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At the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, hosts Karnataka would havehoped to restrict the touring Delhi side on the first day. Delhi onthe other hand would have been looking to go through the day with somesteady batting after they lost the toss and were put in to bat. As itwere, neither team could fully accomplish their goal.Ashish Chopra at the top of the order showed the way with some solidbatting. Defying the Karnataka spinners and mediumpacers alike, Chopracompiled a good hundred. His knock was not one of flambouyant strokemaking, but rather one of patience and stability. At the other end, helost his opening partner Ashu Dani (19) pretty early on, but wasundeterred. In the company of Gautam Gambhir, Chopra rotated thestrike well and pushed the visitors’ score on to 172 before Gambhirwas run out by Vijay. Gambhir’s entertaining knock of 73 off just 116balls included 9 boundaries.Gambhir’s role as support for Chopra was then ably filled by VirendraSehwag who has been on the fringe of national reckoning in the recentpast. Unlucky to be dismissed just one run short of a fifty, Sehwagwasted no time while he was at the crease. His almost run a ballinnings included 7 fours before he became Vadiaraj’s second scalp. Bythis time, Chopra was motoring confidently on and Delhi were in aposition of reasonable safety.Akash Malhotra (1) was the only Delhi man who did not get going. WhenChopra (101) fell soon after he reached his century, Mithun Minhas (39not out) and wicket keeper captain Vijay Dahiya (10 not out) were atthe crease. Delhi were 308/5. With only 8 points so far, Delhi willbe keen to get a positive result from this game and pip Karnataka (11points) to the post.

Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips has been told ‘we will get you to Liverpool’ by an agency, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Agency switch?

Phillips revealed towards the end of 2021 that he wanted a new Elland Road deal, but as we know, that is yet to materialise, with his current contract running to 2024.

The England international is currently represented by Kevin Sharp, however, former Leeds man Danny Mills has recently claimed Phillips is set to switch agents, potentially leading to a blockbuster summer move.

He has been linked with a move for Liverpool for some time, with reports at the beginning of the year suggesting Jurgen Klopp’s side were weighing up a £33.2m bid.

The Latest: Liverpool links

Football Insider shared an update regarding Phillips on Wednesday morning after being informed by a recruitment source.

They claimed that some of the biggest agents in the game are offering him the connections to seal a huge move, with one privately telling the Leeds star ‘we will get you to Liverpool’.

The Verdict: A worry…

Sources have told Football Insider that Leeds value the 26-year-old at £70m, however, if the Whites drop down to the Championship, you would expect that would drop slightly.

It is a worry to know that agents already appear to be in Phillips’ ear ahead of the summer window, and with a new Elland Road deal yet to be signed, it seems as if an exit could be on the cards even if Jesse Marsch keeps Leeds up.

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Phillips may still have a part to play in helping Leeds guarantee their Premier League status, with the holding midfielder possibly returning from injury after the international break, so it seems as if he has a big few months ahead both on and off the pitch.

In other news: ‘In the background’ – Journalist reacts to possible 49ers blow coming from inside Leeds sources. 

After losing the Test series 2-1 – a margin which doesn’t explain just how weakly they capitulated in the last two Tests – West Indies approach the one-day series against South Africa determined to make amends, beginning with Friday’s second Twenty20 in Johannesburg. Heavy and persistent rain on the highveld, however, could cause the match to be cancelled or reduced to a five-over thrash.Assuming play is able to get underway, West Indies’ fortunes largely depend on Chris Gayle, the captain, whose availability is still uncertain following the broken thumb which ruled him out of the third Test. Without Gayle’s bravado as opener, nor his growing nous and “follow me” style of leadership, West Indies lack a killer punch against a South African side overflowing with confidence and mostly injury-free.West Indies won the first Twenty20, another rain-affected bash back in December, when Jerome Taylor took 3 for 6 to cut South Africa’s total to a meagre 58 for 8. Playing in that game (and conceding 19 from his two overs) was Shaun Pollock who announced his retirement from international cricket during the final Test in Durban, and he looks certain to play in all six matches for one final hurrah.”Shaun himself manages it [emotion attached to last international appearance] very well – he’s been very professional and clear about the way things need to be in the dressing room,” Graeme Smith, the South Africa captain, told supercricket.co.za. “His maturity shines through once again. We obviously want to send him off in the right way.”We have huge respect for what Shaun has given us over time, as a player and as a person, and we want to see him celebrated in the right way. But it’s also important for us to keep our heads straight and keep the emotion out of the games.”Joining Pollock is Justin Ontong, whose strong performances for his state side, the Lions, have earned him 518 runs at 37.00. The most intriguing call-up, however, is that of Morne Morkel who has recovered from the foot injury which curtailed his tour of Pakistan in October. With Morkel back and firing on all cylinders, it offers the tantalising prospect of South Africa fielding a genuinely fast new-ball pair – assuming, that is, Dale Steyn is picked.In just five Tests this summer Steyn has taken 40 wickets but, so far, he has been rather shielded from the conveyor belt of one-dayers, appearing in only eight. But with Pollock retiring, it seems only right that Steyn is unleashed and the baton is passed on. West Indies, as ever, have it all to do.TeamsSouth Africa (possible): Graeme Smith (capt), AB de Villiers, Jacques Kallis, JP Duminy, Justin Ontong, Mark Boucher (wk), Shaun Pollock, Albie Morkel, Johan Botha, Morne Morkel, Dale SteynWest Indies (possible): Brenton Parchment, Devon Smith, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Marlon Samuels, Runako Morton, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Dwayne Bravo (capt), Darren Sammy, Jerome Taylor, Daren Powell, Fidel Edwards

