on Queensland at the SCG on Wednesday

Cricinfo staff02-Feb-2010Trent Copeland’s incredible ten-wicket first-class debut has earned him a call-up to the New South Wales FR Cup squad to take on Queensland at the SCG on Wednesday. He won’t be the only debutant in the match, with the rookie Queensland batsman Chris Lynn also named to play his first domestic one-day game.Copeland was included after collecting 8 for 92 in his first innings at first-class level, having never before taken that many in a first-grade innings. The Blues have also named Josh Hazlewood, the fast bowler who has just returned from Australia’s triumphant Under-19 World Cup campaign in New Zealand, and the spinner Steve O’Keefe in their 12-man squad.The trio replaced David Warner and Steven Smith, who will be with the Australian Twenty20 squad in Melbourne, and the fast man Mitchell Starc, who is having his workload managed. New South Wales are in desperate need of a victory as they sit in fifth place on the FR Cup table with three games remaining.Queensland can all but confirm a place in the final if they win on Wednesday, and victory would also give them a strong chance of hosting the decider. They have welcomed back the seamer Ben Laughlin, who has struggled with a side strain that kept him out of the Big Bash. James Hopes has also returned to the squad having not been picked in Australia’s Twenty20 line-up.New South Wales squad Phillip Hughes, Phil Jaques, Simon Katich (capt), Ben Rohrer, Dominic Thornely, Moises Henriques, Grant Lambert, Daniel Smith (wk), Steve O’Keefe, Nathan Bracken, Josh Hazlewood, Trent Copeland.Queensland squad James Hopes, Chris Hartley (wk), Lee Carseldine, Nathan Reardon, Craig Philipson, Glen Batticciotto, Chris Lynn, Chris Simpson (capt), Chris Swan, Ben Cutting, Ben Laughlin, Nathan Rimmington.

Everton have been drawn to face Championship side Hull City in the third round of the FA Cup. 

The tie will be played at The MKM Stadium between the 7th and 10th of January.

Hull are struggling

Everton have already suffered an upset at the hands of second-tier opposition this season – back in September, Queens Park Rangers knocked them out of the EFL Cup on penalties.

But while QPR are in the play-off places, Hull find themselves down in 19th place. They’re only six points above the relegation zone as the season nears its halfway point.

Can Everton finally end trophy drought?

The FA Cup was the last major trophy won by Everton, way back in 1994/95.

They got within one game of the semifinals at Wembley last season, only to be downed by Manchester City.

The Toffees haven’t been knocked out of the competition by lower-league opposition since 2011 though, when Reading won at Goodison Park.

Everton’s official Twitter account relayed news of the draw, and here’s what supporters made of it, with plenty of pessimism due to the club’s brutal and ongoing trophy drought…

These Everton fans far from optimistic ahead of Hull clash

“[checks where Hull is in the Championship… 19th]. Well, so much for the FA Cup…”

Credit: @dtaylor334

“Oh well, there’s always next season”

Credit: @AndyBlueWalker

“Congratulations Hull”

Credit: @OwenJH_

“We’re getting mauled by the tigers”

Credit: @Manners16

“Hull licking their lips”

Credit: @sludvigs

“Hull away? Well. We had a good run”

Credit: @FoximusPrime81

In other news, fans flocked to this Alex Iwobi revelation. 

David Warner wants the ICC to clarify its stance on switch-hitting after the umpires in Tuesday night’s Twenty20 against West Indies told him he couldn’t face up right-handed

Cricinfo staff25-Feb-2010David Warner wants the ICC to clarify its stance on switch-hitting after the umpires in Tuesday night’s Twenty20 against West Indies told him he couldn’t face up right-handed. The left-handed Warner tried to get in position for a switch-hit against Narsingh Deonarine but the bowler backed out and Warner exchanged words with the umpires Bruce Oxenford and Rod Tucker after the incident.”It was a funny one – Ox said to me, ‘You can’t do it because they have to chop and change the field all the time’,” Warner told the . “I told him, ‘Well it’s not hard and I’ll tell them when I’m going to bat right-handed or left-handed so they can change the field’. Whatever. I have to wait for the bowler to change from over the wicket to around the wicket so what’s the difference? The umpires told me I have to notify the bowler so I turned around and said, ‘OK, I’m going to bat right-handed.'”Tuck looked at me and goes, ‘Nuh’. I let it go. But then I went to the square-leg umpire in the next over and I said, ‘Why can’t I do it?’ He basically said it’s too much time and it’s not in the spirit of the game. I still went to bat right-handed – but he shook his head again.”A Cricket Australia spokesman said their understanding was that Warner’s tactic was not against the rules of cricket and might be an issue the ICC could decide on once and for all. When Kevin Pietersen showed off his left-handed switch-hit in 2008 it was ruled by the MCC, the guardians of the game’s laws, that the stroke would not be made illegal.Warner said he batted right-handed as a child and during most net sessions he bats right-handed for the last five minutes. He does not want to abandon the switch-hit, which he believes gives him the advantage of being able to hit with the turn regardless of whether an offspinner or a legspinner is operating.”Last year at The Oval, we had a practice out in the middle and Haury [Nathan Hauritz] was bowling,” Warner said. “They were turning square and I got sick of it. I couldn’t hit a ball, so I batted right-handed and I started putting him into the stands. That’s when Tim Nielsen said to me, ‘What’s going on here?’ So I thought I might as well bring it out in a game. If a spinner is working to a plan to me, why can’t I try to counteract it?”

