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Triallist Adam Rose was an instant hit for Gloucestershire as they chased down their target against Kent from an unpromising position

Press Association27-Jun-2014
ScorecardAdam Rouse is an instant success for Gloucestershire•Getty ImagesAdam Rouse struck an unbeaten 35 from 16 balls as Gloucestershire gained a thrilling three-wicket, final-ball NatWest t20 Blast South Division victory against Kent at Bristol.Wicketkeeper Rouse joined Gloucestershire on a month’s trial last week and marked his second T20 game for the county with a brilliant innings, which included three fours off the last over of the game, bowled by Australian international Doug Bollinger.Gloucestershire looked to be out of contention when reduced to 101 for 6 in the 16th over, but Rouse received good support from Jack Taylor and Tom Smith to secure Gloucestershire’s third win in the competition this season.A delighted Rouse said after the match: “It’s an awesome feeling. Winning is always a good feeling, but when you are on trial and it’s your home debut, it’s nice to come in and do something for the team.“We bat quite deep, and the boys were thinking as long as we take the game deep, we’ll give ourselves a good chance of winning it. We’ve got some good hitters down the order, as Jack Taylor showed, so we knew if we could keep it under 15 in the last over we’d have a chance.”Kent captain Key said: “It was a shame to lose. I thought we had the game won with four overs left, but they play pretty well and we didn’t quite nail it at the death.“Sam Northeast played outstandingly well for us. It was a green pitch, with a bit in it, but we gave ourselves a good platform. But you need to hurt a team at the back-end of the innings and we didn’t do that.”Earlier, a sparkling 75 from Sam Northeast, which included five fours and four sixes, had dominated Kent’s total of 150 for 6 on a slow Bristol pitch.After being put in by acting Gloucestershire captain Alex Gidman, Kent took 40 off the six powerplay overs for the loss of skipper Robert Key, who departed for 14 when David Payne had him caught off a leading edge by Graeme McCarter atmid-off.Daniel Bell-Drummond and Northeast appeared to be setting Kent up for an imposing total as they took the total on to 94 in the 12th over, before Bell-Drummond fell lbw to slow left-armer Smith.Northeast looked in excellent form as he plundered three fours and three straight sixes on his way to a 35-ball half-century, but no-one else was able to offer him the support needed as Kent’s innings faltered in the closing overs.Darren Stevens and Alex Blake skied catches to Jack Taylor, at backward point, and Ian Cockbain, at long-off, to give wickets to Benny Howell and McCarter, respectively.Northeast added another two fours and a six over long-on to his tally before he was out leg before to McCarter with eight balls of the innings remaining.Payne conceded just five runs off the final over, and the left-arm seamer took his second wicket when Sam Billings struck a full toss to Alex Gidman at extra cover.Gloucestershire’s chase was undermined by the loss of two wickets in three balls during the third over, as Mitchell Claydon held a waist-high return catch to dismiss Alex Gidman and had Chris Dent caught behind by Billings.It became 36 for 3 in the sixth over when Hamish Marshall chopped a Bollinger delivery on to his stumps to depart for 10.Cockbain made 18 before he was caught behind by Billings, standing up to the medium pace of Adam Ball, and with Darren Stevens giving away just 14 runs off his first three overs, Kent’s grip on the game was starting to tighten.Three sixes in seven balls, two by Will Gidman and one by Howell, threatened to loosen it, but Claydon struck with his first ball back at the Ashley Down Road End when Howell was caught by Ball, running in from long-on.Will Gidman was bowled by Tredwell for 22, but Rouse and Taylor kept Gloucestershire in with a chance with some superb strokeplay.Taylor made 19 from ten balls before he was bowled by David Griffiths with nine balls left in the innings.Twelve were required off the last over and Rouse got the job done with boundaries off the third, fourth and last balls.

Kevin Pietersen has suggested that his fear of prolonged injury lay-offs was precisely the reason why last summer he wanted to retire from England’s one-day side

