Bloomfield The Premier League Limited overs clash between the Police SC and Bloomfield SC, which scheduled to be played at Bloomfield but was hastily rearranged in the morning and played at D.S. Senanayake Ground. When play finally got underway at 2pm Bloomfield proved to be too strong for the Police SC.With only 25 overs possible per innings Police decided to put Bloomfield into bat having won the toss. Despite suspect conditions Bloomfield amassed a formidable 168 from their allotted overs. Sanath Jayasuriya, though clearly displeased by the conditions, led from the front with 32 runs from just 24 balls. He was well supported by Darshanayake, who scored 38 from 44 deliveries. The pair added 62 for the first wicket. The middle order then chipped with some cameo knocks: Tillekeratne Dilshan smashed 22 from 15 balls and Dharmasena pitched in with 22.Bloomfield’s imposing total was always going to prove difficult to chase, even it this were a small ground. They started in glorious fashion, adding 27 in the first 3 overs. However the innings faltered thereafter and Police were eventually bowled out for just 94. Kumar Dharmasena was the pick of the bowlers and ended up with four wickets for just nine runs.
Rangers boss Gio van Bronckhorst may look to shake up his squad tonight in an attempt to return to winning ways in the Premiership.
The Gers have been held to a draw in both of their last two outings in the league and these frustrating results could tempt the boss into making some key selection decisions.
However, he will be without at least five of his first-team players after he revealed the latest injury news ahead of their clash with St. Johnstone.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, the Dutch head coach said: “Ramsey, Davis, Amad, Jack and Helander are not available for tomorrow.”
How many changes will he make to the team? Here is our predicted XI…
We are predicting that he will make three alterations to the side, with Jon McLaughlin, Leon Balogun and James Sands coming in.
Firstly, McLaughlin could come in between the sticks to replace the underperforming Allan McGregor. The veteran was caught out at his near post for Motherwell’s second goal at the weekend and this latest error could convince van Bronckhorst to hand a chance to the ex-Sunderland shot-stopper.
Former Scotland international Charlie Nicholas has urged the club to stop playing the 40-year-old, writing this week: “Rangers can kiss goodbye to their title crown if they don’t drop Allan McGregor.”
We are predicting that the Dutch head coach will heed his warning and axe the goalkeeper from his starting XI tonight.
In defence, Balogun should come in for John Lundstram. The ex-Sheffield United man was caught out for Motherwell’s first goal as he played in an unnatural position to him at centre-back, which should result in him being moved back into the midfield.
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Scott Arfield could drop out of the team after a run of five games without a SofaScore rating higher than 6.6 – suggesting that he has struggled to put in good displays of late. This will then allow Lundstram to play in the middle of the park with Balogun partnering Connor Goldson at the back.
Finally, we are predicting that £14k-per-week gem Joe Aribo will be handed a much-needed rest. January signing James Sands could come in to replace him, with Glen Kamara and Lundstram joining him in midfield, and this match could be a huge chance for him to show that he has what it takes to make an impact in the Premiership.
AND in other news, GVB must brutally axe Rangers gem with “unbelievable strength”, he’s run out of steam…
Duncan Fletcher, the former England coach, is likely to head to South Africa for his next coaching assignment with the Highveld Lions. Newspaper reports suggest Fletcher may replace current coach Gordon Parsons for the two limited-overs tournaments still to be played this season.The Johannesburg-based reported that the Lions were keen to have Fletcher, but they would first have to sort out the roles for Parsons and Jimmy Cook, the batting coach. The paper indicated the two coaches had problems working together, but Parsons denied there was any bad blood between him and Cook. “Jimmy and I get on very well,” Parsons told the daily. “I’m not saying we’re perfect. We spent three days in a dressing room together last weekend without any problems.”Maybe expectations were a little unrealistic in terms of us having come second [in the SuperSport Series] last season. Losing Tyron Henderson and Charl Langeveldt and only having Vaughn [van Jaarsveld] coming back last weekend means that a burden has fallen on inexperienced players like Craig Alexander and Brian Mathebula.”The Lions also lost their captain Neil McKenzie mid-season when he was called up to South Africa’s squad for the second Test against West Indies. He tore his right calf muscle during the match and has been put of action since. Justin Ontong, who replaced McKenzie as captain, was picked in the one-day squad, but a knee injury has forced him out of the second and third ODIs. Alviro Peterson is leading the Lions in their absence.Cook said the Lions coaches, players and selectors were scheduled to meet on Monday. “I know people aren’t happy, so I’m expecting some clear-the-air type talks,” Cook said. “It’s all about knuckling down and getting our season back on track.”The Lions are at the bottom of the Super Sports Series points table and haven’t won a single game of the tournament so far. If Fletcher joins them this season, he will take charge of the side for the MTN Domestic Championship and the Standard Bank Pro20 Series.
