The Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) has decided to establish an international cricket stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. The identified sites were located in Kazhakoottamand Kudapanakkunnu, near to the proposed Collectorate. The stadium will be built with the help of the State Government and Capital Development Forum.SK Nair, the president of the Kerala Cricket Association, said two possible locations to establish the stadium, with all modern facilities, have been identified and a proposal to get the required land on a long-term lease would be submitted to the government soon.KCA’s bid to construct its own international stadium was also one of the main goals of its `Vision 2010′ project. Also, considering the costs involved in the development of infrastructure and the establishment of the District Coaching Centres and two Rural Coaching Centres in each of the 14 districts in the State, the KCA decided to increase the budget for the project from Rs 5 crore (US$1.75 million approx) to Rs. 7.5 crore (US$1.62 million approx).
Doug Cowie, the New Zealand umpire, has announced his retirement. Cowie officiated in 22 Tests, 71 one-day internationals, and more than 100 first-class games in an umpiring career which spanned 20 years, and was one of three New Zealand representatives on the ICC International Panel.”I am still dedicated to the game and passionate about improving the role of modern umpires in cricket,” Cowie stated in a media release. “However, the satisfaction gained from the challenges of umpiring no longer outweigh the sacrifices necessary to perform on the field. Recent changes to cricket and umpiring have placed greater demands on umpires and I feel the time is right to refocus my priorities.”Brian Aldridge, New Zealand Cricket umpires’ manager, reacted by saying, “Doug has been an excellent umpire during a distinguished career. He has made a significant contribution to umpiring in New Zealand and internationally. It is important that New Zealanders continue to umpire at the highest level and it will be difficult to fill the gap left by Doug.”Umpiring at any level takes great commitment and we hope to develop the opportunities available to umpires in New Zealand to ensure that more can reach this level and, in the future, sustain a living from a career as a professional umpire.”New Zealand are currently represented by Billie Bowden on the Elite Panel, while Tony Hill and Evan Watkin are the remaining representatives on the International Panel. All Test playing countries have three representatives on the panel, but for now it is unclear who will replace Cowie.
Close Day 4East Zone 322 and 213 for 3 (Dhoni 60, Powar 51*) need 196 more runs to beat North Zone 330 and 400 (Chatterjee 4-63) Scorecard Four dropped catches by the North Zone fielders, including two by Yuvraj Singh, could prove critical as East Zone gave themselves a fighting chance of an historic triumph at Mohali. Chasing 409 for their maiden Duleep Trophy crown, East Zone were comfortably placed by the close on 213 for 3, with Kiran Powar unbeaten on 51.North Zone will only have themselves to blame if East Zone pull off their run-chase. After gaining a tremendous advantage yesterday, in running up a lead of 300, North lost their way in the first session as Utpal Chatterjee pegged them back with four quick wickets. Mithun Manhas played back to one that hurried on, then Ajay Ratra was rather dubiously given out caught at short leg (316 for 5). After bowling Dinesh Mongia round his legs for 48, Chatterjee then lured Sarandeep Singh into a return catch (341 for 7), which put him just one away from a career tally of 500 first-class wickets. But the landmark proved elusive – now he’ll have to wait until the start of next season to get there. The tail swished and swatted, and North Zone finally finished on a round 400 – not bad, but much lower than might have been expected yesterday when Yuvraj was creaming the ball around.MS Dhoni gave East Zone the initial momentum with some clean hitting. He pierced the covers with some blazing drives, and wasn’t prepared to let the short ones go unharmed. The crowd came to life when he unleashed a ferocious pull for six when Ashish Nehra banged one short. There were a few streaky edges, one of which brought him his half-century, but it was the ideal start his team needed. After hitting eight fours and a six, he tried another ambitious pull and the resultant top-edge was easily pouched by Yuvraj at first slip (77 for 1). Dhoni’s 60 took him only 47 balls.Arindam Das, the other opener, essayed a few silky cover-drives amid an otherwise solid defensive technique. He was unlucky to be adjudged lbw to Sarandeep for 35, as the ball appeared to be missing leg stump (116 for 2). Rohan Gavaskar lived perennially on the edge and he teased the slip fielders no end. Yuvraj grassed two regulation slip chances, and there were a number of times that the ball flew agonisingly wide of the cordon. Gavaskar finally fell for 49 – edging, inevitably – as North Zone finally got the break that they were desperately seeking (200 for 3).Powar continued where he left off in the first innings, and efficiently mixed caution with some brutal sweeps. He didn’t allow Sarandeep to settle into a rhythm, and swept a few balls from wide of off stump. Powar also had a reprieve, when a diving Ratra failed to collect one down the leg side, and there were a few close shouts as he padded up without offering a stroke. But he looked in ominous touch at the end of the day, and was confident of leading his side to victory: “The wicket is playing well, so let’s keep our fingers crossed. There is no way I am going to give it away after doing all the hard work, like in the first innings. Tomorrow is a huge day.”SS Das was suffering from a torn calf muscle and won’t bat tomorrow unless it’s absolutely necessary. Considering the way the pendulum has swung to and fro so far in this match, he’ll probably have to pad up and limp out for a nailbiting finish.Siddhartha Vaidyanathan is on the staff of Wisden Cricinfo in India.