David Hopps21-Jun-2013Kevin Pietersen has marked his return to first-class action for the first time in three months by suggesting that his fear of prolonged injury lay-offs was precisely the reason why last summer he wanted to retire from England’s one-day side.There was no angry self-justification, no forceful opinion likely to incur the wrath of the England management, just a gentle acceptance in a chat on Talksport radio with his old England buddy, Darren Gough – billed as his only interview of the summer – that his injury might never have happened if he had been allowed licence to plot his own career.Pietersen’s disgruntlement over England’s refusal to let him retire solely from ODIs – he was obliged to give up T20 as well – to an outburst after the Headingley Test against South Africa, a rift with the England dressing room, a stand-off with officialdom, exclusion from England’s World Twenty20 squad and finally a triumphant return in the Test series against India as he agreed to continue in all three formats.Despite being rested for the T20s in India and both limited-overs series against New Zealand, he suffered a badly bruised knee bone in Queenstown, which has caused him to miss both the IPL and Champions Trophy. While England face India in the final of the latter competition at Edgbaston on Sunday, Pietersen will be engaged in the third day of a Championship match against Yorkshire at Headingley. The English media he so mistrusts were out in force to watch him field on the opening day as he made a rare Championship appearance for Surrey.In the interview, Gough suggested to Pietersen: “Only last year you were talking about looking after your body; you don’t want to get injured playing all forms of the game. You went back on that, and ended up playing all forms of the game and got injured. So it highlighted what you were saying, that at some point every individual’s body is going to break down.””Exactly,” Pietersen responded. “You can feel it as a player. I probably didn’t go about it in the best fashion. You make mistakes, and you get over them, and that’s the way you grow as a human being, by learning from things that you don’t do well. So I take it on the chin, no dramas, it’s just a case of looking forward and making sure that you do the right things now.”Pietersen’s relationship with the English media has never been more strained. His disenchantment with the ridicule he received during his power struggle with England was deepened when it was erroneously suggested in New Zealand that his knee injury was not serious and that he was just trying to pick up an insurance payout from IPL.”It was really bad,” he said. “In New Zealand I couldn’t duck a bounce, I couldn’t sweep, I was in all sorts of trouble. I was on the strongest painkillers and eventually my stomach just gave up with me in the second Test match. I probably did it a lot of damage by playing, but I just tried to get through and played for as long as I could because I hate missing Test matches.”A bruising on your bone is a lot worse than breaking it. You know with a break it’ll be back. I’ve broken my arm, I’ve broken collar bones, I’ve broken my leg. I’ve broken plenty of bones and you know that within six, seven, eight weeks you’re firing again. The bruising has been really frustrating but over the last three weeks I turned a real positive corner.”I’m just going up to Yorkshire this week to get through four days. If I get runs, I get runs. If I don’t get runs, I don’t get runs. I just need to wake up on Tuesday morning or the day after being on the field knowing that my knee’s not an issue.”The professional in me will want to score as many runs as possible and that never stops, never fades, but the most important thing from this four-day game is to wake up every morning with no knee issue and to know that I’ve turned a good corner and I can handle a day in the field – because that’s the only thing that hasn’t been tested yet. I can bat in the nets, I’ve done all the fielding drills you can do but it’s not the same as fielding for 96 overs.Pietersen also dwelt upon the problems at Surrey which have seen Chris Adams sacked as team director and Alec Stewart, the former England captain, take temporary charge. He revealed for the first time – doubtless unintentionally – that Steve Davies’ need to take a break from the game after the death of his team-mate, Tom Maynard, in a tube accident, led him to turn down offers of at least one England tour last winter.If this was the case, it has never officially been made public.Pietersen said the tragedy had “moulded the dressing room”. He added: “The guys are really super-tight as they looked after each other so well last year. A lot of them took a big hit last year, but in terms of their performances, some of the guys have come back really well.”I mean Steve Davies for one. He was hit by the Tom Maynard incident really hard last year. He went away all winter, turned down a few England tours and he said ‘I need to go away, sort my head out’ and I’ve never seen Steve Davies play as well as he has this summer. I mean, he’s back and I think he’s back a better player.”Pietersen was in affable enough mood to express his love for county cricket, even if it is a love from afar. “It serves a great purpose, it’s a great learning facility. I learnt to be the cricketer I was through county cricket and the more you play it, the better you become. The more you do anything the better you become, so I love county cricket, it’s a great form of the game, and it looks like it’s still flourishing.”

Brad Haddin is the man to fill the leadership and experience void left by the retirements of Michael Hussey and Ricky Ponting, after the coach Mickey Arthur indicated Australia’s No. 2 gloveman has all but booked his ticket to the Ashes