If you saw her walking down the road you wouldn’t guess she was the fastest bowler in women’s cricket. If you saw her open the bowling for Australia, hurling the ball down the pitch at a most uncomfortable pace, you wouldn’t imagine she was 39. And if you watched her in the Quadrangular final between Australia and New Zealand you’d wonder why she had decided to retire from international cricket.Cathryn Fitzpatrick got 2 for 27 in her 10 overs, held two catches, and effected a run-out in Australia’s six-wicket win over New Zealand at Chennai. When she bowled Maria Fahey in the first over New Zealand should have felt the ground shaking beneath their feet. “Maria has been one of New Zealand’s key players in this tournament,” Fitzpatrick told Cricinfo. “She is an unsung hero, really. If she gets a start she is likely to a half-century at least, so it was nice to get her early.”But after the first wicket fell Australia seemed to lose the plot and Haidee Tiffen, the New Zealand captain, formed a 53-run partnership with Suzie Bates. If it wasn’t bad enough that Tiffen was beating the fielders and getting boundaries, Australia dropped Bates three times in her innings – twice off Fitzpatrick. But Fitzpatrick kept her resolve and, in the 14th over – as Tiffen ran for a single from the non-striker’s end – she scooped up the ball from mid-off and threw it to the keeper to dismiss Tiffen for 33. “No one drops catches deliberately,” she said. “You can’t keep thinking of the missed chances because then you won’t be able to get on with the game.”On her retirement Fitzpatrick said that one couldn’t go on and on forever. “You have to retire [at] some time. I will go back to Australia and finish off with some club cricket. Apart from that I haven’t given much thought to what I will do now.”Tiffen said that the run out had come at a bad time for New Zealand. “It was unnecessary, she said. “Bates and me had got a 50-run partnership and were just getting settled.” She conceded that Australia had entirely outplayed New Zealand. “It was disappointing, of course. We didn’t score enough or bowl well enough.”New Zealand will play Australia again in July in a five-match series at Darwin for the Rose Bowl trophy. Tiffen said that the side was looking forward to it as they were yet to play a game in Darwin. “We enjoy playing each other. There is a healthy rivalry between the two sides which is great for our cricket and women’s cricket in general.”But Lisa Sthalekar, the Player of the Tournament, as the highest run-scorer – 394 runs at 98.50 – said Australia had realised that the other countries weren’t very far from them in terms of quality. “Scores of 260 are becoming a regular feature,” she said. “One of the reasons for such scores could be integration of the boards which has helped us train and play in better facilities. Also, the girls have got stronger.”After a thrilling last match, a decider that Australia won off the last ball against India, the final was a disappointment to watch. But for Australia and Fitzpatrick it was a win as memorable as it was convincing.

