A century from Kiran Powar brightened up the first day of play inTamil Nadu and Goa’s Ranji Trophy tie at Chennai.Winning the toss, Goa’s openers were separated early. One-down batsmanPowar, however, batted resolutely, shrugging off the regular loss ofpartners at the other end.Making 111 off 282 balls, with five fours and three sixes, Powar wasfinally out with the score on 206, being the fifth wicket to fall. Noother batsman really contributed to Goa’s total.At stumps, Goa were 217 for six, with Rajesh Naik (12*) and HAS Khalid(2*) at the crease.
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsA flirtatious Ashes series which has often been seductive without delivering much in the way of long-term commitment, so much so that the urn might have been sponsored by Ashley Madison, lent its loyalties for the final time to Australia as they claimed the fifth Investec Test by an innings and 46 runs.There has been much to enjoy over the five Tests in a series watched by capacity crowds – and lovers of Test cricket will delight in that – but history is likely to judge this hit-and-miss series one of the more insubstantial affairs between two teams possessing striking inconsistencies – loved for their skill, unlikely to be hailed for their resilience.Alastair Cook, England’s captain, will make light of that, content that after a 5-0 whitewash in Australia the Ashes have been regained. “I honestly believe this is a highly-talented group of players,” he said. “Being underdogs helped us and allowed us to play with a bit of freedom. It has been a very different Ashes series: two-and-a-half day Test matches with one side getting on top and the other unable to respond, but I am very proud of the lads.”As if to reveal this trait, all five matches have been one-sided. There has been entertainment a plenty but little tension. As well as this victory margin – an innings and 46 runs, Australia found further consolation in London when they won by 405 runs at Lord’s. England dominated by 169 runs in Cardiff, eight wickets at Edgbaston and an innings and 78 at Trent Bridge. The ability to fight back in adversity has been strangely lacking. It has not been a series to be holding tickets for the final day.Rain delayed Australia for nearly three hours on the fourth day – not many batsmen on either side can claim to have done that to bowlers during this series – before Peter Siddle, appearing in the final Test like a battle-hardened guest star from a more sober age, took the last two wickets to finish with 4 for 35 and 6 for 67 in the match.England’s winning margin was clipped to 3-2 and properly so. Stuart Broad, the leading wicket-taker in the series, is followed by four Australians. Joe Root is the only England batsman in the top four run-makers.But England won some decisive passages of play, not just Stuart Broad with eight wickets on a heady first morning at Trent Bridge, but also the man who pipped him for the Man of the Series award, Joe Root, who struck centuries at Cardiff and Trent Bridge. The citation from Australia’s coach, Darren Lehmann, praised: “Outstanding knocks in bowler-friendly conditions at key moments.”Chris Rogers, one player whose resilence could be taken for granted, was Australia’s Man of the Series. It has been hard work: the wickets have been tough and England have bowled pretty well,” he said. “I am a very proud Australian but it’s quite fitting for me that I get to finish up in England,. England has been pretty good to me.”Pitches at Edgbaston and Trent Bridge shamelessly played to England strengths. England, although they are far from being a strong Test side, can be an exciting one and they can be grateful to have regained popularity and come away with the spoils. Considering the disenchantment that surrounded English cricket after a feeble World Cup challenge, the director of England cricket, Andrew Strauss will more than settle for that.Michael Clarke, although saddled with an Ashes record of five defeats in seven, at least retired knowing that for his farewell appearance the dressing room had responded to his leadership. “But this was not about me,” he said. “It was about the need to show determination. We are very proud of the result, although Alastair and England deserve a lot of credit.”England still trailed by 129 when they resumed their second innings at 203 for 6. Mark Wood’s appearance as a nightwatchman on Saturday evening had appeared dubious even for those who are not automatically critical of the tactic. Any policy that pushes Moeen Ali down to No. 9, where his involvement can be curtailed in the space of two balls, surely does not have logic on its side, especially considering the prospect that he will be used as an opening batsman against Pakistan in the UAE in October.Since it was pointed out that the umpires have excelled in this series, with 31 of the first 32 reviews falling in their favour (the umpire’s call margin of error helps in this of course), the figures have been slightly tarnished by several reversed decisions for Kumar Dharmasena, the latest being when Australia successfully overturned his refusal of Siddle’s lbw appeal against Wood, DRS showing the ball going on to hit leg stump.The recent introduction of the system where the third umpire’s instructions can be heard on TV and radio has added to the understanding of, and trust in, the system. India’s continued resistance is perverse.Jos Buttler’s disappointing Ashes campaign then came to rest when three overs later he drove Mitchell Marsh weakly to mid-off. Had Moeen’s edge of Siddle carried to slip before he had scored, Australia might well have beaten the rain.Instead, much fidgeting ensured before Siddle bowled Broad with the second ball of the resumption, defeating an intended blow down the ground, and then found the edge as Moeen attempted a back-foot force.
Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has dropped a worrying injury update on Kyogo Furuhashi.
What’s the latest?
In recent comments cited by the Daily Record, the 56-year-old Bhoys boss appeared to backtrack on recent comments made regarding the centre-forward’s recovery from a hamstring injury, in which the Greek-Australian coach claimed that the 27-year-old “won’t be far off” making a return to first-team action.
However, in his latest injury update, Postecoglou appeared to contradict this claim, stating that “Kyogo is nowhere near it [making a return to training].”
Fans will be devastated
Considering just how much Kyogo has revolutionised the Celtic attack since his £4.6m move to Parkhead last summer, the news that the striker is still some way off making a return to first-team football is sure to have left Bhoys fans devastated – particularly after Postecoglou’s initial update on the forward.
Indeed, over his 14 Premiership outings this season, the £4.95m-rated centre-forward has been in remarkable form for the Hoops, having bagged eight goals, registered two assists and created four big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 2.1 shots and making 1.1 key passes per game.
These returns have seen the £18k-per-week Japan international average a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.03 in the league, however, the centre-forward has also been in fine goalscoring form over his 12 appearances in the domestic and European cup competitions, scoring a further eight goals and providing three assists – taking his total haul to 16 goals and five assists in just 26 games.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
As such, it is clear for all to see that the fact that Kyogo looks set to remain on the sidelines for the near future will come as a huge blow to Celtic’s hopes of going on to reclaim their Premiership crown this season – with failure to do so being an outcome that would undoubtedly leave everyone involved with the Bhoys gutted.
In other news: £621k in the bank: Celtic dodged a January transfer bullet on “perfect” £27k-p/w flop
Mike Procter, the ICC match referee who handed Harbhajan Singh a three-Test ban for alleged racist remarks against Andrew Symonds, has defended his decision to punish the Indian offspinner.”I am South African, and I understand the word racism,” Procter told the . “I have lived with it for much of my life. This was not a case of just taking the word of an Australian over an Indian. I stand by my decision. I believe the process was a fair one. I intend to carry on for the rest of the series, because I don’t have a problem with India. I have always had a good rapport with Indian players.”Procter said it had been a tough day at the office for him. “Obviously this has all been very difficult for me. I didn’t get to sleep until 11am [on Monday], and then only for a couple of hours. It has been one of the most difficult days of my life.”Procter said Sunday’s hearing was not a heated affair, adding he was unsure when the procedure for the appeal over the ban would take place. However, he did say the hearing into Brad Hogg’s alleged remarks would be conducted on either January 13 or 14 in Perth.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reacted strongly to reports that umpire Darrell Hair is planning on suing the board and the ICC for alleged racial discrimination.The website revealed that Hair was planning legal action after he was banned from officiating Test matches following his role in the forfeited Oval Test between Pakistan and England in August last year.”I can confirm that I have instructed my lawyers to issue an application in the London Central Employment Tribunal alleging racial discrimination by the ICC and PCB,” said Hair at a press news conference in Nairobi.”It is inappropriate for me to make further comment given that this matter is yet to be determined by the tribunal,” added Hair, who had been umpiring the final of the ICC World Cricket League between Kenya and Scotland.An ICC spokesman said the organisation did not believe there was merit in the claim and it would “vigorously defend the matter”. It was the ICC’s only comment on the issue.Hair believes the PCB “unlawfully induced” the ICC to engage in discriminatory acts when it lobbied for his ban before a November meeting. Percy Sonn, ICC president, announced after the meeting: “It was clear from discussions that the ICC board had lost confidence in Mr Hair.”But the PCB maintains that the final decision was not taken by one member, but the cricket community as a whole and Pakistan cannot be