Daniel Brettig07-Jan-2013Brad Haddin is the man to fill the leadership and experience void left by the retirements of Michael Hussey and Ricky Ponting, after the coach Mickey Arthur indicated Australia’s No. 2 gloveman has all but booked his ticket to the Ashes.Recalled to the ODI team while Matthew Wade rests for the first two ODIs against Sri Lanka, Haddin’s commission is expected to extend well beyond that as a senior pro in a squad now characterised by more youthful and uncertain faces. Arthur’s confirmation that two glovemen will be taken to England means Haddin need only maintain his strong form this summer to make his spot safe. There is also consideration being given to taking him to India primarily as a batsman.Shocked as Arthur, the captain Michael Clarke and the selectors were by Hussey’s decision to retire while still providing a critical link on the batting order, their thoughts have turned to Haddin as the next best option to provide an experienced head and immaculate training standards around the dressing room. Wade’s standing as the No.1 wicketkeeper is not in dispute, but Haddin will now be a figure of considerable use to Clarke and his team.”We’ve probably looked at a full group of 20, 21 players we need to cut down to take to India,” Arthur said. “Obviously there are two keepers in the 20, 21 at the moment – but whether we take two keepers I’m not sure. I do know we’ll be taking two keepers to the Ashes in England though.”So really that’s important we know who our second keeper is and he’s comfortable that he knows exactly where he stands as well. At the moment the second keeper is definitely Brad Haddin.”Since rushing home from the West Indies tour last year to be with his family as his daughter Mia battled cancer, Haddin has won plenty of admiration for fighting his way back to the fringes of the national side by playing strong for New South Wales. Some games this summer have had Haddin spending the night by his daughter’s bedside in hospital then going out the next day to bat for the Blues, something he has done to great effect while making 337 runs at 67.40 in four Shield matches, with two centuries.”In all honesty cricket was not anywhere in my thoughts,” Haddin had said in Brisbane after hearing of his recall. “When something like that happens your life is put on hold. I have been lucky that things have gone in the right direction enough to allow me to be back playing cricket. But in all honestly I wasn’t thinking about cricket at all. I would not be playing cricket now if it affected my family. I am no different to anyone. Your family comes first.”Haddin has indicated his willingness to be part of the squad as Wade’s back-up, and so provide guidance for Clarke and the rest of the team that was lost when Ponting then Hussey elected to draw their international careers to a close. “I have played enough cricket now to offer a little bit in that area,” Haddin said. “It is an exciting team for the first game.”You remember back to when you first started how exciting it was to have guys around giving you those little tips. I was lucky to have Haydos [Matthew Hayden] barking at me and pushing me in the right direction. I have been lucky enough to have a couple of tours to England, one as the No. 1 keeper and one behind Adam Gilchrist. From that point of view I would be ready to go in whatever capacity they want.”While Haddin was delighted to be recalled having not expected to return, the younger gloveman Tim Paine must bide his time again. Australia A will tour England ahead of the Ashes tour, and this may now be the trip Paine makes to the UK rather than the Ashes tour he would have liked to be part of after making a sterling return from a serious finger injury.”Tim’s been knocking on the door,” Arthur said. “Tim’s performances are getting better for Tasmania and the Hurricanes. We still feel right now that at this particular moment though that Brad Haddin is the second keeper to Matthew Wade in all forms. Painey just needs to keep working, keep working hard, keep knocking the door down and he’ll certainly put his name up in lights as well.”Aside from Haddin, the likes of Usman Khawaja, Aaron Finch and the stand-in captain George Bailey now have the chance to press their cases for higher honours due to the bevy of players rested from the first two ODIs. Arthur baulked at the suggestion of the series being used as a Test trial but agreed now was the chance for a younger generation to show their aptitude and desire for national duty.”There’s massive opportunity for somebody to put their hand up and really tell us they’re around,” Arthur said. “Someone who can really win us games and really make his mark, because losing Ponting and Hussey in the last four Test matches, we’ve only lost 250 Test caps … so if I was a young batsman in Australia at the moment it’s a massively exciting time.”Some really good performances can give you a gig in all forms. So we are really hoping that somebody puts their hand up. I’m really excited about working with this younger group of batsmen, it really excites me and I’m sure somebody is going to stand up and make a real name for themselves.”

Liverpool have landed the “modern day David Beckham” in Dominik Szobozslai and a transfer “steal” to rival Erling Haaland, says Jesse Marsch.

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Big money invested in Hungarian midfielderTipped to thrive in English footballAmerican coach excited by his potentialWHAT HAPPENED?

The Reds have splashed out £60 million ($75m) on acquiring the obvious potential of exciting Hungarian midfielder Szobozslai. He is already a national hero in his homeland, despite being just 22 years of age, and American coach Marsch – who worked with the hottest of prospects at Red Bull Salzburg – claims to sees comparisons with a Manchester United and England legend.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Marsch has told of Szobozslai: “He is the modern-day David Beckham. When the ball is on his right foot he can put it anywhere he wants. The precision and the pace he can put on the ball is ridiculous. And I say ‘modern day’ because he is more mobile and more dynamic. I was in Budapest on vacation with my family recently and Szobo’s face is everywhere, but he relishes that responsibility. He has known for years this was his path. This is the way it is supposed to go. He is the hope and pride of his nation, seen as ‘the next Puskas’.”

