The third and final day’s play of the Goa-Tamil Nadu Under-22 matchin the P Ramachandra Rao Trophy tournament at the Railway Stadiumin Vasco da Gama was called off at 10 am due to heavy rain. On the firstday, only 15 overs play was possible. The second day wasalso washed out due to heavy rain. Each team got three points.
Leeds United host relegation rivals Norwich City in what is a massive six-pointer at Elland Road this afternoon, and it will be interesting to see what sort of lineup manager Jesse Marsch opts for in his third game at the helm.
His new side have lost six on the bounce in the Premier League and head into this crunch match low on confidence, sitting only two points above the drop zone.
The American will be without as many as five first-team players after Junior Firpo was the latest player to pick up an injury, having been stretchered off in midweek.
He joins the likes of Kalvin Phillips, Liam Cooper, Tyler Roberts and Leo Hjelde on the treatment table.
After a defeat to Villa on Thursday night, here’s the XI we may see from Marsch today…
There could be three changes from the side that tasted defeat only a few days ago.
With no Firpo, the 48-year-old has already pretty much confirmed that Stuart Dallas will be filling in at left-back, so we are expecting vice-captain Luke Ayling to revert back to his natural right-back role.
“He’s probably a 6. That’s probably his best position. We’ve asked him to play right-back and now we’re gonna ask them play left-back but he’s incredibly intelligent and a good player that he can manage that,” he told reporters (via the Yorkshire Evening Post).
It could result in a return to the side for Diego Llorente, who was named on the bench last time out, and he is likely to partner Pascal Struijk in the heart of the defence, in front of reliable shot-stopper Illan Meslier.
Robin Koch is expected to remain in midfield in the absence of Phillips, sitting alongside Adam Forshaw. There could also be a recall for Mateusz Klich, who may take the place of Rodrigo, who was abysmal against Villa.
Jack Harrison is another facing the axe but there’s a big call to make over the frontline. Patrick Bamford returned from injury but still may not be ready for a start, so the nod goes to young striker Joe Gelhardt up top.
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He joins Raphinha and Dan James in the attack.
Predicted Leeds XI (4-2-3-1): Meslier; Dallas, Struijk, Llorente, Ayling; Forshaw, Koch; James, Klich, Raphinha; Gelhardt.
AND in other news, Leeds United dealt late setback ahead of Norwich City clash…
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Michael Holding, the former West Indies fast bowler, is confident that the Stanford’s initiative, not just the game of Twenty20, will help in the development of West Indies cricket.”What Stanford is doing is not just having a Twenty20 tournament. As youknow he has started some Pro Teams,” Holding told the Caribbean Media Corporation.”There are four [St. Lucia, Anguilla, Antigua and Nevis] at the moment and he intends to expand on that. He has given a lot at the different islands’ board level, money to helpwith their development, infrastructure and preparation of their teams and that will do a great deal to help West Indies cricket.”Holding had expressed reservations to the Twenty20 form of the game but recently joined the Stanford board of directors. He believed that the funding provided by Standford would help in upgrading the standard of cricket.”I think with that funding and the infrastructure that has been going intothe islands, especially the lesser islands that you don’t usually think ofproducing Test cricketers, that it will improve the standard of their play.”And if they are improving the standard of their play, the standard of thetournament will rise, and that is what we are hoping for.”
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Australia are in danger of being targeted as a team past its prime at the World Cup after the losses to England and New Zealand, according to Barry Richards. “Ever since England won the triangular series in Australia, a lot of people have been saying that Australia are going to come back even stronger,” Richards, the former South Africa batsman, told the . “I am not convinced.”A lot of the other sides see the Aussies as a team with stars of the past nearing the end of their careers. They now believe they can beat the Aussies – and none more so than South Africa and New Zealand.”Richards said South Africa were buoyed by their new No. 1 ODI ranking and were in a strong position to claim the World Cup for the first time. He believed the potential departures of a number of coaches after the tournament would increase South Africa’s chances.”Apart from Australia’s John Buchanan, there are four others in the exit lane: Bob Woolmer with Pakistan, Duncan Fletcher with England, Greg Chappell with India and Tom Moody with Sri Lanka,” Richards said. “The players know this and you have to wonder how it will impact on their preparations. How do you respond to a man who you know is leaving?”Richards’ comments came as Buchanan’s replacement, Tim Nielsen, confirmed he would not be travelling to the Caribbean as originally planned. He said it was vital he stay in his role as head coach at the Centre of Excellence in Brisbane, especially with a number of other assistants already heading to the World Cup with Buchanan.”We have got enough on our plate here at the Academy,” Nielsen said in the . “My responsibility at the moment is to make sure that is running as well it possibly can before those young kids come in here.”