Standard Bank, the leading sponsors of limited overs cricket in South Africa, could not have scripted a better finale to the 2002-03 Standard Bank Cup as it heads for an exciting finish, with only Border, winning a home semi-final match, and Boland, not sure of a home semi-final, the first qualifiers to go through to the final four.In Pool-B, Boland will be waiting for the Free State vs. Eastern Province clash on Friday 3rd January. A win will see Free State through with Boland gaining the home ground spot while a Free State win with a Bonus Point will take it to Net Run Rates as to who qualifies for the top spot. A Free State loss will see Western Province going through with Boland playing at home.In Pool-A the permutations are too many to list, suffice to say that KwaZulu-Natal, Easterns and Griqualand West can all still qualify with Border who have already captured the home ground spot. The team winning with a Bonus Point in the final round should qualify for the other spot.First priority for Easterns and Griqualand West is that they have to win to stay in contention. If Easterns beat Northerns then Griqualand West, with a negative Net Run Rate will have to beat KwaZulu-Natal with a Bonus Point. While if KwaZulu-Natal gain the Bonus Point then all is lost for the other two teams.KwaZulu-Natal and Griqualand West have the advantage of playing the final match and by that stage will know exactly what is required.Remaining fixtures:Friday 3rd January 2003Northerns vs. Easterns at SuperSport Park (D/N) start 15:45 Eastern Province vs. Free State at St Georges Park (D/N) start 15:45Sunday 5th January 2003KwaZulu-Natal vs. Griqualand West at The Oval (Pietermaritzburg) (Day) start 10:00 Gauteng vs. Namibia at The Wanderers (Day) start 10:00Friday 10th January 2003First Semi-FinalBorder vs (Boland/Free State/Western Province) at Buffalo Park (D/N) start 15:45Second Semi-Final(Boland/Free State) vs. (KwaZulu-Natal/Easterns/Griqualand West) at (Paarl/Bloemfontein) (D/N) start 15:45Wednesday 15th January 2003Final (D/N) start 15:45
Mike Burns savaged the Yorkshire attack to hit a career-best 162 not out as Somerset dominated the opening day of the Bath Festival after losing the toss.Burns shared a stand of 206 with skipper Jamie Cox, which was a Somerset record for the second wicket against Yorkshire. By the close he had faced 283 balls, hitting 19 fours and a six, in beating his previous highest score of 160 against Oxford University.Cox overcame a sketchy start to hit 95 and there was an impressive debut from 20-year-old Devonian Matthew Wood, who finished 60 not out, having shared an unbroken stand of 139 with Burns, which took the total to an imposing 371-2 off 104 overs.Yorkshire skipper David Byas must have regretted his decision to field yet it had looked sound enough during a morning ession in which his bowlers enjoyed little luck.Gavin Hamilton send back Piran Holloway for five with the total on 26 and a key moment came at 54-1 when Cox was badly dropped by James Middlebrook at first slip off the aggressive Steven Kirby, having made only 20.Burns was caught behind off a no-ball on five and the two reprieves were capitalised on in style. Cox had hit 15 boundaries when he was finally picked up by Byas at slip trying to force Gary Fellows through the offside.The pitch lost all trace of its early life in the afternoon and Burns made majestic progress. Having taken 147 balls to reach 50 he need only a further 119 deliveries to race past 150.Wood leant excellent support after the departure of Cox. His first two scoring strikes in Championship cricket were boundaries and he reached his maiden half-century with an eighth four, handsomely lifting Middlebrook over mid-off.Somerset coach Kevin Shine spoke highly of Wood, saying: “Matthew played very well indeed, and I was very impressed. It’s the first time I’ve seen him in a match situation. He was very calm and very assured – and he’s not finished yet.”
Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has revealed Kyogo Furuhashi was fit and firing at Lennoxtown before Sunday’s win, ultimately deciding the Hoops could win without risking their star man.
The Lowdown: Celtic seal priceless win
The Hoops visited their biggest rivals on Sunday afternoon looking to go six points clear at the top of the table.
It didn’t look like that would be the case when Aaron Ramsey fired Rangers in front early on, but goals from Tom Rogic and Cameron Carter-Vickers earned Celtic a huge and deserved three points.
They did it without Furuhashi, too, with the Japanese starlet having only just recovered from a long-term hamstring issue.
The Latest: Ange provides Kyogo boost
Speaking to Sky Sports after the game (via Republic of Football), Postecoglou confirmed that the forward is now fit, even trying to persuade his manager to use him during sessions at Lennoxtown:
“I thought today we could handle it without him. He popped up everywhere in front of me at Lennoxtown to remind he was fit.”
It was a memorable three points for Celtic and this news is an added bonus, suggesting Furuhashi is now ready to play a prominent role between now and the end of the season.
The 27-year-old has scored eight goals in 12 league starts in 2021/22 to date, and while he may take time to find his rhythm having not featured in 2022, it shouldn’t be long until he is a regular again, ranking as one of the best eight players in the squad this term (Whoscored).
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.
With Celtic battling in both the league and the Scottish Cup, opportunities should certainly come Furuhashi’s way, even if they come from the bench initially.
In other news, Ally McCoist slammed one player in the Rangers-Celtic clash. Find out who it is here.
The Lahore Badshahs’ unconquered reign was finally brought to a close, as the Heroes defended a target of 144 with a disciplined bowling effort to go 1-0 up in the best-of-three finals. Fortunately for the Badshahs, they can still recover from the blip, but the loss couldn’t have come at a worse time.The Heroes decided to bat and Abdul Razzaq gave them the early momentum with a brisk 21 off 12 balls. Steady partnerships were forged during the Heroes’ innings – Jimmy Maher and Ambati Rayudu put on 27 before the latter and Kemp added 53 for the third wicket.Although the Badshahs didn’t manage to take wickets at regular intervals, they curbed the flow of runs. Mohammad Sami, who leaked runs in Thursday’s semi-final against the Kolkata Tigers, bowled his four overs first up for 15 runs. Mushtaq Ahmed gave one less in the middle overs, and the lack of runs on offer reflected in the tally for the Heroes batsmen: Maher 33 off 34, Rayudu 44 off 42, and Kemp 11 off 20.After 16 overs, Rayudu was sauntering with 23 off 32, but he did some damage from there on as 46 runs came off the last four overs bowled by Azhar Mahmood and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan. Rayudu was cut short of 44 by a direct hit from Inzamam-ul-Haq, but two no-balls from Naved-ul-Hasan in the final over saw him concede 17, and the Heroes reached 143..Razzaq got the first breakthrough as the Badshahs began their chase, Imran Nazir’s charge to send the ball into orbit sent him on the path to the dugout. Justin Kemp removed Humayun Farhat, and when Man-of-the-Match Stuart Binny picked up the prized scalps of Hasan Raza and Inzamam-ul-Haq, a seemingly easy target gained gargantuan proportions. At 50 for 4, the Badshahs were left needing a further 94 off ten overs.Opener Taufeeq Umar kept ticking the strike over at one end, but it was the pyrotechnics from Azhar Mahmood (34 off 16) that breathed life into the Badshahs’ innings.Naved-ul-Hasan made a few amends for his expensive analysis – 47 off four overs – with a six and a four in the penultimate over bowled by Nicky Boje, leaving his team with 12 to get off the 20th. The drama was heightened as Razzaq struggled with his line, giving away three wides. With seven required off four, Umar swing and missed, and the attempted single led to the run-out of Naved-ul-Hasan. Razzaq finally got it straight, and Sami’s bat met thin air – the wicket, a dot ball too, made it 7 off 2. Shahid Nazir, the star with the ball in Thursday’s match, failed to connect his first ball and was bowled when a last-ball six was needed to tie.The Heroes scraped home by six runs, and though they have the advantage, the form and prowess of the Badshahs will be tough to overcome for the second match in succession. The teams have a day’s break before the next game in Hyderabad on Sunday, and the Heroes could delight the city they represent by clinching the Rs 25 million (approx US$625,000) prize on offer.