AND WHAT'S MORE

Marsch also worked with a young Haaland in Austria and sees Szobozslai filling a similar talent bracket as the prolific Manchester City striker. He added: “When I took over at Salzburg we had sold nine of 11 starters and it was clear we needed to help Szobo and Erling to establish themselves. Erling exploded and Szobo really picked up on the same work ethic. Erling had a level of determination on another level which meant he would return to the training ground in the afternoon for the cold tub or massage, and was constantly demanding video feedback. Szobo picked up these good habits from Erling and became the same in his attitude. He could never have enough video analysis. He always wanted more feedback and was driven to achieve his potential. Once that clicks and a player has that level of self-evaluation, it feels like the work is done and then the player will go on.

“Liverpool got a steal at £60 million, just like Manchester City got a steal with Erling. Look, they are a different profile of footballer. Erling has the ability to change a game because he can score at will. His pace and power is different to anyone else around. Szobo has an elegance and technical ability to go with a physical package which make him unique. There are not many players with his physical stature who can run as he can with the intelligence. The point is that these two are destined to be two of the best in the world in their positions.”

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GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Szobozslai has figured in both of Liverpool’s Premier League fixtures in the 2023-24 campaign and will be hoping to record his first goal and assist for the Reds in the coming weeks – with Jurgen Klopp’s side set to take in a testing trip to Newcastle on Sunday.

After a disappointing draw against the Netherlands, questions are being asked of the coach and whether he can deliver success Down Under

Some advice to Vlatko Andonovski: now isn't the time to search your name on Twitter. Social media isn't a friendly place for the head coach of the United States women's national team right now. It's safe to say that the team's last game has brought out the coach in everyone embedded in American Soccer Twitter.

Andonovski did not have his best night during the USWNT's 1-1 draw against the Netherlands. His line-up decisions were questionable and his tactics weren't adjusted in time. When they were adjusted with the introduction of Rose Lavelle, they were never touched again. Andonovski made just that one substitution in the draw, an almost inexcusable oversight at this level.

The USWNT coach will have learned from that decision, which has been widely criticized in the days since. However, the draw with the Netherlands showed that this USWNT side is very, very beatable. It also showed that there are some tweaks to be made to limit that fact, and the defending champions' fate may very well be determined by how Andonovski handles those tweaks.

GOAL takes a look at what Andonovski can do to get the USWNT back on track, starting with their final group-stage clash against Portugal…

Please enable Javascript to view this contentGettyUnleash Rose Lavelle

If the Netherlands draw proved anything, it's that Lavelle is irreplaceable. That game can be broken down into two segments: pre-Lavelle and post-Lavelle. Before she came into the game, the USWNT midfield was helpless, totally outplayed by their Dutch counterparts. After she came on, the U.S. found some level of control and, by the end, looked like the more likely team to score.

This, though, is where Andonovski has a decision to make. The coach claimed that Lavelle was deemed fit to play for just 45 minutes against the Dutch, and it remains to be seen if that changes pre-Portugal. The most important thing is, of course, to have Lavelle as close to 100 percent as possible for the knockouts because, from what we saw against the Dutch, the U.S. won't win this tournament without her.

Lavelle needs to be on the field against Portugal one way or another. Maybe that's another 45-minute run-out, maybe it's a 60-minute start or perhaps a true return to fitness with a 90-minute effort. Whatever it is, the U.S. needs to keep building her up for the bigger challenges ahead.

AdvertisementGettySort out the No.6

For years, Andonovski has been trying to find some sort of answer at the No.6 position. The USWNT were looking for a Julie Ertz replacement for so long that the program ended up looking towards… Julie Ertz. Fresh off giving birth and after an extended time out of the game, Ertz was brought back into the fold this spring, mostly because the U.S. hadn't figured out how to play without her.

And then the World Cup started. Ertz wasn't deployed in that No.6 spot, but rather at center-back, with Andi Sullivan – who has failed to convince this cycle – starting in defensive midfield. Against the Netherlands, it didn't look great, with Sullivan at least partially at fault for the goal.

