Shoaib Akhtar has apologised to Nasim Ashraf, the PCB chairman, during the second meeting of an appellate tribunal at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore. The three-man tribunal, headed by Justice (retd) Aftab Farrukh, is reviewing Shoaib’s appeal against a five-year ban imposed by the Pakistan board on disciplinary grounds.Farrukh, while announcing that Shoaib had submitted a written apology to the Pakistan board’s legal counsel, said the tribunal had decided to adjourn till April 30, when the board’s arguments will be heard. “After a heated two-hour discussion on the charges levelled against the fast bowler, the situation took a turn when Shoaib asked for an unqualified apology to all public, to the PCB chairmam, and all his team-mates for anything which may have caused embarrassment for them.”Shoaib’s lawyer, Abid Hasan Minto, later read out a statement on his behalf. “I would like to apologise from the bottom of my heart for any grief or embarrassment that may have been caused to the nation, particularly to the PCB chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf. I have resolved to alter my habits to refrain from such incidents in future and I will obey the PCB rules and regulations.”Meanwhile, Farrukh said the tribunal would make its own decision regardless of the PCB’s response to his apology. “It doesn’t mean that after submitting the apology, Akhtar will be exonerated, but still, it is an important development.”His apology means that Shoiab has satisfied one clause of a PCB notice which sought an unconditional appeal from him. The notice had also sought damages of Rs 200 million (approximately US$3 million) for “defaming” Ashraf and “sullying the name” of the Pakistan board and Pakistan cricket in general. Shoaib had, in an interview to the Express News channel, alleged that the ban was punishment for not having shared his Indian Premier League earnings with Ashraf.
A joining date for Graham Ford, chosen yesterday as the coach of the Indian side, is likely to become clearer sometime tomorrow when he sits down for talks over his current contract with Kent County Cricket Club.Paul Millman, Kent’s chief executive, said that the county were keen to retain him but also suggested that they would respect whatever decision he would take. “Graham is due back later today and we will sit down and talk with him then,” Millman told Cricinfo a day after the Indian board had chosen Ford over John Emburey for the job.”We have always been fairly relaxed about the situation,” Millman said about Ford’s contract, which lasts till September 2008. “As far as we are concerned he went on a fact-finding trip and we don’t yet know what he has found out. He is still employed by us, but clearly there is an offer on the table, but we don’t know whether he has taken it. We are obviously keen to keep him but things will take their course when we talk to Graham.”Ford was confident that Kent wouldn’t stand in his way of taking up the Indian job. “I’ve got the County’s support, but we haven’t discussed an early release from my contract which, as you know, runs till September 2008,” he was quoted as saying in the . “I’ll begin discussions [with Kent] … I’m sure the County won’t stand in the way.”The discussion is set to take place after its penultimate group match in the Friends Provident Trophy against Hampshire on June 11. “Discussions with Ford will take place after the match,” a statement issued by the county side said. “It is hoped that the popular South African will remain at Canterbury to continue the progress made towards re-establishing Kent as a major force.”The Indian board were waiting for Ford to get back to them about his existing contract with Kent, Ratnakar Shetty, the Chief Administrative Officer of the BCCI, confirmed. “He is expected to get back to us soon, once he discusses the matter with them.”India’s cricket chiefs expect Ford to get back to them sometime tomorrow (June 11). They hope he would join the team ahead of the tours of Ireland and England, starting later this month.
Michael Vaughan’s first-class comeback for Yorkshire lasted just 13 balls, as he was dismissed for 1 by Hampshire’s Billy Taylor in their County Championship fixture at Headingley.Opening the innings, Vaughan was caught behind by Nic Pothas, as Yorkshire slumped to 13 for 3 on the opening morning of the match. He had tested his knee during his 67 against Scotland on Monday in a limited-overs match, his first game since undergoing surgery just before Christmas last year. But while he was happy with that innings he wouldn’t make any big statements about when he aims to come back for England.”I’ve been quiet because I was very confident and I didn’t want to come out with any rash statements,” he told reporters. “And I won’t now because I know the knee is still a bit of a problem and I have a lot of hurdles to overcome before I’m available for England.”This is the beginning. I need to get through a few games and test it out over two or three weeks. I’ll try to play all the games I can for Yorkshire and see how it reacts to some four-day cricket.”
