South Africa’s selectors have handed Test specialists Paul Harris and Hashim Amla their maiden one-day call-ups while announcing a 14-man squad for the three-match ODI series against Bangladesh.Joubert Strydom, the chairman of the selection committee, said Harris was included to partner offspinner Johan Botha . “We have always wanted to have two specialist spinners in our one-day squad for the sub-continent,” Strydom said. “With both the Champions Trophy in September and the next World Cup scheduled to be played on the sub-continent, it is important that we explore our options in this regard.”Harris had recovered from a surgery that kept him out of ongoing Test series against Bangladesh, and Strydom said it was important that he get “as much exposure to sub-continent conditions as possible” ahead of the tour to India.Strydom said the selectors were keen to see how Amla, who has scored 1251 runs from 21 Tests at 33.81, performs in ODIs. “We will now have a very young middle order of Amla, AB de Villiers and JP Duminy behind the experienced opening combination of Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs and we are very interested to see how they fare under testing conditions.”Meanwhile, Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher and Makhaya Ntini have been rested from the ODIs. Explaining the selectors’ decision, Strydom said: “It is with an eye on the Indian Test series that we have also decided to rest Kallis, Boucher and Ntini.”It is going to be a very tough assignment and we need to have them fresh and ready for the challenge. We feel that the rest will be extremely beneficial in this regard.”South Africa will be without the services of Shaun Pollock, who retired from the game in the home series against West Indies, and the performances of the two allrounders, Albie Morkel and Vernon Philander, will be closely watched to see whether they can fit in as long-term options.The first ODI begins in Chittagong on March 14.Squad Graeme Smith (capt), Herschelle Gibbs, AB de Villiers (wk), JP Duminy, Alviro Petersen, Hashim Amla, Albie Morkel, Vernon Philander, Paul Harris, Johan Botha, Morne Morkel, Dale Steyn, Charl Langeveld, Andre Nel
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details Spurred on by a delightful 87 from Mohammad Ashraful, Bangladesh pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the tournament, thrashing South Africa by 67 runs at the Providence Stadium in Guyana. With 251 on the board, Bangladesh’s trio of left-arm spinners thrived on the sluggish surface, one that resembled a sub-continental sandpit during the second half of the match, and pulled off a truly memorable triumph.South Africa were outplayed. Having been given first use of the surface, their bowlers unravelled as the first innings went on. Barring Andre Nel, who snared his maiden five-wicket haul in ODIs, the rest were predictable and, worryingly, wayward. Their batsmen didn’t come to grips with the deteriorating pitch, stifled by probing medium-pace and canny spin, and chose aggression when graft was essential. It was South Africa’s first loss to Bangladesh and opens up the Super Eights to a number of possibilities.Having been inserted under overcast skies, Bangladesh turned in their most impressive batting effort in five matches. Undeterred by a Nel engineered top-order stumble, when they were reduced to 84 for 4, Bangladesh recovered through some meaningful middle-order partnerships. They followed that up with an efficient bowling effort, backed up by tigerish fielding, and didn’t allow any sizeable partnerships to flourish. Herschelle Gibbs, forced to come in at No.7 after suffering a calf strain earlier, battled till the end but lack of support, and a mounting run-rate, reduced it to an effort in vain.Ashraful’s knock, the highest individual score by a Bangladesh batsman in World Cups, was a delightful blend of caution and aggression. He was forced to play safe early on, gliding singles to third man and cobbling together a reviving stand with Aftab Ahmed, but ended in a flourish of paddle-scoops and rasping drives redolent of boyish audacity.For two batsmen with a similar aggressive bent of mind, they reined in their instincts and the 76-run stand was a steadying influence in the middle overs. Aftab fell just