So how does the U.S. fix it? Well, Andonovski could move Ertz into midfield and bring Alana Cook in at center-back, as everyone expected he would from the start. He could turn to the bench to, say Kristie Mewis, to see if she can offer something different. Or he could mess with the midfield altogether and appease some USWNT fans by finally putting Crystal Dunn in that spot next to Lindsey Horan, with Lavelle ahead.

There could also be some kind of tweak, like having Horan sit just a bit deeper with Sullivan or Ertz while Lavelle plays higher up, inverting the midfield triangle a bit like they did in the second half against the Netherlands.

Regardless, teams have all seen the USWNT's weakness is their midfield, and some of the more technical teams in this tournament will be able to dominate in that area. The question is how the U.S. intends to counteract that, with Andonovski needing to figure out something that will allow his midfield to survive against the world's best.

GettyUse your depth!

There probably isn't a team in this tournament with as much depth as the USWNT. Even without the likes of Mallory Swanson, Becky Sauerbrunn, Catarino Macario, Sam Mewis and Tobin Heath, this team still has so much talent.

And yet, it doesn't appear that Andonovski actually trusts it. If he did, he would have turned to some of his other players against the Netherlands.

He didn't in the name of continuity, he said, as his side looked more likely to score toward the end. Fair enough, but wouldn't they have been even more likely with fresh legs? He had Megan Rapinoe, Alyssa Thompson, Lynn Williams and Ashley Sanchez all just sitting there – any one of them could have come on and changed that game.

Andonovski has to trust his players… all of them. He's already started the same XI twice and, given the age of some of those involved, there's a real concern that players could be burnt out by the end of this tournament. And, even if they aren't, it never hurts to use substitutes to add new wrinkles and new ideas to a game that needs opening up.

The Netherlands game was dying for that, for one player to come in and add just that little something different. Andonovski didn't see it that way, but the U.S. may not be so lucky in the latter stages if he doesn't trust his players to come into games and make a real impact.

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Getty ImagesAdd something to the attack

For years, the U.S. attack has been one that plays as less than the sum of its parts. Throughout his tenure, Andonovski just hasn't quite found a way to get a group of world-class stars on the same page. Injuries have certainly hurt, but that doesn't matter now, does it?

The U.S. attack just hasn't looked right through two games, failing to pass both the eye test or the statistical one. Just watching, the front three of Alex Morgan, Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman so rarely moved together with purpose., which is something legendary striker Carli Lloyd has pointed out on .

“I don’t think you saw that fluidity with the U.S. in the first game,” Lloyd said. “Why would you? That line-up had never played together. The first goal Sophia Smith scored was really the only moment where you saw three players — Lindsey Horan, Alex Morgan and Soph — have that movement off of one another where it was synchronized.

“Everything else was just these Hail Mary balls that were being lumped into the box. Those aren’t effective often.”

Statistically, it hasn't been great either. Rodman completed fewer than 50% of her passes against the Netherlands, routinely turning the ball over in important areas of the field. U.S. attacks were routinely halted by bad giveaways, making life a bit easier for the Dutch.

Figuring this out now is easier said than done. The good news is that the trio of Morgan, Rodman and Smith all do so many things well that they can, at times, simply overwhelm teams individually. Rodman's pace, Smith's smoothness in front of goal and Morgan's veteran guile… all valuable assets that should produce goals.

That trio will likely be the one leading the U.S. into the knockouts, and getting them on the same page will be key to any deep run.

Surrey have agreed terms with Kevin Pietersen for the 2014 season and are hoping that the batsman England no longer want will bring them a Twenty20 bonanza instead

