Bangladesh’s preparations for the forthcoming tour of Zimbabwe have been overshadowed by political unrest in the country which mean that there is uncertainty whether national league games will go ahead.”Nothing could have been better than playing more league matches before going to Zimbabwe but everything looks uncertain due to the political crisis,” admitted Habibul Bashar, the captain. “I don’t think fatigue would be an issue in the World Cup because it’s always a better option to play matches.”Dav Whatmore led a training session in Dhaka yesterday, but Aftab Ahmed failed to travel from Chittagong because of the countrywide blockade.Whatmore hinted that the World Cup was the centre of attention rather than the Zimbabwe trip. “It’s hard to look into one with out thinking of the other. I think we have to look at both. It’s very close isn’t it…” he said. “You get just one week after returning from Zimbabwe and then you go to the World Cup.”The Bangladesh selectors meet today to pick the side for Zimbabwe, and the squad leaves for the four-ODI series on January 31.
Shane Warne delayed his return to Victoria as the Bushrangers named an unchanged side to face South Australia in the ING Cup match at Adelaide on Sunday. Warne is recovering from a hectic Test series and is expected to delay his comeback until the Pura Cup match against the Redbacks starting next Thursday.South Australia, who easily beat Western Australia on Wednesday, have also received a blow with Matthew Elliott ruled out after aggravating a knee injury. His place has been taken by Greg Blewett, who has recovered from a thigh problem.A Victorian win would seal them a place in the final, but South Australia sit only three points behind the Bushrangers in third. Cameron White shared in a domestic record fourth-wicket stand of 205 with David Hussey against Queensland on Wednesday, and he said he was desperate to reach the decider. “I’m happy with my one-day form and am keen to keep the runs flowing,” White, who hit 85 from 87 balls, said.In Tasmania, Brett Geeves will play his first game of the season for the Tigers after recovering from stress fractures in his left leg. Tasmania travel to Devonport for the match against Western Australia and Geeves, who picked up 6 for 48 in a 2nd XI game, replaces Brendan Drew.Dane Anderson, who missed Wednesday’s loss to New South Wales due to a shoulder injury, has been named, but he and George Bailey (neck) will undergo fitness tests. Rhett Lockyear stepped in for Anderson and is on standby for both players.Victoria Michael Klinger, Jonathan Moss, Lloyd Mash, David Hussey, Cameron White (capt), Liam Buchanan, Grant Lindsay, Adam Crosthwaite (wk), Andrew McDonald, Shane Harwood, Gerard Denton, Mick Lewis.South Australia Shane Deitz, Mark Cosgrove, Greg Blewett, Cameron Borgas, Darren Lehmann (capt), Callum Ferguson, Ken Skewes, Graham Manou (wk), Ryan Harris, Mark Cleary, Jason Gillespie, Cullen Bailey, Shaun Tait.Tasmania Tim Paine (wk), Travis Birt, Dane Anderson, Michael Bevan, Michael Di Venuto (capt), George Bailey, Adam Polkinghorne, Luke Butterworth, Xavier Doherty, Adam Griffith, Brett Geeves, Ben Hilfenhaus.Western Australia Justin Langer (capt), Marcus North, Luke Ronchi (wk), Adam Voges, Shaun Marsh, Chris Rogers, Peter Worthington, Beau Casson, Steve Magoffin, Matthew Petrie, Ben Edmondson, David Bandy.
Mike Hussey and Perth’s oppressive heat combined to subject Victoria to another tough day in their Pura Cup match against Western Australia at the WACA. At the close, Western Australia were 6 for 414, a lead of 259, with Hussey unbeaten on 202.On a day when temperatures as high as 42 degrees were recorded in Perth, Victoria wilted. A brief shower during the tea break helped reduce some of the heat, and the 20-minute delay which ensued would have been welcomed most by Victoria’s bowlers. But is was temporary respite.The star was Hussey, who completed the second double hundred of his career shortly before bad light brought a premature end to the day. He smashed 31 fours, and moved to within 10 runs of 7000 in the competition, offering only one chance, when on 131, but Shane Warne spilt the slip catch.It was a day to forget for Warne, who ended with 1 for 84, although none of the bowlers seriously threatened to check Hussey’s progress. Resuming on 0 for 129, Justin Langer was caught behind by Peter Roach off Michael Lewis for 76 inside an hour, but Chris Rogers (40) carried on where he had left off before falling to an outstanding diving catch by Warne.Hussey and Ryan Campbell then combined for an 88-run sixth wicket partnership, Campbell taking on the aggressive role with a 62-ball 46.