when he appeared to be stepping it up, lashing straight to extra-cover, but Ashraful made his knock count. He brought up his second World Cup fifty with a smoked loft over Makhaya Ntini’s head and followed it up with a cheeky four past fine leg, shuffling across the crease and angling it cutely. The final ball of the over, the 44th, was clattered past point and Ashraful stepped up the ante in fine style. Mashrafe Mortaza clouted three fours and six, giving Bangladesh exactly the kind of boost they needed to rattle the total past the 250-mark.The Bangladesh spinners exploited the sluggish surface perfectly: Abdur Razzak celebrates dismissing AB de Villiers•Getty Images
Syed Rasel provided Bangladesh with two crucial early blows. Smith tried to manufacture drives through the off side, backing away outside off, and paid the price for trying often, missing a straight one and losing his off stump. Jacques Kallis was uncharacteristically edgy early on, nibbling eagerly, and he appeared to want to dominate the bowling from the outset. Rasel, though, stuck to the basics and lack of width did Kallis in, mistiming an attempted loft to mid-on.That was enough of an opening for the spinners to barge in. Enter Abdur Razzak with his snarling darts. One spun slightly away and foxed de Villiers, the next went straight on and rattled his stumps. Enter Mohammad Rafique with his 117 matches of experience and the pressure valves were slowly tightened. Just five runs came in the third Power Play, between overs 15 and 20, and three wickets were winkled out. Enter Saqibul Hasan with youthful vim, and Mark Boucher was prised out with flight. Justin Kemp was undone by a smart return catch next ball and South Africa were being spun out in quick time.Shaun Pollock and Gibbs added 45 but the asking rate was climbing too fast and it took a sharp direct hit from Tamim Iqbal to end that resistance. Rafique’s loop was too good for Nel and Razzak returned to mop up No.10 and Jack. Gibbs limped on, with a runner for company, but strangely never made a serious attempt to go after the bowling. He was content with finding the gaps and never really tried to smash the bowling out of the ground. Maybe he was too hamstrung, maybe the bowling was accurate. Whatever the reason, the match was going only in one direction by then.
Former office bearers of the Indian board moved the Bombay High Court seeking anticipatory bail in a case registered against them and Jagmohan Dalmiya, the former president, for alleged mis-appropriation of funds to the tune of Indian Rs.2174 million (approx US$49000) pertaining to 1996 World Cup accounts.SK Nair, the former secretary of the board, and former treasurers, Kishore Rungta and Jyoti Bajpai, filed a petition in the High Court claiming they apprehended arrest in this case. According to an FIR lodged by the board with the Marine Drive police station in south Mumbai, all three of them had not placed accounts before the BCCI working committee, and had connived with Dalmiya to siphon-off funds.Lawyers Sayaji Nangre and Satish Maneshinde raised the matter before Justice VM Kanade who decided to hear the petition in the post-lunch session. The court had yesterday granted interim protection from arrest to Dalmiya who had also sought anticipatory bail. The court will hear Dalmiya’s plea on March 23.
Javed Miandad is unlikely to be granted a visa to visit India again after it was announced that his son, Junaid, will marry Mahrooq, the daughter of Dawood Ibrahim, who is still wanted in India in connection with the Mumbai blasts of 1993. The wedding is to take place in Karachi, with a reception in Dubai.The decision to deny Miandad a visa in future was taken at a meeting of officials from India’s Ministry of External Affairs, according to an article in . Though it was agreed that officially declaring Miandad persona non grata would provoke a response from Pakistan, the officials have apparently decided that any requests for a visa from his side in the future would be politely turned down.Miandad has visited India several times in the recent past to watch matches and offer his views on TV analysis shows. But with this marriage alliance queering the pitch as far as India is concerned, it could be a long time before he appears on Indian TV screens again.