singled out. “We haven’t received anything, any notice yet anyway,” Salim Altaf, PCB’s director cricket operations told Cricinfo.”But it was the ICC that said in November that we have lost confidence in Hair. It was an ICC decision based on their member body. I do not see how the question of legal action taken against Pakistan even arises out of this,” he added.Altaf said, however, that were the board to be issued any such notice, they would be prepared to battle it out in court. An ICC spokesman told Cricinfo: “We haven’t received anything from Mr Hair, but even if we had we would not be able to comment as it might be prejudicial to proceedings.”However, Nasim Ashraf, chairman of the board, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that his lawyer had informed him of Hair’s complaint and that he was “simply outraged” over the matter. “This is adding insult to injury. Race has nothing to do with this. Mr Hair was removed from the elite panel of umpires by the full ICC board, which has many countries, because of his poor judgement. This is the most preposterous thing I have heard.”Ashraf added: “It is crass for him to say a black West Indian was let off [whereas] he was a white man and therefore he was charged. Mr Hair was the senior umpire and he literally took over that Oval cricket match. I was present there.”There was only one man that evening that did not want cricket to be played. [It was] a black spot on the history of cricket thanks to Mr Hair.”The Test was forfeited after Hair and Billy Doctrove awarded England a five-run penalty because they believed the ball had been tampered with during England’s second innings on the fourth afternoon. Pakistan refused to come out to play after the tea break, in protest against the decision.Eventually, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Pakistan’s captain, was cleared of ball-tampering charges but given a four-match ban for bringing the game into disrepute, by Ranjan Madugalle. Hair offered his resignation in exchange for $500,000 soon after the Test, before he was eventually removed from the ICC’s elite panel of umpires.
Guyana 245 for 8 (Sarwan 104*) lead Windward Islands 189 by 56 runs ScorecardAn unbeaten 104 from Ramnaresh Sarwan, the Guyana captain, gave them a crucial first-innings lead of 56 as they finished the second day of their Carib Beer match at 245 for 8 against Windward Islands at St Georges in Grenada.Responding to Windwards’ first innings score of 189, Steven Jacobs and Narsingh Deonarine took the score to 50 when a sudden collapse saw Guyana losing three wickets for just two runs. Sarwan and Travis Dowlin then took the score to 102, adding 50 for the fifth wicket.Guyana were in further trouble at 143 for 8 but Sarwan and Rayon Griffith built a crucial 96-run partnership for the ninth wicket. Griffith scored five boundaries in his innings of 36, before holing out to Daren Sammy at midwicket off Jean Paul. Sarwan, dropped on 61 by Junior Murray, the wicketkeeper, reached his 20th first-class century off 222 balls, scoring 12 boundaries and a six. Rawl Lewis and Kenroy Peters took three wickets each for Windwards.
The Supreme Court has allowed the Indian board to keep its autonomy but yesterday’s ruling has not helped resolve the dispute over the telecast rights which has plagued Indian cricket for more than five months. While the working committee of the BCCI is likely to meet on February 6 to discuss the telecast-rights issue, Zee Telefilms, which had contested the BCCI’s decision to cancel its bid of Rs14000million (approx US$320million) for the rights to televise Indian cricket for the next four years, is certain to take the matter to Bombay High Court.The Supreme Court dismissed Zee’s public-interest litigation against the BCCI on the grounds that the board wasn’t a “state”. However, it allowed Zee to contest BCCI’s decision under article 226 at the High Court.A Press Trust of India report quoted a Zee Telefilms spokesman as saying: “The writ petition has been dismissed under article 32 of the Constitution but is maintainable under article 226 before the High Court.” He added that Zee would be approaching the High Court as soon as possible after consulting with its legal team.Zee, which plans to launch its own sports channel later this year – their lack of pedigree in sports telecasting was one of the bones of contention when the bidding process started – had argued that since the BCCI picked and controlled the team which represented India at international events, its actions were subject to the same clauses that governed the functioning of the “state”.