Shanan Stewart’s 146 took Canterbury closer to claiming vital first-innings points against Central Districts at the Basin Reserve. . Chasing 461 to take bonus points, Canterbury closed the third day on 376 for 6, with Stewart’s second-highest first-class score leading the way. Overnight on 56, Stewart moved onto his second career hundred. Ben Rae, in his fourth first-class game, contributed 41 to 102-run stand for the fifth wicket with Stewart. Rain curtailed the day’s play to 64 overs, but Canterbury can still clinch a place in the final with a win or bonus point draw, depending on how the other two games pan out.James McMillan, Otago’s right-arm fast-medium bowler, followed his four-wicket haul in the first innings with two quick blows to keep Auckland down to 15 for 2 on a rain-hit third day at Dunedin’s University Oval. Mayu Pasupati continued to enjoy his State Championship debut with a four-wicket haul earlier in the day as Otago collapsed to 199. Overnight on 130 for 4, they fell 27 short of their target, giving Auckland first-innings points. Pasupati was backed by Chris Martin’s 3 for 65. Auckland need a maximum-point victory to reach the final.There was no play on the third day of the Wellington-Northern Districts match at the Basin Reserve owing to heavy rain. ND were still on 8 for 1 in five overs in reply to Wellington’s 314. Wellington hold second place by virtue of their superior net runs-per-wicket (9.024) compared to Canterbury (2.841). Both sides have three wins in the State Championship. ND still remain on the top of the table with a four-point lead.
New Zealand found a cool head in Daniel Vettori and held their nerve to sneak home in a low-scoring ODI against West Indies at Queenstown to take a 2-0 lead in the series. When West Indies were put in to bat and restricted to 200 for 8 it appeared as though New Zealand would saunter to victory. But Ian Bradshaw and Fidel Edwards reduced New Zealand to 13 for 4, and wrested the initiative back for West Indies, but watched in dismay as Vettori made a calm and collected unbeaten 53 to guide New Zealand home with three wickets to spare.West Indies’ inability to close out a game once they had a grip on it – they simply lacked the firepower in both batting and bowling departments – once again came to the fore, and New Zealand’s depth in batting, with Vettori coming in at No. 8 ensured that even the loss of early wickets could be overcome. Had New Zealand been asked to score at more than four an over the situation may have been different, but in the end all it took was for one man to bat sensibly.When New Zealand began their pursuit of 201, though, the pace of Edwards and the probing accuracy of Bradshaw proved too hot to handle. Edwards hustled the batsmen from the word go, and struck in his first over, trapping Jamie How lbw for a duck. Bradshaw ensured that Edwards’s effort was not wasted, backing him up well with some controlled swing bowling. Lou Vincent played down the wrong line to a perfectly pitched delivery that straightened and hit the top of off stump.One run later Edwards put New Zealand in deeper trouble, getting rid of the dangerous Nathan Astle. Edwards fired one in short and Astle went for the pull, but was beaten for pace and could only hit the ball to Wavell Hinds at square-leg. Again Bradshaw backed up Edwards, trapping Stephen Fleming in front of the stumps. At 13 for 4, New Zealand were in serious danger of collapsing.Scott Styris and Peter Fulton were left to arrest the slide and they were helped by the fact that their target was only 201, and a few quiet overs would not overly affect their chances. Fulton, graceful and considered, became the fulcrum of the New Zealand innings, and even the fall of Styris, who played away from his body to one from Jerome Taylor that bounced a bit more and presented a catch to slip, did not deter him. At the halfway mark of the innings New Zealand’s hopes rested largely with Fulton, who was motoring towards his half-century. But he fell soon after – one run shy of 50 – edging to Denesh Ramdin off Rawl Lewis.When Brendon McCullum, shouldering additional responsibility in the absence of Chris Cairns, was run out by a sharp bit of fielding after he had made a better than run-a-ball 45, West Indies had New Zealand on the run at 141 for 7, and should have swooped in for the kill. They did what they could, mixing spin with pace, rotating things around, but no single bowler looked consistently threatening.Vettori, realising that all he needed to do was stay at the crease to ensure victory, settled in and began to score freely. He used angles to good effect, squeezing the ball through third-man and shoveling it past square-leg to pick up boundaries at regular intervals. Before they realised it, the match had slipped from West Indies’ grasp as Vettori (53 not out) shared in a 60-run unbroken partnership with James Franklin for the 8th wicket that took New Zealand to victory.But it wasn’t as though West Indies were particularly in control when they first began. Their batsmen showed excessive caution against disciplined and tidy pace bowling, and Bond, although excellent, should not have been allowed to get away with a first spell of 6-4-2-1. While not looking to score quickly West Indies’ top-order lost wickets, and at 60 for 4 from nearly 21 overs, were in need of something special to boost their score to respectability.Runako Morton diligently ground out 93 balls at the crease for 39, but it was Wavell Hinds who did the bulk of the scoring, showing what could be achieved by positive intent. Although he did not at any stage attempt to attack the bowling outright, Hinds was constantly on the lookout for ones and twos and eventually the loose ball came along. When it did – mostly off the mediumpace of Styris – Hinds made sure he made it count, slicing through the off side with good bat speed.Hinds could not have done it all himself, and he was fortunate to have Morton drop anchor at one end and ensure that the bowlers were forced to work hard. From the precariousness of 60 for 4 Hinds pushed the score along to 184 for 6 before Bond, returning for a second spell, had him caught behind for 76. The tail had little to offer after Hinds was gone, but managed to push the score to an even 200 for 8 off 50 overs. In the end, that proved to be too little to stave off defeat.