Sourav Ganguly: has expressed concerns about safety (c) Getty Images
The delegation from the Indian cricket board (BCCI) arrived in Lahore on Monday to iron out the few remaining problems ahead of next month’s Test and ODI series in Pakistan.”They have arrived in Lahore to assess security and other aspects of the tour,” Zakir Khan, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) operations general manager, told reporters . "We have already committed that we will provide the best security to the Indian cricket team. It’s a reconnaissance tour, and besides security they will assess different aspects of the tour, which include ground and accommodation facilities.”The delegation was sent in response to concerns raised by some of the Indian side about the levels of security in place for the trip.”We are here with open minds and besides security assessments we will inspect cricketing arrangements which have been a routine before an international series,” Amrit Mathur, the board’s media manager and a member of the delegation, told reporters. He refused to answer questions about comments attributed to Sourav Ganguly regarding safety concerns.The delegation returns on February 14 at which time they will submit their findings. Assuming there are no major problems, the itinerary for the trip will be finalised almost straight away.
Essex has today confirmed that left arm fast bowler Scott Brant will bejoining the Club as its second overseas player for 2003. Brant, 20, was bornin Harare, Zimbabwe, and made his first class debut for Queensland in 2001after he and his family emigrated to Australia.Commenting on the signing, Essex Chief Executive David East said:”We are delighted that Scott will be joining us this year. Although he hasonly played a limited amount of 1st class cricket for Queensland, there isno question that he has great natural ability and will undoubtedlystrengthen the Essex bowling attack in Division I of both leaguecompetitions. He comes highly recommended by many senior figures in thegame, and we wish him every success with the Club in 2003.”On confirming his appointment with the Club, Brant commented:”I am thrilled to be joining Essex this year, and really look forward to theopportunity of playing in the intense programme of county cricket. Theprospect of working with Graham Gooch and learning from players like AndyFlower and Ronnie Irani was a huge draw, and I’m sure I can make asignificant contribution. I look forward to meeting up with the players ontheir pre-season tour in Cape Town in late March”.
Somerset will be travelling to March on Wednesday June 27th to take on Cambridgeshire of the Minor Counties in the third round of the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy, which was formerly the Nat West Trophy.If Somerset are successful at March they will play the winners of the match between Glamorgan and Derbyshire at The County Ground on Wednesday July 11th.Details regarding tickets for the Cambridgeshire match can be obtained from The County Ground.
A big update has emerged regarding Newcastle United and their interest in Dean Henderson…
What’s the talk?
Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed that the Magpies are eyeing up a summer swoop for the Red Devils shot-stopper.
They have been keen on signing him since the winter transfer window and Romano has stated that the 25-year-old’s current club are yet to decide what they are going to do with him heading into the 2022/23 campaign.
The journalist tweeted: “Newcastle are interested in Dean Henderson since last January, he’s always been one of three goalkeepers in the list for NUFC. #NUFC Man United will make a decision about Dean in the summer whether let him go on loan or not. He wants to play as starter next season.”
Buzzing
This update will surely leave Newcastle supporters buzzing, as Henderson would be an excellent addition to Eddie Howe’s squad this summer.
The England international is eight years younger than Martin Dubravka and can be the long-term successor to the Slovakian between the sticks at St James’ Park. Henderson has plenty of years left ahead of him at the age of 25 and can be Howe’s first-choice for the foreseeable future.
He is a modern goalkeeper who excels at coming out to sweep the ball away and commands his box from crosses. Over the last 365 days, he ranks in the 90th percentile (FBRef) in Europe’s top five leagues for crosses stopped, preventing 10.3% of them from getting past his gloves in the Premier League.
In terms of sweeping, he ranks in the 98th percentile (FBRef) for defensive actions outside of the penalty area with 1.55 per game. This suggests that he is one of the best goalkeepers in Europe when it comes to covering his defenders when balls are played past them on the ground or in the air.
Henderson also proved his quality over the course of a full Premier League season on loan at Sheffield United in 2019/20. He kept an impressive 13 clean sheets in 36 matches for the Blades in that campaign as he averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.00.
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Meanwhile, Dubravka has never averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.00 or higher across a top-flight season, while his best tally for clean sheets currently stands at 11. He also lacks well behind Henderson when it comes to claiming crosses and engaging in defensive actions outside of his box, ranking in the 72nd and ninth percentiles (FBRef) respectively over the last 365 days.