Close ScorecardToday didn’t go quite as many Indians would have visualised at stumps yesterday, when Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar were in occupation of the crease, with 278 runs already on the board.However, Dravid’s painstaking 100 – which made him the first Indian to score four consecutive Test centuries – and a late cameo from Javagal Srinath ensured that India ended the day as they began it, on top.Zaheer Khan gave them the added bonus of Chris Gayle’s wicket – lbw for seven – early on, before Harbhajan Singh trapped a woefully out-of-sorts Wavell Hinds at bat-pad as West Indies finished 424 runs in arrears. Ramnaresh Sarwan, Carl Hooper and Shivnarine Chanderpaul will have to bat out of their skins tomorrow to pass the follow-on target, on a surface that is already taking appreciable turn.After Virender Sehwag’s rousing display yesterday, much of today’s action was an unwelcome throwback to the days when teams ground out draws in insipid fashion. The gathered throng had come to pay homage to Sachin Tendulkar, but he left them as early as the fourth over, driving at – and getting an outside edge to – a Mervyn Dillon delivery (281 for 3).Sourav Ganguly, who can be equally adept at overworking the scoreboard operators, made just four before suffering at the hands of umpire Asoka de Silva. The ball from Cameron Cuffy pitched well outside leg stump, but even as Ganguly stared at his bat, de Silva lifted the finger to uphold the leg before appeal (296 for 4).That was the signal for the Indians to go into their shells. Dillon, Cuffy and Pedro Collins bowled with great discipline, but neither Dravid nor Laxman showed the ingenuity required to make things happen. Only 64 runs came before lunch and the hour that followed was cricket in siesta mode. Dillon probed away just outside the off stump, while Mahendra Nagamootoo came around the wicket to spear it into the rough outside leg stump. It was dire stuff at times and de Silva eventually no-balled him for persistent negativity.Dravid played some superb cut shots and a few elegant flicks through midwicket, but in the latter stages, there were more than a few miscues and edges. He got to his hundred five minutes after tea, with a push to midwicket off Dillon, but pulled up clutching his hamstring as he was completing the second run. With a decent throw he might have been run out. The physio rushed on and helped him off, with what was later diagnosed as nothing more sinister than cramp and severe dehydration.Laxman, who had batted with excessive caution and little flair for his 45, had gone on the stroke of tea, stumped by Ridley Jacobs as he wandered down the track to smother Nagamootoo’s legspin (401 for 4). With the two top-order men accounted for, courtesy of the oppressive heat and smart wicketkeeping, West Indies set about mopping up the tail with enthusiasm. Dillon had rushed off holding his stomach one ball into his over, but Cuffy stepped into the breach and promptly got Harbhajan to nick one behind (407 for 5).Nagamootoo then turned destroyer, having Anil Kumble caught on the push by Carl Hooper at cover and trapping Zaheer lbw with the flipper – though there was a suggestion it might have missed leg stump. With the pear shape almost complete, Srinath and Parthiv Patel put together 49 runs, much to Hooper’s exasperation. With the sun relentless, the fielding went to pot and Srinath rubbed it in with a meaty six over mid-off off Cuffy and a couple of streaky edges that raced away. By the time he was out, caught behind for 31, India had the sort of total they would have wished for when Ganguly won the toss yesterday. And it looked even bigger once the West Indies lost both openers.Dileep Premachandran is assistant editor of Wisden.com in India.