The Canadian Cricket Association has appointed Andy Pick to coach the national team in the build-up to the 2007 World Cup.Pick was coach to the England team in the Under-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka last month.As a medium-pace bowler he played for Nottinghamshire between 1983 and 1997 before moving into coaching after retiring.
South Africa 188 and 269 for 4 (Kallis 109*, Boucher 4*) drew with West Indies 543 for 5 dec
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
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At Durban and Cape Town earlier this season, Jacques Kallis celebrated his Christmas and New Year by grinding England’s bowlers deep into the dust. On the fifth day at Guyana, it was West Indies’ turn to feel the broad face of his blade, as he batted for a marathon 411 minutes and 346 balls to save South Africa from a humiliating first-Test defeat. In all, South Africa batted for 161 overs to save the game, exactly the same as an Andy-Flower-inspired Zimbabwe had managed against India at Nagpur in 2000-01.Only last month, Kallis entered the record-books at the opposite end, with a record-breaking 24-ball fifty against Zimbabwe at Newlands. That innings, however, seemed like the product of a parallel universe. On this occasion, Kallis played out dot-ball after dot-ball, and slowly reeled in West Indies’ massive 355-run first-innings advantage. In doing so, he became the second South African after Gary Kirsten to pass 7000 Test runs, and he also drew level with Kirsten’s national record of 21 hundreds.It was an innings as sombre as the Pope’s requiem mass, and it reached uncharted depths of introspection in the 30-over session after lunch, when he and the uncharacteristically subdued Herschelle Gibbs batted clean through to tea for the addition of a tortuous 45 runs, with scarcely a false shot on display. Though Kallis lifted his tempo once his century was in sight, his concentration did not flicker. He had, after all, already been given his one, crucial, reprieve.When Kallis had made just 22, and after 17 overs of the final day’s play, West Indies were finally eligible to take the second new ball. But Shivnarine Chanderpaul opted instead to turn to spin, with himself and the offspinner Narsingh Deonarine, bowling in tandem. If it was a bid to tempt South Africa out of their torpor, then the move so nearly paid dividends. Kallis chopped eagerly at Chanderpaul’s fifth delivery, but the thin edge clanged in and out of Courtney Browne’s gloves.Deonarine soon gained some consolation, as Rudolph was trapped lbw by a scuttling legbreak for 24, but the moment had been lost. It was not Browne’s only error, either. On 20, Jacques Rudolph had tickled too finely at a legside delivery from Daren Powell, but the chance was badly missed, with Browne dropping a lazy right glove on the ball. Despite his heroics in the final of the Champions Trophy last September, Browne is now 34 and on this showing, he cannot expect to keep Carlton Baugh out of the team for much longer.Missed catches were not the only way in which West Indies failed to help their own cause. Chanderpaul’s field placings were so negative that the first sign of pressure around the bat came in the penultimate over before tea, even though South Africa had set the tone for the day in the very first hour, with Kallis and Rudolph maintaining a grim struggle for survival at a run-rate of less than 1.5 an over. The new ball was finally taken after 93 overs, with 45 minutes to go until lunch, but Gibbs and Kallis remained unseparated for 67 deadpan overs.The match was sparked out of its slumber as the shadows lengthened, when Gibbs, on 49, shaped to leave a leg-stump delivery from Ryan Hinds but looked on aghast as the ball tweaked past the pad and cannoned into off. That left Mark Boucher to fend off a tricky 18 deliveries that included a touch of mischievous bounce, but in the end, Chanderpaul was forced to yield to Kallis’s unbending will.Kallis has now scored a phenomenal five centuries in five consecutive matches against West Indies, dating back to the opening fixture of the 2003-04 series. In that time, he has amassed 821 runs at an average of 164.20. All the more reason to take the chances when they come begging.And yet, regardless of the disappointing ending, it was nonetheless a match from which West Indies could take huge pleasure – particularly Chanderpaul, who was rightly named Man of the Match for a double-century on his captaincy debut. West Indies had entered the game with nothing to lose, and left it feeling they had lost out. Clearly, something of substance must have taken place in the intervening five days.South Africa 2nd innings Inside-edge onto his stumps, trying to force through off sideSmith b Collins 34 (68 for 2) Flashy drive, inside-edge onto middle-and-legRudolph lbw b Deonarine 24 (119 for 3) Hit low on pad by legbreak, might have clipped leg stumpGibbs b R Hinds 49 (258 for 4) Misjudgment – padded up, lost off stump
The Western Australian Cricket Association is deeply saddened by the tragic death of Victorian Bushrangers Coach David Hookes.The WACA sends it deepest condolences to the Hookes family.WACA CEO Mrs Kath White said the senseless loss of Hookes is a tragedy that will be felt around the nation and the cricketing world."On behalf of the WACA can I say that our thoughts and prayers are with David’s family and all at Cricket Victoria and the SACA. David was one of the true characters of the game," Mrs White said."He earned the wide respect and admiration for his contributions to the game as a player, coach and commentator."David bought joy to millions of Australians with the way he played cricket. This was a senseless tragedy that has taken one of our sporting heroes."Retravision Warriors Coach Wayne Clark said that Hookes’ death was a tragic loss for Australian cricket."David was a tremendous person and I am deeply saddened by his untimely death," Clark said."I played and coached against Hookesy and he was a tough-as-nails character that was still the first person into the rooms for a beer after the game."He was respected by all who met him for the way he played the game. He gave so much to the sport as a player and then as a Coach, he will be sorely missed."The Warriors will wear black armbands during their ING Cup match against NSW on Wednesday as a sign of respect for Hookes.
