Justin Vaughan, New Zealand Cricket’s chief executive, has said that the success of the ICC World Twenty20 in South Africa could prompt the ICC to change its policy on the game and allow cricket boards to organise more such games in a year. Concerns over player burnout had forced the ICC to restrict teams from playing more than three Twenty20 games in a season and seven in a year.”I dare say that, after the success of this present tournament and the promotion of the game over the past few months, those restrictions may well change,” Vaughan told the . “We’re already seeing proof that Twenty20’s not only more exciting for the fans, but also that it’s less arduous on the players – so I can see no reason why we shouldn’t start talking about staging more games and maybe including features such as double-headers.”Speaking on his return from South Africa, Vaughan said he was impressed with how financially viable Twenty20 is and that the demand for more such games would only increase.”I believe we have to be mindful of what the customer wants, rather than trying to prescribe to people what form of cricket they should be watching,” he said. “My position is that, if crowds want to turn up and watch Twenty20 cricket, it’s incumbent on us – as an administration – to invest in the product and serve it up hot.”On promoting the game on the domestic front, Vaughan said it was important to continue talks with Cricket Australia in launching a proposed Trans-Tasman Twenty20 competition where the top two qualifying teams will compete with teams from the Indian, African and European leagues for the Champions Twenty20 tournament.Stephen Fleming, who recently quit the New Zealand captaincy, has signed up for the Indian Premier League (IPL) an officially-sanctioned domestic Twenty20 competition to be held in India in April 2008 featuring franchised teams. Vaughan said it wouldn’t affect his availability for the tour of England in May.
Merv Hughes, the Australia selector, believes England’s loss of Marcus Trescothick is as big as Glenn McGrath missing two Tests in last year’s series. McGrath was injured and withdrew from both defeats in England while Trescothick will not take part in the entire series after flying home due to his stress-related illness on Tuesday.”Now England are in the position of having to cope with the absence of someone who was essential to their plans,” Hughes was reported in the . “And they’re going to find out just how much that hurts.”I reckon the Poms could miss Tresco almost as much as we missed McGrath last year. Glenn bowled us to victory in the first Test but had to sit it out while England built up a 2-1 series lead.”Hughes said Trescothick, who has played 15 Tests against Australia, was an experienced batsman who could not be replaced easily. “He is an unorthodox player, someone with a fantastic eye rather than a classic technique,” he said. “And he just loves to take the fight back to the bowlers. OK, the guy who takes his place, Alastair Cook or whoever, could prosper against the new ball. But an Ashes series is not where you want to test that theory out.”
Nathan Bracken’s left-arm swing bowling has earned him a recall after he replaced Brad Hodge in the 12-man squad for the first Test against West Indies at Brisbane. Bracken, who played the last of his three Tests for Australia in 2004, was picked ahead of state rival Stuart Clark as Trevor Hohns, the chairman of selectors, insisted on more options for a wicket that traditionally suits the fast men.”We felt it was prudent to introduce another paceman to the squad in place of an extra batsman,” Hohns said. Stuart MacGill was retained and the decision means Shane Watson will almost certainly be given a short-term run at sealing the allrounder’s spot.Hohns said a decision on whether MacGill and Shane Warne would again be used in tandem depended on the pitch and weather conditions in the lead-up to the start on Thursday. “Since the end of the Super Test in Sydney there has been a lot of speculation about the option of playing the two spinners,” he said. “With both Shane and Stuart in the squad we still have that option.”The announcement was another setback for Hodge, who has been the reserve batsman on the tours to India, New Zealand and England without playing a match, and was 12th man for the Super Test. “It’s disappointing to miss out on a place, but following our solid start to the season I’m looking forward to playing for Victoria,” he said. “Hopefully I can put together some solid performances and put my name up before the selectors again.”Australia squad 1 Matthew Hayden, 2 Justin Langer, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Clarke, 5 Simon Katich, 6 Shane Watson, 7 Adam Gilchrist (wk), 8 Shane Warne, 9 Brett Lee, 10 Nathan Bracken, 11 Glenn McGrath, 12 Stuart MacGill.
Zee Network, which was awarded the four-year telecast rights for international matches in India, will decide by September 14 whether it will submit fresh bids. The Mumbai High Court subsequently adjourned its hearing of the case till September 16.The court had earlier suggested that ESPN-Star Sports (ESS) and Zee Network submit fresh bids. The rights, which will concern international matches played in India between October 2004 and September 2008, were granted to Zee by the BCCI. ESS had gone to court as a result, asserting that Zee was not eligible to bid in the process, as per the conditions outlined in the tender.The court’s suggestion came after BCCI argued that ESS and Zee were equally eligible to take part in the bidding process. Zee’s counsel asked if he could be allowed to respond in the afternoon session of the court, after a lunch break.The two contentious issues are: whether or not Zee is eligible to bid; and whether the BCCI acted unfairly towards ESS by not allowing them to match the amount negotiated with Zee. The court’s move towards making the sides bid again may resolve the second of these problems, but it has yet to rule on the first.
New Zealand Cricket has called a press conference for 9am tomorrow in which to announce their coach and manager for the next two years.Since incumbent coach Denis Aberhart withdrew from the selection process earlier this week speculation has been that former New Zealand off-spinner John Bracewell, who has a coaching position with Gloucestershire, would be the choice.The position of manager was foreshadowed more than a week ago when Auckland Cricket chief executive Lindsay Crocker resigned his position. It is anticipated he will take over from Jeff Crowe, who was unavailable.The national selectors are to be announced at a later date.