South Australian cricket officials are going to the Environment, Resource and Development Court to appeal an Adelaide City Council rejection of an application to build a permanent video replay screen at the Adelaide Oval.The council had given in-principle approval for the screen in January. As a result of that decision, the South Australia Cricket Association (SACA) worked with Heritage South Australia to ensure the design met their heritage requirements.SACA chief executive Mike Deare said the appeal was a last resort move after the Adelaide City Council took the issue off their agenda. Deare said he understood the matter would be looked by a special Development Assessment Panel later this week. He anticipated the panel meeting would then be followed by a conciliation meeting under the auspices of the Environment Resource and Development Court.When the original SACA plans were declined by the Council, a reduction was made in the support structure for the screen. Deare said he had received an indication that city councillors acknowledge the need for a screen and he is hopeful that the amended design will win favour within the next week.
Sixteen young English Test hopefuls have arrived in Adelaide to spend four months at the Australian Cricket Academy, and were given an early indication of what the future holds from Rod Marsh.The former Australia wicketkeeper, the first director of the English NationalAcademy after 11 successful years at the ACA, was appointed by the England and Wales Cricket Board to help develop players more effectively for international cricket.”They’re here to toughen up,” Marsh said. “If they don’t get tough they might as well catch the first plane out.”The pressure will be so intense that unless they perform at their absolute best they will never play for England,” Marsh told Channel Ten Sports News.Australia raised themselves from the cricketing doldrums to become world-beaters through their own academy, which has produced the likes of Shane Warneand Ricky Ponting.The 16 English players selected for the first academy, which has replaced the winter A tour, are in for a month of tough fitness training.There are barely any net sessions before their first game on November 22, against the Tasmania 2nd XI.Marsh has brought in two Australian coaches to help train the England prospects.The great fast bowler Dennis Lillee is joined by Terry Jenner, who nurtured Shane Warne and will advise England’s slow bowlers.Surrey’s Alex Tudor welcomed the news that former Australian captain Ian Chappell will also provide specialist coaching.”With men like Chappell around we can only get better,” said the 24-year-old, who made his Test debut in 1998 but has since been plagued by injury.
ScorecardFile Photo – Sudip Chatterjee struck 16 fours for his 145•PTI
Sudip Chatterjee’s hundred rescued Bengal from what seemed set to be an extension of their previous season, against Karnataka in Bangalore. Bengal were reduced to 41 for 4 mainly by Vinay Kumar’s new-ball exploits, before Chatterjee and Wriddhiman Saha pulled them out of the pits with a stand of 173 runs for the fifth wicket. Saha fell ten runs short of a hundred in the last over before tea and Chatterjee was dismissed for 145, his third 50-plus score in four first-class matches, while Vinay ended the day with 3 for 80.Vinay opted to bowl and removed the Bengal top order all by himself. He didn’t swing the ball much in his first two overs, but once he did, he pitched it in the corridor to take the outside edges of openers Abhishek Das and debutant Naved Ahmed. There was more drama in the third dismissal when Vinay threw the ball back in his follow through to hit Shreevats Goswami’s bat and the ball deflected onto the stumps. Goswami had grounded his bat in time but when the ball hit the stumps, his bat was in the air and so were Bengal’s fortunes. Manoj Tiwary came out at 26 for 3 and struck an authoritative four off the back foot, but he gave his wicket away by pulling a short ball from well outside off, for a top-edge to square leg and Bengal were four down in just over an hour.That brought together Chatterjee and Saha in the 14th over. Chatterjee was more watchful out of the two and didn’t go for any extravagant shots. Saha, though, had a nervy start. He edged the ball a couple of times early on, but his use of soft hands made sure the ball didn’t carry to the slips. He switched gears as soon as legspinner Shreyas Gopal came on in the 20th over by greeting him with a six over long-off