This suggests that Henderson would be an upgrade on the 33-year-old next season with his all-around skillset as a goalkeeper, and that is why Newcastle fans will surely be delighted by the club’s pursuit of his services heading into the summer transfer window.
AND in other news, Left for £0, now the next Sancho: NUFC will have nightmares over 18 y/o “huge talent”…
Riding on a half-century by Ian Bell and a five-for by James Anderson, England started their tour of New Zealand on a positive note with a 34-run win in the warm-up match against Canterbury in Christchurch.Bell’s 79 and his 95-run partnership with Kevin Pietersen (48) laid the base for some lower-order fireworks by Luke Wright, which took the England XI to 295 in their 50 overs. Wright’s 42, at No. 8, came off 15 balls with three fours and three sixes. He added an unbeaten 59 in four overs with Ravi Bopara.Wright said he wasn’t certain he would get a chance to bat. “It all happened quite quickly and it was nice to get in for five overs and luckily it went well,” he said. “I suppose it suits me to either go in at the top of the order or going in at the end and just trying to get bat on ball. It was perfect for me and Ravi to go in and have a go.”We’ve got a strong squad so everyone is fighting for their places at the moment. Every time we go out in the middle or in training, I think everyone is trying to impress and get in that first side.”Johann Myburgh’s 98-ball 87 was not enough for Canterbury to win the 13-a-side match as Anderson struck with 5 for 47. Myburgh added 81 with Peter Fulton after Anderson removed the openers. Dimitri Mascarenhas dismissed Fulton (31) and Shanan Stewart in quick succession to expose the lower order to the seamers. Ryan Sidebottom chipped in with two wickets while captain Paul Collingwood effected a run-out to dismiss Myburgh.England will play another 50-over game against the same opposition on Sunday, this time with 12 players each, ahead of the Twenty20 in Auckland on Tuesday.
India’s poor fielding has been a worry for the side through this Quadrangular tournament and a glut of missed run-out chances and misfields in the outfield cost them dear in their 91-run defeat against New Zealand at Chepauk. New Zealand, led by Suzie Bates’s maiden century, are now through to the final on March 5. India will have to beat Australia in their must-win final match if they are to join them.The Indian captain, Mithali Raj, admitted that the fielding had been disappointing so far. “There were a lot of chances in the initial overs and if we had got even one hit at the wicket we would have had New Zealand in a spot,” Raj told Cricinfo. Haidee Tiffen, the New Zealand captain, was dropped at gully when she was on 6, and went on to feature in a century partnership with Bates. The bowlers, Raj insisted, had done well but they hadn’t got enough support from their fielders.Raj also explained that, although India does not have a fielding coach, the team requests the services of a local expert at every venue they play. “We have been concentrating on collecting and then throwing from the outfield,” she added. “But we also practise throwing at the stumps and slip catching.”New Zealand, by contrast, are very impressive in their running between the wickets, diving in the outfield and aiming at the stumps, and in that department they make India look like a grade A side. “The girls are willing to throw themselves around to save runs and fortunately no-one has got injured in doing so,” said Haidee Tiffen, the New Zealand captain. “This keeps the confidence up and we keep trying.”Tiffen added that after New Zealand’s defeat to Australia, the team had sat down to work out where they were going wrong. “We had to make sure that we’d get some solid partnerships. We had a slow start though as [Jhulan] Goswami and [Rumeli] Dhar bowled well. But I am very proud of Bates and the rest of the girls for coming back after the defeat so well.”Bates herself was very happy to get her century especially, she admitted, since the first three or four days of the tour had been very hard. “It was extremely hot to start out with and is nowhere near the temperatures in New Zealand right now,” said Bates, who suffered cramps towards the end of her innings today but decided to carry on after she had taken some salts and liquids.Bates agreed with Tiffen that India’s opening bowling pair of Goswami and Dhar were the hardest to play among the three teams. But now with New Zealand through to the final, she can enjoy her nightly routine of sipping with her team-mates at their hotel, as she confessed she had been doing for a few days now.