South Australia 0 for 13 trail Western Australia 335 (North 130*) by 322 runs ScorecardMarcus North scored a unbeaten 130 to carry Western Australia to a handy first-innings total on a scorching opening day of their Pura Cup match against South Australia at Adelaide. After winning the toss, WA racked up 335 in its first innings, with SA closing on 0 for 13 in reply.It was an important toss to win as Mike Hussey sent South Australia out to bat in near-40 degree heat, with strong winds, dust storms and a cruelly flat batting track to contend with. But WA failed to capitalise early on, with Scott Meuleman suicidally run out for 5, before Mark Cleary picked up the wickets of Hussey (28) and Chris Rogers (17). At 3 for 75, SA had taken the early honours.But that brought North to the crease, and with Murray Goodwin continuing his superb form, the pair added 81 for the fourth wicket, before Goodwin was caught behind, slashing at a short wide ball off Shaun Tait, for 55. It prompted a mid-innings slump from WA that was only halted by a defiant 76-run stand for the ninth wicket with Aaron Heal (33).”Up until tea we were a little bit disappointed with the way we’ve played,” admitted North. “We obviously won the toss and batted first on a pretty good batting wicket, so it was important that we got a score over 300. From the position we were in we’ll be happy to take 330 and we’ve just got to bowl well tomorrow.”North brought up his century with an edge past the slips off Paul Rofe, as SA took the new ball to bring about a swift end to the innings. But the move backfired as North embarked on a scoring spree. His last 30 runs came off 24 balls, including four fours, as well as a six over midwicket off the allrounder Mick Miller.The pick of SA’s bowlers was Cleary who took 3 for 43, and afterwards he was content with his side’s efforts. “We could have closed them down 70 or 80 runs short of what they got,” he admitted, “but then again 335 wasn’t too bad a day for us, it was a good batting wicket, so we’ll take that.”
If you are travelling to the Cricket World Cup think carefully about what you’re bringing back to the UK. There are strict controls on bringing meat, milk, fish, shellfish, plants, and their products into EU countries because they can carry animal and plant pests and diseases.Diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease are endemic in parts of southern Africa, and you should bear in mind the disastrous effects of FMD on Great Britain in 2001.You MAY NOT bring back any meat, dried meat, milk, or their products for your personal consumption.You may bring back up to 2kg of fruit and raw vegetables (but not potatoes), a bouquet of flowers and five retail packets of seeds (but not potato seeds).There are penalties for breaking the rules that include an unlimited fine and/ or up to two years imprisonment.If you are in any doubt about what you can, or cannot bring in to the UK, please contact the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) Helpline on:From the UK 08459 335577From outside the UK: +44 20 7270 8961 between 9-5 Mon-Friwww.defra.gov.uk/animalh/illegaliPlease stop, think and check the import rules carefully – IF IN DOUBT LEAVE IT OUT!
Sri Lanka face a rigid international program at home from this month.Following the tri-nation one-day tournament at home against India and New Zealand, they play three Tests against India which end on September 2nd at the SSC.Then from September 6-10 they meet Bangladesh in Colombo in their first match of the Asian Test championships, after which there is a short break with a trip to Sharjah thrown-in in November for the tri-nation series against West Indies and Pakistan.In fact, Sri Lanka have the advantage of playing all their qualifying round matches of the Asian championships at home.West Indies are due to arrive for their first-ever three-Test series against Sri Lanka in mid-November after which they will participate in a triangular one-day contest with Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe comprising seven matches from December 8-19th. Zimbabwe will stay back after the triangular to play a series of three Tests against Sri Lanka from December 27-January 20, 2002.Sri Lanka will resume their matches of the Asian Test championships again when they meet Pakistan from January 31-February 4 and India from February 8-12th. Both matches will be played in Colombo.The final of the Asian Test championships will be played in Dhaka from February 15-19. The dates of the championships are tentative. Thus, Sri Lanka will play at least 90% of their matches in the international calendar between July 18 and February 19, 2002 at home.The schedule includes 12 Tests (plus one Test in Dhaka, if they qualify) and 12 One-Day Internationals (plus five or six ODI’s in Sharjah).In the meantime, the national squad (sans Aravinda de Silva) left Colombo for Dambulla on Tuesday to prepare themselves for the tri-nation one-day series.De Silva failed to arrive with the other three national cricketers Sanath Jayasuriya, Marvan Atapattu and Chaminda Vaas after participating in two fund-raising cricket matches at Trent Bridge for the Trent Bridge pavilion on June 30th and July 1st.Sri Lanka is due to play New Zealand on July 25th and India on July 28th at Dambulla in the second round of matches of the tournament, and the national pool of 26 players will train and play a one-day match there over the next three days, prior to the events.”We have played just one One-Day International against England at this venue and it is imperative that we familiarise ourselves to the conditions here,” said Sri Lanka coach Dav Whatmore.The tri-series comprises ten matches, of which Sri Lanka will play amaximum of seven, if they qualify to play in the final.