Jimmy Maher’s team enters the Pura Cup final against Victoria on Friday as the competition’s dominant team, but the Bulls know the familiar position isn’t a guarantee to lift the huge gold trophy. Queensland, the most consistent side over the past decade, have earned a spot in their eighth consecutive decider and their seventh at home as the bonus for topping the table. However, they have not won the title since the 235-run success over Tasmania in 2001-02.The memories of last year’s one-wicket loss to New South Wales are still fresh and Maher and Andy Bichel, who collected the Pura Cup Player of the Year award on Wednesday, will be desperate to wipe away the tears created by Stuart MacGill’s swiped boundary under the Gabba lights. Rain and greasy conditions ensured the 2004-05 final was wrapped up in three days and Queensland’s wet autumn will again have an influence with lead-up showers predicted to be followed by more damp weather.As hosts, Queensland need only a draw to seal the trophy but modern stalemates have been rare; the last one was between these sides in 1999-2000 when Stuart Law collected a controversial double of 129 and 84. The game was partly responsible for the air in subsequent Queensland and Victoria matches being as blue as the Bushrangers’ caps, but Law and Darren Berry have since retired and the tension has eased.The Bulls’ most experienced player is now Martin Love, who will walk out for a national-record 10th final after making his debut in the 1992-93 disaster against New South Wales in the days when “Queensland” and “Sheffield Shield” were perennially linked with the word “lose”. This defeat was made worse by the newspaper headline “Queensland – perfect one day, out for 75 the next” as they were beaten by a team including pre-Test versions of Slater, Gilchrist and McGrath. Since then Love has been part of four victories and has scored centuries in three finals, including 116 in last season’s low-scoring thriller.Despite a sleepy start to the summer that put him on the endangered-species list, Love returned to his easy accumulation methods in the second half of the ten preliminary rounds and collected 659 runs at 38.76. Maher was ninth on the run-scorer’s list with 683 and the state’s lack of regular productivity was a problem usually overcome by Bichel and Michael Kasprowicz, who finished with 45 and 44 wickets respectively.Gerard Denton, Victoria’s leading man with 33 victims, was ruled out of the match following appendicitis surgery on Tuesday night and Shane Harwood (30) and Allan Wise (27) are the most successful fast men in the visitors’ squad. However, the battle between Mick Lewis, the Australia one-day bowler who gave up 0 for 113 in his last major match, and the combination of Bichel and Mitchell Johnson will have a major say on the outcome.

The game contains many quality performers with the international allrounders Shane Watson and James Hopes taking aim against Cameron White, the Victoria captain, batsman and legspinner. Jason Arnberger and Nick Jewell have both had 600-plus seasons and Brad Hodge, who was a Test batsman only two months ago, has his last opportunity to push for a spot on next month’s Bangladesh tour squad.Victoria lost both four-day games to Queensland during the summer, the first by 225 runs at the Gabba and the second, three weeks ago at St Kilda, by 106 runs. The most recent victory sealed the Bulls top spot and they ended the group phase on 34 points, four ahead of Victoria, who secured their place by beating Western Australia as their final opponents were overpowered by Tasmania.One area where the Bushrangers have a distinct advantage is in their history of 26 Sheffield Shield-Pura Cup titles to Queensland’s five. Victoria’s last triumph in 2003-04 is as memorable for Bulls supporters as the most recent miss against New South Wales. Playing at the MCG, Victoria abused their hosting rights by batting into the third day, reaching 710 in 834 minutes and 212 overs. The eventual margin of 321 came after they avoided enforcing the follow-on and created a debate about the relevance of the final concept.It was a match that had the desired effect of demoralising Queensland and the threat of a batting repeat this week is impossible with the Gabba pitch showing its usual green tinges and the weather providing more help for bowlers. The Bulls are at home in the conditions but after waiting 69 years for their first title they understand the dangers of end-of-season hurdles.Victoria squad Jason Arnberger, Lloyd Mash, Brad Hodge, Nick Jewell, David Hussey, Cameron White (capt), Jon Moss, Nathan Pilon (wk), Adam Crosthwaite (wk), Dirk Nannes, Mick Lewis, Shane Harwood, Allan Wise.Queensland squad Jimmy Maher (capt), Lachlan Stevens, Martin Love, Clinton Perren, Shane Watson, James Hopes, Brendan Nash, Chris Hartley (wk), Andy Bichel, Ashley Noffke, Daniel Doran, Mitchell Johnson.

Stan Nel, the Sri Lanka A coach, has blasted some of his players,questioning their commitment and accusing them of “indifference” to defeatafter they lost their second consecutive game in the ongoing triangulartournament also involving the A teams of England and Pakistan.”I found a mixed reaction in the dressing room,” revealed Nel.”There were guys who were really desperate to represent their country andwin who were really hurting inside. Some of the other guys seemed to beindifferent about the result. I am just devastated about the reactions ofthese guys after two defeats.”I am trying to get these guys to understand that losing is not an option.Looking at it after this game, it is the real desire to win that is lacking.I am really questioning every player and want to find out who really has thedesire and who doesn’t. As far as ability goes they match up as well as anyA team around the world.”Sri Lanka go into the second stage of the competition without a single pointafter Pakistan and England successfully chased down targets on Sunday andMonday. The only major positive for the team was the form of Russel Arnold -apparently under pressure as the selectors finalise their squad for India -who scored two consecutive half-centuries.Sri Lanka lost their grip on the game against England A in the final overs as Rikki Clarke and Alex Gidman crashed 62 from just 37 balls. “We lost due to the lack of a little bit of experience,” believed Nel. “I think we lost the grip on the game in the last six or seven overs. Looking at the guys in the field, Ijust thought they were perhaps not giving 110%.”At this stage thinking about the final is not going to do us any good.We’ve got to play one game at a time. We’ve got to set ourselves for thenext match and try to win that and we will go along and see what happensafter that. There is no use thinking any further than the next match.”