Hampshire Second XI coach Tony Middleton will be looking for his young Academy side to reproduce their Time game form in limited-overs cricket when the ECB Southern Electric Premier League returns to its 50-over format tomorrow.The Academy team clinched the Time pennant when they ended BAT’s long unbeaten record last weekend.It was the Young Hawks’ fifth win in eight Time matches and enabled the county youngsters to pip BAT to the pennant by three points."It was a tremendous achievement by the lads, who won five of their eight matches by playing some very positive cricket, particularly against Havant and BAT recently," praised Middleton.The Young Hawks haven’t fared as well in the limited-overs game, but Middleton says : "It’s all part of their cricketing education to play the different formats of the game."They are in the habit of winning now and I’m hopeful it will continue."If the Academy complete the double over Bournemouth – they recorded a fine 83-run win at Chapel Gate in June – they could step up the pressure on BAT at the top.Bournemouth are unlikely to relish a return trip to the Rose Bowl, just four days after suffering an agonising SEC Cup defeat against Havant in midweek.Chasing Havant’s modest 121-7, Bournemouth cruised to 75-0 … only to finish nine runs short in the end.BAT will expect to strength their position overall with a win at Calmore Sports, who have been cast 31 points adrift at the bottom after losing ten of their 12 matches.They were routed by a massive 209 runs at Southern Gardens in June – the day when Dan Goldstraw returned a season’s best 8-29.BAT will be strengthened by the return of Damian Shirazi tomorrow, while Calmore will be looking to reproduce the spirited performance they produced at Liphook & Ripsley last week.Chris Sketchley is back for Bashley (Rydal),who entertain struggling Portsmouth at the BCG.Bashley lie fourth in the log, compared with second-to-bottom Portsmouth, whose announced title challenge has not quite materialised.Cambridge-bound Bevis Moynan is out of the Havant team, which celebrated an improbable Contracting Cup success on Tuesday night.But Steve Snell, Chris Wright and Matt Cox, who missed the final, will all be back against Liphook & Ripsley at Havant Park.The South Wilts-Andover derby will be preceded by the unveiling of an Honours Board in the Lower Bemerton clubhouse in memory of Gordon Gay, the Salisbury club’s late chairman and president, who died last summer.Jason Laney returns to the South Wilts line up alongside Hampshire’s James Tomlinson, while Chris Travers makes his Andover debut.
The XXXX Queensland Bulls will confront a full-strength NSW Blues teamin the top of the table ING Cup match at the Sydney Cricket Ground onSunday.The Queensland selectors today named the same team that defeatedVictoria in their most recent ING Cup match, with Test players MatthewHayden and Andy Bichel returning to the squad.NSW will field a team that consists almost entirely of internationals,with only in-form pace bowler Stuart Clark yet to represent his country.For Queensland, Clinton Perren, James Hopes and Nathan Hauritz fit intothat category although Hopes and Hauritz have represented Australia inYouth internationals.NSW and Queensland share the lead in the ING Cup with NSW two pointsahead of Queensland in the Pura Cup competition.Meanwhile pace bowler Joe Dawes hopes to make his return from a kneeinjury in the Brisbane XXXX First Grade competition this weekend in abid to make his Bulls comeback in the Pura Cup match against NSW at theGabba next week. The Pura Cup match starts on Sunday, November 25 andwill be a “Dollar Day" promotion.Dawes aborted his planned comeback for the Pura Cup match against theWestern Warriors when he reported residual soreness in his knee afterbowling for Valley and the Queensland medical staff elected to rest himfurther.XXXX QUEENSLAND BULLS v NSW, ING Cup, SCG, Sunday: Stuart Law (c),Matthew Hayden, Jimmy Maher, Martin Love, Clinton Perren, AndrewSymonds, Wade Seccombe, Andy Bichel, James Hopes, Ashley Noffke, MichaelKasprowicz, Nathan Hauritz.NSW: Mark Waugh, Michael Slater, Michael Bevan, Mark Higgs, Shane Lee,Steve Waugh (c), Brad Haddin, Brett Lee, Nathan Bracken, Stuart MacGill,Stuart Clark, Glenn McGrath.