Michael Vaughan’s cry for England to show a ruthlessness and “to really enjoy getting teams in the dirt” at the end of the third Test has been heeded, his team wrapping up a comprehensive seven-wicket win over West Indies on the final day of the fourth Test at Chester-le-Street. With Steve Harmison finally showing impressive rhythm and Monty Panesar continuing to bamboozle, England are handily placed ahead of India’s visit next month.The second session was almost a mirror image of yesterday when England’s batsmen capitalised on a woeful display from West Indies’ seamers. Today, it was England’s bowlers who seized the initiative after the interval, prompted by the delayed introduction of Panesar to the attack. The stroke play however – if that isn’t too generous a description – of some of West Indies’ batsmen was nothing short of calamitous. Between lunch and tea, they lost 6 for 88 while, all along, Shivnarine Chanderpaul acted as the dam between England and victory.Dwayne Bravo appeared to be the only man from whom Chanderpaul would receive sensible, solid support, and went on the attack – to England’s seamers in particular. Initially solid, he was unsettled and frustrated by Harmison’s shock-and-awe tactics before lunch and, soon after the interval, went out all guns blazing. An audacious and perfectly placed hook over square leg energised him, before he slapped Harmison over extra cover for another four. But at a time when West Indies simply needed him to block, block, block, he couldn’t rein in his attacking instincts and skied Panesar to mid-off.The wicket owed as much to Harmison’s venom in the previous over as Panesar’s nerve for tossing it up. England’s tortured fast bowler finally appears to have worked himself into form, though such a statement is often prematurely optimistic for Harmison. But nevertheless, during a long and unbroken 12-over spell, he was disciplined, fast, straight and hostile. On a couple of occasions his wicketkeeper, Matt Prior, could have benefited from a ladder such was the bounce he was extracting – on a spongy fifth-day pitch, too.