and a beautiful cover drive the next ball. Saha struck two fours in an over against Vinay too, not long before lunch, and lofted left-arm spinner J Suchith over mid-off early into the second session to earn some confidence.Bengal were 104 for 4 at lunch and the two batsmen, now at ease, struck the occasional boundary and soon brought up their 100-run stand with the ball old and the sun blazing down on the pitch. Vinay tried several bowlers in quick succession, unleashed his own reverse-swing, placed unorthodox fielders but wickets eluded Karnataka.Saha targeted the off side more, while Chatterjee found success off his pads as both batsmen attacked the spinners. Just when it looked like the second session would go completely in Bengal’s favour, Gopal turned one into Saha and Robin Uthappa, who was keeping instead of CM Gautam, took a sharp catch down leg.Chatterjee, on 99 at tea, didn’t take too long to move into three figures for the second time in this format and found an able partner in Laxmi Shukla to take the score past 250. By now Chatterjee had read the bounce well; he played the ball late, ducked under the bouncers, cut Vinay off the back foot for fours and was headed towards a big score. That his first first-class hundred was a score of 192 speaks of his patience and grit. Shukla was striking boundaries at will, including a six down the ground, and along with Chatterjee brought up the fifty stand in ten overs, but Karnataka, like they usually do once they make inroads, continued to pick wickets.Shukla chased one outside off with a big drive that flew to Manish Pandey at first slip in no time and Pragyan Ojha’s resistance of 35 balls, that included several short deliveries, ended as soon as Vinay took the second new ball. The big wicket came when Chatterjee threw his bat like Shukla and was also caught at first slip, off HS Sharath. At 295 for 8, Bengal were helped past 300 when No. 9 Veer Pratap Singh struck three firm drives for four before lobbing one off the back foot to mid-off which was Sharath’s third wicket and marked the end of the day.
On Saturday, Germany Manager Joachim Loew visited London to watch Per Mertesacker, one of Low’s choices at centre back for the national team. He won’t have been impressed at the quality of the defending on show between Chelsea and Arsenal in their eight goal thriller. Perhaps ‘Jogi’ would have benefitted from staying to watch Saturday’s action in Germany.
No doubt Loew will hear good reports of Marco Reus’ performance against Hannover. His decision to call up Gladbach’s finest to the national team last month is looking increasingly vindicated. There has been little streaky about the form of the man whose hair resembles that of a skunk. He continues to flourish under Lucien Favre with free reign behind the lone striker. This caught out Mirko Slomka’s side (who are?) as Reus notched a double in a tight 2-1 success reigniting Monchengladbach’s Champions League bid after three outings without a victory.
Elsewhere, the national team coach could have probably predicted the outcome in Munich as Bayern bounced back imperiously from last week’s defeat in Hannover. Nuremberg were the latest team to be dominated, something which almost every visitor has to endure at the moment when coming to the Allianz Arena. It only took Mario Gomez 85 seconds to Bayern to open their account in this game and from then on, it was the usual procession.
Bayern’s nearest challengers prior to the weekend were Borussia Dortmund. Their manager, Jurgen Klopp was born in Stuttgart but there was no happy return for the Dortmund boss. Borussia could not overcome Stuttgart at the Mercedes-Benz Arena as they drew 1-1 in a well contested game. This meant they dropped to third with Schalke overcoming Hoffenheim 3-1 with Werder Bremen staying in touch with an away victory at Mainz.
If Loew was searching for entertainment then he would have been well advised to visit Wolfsburg on Saturday afternoon. Hertha Berlin came to town and produced a clinical performance winning 3-2 in an exciting match. Markus Babbel’s team’s determination ultimately shone through and Felix Magath must be wondering what he has to do in order to ignite his second managerial reign at Wolfsburg.
Loew still managed to get his fill of Bundesliga before he left for London as he ventured to South West Germany on Friday night. Last year’s runners up Bayer Leverkusen travelled to bottom club Freiburg where he saw his former captain Michael Ballack inflict further pain.