Chris Gayle b Bond 0 (5 for 1) Daren Ganga c McCullum b Mason 7 (10 for 2) Ramnaresh Sarwan c McCullum b Mason 14 (37 for 3) Shivnarine Chanderpaul b Franklin 17 (60 for 4) Runako Morton c Astle b Vettori 39 (130 for 5) Dwayne Smith run out (Styis/McCullum) 17 (158 for 6) Wavell Hinds c McCullum b Bond 76 (184 for 7) Ian Bradshaw b Patel 5 (197 for 8) Fidel Edwards run out (Franklin/Bond) 2 (200 for 9) New ZealandJamie How lbw b Edwards 0 (10 for 1) Lou Vincent b Bradshaw 5 (13 for 2) Nathan Astle c Hinds b Edwards 2 (13 for 3) Stephen Fleming lbw b Bradshaw 0 (13 for 4) Scott Styris c Gayle b Taylor 10 (49 for 5) Peter Fulton c Ramdin b Lewis 49 (120 for 6) Brendon McCullum run out (Morton/Ramdin) 45 (171 for 7)
Nathan Bracken’s demolition of the Queensland batting order in the Pura Cup final at Brisbane has boosted his chances of being named in Australia’s squad for the Ashes tour. Bracken took 6 for 27 to rout the Pura Cup holders for just 102 on the opening day.Bracken’s last Test was against India at Sydney in January 2004, and later in the year he lost his Cricket Australia central contract. But he has responded in fine style, spearheading the New South Wales attack this season. However, he is not getting carried away with his chances of touring England.”If I get an opportunity I’ll be wrapped with it, if I don’t, I don’t,” Bracken told the news agency. “I’m happy with the way I’ve bowled this year but my priority is to finish this game here well. I set a goal at the start of the year to take 40 wickets. I’ve now taken 41. So now I’m setting my goal at 45 and taking 45 will ensure a good game here and make it a close finish.”Bracken had a brief spell with Gloucestershire towards the end of the 2004 English season and says he enjoys the conditions. “I enjoyed my time over there before. I’ve been over there with Gloucester and also on the other Ashes trip and enjoyed the opportunity to go there. The ball does swing a lot over there and you do get wickets that do a bit so I guess any fast bowler is happy with the situation where the ball swings around and seams.”