Sri Lanka are likely to start their third match in tri-series in Sharjahwithout fast bowling spearhead Dilhara Fernando who is suffering from a soreback.Fernando was forced to leave the field for treatment on Saturday night aftera three-wicket burst in seven overs that sent the Pakistan innings into atailspin. He did not return to the field afterwards.Team manager Ajit Jayasekera told reporters Monday that Fernando’s injurywas not serious but confirmed that he has been advised to take three daysrest before his next game.Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya will be desperately keen for Fernandoto play against Pakistan on Friday and he is not expected to take theunnecessary risk of playing him today.Fernando’s injury may provide a welcome opportunity for Dulip Liyanage, 29,who has been patiently waiting since being brought into the one-day squad inJuly.Newcomer Prabath Nissanka is expected to be replaced by Charitha BuddikaFernando as the management continues with their rotation plan for the rookiepacemen.With the Zimabwean batsmen noticeably uncomfortable against spin, KumarDharmasena is also likely to play, probably in place of a batsman.
Heavy rain washed out the sixth day of play in the World Cricket League in Jersey.Although it would have been possible to reschedule the games to Thursday, the designated rest day, the event technical committee decided to stage the three Group A matches then but not the Group B games. Only the Japan-Singapore fixture, which was washed out on Monday and was re-arranged for Thursday anyway, will go ahead, ensuring that all sides in Group B will have played four matches.All teams in Group B, as a result of the matches abandoned, were awarded one point each. That will be a relief to Jersey, who as a result go through to the semi-finals, but will be a blow to Afghanistan, who needed to beat Jersey today to guarantee their own place in the last four. They now need Japan, without a win so far, to defeat Singapore, or at least not allow then to win well enough to take their own Net Run Rate past Afghanistan’s.The Group A matches have no major consequence as USA and Nepal, who are pitted against each other, have both already qualified.
West Ham are set to try and lure Liverpool striker Andy Carroll to Upton Park by offering him £100,000 per week, Mirror Football report.
The England international forward is thought to be surplus to requirements at Anfield, with Brendan Rodgers willing to part with the burly frontman.
The Hammers want to bring Carroll to London, but it is believed that the player rejected the opportunity to move to Sam Allardyce’s men on loan.
However, West Ham are not taking no for an answer, and will return with a transfer bid for Carroll, and will try to convince him to join by upping his current wages to £100,000 per week.
Meanwhile, West Ham are also closing in on a move for former defender James Collins, The Sun report.
The Wales central defender left the Hammers to move to Aston Villa, but is set for a return to the club in a £2.5 million deal.
A deal for Collins is thought to be on the verge of completion, with confirmation expected on Wednesday.
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QPR go into the game having secured their first Premier League win for over 15 years last week, whilst Wigan continue to search for their first three points of the season.
The home side play their third promoted team in a row but have yet to take anything more than a point away from both games. Boss Roberto Martinez will have to make sure his player’s concentration is at it’s maximum level if they are to avoid defeat against the Hoops. Hugo Rodallega has yet to open his account for the season and the Colombian will need to start firing if Wigan are to get an early head start in the race to beat the drop.
QPR on the other hand followed their opening day hammering at home to Bolton with a superb win away at Everton. Tommy Smith scored the solitary goal to give Neil Warnock’s side their first win of the season and send them hurtling into mid-table. Another solid defensive display similar to the previous week’s will be high on Warnock’s agenda who knows points will be hard to come by away from home despite the win at Goodison Park.
This game could go either way with Wigan desperate to secure their first maximum points haul of the season whilst QPR will be riding the crest of a wave after the win at Everton.
Key Players
[player_profile slug=”james-mccarthy” align=”left”]James McCarthy – A driving force in Wigan’s midfield McCarthy will be tasked with linking up with the attack to create and provide goals from the centre of the park.
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[player_profile slug=”daniel-gabbidon” align=”left”]Daniel Gabbidon – An outstanding performance last week at Everton reminded the Premier League just how good Gabbidon is and he’ll be key to securing a second consecutive away win.
Holger Osieck was left to rue missed opportunities after Australia fell to Japan’s extra-time goal in the final of the Asian Cup.
The Socceroos enjoyed plenty of chances over the course of 120 minutes at Doha’s Khalifa Stadium, but were unable to breach Japan’s defence.
A technically accomplished volley from Tadinari Lee in the second half of extra time proved the difference, and Australia’s German coach could only watch on helpless after his players failed to find the net.
“We had our opportunities and what is always encouraging is the way we play and we create opportunities,” Osieck said.
“However, it is crucial to convert them and later on in the game it backfired and that is a problem. We had to be more clinical in our finishing and it’s not enough to win a game if you don’t score.”
“I’m very proud of my players, their performance and their attitude. I give them credit and really feel sorry for the boys that they didn’t get the reward for their efforts.”
“You can imagine in our dressing room it’s not a great atmosphere, everybody’s really sad.”
“All in all, our team represented Australia in a great way.”
Sanfrecce Hiroshima forward Lee found himself unmarked inside the box to strike the late winner, but Osieck refused to point fingers after the lapse.
“It was late into extra time and there was fatigue and it was probably the only positional mistake that we made,” he said.
“It was a very costly one and I don’t want to blame anyone. It was definitely not our regular defensive positioning but to have a go at any of the players is inappropriate.”
“We had six games in an intense tournament and twice we had to go into extra time so if there was no fatigue, then the players must be robots.”
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Australia captain Lucas Neil echoed the thoughts of his coach after seeing the team’s efforts undone by a single, costly error.
“We didn’t punish Japan when we had the half-chances and then one lapse in concentration punished us,” Neil said.
“It was probably due to fatigue in extra time but at this level it’s probably only going to take one mistake to win or lose the game.”