Shiv Sunder Das will captain the Indian A team for the two matches to be played against Sri Lanka A. The news was announced by SK Nair, the BCCI secretary, in Hyderabad today.The squad itself includes many players, such as Hemang Badani, Murali Kartik and Lakshmipathy Balaji, who could consider themselves unlucky not to be going to Australia with the senior Indian side in December.Also included is Ambati Rayudu, captain of the Under-19 team which will be playing Sri Lanka A in the three-day tour opener which starts at Rajkot on Nov 18. The first four-day match is at Ahmedabad, starting on Nov 23.Squad Shiv Sunder Das (capt), Hemang Badani, Gautam Gambhir, Sridharan Sriram, Rohan Gavaskar, Mohammad Kaif, Murali Kartik, Ajay Ratra, Lakshmipathy Balaji, Siddarth Trivedi, Munaf Patel, Ramesh Powar, Ambati Rayudu, Amit Mishra.

The Zimbabwe Under-16 team to tour South Africa in December was selected over the weekend of Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 October. The side is made up of 13 players, namely: Duncan Bradshaw, James Cameron, Graham Cremer, Colin de Grandhomme, David Irvine, Tinotenda Mawoyo, Tafadzwa Mufambisi, Ross Nel, Brighton Ngarava, Steven Nyakunhuwa, Kumbirai Nzenza, Brendon Taylor and Sean Williams.Keith Saich and Square Square will travel with the side to South Africa as manager and coach respectively. The team will play in the PG Bison Week in East London, which will take place between 11 and 15 December.A good indication of the talent the side possesses is given by the fact that the side’s wicket-keeper, Brendon Taylor, is a high-order batsman for Harare Sports Club First XI, and both James Cameron and Colin de Grandhomme play for Alexandra First XI, for whom they often play a major role. Also encouraging is the number of players of colour who have been selected for the under 16 side, and indeed all of the Zimbabwe schools sides. One just hopes for the sake of Zimbabwe cricket, that the potential possessed by the players now is one day converted into real international class at Test level.

Match abandoned
ScorecardThe state of the outfield was the source of much discussion on day three at the SCG•Getty Images

Match officials have been criticised by the SCG Trust for their decision to abandon the Sheffield Shield match between New South Wales and Victoria on day three due to an unsafe outfield.Several Victorian players had slipped over on the second day of the rain-affected match as the Blues reached 1 for 88 after choosing to bat first, and the match referee Steve Bernard said that after making an inspection on the third afternoon the umpires decided that conditions had not improved.”Umpires Simon Fry and Mike Graham-Smith inspected the ground at 12pm on day three,” Bernard said, “and judged that a number of areas of the ground were unsafe and had not improved since the players were taken from the field on day two.”The umpires concluded that these areas would not improve significantly over the remainder of the match and would continue to pose a risk to the fielding team. Player safety is paramount and it is with this in mind that they have made the difficult decision to abandon the remainder of this match.”On the second evening, the Victoria coach David Saker had described conditions as dangerous. “In first-class cricket you expect conditions to be suitable for cricket,” he said. “The wicket’s fantastic but the outfield and surrounds are quite poor and dangerous.”However the SCG Trust attacked the decision to call off the fixture, with the head curator Tom Parker declaring the outfield on day three was “in the best condition that it had been all match”. “Given that there was no rain overnight,” Parker said, “it was absolutely ready to host a match today.””The Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust is disappointed that match officials chose to abandon the Sheffield Shield fixture between NSW and Victoria today,” a Trust spokesman said. “Players and officials from both sides had described the pitch condition as fantastic.”The infield and outfield condition was heavy after the ground received a month’s rain in the past week. There was no rain recorded overnight on Saturday. The surface had been deemed fit for play on Friday and Saturday by match officials. The Trust supported the NSW Blues’ decision to conduct a centre-wicket practice session after the abandonment of the match.”The Trust had also brought in another observer to judge the surface, past president of the International Turf Society Peter McMaugh. “There is no reason in my professional opinion why they shouldn’t have been playing today,” he said.The match is the second first-class fixture in Sydney to be abandoned in as many weeks. New Zealand’s final warm-up match ahead of the Gabba Test was abandoned after the tourists complained about the safety of a rapidly deteriorating pitch at Blacktown Sports Park, where the ground staff had been unable to grow grass on the wicket.