Mithali Raj’s third consecutive half-century gave India an unassailable lead in the five-match series against England in Visakhapatnam. She scored attractive stroke-filled unbeaten 84 to give India a convincing five-wicket win

Cricinfo staff26-Feb-2010
Scorecard
Mithali Raj scored her third half-century of the series•Getty ImagesMithali Raj’s third consecutive half-century gave India an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series against England in Visakhapatnam. She scored 84 in an attractive stroke-filled innings to give India a convincing five-wicket win.For a second game in a row, India had to chase a below-par total. Raj came to the crease in the fifth over after Katherine Brunt trapped Anjum Chopra leg before for 2. Brunt bowled full and straight and got the ball to move away from the right-hander and beat Raj twice in the over. But in her next over, Raj waited for her to stray wide and drove her for fours to cover and point.India ticked along slowly but lost two wickets and after the 23 overs they were 59 for 3 where England, at the same point of their innings, had been 56 for 2. Wicketkeeper Sulakshana Naik, who replaced Anagha Deshpande for the game, had joined Raj at the fall of the third wicket, of Priyanka Roy. Jenny Gunn came on to bowl the 24th over and was first flicked by Raj to fine leg for four and then guided her to third-man boundary by Naik. The over cost England nine runs. Raj reached her half-century (off 77 balls) in her next over to keep India on course for a series win.The two batsmen tried to up the scoring rate and played some loose shots in the process but luck was on their side. Naik hit a four to third man by playing late to offspinner Laura Marsh while Raj got a boundary behind the wicket after she edged one off Gunn while attempting to drive. Naik fell in the 29th when trying to clear midwicket, caught by a diving Brunt on her fourth attempt.India reached the 100-run mark in the 34th over. It had taken England seven more overs to get to the milestone and it was the middle overs that were the difference between the two innings. While Raj, along with Naik and then Rumeli Dhar, picked up singles and fours with ease, England’s half-centurion Charlotte Edwards, and the middle order, were strangled by the accurate Indian spinners. England’s lack of quality spin options hurt them in the series. But today even their fast bowlers struggled to keep it tight during Raj’s innings. Brunt bowled three wides in the 36th over and five in all.Right through the series, India’s fast bowlers, especially their opening pair of Jhulan Goswami and Dhar, have been more disciplined and economical than their England counterparts. Today, Goswami gave India the first wicket, trapping Ebony Rainford-Brent for 12 in the seventh over. The task of rebuilding fell on Edwards once Jenny Gunn was run out with 26 on the board. Edwards and Atkins then added 39 at over three an over before Caroline Atkins fell in the 28th over trying to slog left-arm spinner Preeti Dimri.The two left-arm spinners, Dimri and Gouher Sultana, tied England down and it was only after Danielle Hazell came to the crease in the 44th over and started throwing her bat at everything that England’s scoring rate increased a touch. However it was too late to make a substantial difference by then, and Edwards’ dream of a first series win in India has been put on hold.

Ever since Newcastle United’s takeover by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund was completed, the Magpies have been linked with audacious swoops for numerous players across Europe.

The upcoming January window could see some big signings come through the door at St James’ Park, but there is one man in particular who could make a vital difference – Anthony Martial.

What’s the latest?

Earlier this week, it was reported that the Manchester United forward wants to leave Old Trafford in January after six-and-a-half years with the Red Devils, according to his agent. The Frenchman has scored just once this season in 10 appearances across all competitions, which begs the question – is he now surplus to requirements?

Of course, there is a new man at the helm in Ralf Rangnick who could reignite his career in Manchester, but Martial could also be seen as the ideal player to offload in order to generate funds, with Transfermarkt valuing the 26-year-old at £31.5m.

With hefty funds certainly expected to be available for Eddie Howe, Martial could be the ideal candidate to fix Newcastle’s goalscoring woes and boost their Premier League survival bid.