Another quiet week in Zimbabwe cricket, except at Mutare, where Nigel Fleming reports on a serious incident that requires strength and direction from the administrators. Our national players prepare to go to India, without actually knowing who will be in the team.Besides our main contributions on club news and provincial cricket, we include the promised interview with Guy Whittall on the Board XI’s matches against Easterns in South Africa. Guy also includes his views on the state of Zimbabwe cricket at present.The Board XI were due to play Border B at Harare South this weekend, but the Border administrators instead requested that the match be played on their ground, so there will be no live report on that match. We hope it will be possible to get a player’s views on those games for our next issue.
Sachin Tendulkar carried Mumbai’s hopes on the third day of the RanjiTrophy semifinal against Tamil Nadu at the Wankhede stadium onThursday. Moving from 34 to 213, he anchored the home team to a scoreof 470 for eight at close of play. This was in reply to Tamil Nadu’sfirst innings total of 485.Old school chums Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli batted throughout themorning as Mumbai progressed from 141 for four to 262. The partnershipthat took Mumbai towards safety ended abruptly when Kambli top edged apull shot just after lunch. Mediumpacer Mahesh surprised him with aquick bouncer. A shade late on the shot, Kambli ended up skying theball straight up in the air. Waving everyone else away, Maheshcompleted the catch himself. The left hander made 75 and the fifthwicket partnership had added 139.The Tamil Nadu seam attack was ineffective on a pitch that grewincreasingly slower. Aashish Kapoor who got the ball to a do a bityesterday was used sparingly and he too could not break through.After Kambli was dismissed, Amol Muzumdar kept Tendulkar goodcompany. Though he did not go after the bowling in the same manner asTendulkar, Muzumdar played his role to perfection. His silken drivesthrough the off side were a perfect foil to Tendulkar’s power andtiming.Tendulkar crossed landmark after landmark in his stay at thewicket. Smashing Gokulkrishna for two consecutive sixes over fine leg,Tendulkar stamped his domination over the Tamil Nadu bowlers. When hebrought up his first double hundred in Ranji Trophy cricket, theMumbai crowd was on their feet. Tendulkar has so far played 313 balls,and has hit 19 fours and four sixes.However, the loss of quick wickets at the other end dampened thespirits of the crowd. Ajit Agarkar was given a life when he wasdropped by Mahesh at cover point off the bowling off Kumaran.However, that was not the costly miss of the day. Madanagopal atsecond slip dropped a catch that certainly should have been held offthe bowling of Mahesh. Tendulkar then was only 42. Abey Kuruvilla, yetto get off the mark, was at the crease with Mumbai 16 runs short ofthat all important first innings lead mark. The first half hour ofplay tomorrow will, in all likelihood, decide who goes through to thefinal.
Leeds United correspondent Phil Hay has claimed Patrick Bamford is likely to feature against both Aston Villa and Norwich City.
The Lowdown: Bamford back on the bench
Bamford has played just 22 minutes of action since his last league start in September, missing with ankle, hamstring and foot problems.
Leeds have struggled without their main striker as a result, slipping into a real relegation battle as Bamford watches on from the sideline.
The 28-year-old did make a return to the bench against Leicester City on the weekend but didn’t feature, however, it seems as if Leeds supporters will finally get to see the forward in back-to-back home games.
The Latest: Hay’s claim
Writing in a piece for The Athletic shared on Wednesday morning, Hay claimed that Bamford ‘is far more likely to figure against Aston Villa and Norwich City this week’.
He did add that Jesse Marsch would need to be cautious when it comes to the striker, but backed Bamford to adopt a poacher role at Elland Road.
The Verdict: Huge
The next two fixtures could be do or die when it comes to Leeds’ chances of survival, so having Bamford back playing is a major boost for the Whites.
He has contributed to four Premier League goals in just 459 minutes of action this season, with those helping the club pick up four points at the beginning of the campaign.
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Hopefully, he can find his feet quickly in a new look formation under Marsch, where he looks set to play in a front two instead of leading the line as he did under Marcelo Bielsa.
In other news, one Leeds target has been advised to stay put. Find out who it is here.