It wasn’t a dead rubber, but neither was it a particularly competitive finish to the series. Led by a strong performance from their fast bowlers, who rolled England for 138, Australia cruised to an eight-wicket victory in the final ODI Old Trafford and ended their three-month tour of England, which featured the disappointment of another failed Ashes campaign, with a 3-2 win in the one-day series.Mitchell Marsh and John Hastings might hardly be the most intimidating pair of fast bowlers but it was they who caused England’s collapse, between them collecting seven of the nine wickets that fell. Aaron Finch and George Bailey then steered Australia past their target with ease. In the end, the fans barely saw half the amount of overs they expected – 57.2 in total, made up of 33 in England’s innings and 24.2 in the chase.It was not only the result that was of concern for England, though. James Taylor captained England in the field after Eoin Morgan was struck on the helmet by a short delivery from Mitchell Starc and was forced to retire hurt during England’s innings. Morgan was accompanied off the field by England’s medical staff and took no further part in the game.But there was little Taylor could do with such small total on the board. Two wickets fell before the delayed lunch break – Joe Burns slashed at a wide one and edged David Willey behind for a duck, and Steven Smith edged behind off Mark Wood for 12 – but after the resumption it was a procession towards the target. Finch and Bailey ensured there were no further wobbles.Finch struck 11 fours and one six on his way to an unbeaten 70 from 64 balls, and Bailey ended up not out on 41 from 45 deliveries. The winning runs came with a thick edge to the third-man boundary from Bailey, and Australia had something to celebrate at last. It was their bowlers who had set the victory up in the early stages of the day.In an eventful first over Jason Roy was twice given out lbw off Starc by umpire Joel Wilson. The first Roy reviewed and was found to have inside-edged onto his pad; the second he chose not to review and should have – replays suggested Starc’s delivery would have swung well down leg. Roy had scored 4 and Alex Hales managed only 4 as well, before he slashed Hastings to point and was caught by a juggling Glenn Maxwell. Taylor made it 22 for 3 when he edged behind off Hastings.The sixth ball that Morgan faced was quick and short from Starc and Morgan turned his head and ducked, and was struck flush on the side of the helmet. He appeared in some discomfort and after several minutes of assessment by England’s medical staff on the field, he retired hurt and did not return. England were effectively 22 for 4, and as it turned out, Australia’s best bowlers of the game had not even entered the attack.Marsh picked up three lbws through the middle overs, using his tight delivery line from close to the stumps to ensure his deliveries often pitched in line. Jonny Bairstow was given not out but found to be out on review for 10, and both Willey and Ben Stokes were lbw to balls that pitched on leg, straightened, and would have struck either leg or middle stump.Stokes was frustrated to depart for 42; he had been the only England batsman who looked like he might push the score up to something more competitive. Stokes struck six fours and one six, down the ground off Marsh, but his departure left England at 85 for 7 and gave Marsh his fourth wicket – Moeen Ali had earlier edged behind driving loosely for 5.Hastings returned to claim a third wicket when Wood holed out to deep extra cover, and at 106 for 8 England were asking a lot of Adil Rashid and Reece Topley, a man who in 104 previous first-class, one-day and T20 matches combined had managed only 103 runs. It was credit to Rashid and Topley that they put on 32, the second best partnership of the innings.Rashid struck five boundaries and finished unbeaten on 35; Topley remarkably got off the mark with a five, a badly-judged single that was joined by four overthrows when Maxwell’s ping at the stumps from point missed. Topley was the last man out, lbw to Ashton Agar for 6, and Morgan did not return to the crease at the fall of the ninth wicket.Hastings finished with 3 for 21 from his ten overs and Marsh picked up 4 for 27, outshining the much quicker Starc and Pat Cummins, while Agar was fortunate to even get a bowl at the end of the innings, and sent down two overs.The strong bowling effort ensured that Australia got their hands on some sort of trophy on this tour – just not the one they most wanted.