One positive that arose from Pakistan’s disappointing showing at the 2003 World Cup 2003, was that Javed Miandad then returned to the fold. His appointment to coach the young blood injected much-needed energy and enthusiasm into the team. In Pakistan you often hear comments to the effect that Pakistan cricket is always safer when it is in the hands of Javed. He is the undisputed king of cricket in Pakistan – which leads some other leading personalities to be wary, even jealous, of him.And now one of those who made his debut under Javed Miandad’s captaincy is going out of his way to criticise his mentor. Aamer Sohail was given a great honour when he was appointed Pakistan’s chairman of selectors, in what was a well-intentioned move to show how keen Lt-Gen. Tauqir Zia, the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, was to get the country’s cricket back on track. Sohail, who is also a TV commentator, must have impressed the PCB bigwigs with his insight on the game.However, Sohail has crossed the fine line between being proactive and being dictatorial, by ignoring – or not even bothering to seek – advice from a man whose knowledge of the game, and the players he is coaching, is second to none.Javed Miandad always was a master tactician, and presumably he felt at first that it had been agreed that he would not be involved in selection, and the selectors wouldn’t get involved in coaching. This approach was long-overdue in Pakistan cricket – but it only works if the personalities are compatible. Ignoring the chance of consultation with a person like Javed is simply undesirable, especially when the team is being rebuilt.Nevertheless Sohail started publicly criticising the performance of the coach, using his TV commentary as a platform. And now, in unilaterally announcing a 22-man list of probables for the five-match one-day series against New Zealand, he has managed to upset not only the coach but also the captain, the PCB chief executive, and his fellow selectors. This lack of consultation has resulted in a media outcry, and a sea of statements and counter-statements – just when Pakistan cricket was on the way up.It’s high time that these matters were set straight. Aamer Sohail, as the chief selector, has a duty to provide the coach with the best available squad. They should already be almost the finished articles, just like the Aussies or the Indians, ready for the coach to apply the final polish and teach them the rigours and strategies of international cricket.International cricket remains the ultimate forum, and to think or even express on television that someone should be taught cricket at that level by the coach or captain is living in a fool’s paradise. No coach can go out and play, no matter how great a player he might have been. It’s the player who has to go out and perform: the coach can only spruce up the 90-95% players and make achieve 110% or more.But during his tenure Sohail has selected a number of average – and even below-average players – who were found lacking in the international arena. There you don’t have time for learning the basics, you are playing for your nation and the people want to see you perform, not watch you taking an exam in front of the TV cameras.Recently Pakistan have given caps to youngsters like Yasir Ali, Faisal Iqbal, Farhan Adil and Junaid Zia, who have all struggled. A player like Mohammad Hafeez, who has serious technical flaws, has been given a long run in the side too. That’s not Hafeez’s fault – the fault lies with the selectors who chose him before he was ready.This latest squabble over the unwarranted criticism of the coach will take its toll on the young team’s morale, just when important new challenges lie ahead, like the long-awaited arrival of the Indian team and the Asia Cup. If Aamer Sohail feels that he can somehow overshadow the legacy of Javed Miandad he must wake up and face the truth – his credentials do not match.
The batting of Darren and Damien featured in the lead-up to a declaration. Its effect was then negated by the discipline of Dighton and Di Venuto as Victoria and Tasmania fought out an even second day of the Pura Cup clash between the teams here in Melbourne today.But D-day in the match might still be as many as 48 hours away with the teams locked in a battle within a battle for six outright points that could potentially define each of their seasons.After experiencing frustration at the hands of Darren Berry (62*) and Damien Fleming (39*) as Victoria made its way to 8/371 before a lunchtime closure, the Tasmanians had looked in further trouble when they surrendered two early wickets in the reply.But an unbroken 141-run union for the third wicket between Michael Dighton (78*) and Michael Di Venuto (68*) re-imposed their side’s mark on the game. In carrying the visitors to comfort at a scoreline of 2/191 by stumps, it also eased them into an excellent position from which they might be able to shape the destiny of the match.In light of a forecast that indicates rain will hit Melbourne during the match’s final day, the Tasmanians are likely to be interested in claiming first innings honours tomorrow before challenging the points-desperate Victorians to throw the match open a second time.While Tasmania’s Cup juggernaut keeps rolling inexorably forward, though, it might well have crashed and burned if the home team had not granted Dighton three slices of fortune in the midst of his plucky innings. Errant cuts should have brought him undone at 53 and 58 but resulted in dropped catches at slip by Brad Hodge and at point by Michael Klinger respectively. A sharp caught and bowled chance at 33 had earlier eluded leg spinner Cameron White (1/41) to add to mounting Victorian frustration.The Victorian attack had shown signs of early intent by regularly defeating the bats of both openers with the new ball. Jamie Cox (24) and Scott Mason (11) each flirted with danger, playing and missing serially outside the line of off stump at both Fleming (0/32) and newcomer Will Carr (0/29).Paradoxically, bowling changes eventually yielded both wickets, with Mason summarily driving loosely at an outswinger and presenting a catch to third slip as Mick Lewis (1/28) was introduced. Cox’s stay then ended when umpire Geoff Morrow upheld an appeal for a short leg catch as an attempt to sweep at White ended with the ball lobbing just beyond Klinger’s crouching pose at short leg.Cox had looked out at 3 when trapped on his crease by Fleming but wasn’t; then didn’t look out at 24 when he was. He greeted Morrow’s latter decision with restrained disgust.But that was the cue for the entry of Di Venuto and an exhibition of impressive resolve.Toward the end of a first-class season that has been savaged by an ankle injury, a bout of food poisoning and a selection panel that elected to axe him after generally indifferent form, he played a masterful innings.His bat was even touted as a cannon at times as he drilled several matter-of-fact boundaries and peppered the bowling with a series of murderous on drives. The stylish left hander also embedded an air of responsibility in his game that must have represented an immensely heartening development for his state’s hierarchy.Dighton capitalised on his reprieves all the while by adorning sagacious defence with a mix of elegant drives that helped keep the Tigers’ score moving at a respectable clip.Earlier, Berry and Fleming had offered contributions of inestimable value of their own for Victoria as the locals swelled their overnight score of 6/257 to its eventual resting place.Following up a score of 148 in his last first-class appearance, Berry looked at ease against both spin and pace in an innings that formed the backbone of important stands of 65 with Ian Harvey (87) for the seventh wicket and 69 with a belligerent Fleming for the ninth.The only two wickets to fall in the morning session each went the way of young left arm spinner Xavier Doherty (2/78), though paceman David Saker (4/71) continued to test the batsmen in a spell that netted six successive maidens at one point.