David Hopps10-Feb-20140:00

Stewart hails Pietersen deal as great for English cricket

Surrey have agreed terms with Kevin Pietersen for the 2014 season and are hoping the batsman England no longer want will bring them a Twenty20 bonanza instead.Pietersen will play in the revamped NatWest T20 Blast which is scheduled mainly on Friday nights from May to July, ensuring that he will still be seen on English cricket grounds as he faces a T20-orientated future.He even hinted on Twitter that although his deal was specifically designed for T20, a game or two in the Championship could not be ruled out, but that might have been due to his relief that Surrey had remained committed to him.Surrey already pull in some of the biggest T20 crowds in the country and Pietersen is bound to add to the attraction despite the troubles for the county which saw them relegated in the Championship last season.Kevin Pietersen will still be seen on English cricket grounds this summer•Getty ImagesDetails of his arrangement are not clear. England are thought to have paid off his central contract until September – although typically no official details have been released – and even if Pietersen could have put his feet up, it is in his best interests to play as much T20 cricket as possible as long as IPL franchises remain interested. He will know the result of that interest later this week.There was no sense of concern about Pietersen’s commitment to the cause from Alec Stewart, Surrey’s director of cricket, and a man regarded in his playing days as a bit of a stickler for behaviour.”We are delighted to have agreed terms with Kevin, and to have a player of his ability at the Kia Oval,” Stewart told Surrey TV. “Unsurprisingly there was a great deal of interest in Kevin from around the world, but he has made it very clear that he wants to play at Surrey.”It is not only good news for the club but for the domestic game in this country. We are now looking forward to watching him in the middle, scoring a bucketload of runs for Surrey.”It all happened quickly and it was very straightforward. Now I am looking forward to seeing Kevin in a Surrey shirt. Once his IPL commitments are finished he is available for Surrey. It is predominantly a Twenty20 deal but that is not to say we won’t see him in a 50-over or a Championship game.”Marcus Trescothick became a big draw at Somerset when time was called prematurely on his England career because of a stress-related illness. It is a shame that Nottinghamshire have yet to suggest they are seeking to persuade Graeme Swann to keep himself in shape enough to play in T20 cricket: certainly his chronic elbow condition could cope with it.Stewart suggested that the Caribbean Premier League was Pietersen’s other option. “There was competition from the Caribbean League but Kevin made it very clear that he wanted to play here at Surrey. Everything had to fit in within the salary cap and the cricket budget which I am charge off. I don’t want anyone to think we have spent millions on one player. We haven’t. He is playing for Surrey for the right reasons. He wanted to play for Surrey and made that very clear.

Great to see that @KP24 has agreed to play with @surreycricket this year. Look out county bowlers!! Glad I'm on the same side…

— Chris Tremlett (@ChrisTremlett33) February 10, 2014

It is not just great for Surrey. It is great for the domestic game as well. It will give the Twenty20 Blast a great little lift off. He is appreciative of the fact that Surrey took him on board when he finished with Hampshire. We also appreciate what he has done for us in the games he has played for us in the last three years. There haven’t been many but he has made it clear he likes walking through the gates here.”Pietersen, whose public utterances have been limited since his England freeze-out to a couple of gnomic comments on Twitter, sounded just as enthusiastic, inspiring the belief that now his England career is over he could be about to enter his most productive county cricket phase as he seeks to keep himself in the shop window for T20 around the world.”I’m absolutely delighted to have agreed terms with Surrey and am thoroughly looking forward to playing my cricket for the club this summer. I’ve had some of my best moments in cricket at the Kia Oval and I’m really excited at the prospect of getting back out there playing in what will hopefully be a brilliant summer for us all at Surrey.”He added on Twitter: “Happy Monday everyone. My day is shaping up to be a lot more enjoyable than this time last week.” He even revealed want he called his “new profile picture” – wearing a Surrey T20 shirt.

Top news regarding @KP24. Always gives his best when playing for us. Very excited! #topman

— Steve Davies (@SteveDavies43) February 10, 2014

They may be second on the bill but, for these two World T20 debutants, Hong Kong and Nepal, it has never been any bigger than this