Newcastle fans will be buzzing

A lack of goals has certainly contributed to United’s poor start to the campaign, scoring just 17 in 15 league matches. Callum Wilson has scored six of those goals and could certainly do with some extra help up front, with fellow striker Joelinton netting just once.

Newcastle fans must be delighted to hear that they are among the favourites to sign Martial, who has been subject to praise throughout his tenure at Old Trafford. That’s been the case ever since joining as a 19-year-old back in 2015, having been labelled a “Ferrari” and a “world-class” player after impressing in Manchester United’s Europa League quarter-final win against Copenhagen back in 2020.

Moreover, the Frenchman had also been likened to his fellow countryman Thierry Henry when he first arrived in England from Monaco, and his 268 appearances for the Red Devils have seen him net 79 goals, a clear illustration that he is a reliable scorer.

Martial could well be departing Manchester United next month and, should Howe be backed financially, it seems a no-brainer for Newcastle to make an attempt to bring the 26-year-old forward to Tyneside to seriously improve their chances of staying in the Premier League.

In other news: Howe drops four-word injury update which will leave Newcastle fans buzzing

A number of Wolves supporters are happy with a transfer rumour linking winger Adama Traore with a move to Tottenham in January.

The Spaniard has found himself in and out of Bruno Lage’s plans so far this season, starting 10 of his side’s 16 Premier League matches.

There has been plenty of frustration surrounding Traore’s performance, however, due to him not registering a single goal or assist.

The 25-year-old has been linked with a January exit a number of times in recent weeks, suggesting Lage is happy to see him move on to pastures new.

According to The Daily Telegraph [via Talking Wolves on Twitter], Tottenham are interested in bringing Traore to north London next month, with Antonio Conte looking to improve the squad he took over last month.

[freshpress-quiz id=“375704”]

Wolves fans react to Traore latest

These Wolves fans took to Twitter to react to the news, urging Wanderers to sell the winger while they still have the chance to make a profit…

“That’s sound, let him go ASAP”

Credit: @liambagnall9

“Traore is the best and worst player on the pitch, does all the right things and then kicks it over the Asda car park”

Credit: @Oli900009

“That’s great news. £25/30million and the deal should be done. Let’s get someone who can contribute a few assists and a few goals, simples”

Credit: @Earlknudsen

“£60 million cash and I will drive him there and pick up replacements from the airport on the way back”

Credit: @Si_Wolves69

“LET HIM GO!”

Credit: @wolvesmattc

“Traore has played 310 games in his career and scored a grand total of 27 goals. Lage is not the problem.”

Credit: @Ashbe_87

In other news, Luke Hatfield is unsure about Wolves signing one player. Find out who it is here.

Shanan Stewart is in line for his one-day international debut if Ross Taylor is ruled out of Tuesday’s game in Hamilton

Cricinfo staff08-Mar-2010Shanan Stewart has never been so interested in Ross Taylor’s leg. The chances of Stewart making his ODI debut on Tuesday depend largely on how Taylor feels ahead of the third match in Hamilton but the captain Daniel Vettori is in no doubt that Stewart can handle the step up to international cricket if required.”He’s scored runs for a long time now for Canterbury and he’s a very good player of spin bowling,” Vettori said. “He’s quite aggressive in those middle stages. I think Twenty20 cricket has really helped his game, and of late he’s in form. Whilst it’s four-day cricket he’ll still be feeling good about himself.”Vettori was speaking of the 227 that Stewart made over the past week in the Plunket Shield match in New Plymouth, after which he got a call-up to the one-day squad. Vettori believes Taylor is a 50-50 chance to overcome the leg problem that kept him out of the second ODI.New Zealand will consider playing Taylor even if he is not fully fit, such is his importance to the team. But after nearly a decade in the domestic system, Stewart, 27, is looking forward to the chance to step out for his country and test his skills against the No. 1 one-day team in the world.”It’s a dream and if you want to make your debut you may as well make it against the best and see where you’re at,” Stewart said after joining the squad in Hamilton. “It’s just having a clear mind, being confident in yourself and being aggressive, hopefully I can carry that on.”Australia will be keen to make Stewart’s introduction to international cricket as tough as possible, although the visitors know their bowling is not the main concern in their camp. In both games, Australia have batted first and made totals they felt were sub-par, and it is a trend the coach Tim Nielsen wants to rectify in Hamilton.”I don’t think we’ve made as many runs as we would have liked,” Nielsen said of the Napier and Auckland matches. “Both the grounds were the size and setup for big scores. We feel that we’re close to playing well but we’re certainly not playing anywhere near our best at the moment. It is a big game. It’ll be hard to win the last two knowing that you’re 2-1 down.”