Derbyshire, who failed to garner even one batting point, lost ground to Kent,fellow-strugglers in the First Division, in their championship match at Derby. They fell to Martin Saggers, using the seam to good advantage, at the beginning of the innings and David Masters taking three wickets in three overs at the close.With half-centuries in two consecutive championship matches Steve Stubbings and Dominic Cork provided the only resistance in an otherwise inadequate batting performance. Derbyshire began unconvincingly against Saggers, who dismissed Stephen Titchard and Michael Di Venuto in the first four overs, and first-class debutant Ben Trott as the ball moved around.A ECB pitch liaison officer watched the difficulties of the batsmen but the county are not likely to face a second points deduction. The early batsmen fell in an attempt to push along the score before they had settled to the pitch. Matthew Dowman and Stubbings, let off before he had reached double figures, put on 52 runs for the fifth wicket.The latter went on to his fifty from 130 deliveries but lost his partner to a slip catch not long after lunch. A ball from Saggers struck Cork on the left foot causing him to have treatment, but showed resilience in hitting the next to the ropes to put the total into three figures. Stubbings’ innings endedto a cover-catch after 227 minutes at the crease.Wickets tumbled after that: Cork lashed out to try to break spinner Min Patel’s tight bowling of giving away only 31 runs in nearly 27 overs. Kent then began their innings in the gathering gloom. Tim Munton dismissed David Fulton to a catch at the wicket in the first over, but Robert Key and Rahul Dravid held on until the umpires, prodded into action by a Cork bowler, offered the batsmen to come off at 27-1 which they accepted.
Leeds United striker Joe Gelhardt may earn opportunities under Jesse Marsch than he did under Marcelo Bielsa, according to journalist Joe Donnohue.
The lowdown
The young striker played the final half-hour as the Whites fell to a 1-0 defeat at Leicester City in the American’s first game in charge on Saturday.
The 19-year-old, who has 18 goals in 27 games for Leeds at under-23 level, has featured in the Premier League matchday squad 20 times this season but only made 11 appearances (totalling 411 minutes) and has been awarded just two starts up to this point (via Transfermarkt).
Freelance sports journalist Pete O’Rourke told Give Me Sport on Saturday that ‘the Leeds fans have been crying out for him to be given more of a chance’.
The latest
Donnohue feels it was significant that, in his first game as Leeds manager, Marsch turned to Gelhardt ahead of Tyler Roberts and Patrick Bamford, even if the latter was ‘lacking match fitness’.
The journalist tweeted on Saturday evening: “With the game poised at 0-0, Jesse Marsch turned to Joe Gelhardt from the bench. He’s worked with him for less than a week, but was summoned ahead of Roberts & Bamford – albeit lacking match fitness – today. Impression made, and rewarded.”
In a corresponding article for Leeds Live, Donnohue stated: “If his first thought when seeking a breakthrough was to turn to Gelhardt, this certainly bodes well for the young striker’s first-team prospects.”
The verdict
Gelhardt should arguably be given a start against Aston Villa on Thursday night.
Bamford returned to the bench on Saturday but he may not be ready to play from the off just yet, having been out injured since early December and also had a prolonged absence during the autumn.
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As for Roberts, he could well miss the game after ‘struggling’ with an apparent injury he sustained after coming on at the King Power Stadium yesterday.
If Gelhardt is to break into the team, Rodrigo should be the man to make way from the starting line-up. In the words of BBC Sport’s Raj Chohan, ‘he makes too many mistakes with his final pass or shot’, so the Spaniard may yet find himself as Marsch’s fall guy.
In other news, this duo looked ‘nervous’ in Marsch’s first game