The Preview by Alan Gardner in Chittagong15-Mar-2014Match factsMarch 16, 2014
Start time 1930 local (1330 GMT)Mark Chapman’s recent form, with two half-centuries, augurs well for Hong Kong•ICCBig PictureThey may be second on the bill but, for these two World T20 debutants, it has never been any bigger than this. T20 has been cricket’s major vehicle for growth and the ICC’s decision to include six Associates at this tournament for the first time should be applauded but once the coin is tossed at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, there will be no time for fraternity between Hong Kong and Nepal.This time last year, the two teams were battling the likes of Singapore, Bahrain and Malaysia at the ACC T20 Cup for spots at the World T20 Qualifier. In the UAE, Nepal stormed to third place, behind the more established Ireland and Afghanistan, sealing their place in Bangladesh with a last-ball win against Hong Kong, having taken 13 off the final over. The scenes of celebration, at the ground and back home in Nepal, were quite something.Despite losing that quarter-final, Hong Kong saw off Papua New Guinea to secure their own qualification. That seems to have ignited something in a country known more for its banking arm than its sporting prowess. A young side sprinkled with players from a variety of backgrounds has been on fire in recent weeks, beating Ireland and Netherlands during a training camp in Sharjah and then scalping Zimbabwe in their opening warm-up match in Chittagong.That win was followed by a stunning comeback against Netherlands, defending 127, with Haseeb Amjad’s display of reverse swing helping him to six wickets. Some of their inspiration in that game came from an inspired, one-handed catch by Nizakat Khan and the fielding of both sides will provide an indication of how hard they have worked.Nepal have not enjoyed such a fast start, beaten by Ireland and UAE, but they are eager to give a good account of themselves and, in the words of captain Paras Khadka, “present Nepal cricket in front of the world”. His side has become, like Afghanistan, poster boys for the Associate game, from their success at the 2006 U-19 World Cup and their rise through the ICC’s World Cricket League structure.In many ways, the journey to Bangladesh has been the story for Nepal and Hong Kong and it would be a major shock if either was to reach the second round. All games at the WT20 will have T20 international status, so both countries will also contest their first match in the format. The prospect of playing in front of 15,000 people, or more, will be both reward and challenge. As they try not to blink, they should enjoy the experience too.Form guide(including warm-up matches)
Hong Kong WWWWL
Nepal LLWLWPlayers to watchIrfan Ahmed can open the batting and contribute regularly with the ball, while captain Jamie Atkinson has experience of playing first-class cricket in England. Mark Chapman, however, could be their lynchpin, having made two classy half-centuries in the warm-up games. The left-hander, who was raised in New Zealand, plays in orthodox fashion but is capable of upping the rate.Khadka is Nepal’s totem but, on the pitches of Bangladesh, the left-arm spinner Basant Regmi will have a vital role to play. He is Nepal’s leading international wicket-taker and played a central role in securing qualification in the UAE last year. If they are in need of some bash with the bat, Sharad Vesawkar has previously displayed a cool head and strong forearms.Team newsHong Kong rested three of their first-choice XI for Netherlands but should be back to full strength. Munir Dar, their leading wicket-taker in the UAE, has been banned from bowling due to his action but remains in the squad as a batting option.Hong Kong (probable) 1 Irfan Ahmed, 2 Waqas Barkat, 3 Jamie Atkinson (capt & wk), 4 Babar Hyat, 5 Nizakat Khan, 6 Mark Chapman, 7 Munir Dar, 8 Tanwir Afzal, 9 Haseeb Amjad, 10 Najeed Amar, 11 Nadeem AhmedKhadka said that Nepal had been tinkering with their line-up in the warm-up games and would decide their XI after looking at the pitch. The top order is pretty settled. Avinash Karn provides a left-arm seam option and they could utilise Rahul Vishwakarma as a second spinner.Nepal (probable) 1 Sagar Pun, 2 Subash Khakurel (wk), 3 Gyanendra Malla, 4 Paras Khadka (capt), 5 Binod Bhandari, 6 Sharad Vesawkar, 7 Naresh Budayair, 8 Basant Regmi, 9 Shakti Gauchan, 10 Sompal Kami, 11 Jitendra MukhiyaPitch and conditionsChittagong has a reputation for high scores and slow turn but the recent T20s at the ground between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka saw something on offer for the quicks too. The evening start time, plus its location close to the sea, should mean conditions are a little cooler.Stats and trivia Nepal have beaten Hong Kong in their previous two T20s Paras Khadka is 14 runs shy of 500 in T20s Hong Kong pace bowlers Haseeb Amjad and Tanwir Afzal both represented Pakistan at U-19 levelQuotes”These last couple of weeks people have really started to take notice of Hong Kong cricket. In the past, people might have thought of Hong Kong as one of the weaker sides in the group, at major tournaments, but we’ve shown we can take on anyone.”
“There are so many people who are so eager to see what Nepal is going to do. As players we are excited, but we need to control our emotions as well. We need to play the cricket we have learnt, not go overboard.”

Mumbai Indians have not ruled out Sachin Tendulkar’s participation in the second Qualifier on May 24

ESPNcricinfo staff22-May-2013Mumbai Indians have not ruled out Sachin Tendulkar’s participation in the second qualifier on May 24, despite the batsman suffering a wrist injury for which the normal recovery time is around three weeks.Medium-pacer Dhawal Kulkarni, however, will not play further part in Mumbai’s campaign because of a side strain, the franchise said.Tendulkar hurt his hand while batting during Mumbai’s home game against Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 13 and retired hurt. He then missed Mumbai’s last two league games as well as the first qualifier against Chennai Super Kings in Delhi. The second qualifier is their last shot at making the final of IPL 2013.”On investigation we have found that there is some swelling in the wrist and around one of the tendons of his left hand,” the franchise said in a statement. “We have addressed this with an injection in his hand by a hand-and-wrist specialist. He is currently under rehab and is progressing well.”The normal recovery time for this injury is around three weeks, however rehab results in the past nine days have shown reasonable improvement and we are hopeful to get him back in action as soon as possible.”Kulkarni was injured on May 18, during Mumbai’s final league game, and missed the qualifier against Super Kings. His recovery period was estimated to be six weeks.