The floodgates now open, Marlon Samuels came and went in a hurry, edging Panesar to Paul Collingwood at first slip, and Denesh Ramdin was bowled by an absolute corker. As though magnetised to his leg-stump, the ball veered into Ramdin’s pads before spitting past a seemingly watertight forward defensive. Panesar was unstoppable, bowling with mesmerising control, the ball looping and dipping at the last moment. Perhaps Vaughan isn’t yet comfortable regarding Panesar as his most potent fifth-day-weapon, hence his slight delay in introducing him today, but that ought to change for the India series. He is fast becoming deadly in all conditions.While the dominoes tumbled at one end, Chanderpaul remained fiercely resolute at the other and began to open his shoulders, wary of the brittleness of West Indies’ tail. And how brittle. Daren Powell produced a wretched shot against Harmison – even worse than his pitiful attempt in the first innings – trying to spoon him over cover. And Fidel Edwards was bowled through the gate, his off-stump sent cart wheeling by the same bowler who, by now, was in excellent rhythm. After cracking Panesar for a couple of fours, Chanderpaul’s vigil ended when he was bowled by one which slid under his sweep shot. It was the first time he had been dismissed in over 18 hours, and also handed Panesar his sixth five-wicket haul.England lost Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss in their chase of 110, but Michael Vaughan and Kevin Pietersen were in no mood to be contained. Vaughan, in particular, drove magnificently, hammering Edwards through extra cover before driving him straight back down the ground as England raced home in the 42nd over.The regeneration has begun, and it has been a solid start for Peter Moores as the new coach. Sterner tests lie ahead, starting with India next month.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has decided to commission a financial review of all 18 first-class counties. This action has been taken following criticism of disproportionate funding of clubs that stage Test cricket and those that do not, and a reported loss for major counties.Speaking to BBC Radio Leicester, David Morgan, the ECB chairman, said: “There is concern on the part of the non-Test match grounds and that is being addressed in this review. It will report within a six to eight month time frame, I would think.”The move was backed by Neil Davidson, Leicestershire’s chairman. “It’s got to be welcomed,” Davidson said. “There is a view in certain counties that there is too much mystery surrounding revenues from Test match receipts. We need to get some clarity there and some fairness in the distribution system.Davidson raised concern over the allocation of funds on the county circuit. “[Hampshire chairman] Rod Bransgrove has identified that there’s as much as £40 million being raised and only £1.6 million going into general distribution of the funds,” he said. “I don’t know whether he’s right or wrong but that’s what the audit has to get to the bottom of.”Of the 18 first-class counties, only six – Durham, Lancashire, Nottinghamshire, Surrey, Warwickshire and Yorkshire – take revenues from the sales of Test match tickets. Last season, Leicestershire suffered a £94,000 loss, while Derbyshire and Kent had six-figure deficits. Morgan’s own club Glamorgan reported a £175,000 loss. However, it was recently announced that Cardiff would become a Test venue in 2009 when Australia return for the Ashes.
Marvan Atapattu has expressed his disappointment that Sri Lanka will not be playing the best West Indies side in their two-Test series. “Personally I would like to think when I finished my career that I had played with the best teams. So obviously with Lara, Sarwan and Gayle not being here, I will be thinking that I didn’t play the best side that I’ve heard of.”Lara gave us a bit of a rough time when he was here the last time, scoring over 600 runs in the series. But the game of cricket is such that it doesn’t mean that it happens every time. We were looking forward to the challenge this time but it is a bit disappointing now that he is not here.”Atapattu said his team had a similar experience in Zimbabwe last year when the top white cricketers took a stand against the Zimbabwe Cricket Union on the racial issue concerning selections. “We managed to motivate the guys in different ways according to the form of the game that we played in one-day or a Test match. We’ll have a plan here as well. As we came good out of that tour I am sure we will do the same here.”Atapattu admitted that his team had not played much cricket since the tour of New Zealand, which ended in April. “In the past few weeks, along with Tom Moody who has taken up the job as our new coach, we had a program or two. We have worked hard at match situations and hopefully we will do well when the series actually starts.”He said that the first Test at the SSC ground was important from Sri Lanka’s point of view because it will be their 150th since gaining Test status 24 years ago. “It is always important and always special when you play a Test match for your country. It is even more special when it is the 150th.”We have got a new management now. As far as the players are concerned we are trying to focus as much as we can on the game. We do need the right support from the management staff and I am sure we will get it.”Atapattu welcomed the return of Muttiah Muralitharan to the team. He joined them at practice after representing Lancashire in the County Championship. Muralitharan is returning to Test cricket after a gap of nearly eleven months having undergone an operation in his bowling arm.”It is nice to have Murali back. He is not only the best bowler in my side but the world’s best bowler. He troubles more batsmen than anybody else in the world. It is exciting to have him back after a long lay-off. Everybody in the side is looking forward to having him among us.”With regard to the players’ contracts, which the Sri Lanka Cricket interim committee has yet to finalise, Atapattu said: “Nearing the series I think the contract will be of less priority. We will try and focus more on the cricket that we are going to play. I am sure the authorities are looking at the contracts and the legal side of it and will get it over sooner than later. Our job in the meanwhile is to focus on cricket, at least until this series is over.”