Sunderland journalist Scott Wilson has given his reaction to some early team news that has now emerged involving Aiden McGeady.
The Lowdown: Serious injury
Speaking in his pre-game press conference ahead of the match at home to Gillingham in League One this afternoon, Alex Neil casted doubt over whether McGeady will play again this season.
The manager said that it will be determined by how he gets on in his rehab, and then whether he is able to get himself up and running.
The Latest: Wilson reacts
Taking to Twitter, Wilson, who covers North East football for The Northern Echo, has since given his reaction to Neil’s verdict:
“It’s not sounding especially positive in terms of Aiden McGeady’s hopes of playing for SAFC again this season.”
The Verdict: Big blow
It is certainly a big blow for the Stadium of Light faithful not just to lose McGeady for the Gillingham clash, but for potentially the rest of the campaign.
He currently ranks as their fourth-best performer in the league, having notched up three goals and four assists, and also ranks highly among his teammates in terms of average shots, key passes, crosses and through balls per game (WhoScored).
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The Black Cats could really do with the 35-year-old’s experience and know-how going into the end of the term, especially given their ambition to finish in the play-off places, and ultimately gain promotion up to the Championship.
In other news, find out what ‘major concern’ Kevin Phillips has now shared ahead of Gillingham here!
The tackling debate seems to take place every season, but not always with the same debaters, and not always with the same arguments. Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany’s, undeniably well thought-out, response to his red card against rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup made some interesting points. His main argument was that the reason the Premier League is the most watched league in the world is due to the physicality. The Belgian international said:
“My understanding is that English football prides itself on the hardness, the fairness and the tradition of its game. That is why hundreds of millions of people tune in to watch Premier League football.”
Kompany was quick to praise the referees whilst merely asking for more consistency. However there is a problem with this; players always call for two things from referees: common sense and consistency. However the two demands are juxtaposed to each other. Either there is a blanket criteria for red and yellow cards and that template is used for every single incident regardless of player mistakes and adhered to without consulting common sense, or common sense is used and the referees are allowed to make up their mind by applying the rules to the individual situation they see in front of them. Neither is objectively the better view, but it is important to recognise that consistency and common sense are, to an extent, mutually exclusive in football.
However Kompany’s point about us losing the physicality in our game that makes it so popular is a fair point. The loss of the physical competitiveness would be a shame, but tackling alone does not embody that. There are many elements to the physical side to our game: for example speed and strength are just as much a part of our game as hard tackling; you could also consider that not reacting to minor fouls is more important than allowing stronger tackles. If every player stayed on their feet every time they could then we wouldn’t be complaining as much as we are. There are bad and strong tackles in every league in the world, that in the English leagues players are less inclined to go down under those tackles is what makes the league ‘more physical’, not the tackles themselves.
However there are areas where perhaps it could be argued that we are less physical. Certainly our attitudes towards goalkeepers, even in the twenty years that I have been watching football, has changed. They are protected beyond belief these days and are always given the benefit of the doubt when they come for ball and miss it at corners or with crosses.
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It is also true that if we are looking at, not the strength, but the number of tackles in the Premier League then we are losing that side to the English game. In the last six years the number of tackles per game has fallen every single year and over that period there are now ten fewer tackles per game now than there were in 2006/07. During the 2006/07 season we had the highest number of tackles per game in Europe, now we are fifth in that table. However, whilst this data has some use to us it is not conclusive. The fewer tackles might mean more people playing the offside trap, or less players dribbling and more direct styles of football, or more wingers who are quick enough to evade tackles. There might be fewer tackles, but that doesn’t necessarily mean less physicality.