Napoli star Victor Osimhen has launched a furious rant towards Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's agent, after he claimed the striker will move to Saudi Arabia.

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Kvaratskhelia's agent made claim about Osimhen futureStriker responds on InstagramSent furious messageWHAT HAPPENED?

Kvaratskhelia's agent gave an interview earlier this week in which he claimed that Osimhen "will go to Saudi Arabia next summer". The striker signed a new contract at the Serie A club in December, extending his stay until 2026 with a release clause worth around £113m ($144m), and he did not hold back in his response to Mamuka Jugeli.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT OSIMHEN SAID

Osimhen wrote on his Instagram stories: "Dear Mamuka Jugeli, you are a piece of filth and a disgrace. I'm embarrassed at your sense of reasoning. Dumbf*ck! KEEP MY NAME OUT OF YOUR MOUTH!"

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Osimhen remains a key player for Napoli and has scored eight goals in 18 games in all competitions this season. He has been linked with a potential exit from the Serie A club, and both Arsenal and Chelsea have been credited with an interest.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR NAPOLI?

The Italian champions may need to mediate between their two star players as they prepare for a clash with Salernitana this weekend. Napoli are currently ninth in Serie A and have not won any of their last three games.

There will be no kneejerk reaction to Jonathan Trott’s tough return to Test cricket in his new position of opener following the double failure in Antigua

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Apr-2015There will be no kneejerk reaction to Jonathan Trott’s tough return to Test cricket in his new position of opener following the double failure in Antigua with Peter Moores, the England coach, saying he has “earned the right to have a go,” but James Tredwell has emerged as a doubt for the second Test in Grenada.Tredwell strained his arm diving for a catch which rebounded off silly point late in the final session of the opening Test, as Jason Holder guided West Indies to a draw, and with the quick turnaround to the second contest could be struggling to recover which may create the opening for Moeen Ali’s return.Trott was dismissed for 0 and 4, edging outswingers from Jerome Taylor in both innings, in his first international for 16 months, which came after scores of 0 and 2 in the second two-day warm-up match in St Kitts. Both brief innings at the Sir Vivian Richards stadium were characterised by uncertain footwork, although he was not alone in that with Alastair Cook’s travails also continuing with a lean Test match.Antigua was only the second time in Trott’s 50-match career that he had opened the batting – the previous occasion coming against Bangladesh in Dhaka in 2010 – and England have Adam Lyth, the Yorkshire opener, as part of their squad but the management will not be making any hasty decisions.”I don’t think you’re looking to change your opening partnership straight away,” Moores said. “I think Trott has earned his right to get a go. He’s come back into our squad and we’ve watched him play and we can see he is really hungry and playing nicely.”He’s been done by the swinging ball, so he’s working hard to get past that challenge, which will be there in Grenada and that is not going to change. But what we know about Trott is that once he gets in, he has that fierce determination and concentration to make people pay and that is one of his great strengths as a player.”I think if you take it in the whole context, that first game back was always going to be quite a tough one. But he’s back in and he’s got a good chance to go and show what he’s got. This is a player we’ve all watched play some brilliant innings for England and I think now is his chance to come back and show he’s still got that.”Trott’s position as opener had further been put under scrutiny by the potential return of Moeen who has joined the squad in Grenada after coming through the Championship match against Yorkshire to test the side injury he picked up towards the end of the World Cup. One school of thought had been that he could open the batting, as he does in one-day cricket, alongside Cook to give the side additional bowling resources in flat conditions but an injury concern over Tredwell, who claimed five wickets in Antigua, could create the vacancy for Moeen.However, he still has to prove he can withstand the extensive workload that will come his way in a Test match having only bowled 11 overs against Yorkshire. Adil Rashid, the legspinning allrounder, is the other spin option available.”Certainly, Mo is one of the key players for us,” Moores said. “He had a fantastic summer last year and a good winter. Mo is very much part of our plans. We have to check where he is at because he’s had this stomach strain but Mo feels very good about it.”Tredwell’s got a niggle in his arm, diving for the catch that came off Gary’s boot. He stretched quite a lot for that. We’ll see how he scrubs up over the next couple of days and see if he’s available for the next Test.”England currently have 17 players on duty in West Indies following Moeen’s arrival, with quick bowlers Mark Wood and Liam Plunkett providing options should the pace attack need freshening up although that would appear an unlikely route.