One final point is that increasingly these days we have older outfield players who are still able to be effective in the English game. Paul Scholes made a scoring return out of retirement whilst Thierry Henry scored on his second debut for Arsenal. Similarly Ryan Giggs is still playing football, and well, as he approaches forty. So how can we explain these older players, some who even retired, being able to come back to the Premier league and hold their own. Well you could put it down to a less physical English game, or you could put it down to developments in sports science; exercise, nutritional experts, yoga and other tools that can be used to prolong the physical prowess of these aging players and are more than capable of justifying their presence in the English game. Kompany’s, and others’, concerns that we may be losing the very ‘Englishness’ of our game that makes it so popular is perhaps a valid concern, depending on your definition of what makes a game physical, and what physical aspects make the game ‘English’. For Kompany it might be going in hard on tackles and giving the defenders the benefit of the doubt, however for me that is just too simplistic. There are so many aspects that make a game physically competitive and it is ultimately hard to argue that we are losing that side to our game.
Follow me on Twitter @H_Mackay
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In Luka Modric and David Silva, the Premiership has two fantastic attacking midfielders blessed with pace, vision and technical ability. Both are slight in build, favour attacking from the left of midfield, have 40-odd caps for their respective countries and have embraced life in the Premier League
But, both were slow to adapt the fast-paced and physical nature of the Premier League after big money moves. Even now they occasionally suffer from lapses in concentration and are often caught in possession. And, their best performances tend to come in sides where they are freed from defensive duties by the likes of Wilson Palacios or Nigel De Jong. As such, could it be argued that the pair are somewhat underappreciated outside of their respective clubs?
Signed in the summer of 2005 for a fee approaching £17 million, fans and press alike were quick to write off the young Croatian Luka Modric. Then-coach Juande Ramos played Modric in a deep lying role alongside Jermaine Jenas in a stuttering Tottenham side. But, following the appointment of Harry Redknapp, Modric was allowed more attacking freedom and played in a much more attacking role, often on the left of midfield. This allowed the midfielder to play his natural game and, freed from defensive duties, Modric improved significantly as a Tottenham player. This season, however, with the rise of Gareth Bale and acquisition of Rafael van der Vaart, Modric has moved back into the centre of midfield. Admittedly he is now more of a player than when he was first used in central midfield and does a fantastic job as Tottenham’s playmaker. But, by receiving the ball in a more exposed position, he has rediscovered his tendency to get caught in possession to the disappointment of certain Spurs fans.
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Signed for around £26 million and with a World Cup winner’s medal in his pocket, big things were expected of David Silva at Eastlands. Silva was eased gradually into the hustle and bustle of the Premier League and, unlike Modric, was saved the baptism of being thrown straight into the centre of midfield. Having played most of his football on the left hand side or as a support striker and given time to adapt, Silva has flourished given attacking freedom and scored 6 times for Manchester City. Good on the ball with fantastic movement, Silva is any wing back’s nightmare but has been criticised by some City fans for his lack of defensive capabilities.
But whilst the pair have come under some criticism for their contribution based on stats alone, you cannot deny the impact they have had on this season Premier League. Both act as the heartbeat of their respective clubs, keeping play ticking over with a combination of fantastic vision and passing. Whilst they might not post as many goals or assists as other players, they are clearly integral to their teams.
Modric may have come under criticism for rarely beating his opposite man and Silva has been criticised for his lack of marking, but that is not their job at their clubs. At City, fans idolise Carlos Tevez as their goalscoring talisman, whilst this season Modric has had to watch on as the plaudits have hailed Bale and van der Vaart. On paper they might not seem the most important names on the teamsheet, but without them City and Spurs would lack serious creativity and drive.
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Various rumours have linked Modric with potential big-money moves to clubs across Europe. Manchester United have also been linked with the Croatian in their long-term project to replace Paul Scholes. Whilst he might not be every manager’s dream Premiership midfielder, there are clearly managers out there who appreciate his fantastic ability. And, if one of those is in fact Sir Alex Ferguson, then he must be doing something right.
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Listen to the third episode of our brand new podcast – The Football FanCast. – Featuring Razor Ruddock, Gary O’Reilly and singer/songwriter Alistair Griffin, who performs a live version of his cult tribute to Mark Viduka, with Razor on backing vocals!