Nevertheless, how impressed Joachim Loew will have been with Mertesacker in a match where his side conceded three is questionable. Judging what he saw on Saturday and the action he missed, the 51-year-old coach would have been better off staying put in the Bundesliga last weekend.
Matchday 11 Results:
Freiburg 0-1 Leverkusen
Bayern Munich 4-0 Nuremberg
Schalke 3-1 Hoffenheim
Stuttgart 1-1 Dortmund
Wolfsburg 2-3 Hertha Berlin
Gladbach 2-1 Hannover
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Sir Alex Ferguson knows when his players need his protection. In the wake of Wayne Rooney’s off the ball scuffle with James McCarthy at the weekend, Ferguson has recognised the need to defend a player who could have been banned for three matches if referee Mark Clattenburg had deemed his actions to have not been sufficiently dealt with during the course of Saturday’s game at the DW Stadium.
Ferguson condemned a newspaper campaign to have his talismanic striker “electrocuted” but even as he uttered the words, he must have known his player would go unpunished.
Enraged Wigan fans were being forced to ask themselves; was referee Mark Clattenburg ever going to concede that he did not see the McCarthy incident? The idealists at the FA may suggest so, but, regardless, if Clattenburg didn’t believe Rooney’s elbow deserved a straight red card then should he even be refereeing at the highest level?
Of course, the FA deciding to ignore Rooney’s petulance, is hardly breaking precedent. I was absolutely amazed to hear Steven Gerrard’s off the ball punch on Michael Brown last season was ignored, in the same way his swearing at referee Andre Marriner was swept under the carpet. Both times the defence that the referee had seen and dealt with the issue at the time was trotted out for the media.
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Although the evidence is often compelling, I have always found it difficult to buy into the concept that referees deliberately give decisions in favour of the so called ‘bigger’ clubs. These incidents do happen – decisions given and not given at crucial times, but I cannot honestly say this is a conscious decision at the time by the man in black made to avoid backlash from a Ferguson or an Arsene Wenger.
At the weekend I overheard a fan ask Alan Green on BBC radio if he thought that referees were intimidated by having a well-known or charismatic manager standing on the touchline. Green, never short of a controversial opinion, said that he did although that in the Rooney case Clattenburg hadn’t simply opted out of sending the Manchester United man off because he was being watched by the player’s manager.
Nevertheless, the bitter taste of the wrong verdict being reached remains. To help with this sense of injustice, open and cut cases such as this one should certainly be susceptible to retrospective action by the FA. Referee accountability is not something that is in keeping with the ‘Respect’ campaign, but in this situation all involved are on the opposite end of nothing but derision.
The FA will defend their actions to the hilt, claiming that the organisation’s by-laws dictate that their hands have been tied by the referee’s post match report. In reality, this debate has been going on for years – if those in charge of the association really wanted to amend their processes, there have been enough instances in the past to highlight this blind-spot.
Even when it comes to looking at hearing decisions the organisation have made, strange inconsistencies have been opened up. Roy Keane was given a five match ban for his career ending tackle on Alf-Inge Haaland, something that appeared ridiculously lenient when Ben Thatcher was banned for eight matches for his violent but no more malicious challenge on Pedro Mendes.
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I suspect no one is surprised by the FA’s statement on the Rooney incident, nor are they surprised by articles of this ilk highlighting the hypocrisy and inconsistencies of the organisation. The sad and frustrating element of this case is that these instances will continue to occur – simply relying of referee discretion is idealistic and naive. When we as a nation condemn FIFA for their strange decisions and inflexible rules, it might be best to remember instances like this before the rest of the football world point out the flaws in our own system.
To sign my petition to get a Premier League version of the BBC show ‘Confessions’ commissioned find me on Twitter.
Luis Fabiano has said that he wants a move to Manchester United or AC Milan. The Sevilla striker who is currently at the World Cup with Brazil feels the time is right to move on and join a big club.
The 29-year-old has been one of Europe’s most sought after strikers for some time now and would be a good signing for most clubs, but the question is would he be the right fit for Man United and is he even needed?
Currently United currently posses an abundance of attacking talent in Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov, Michael Owen, Mame Biram Diouf, Federico Macheda, Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez. Rooney’s future is safe at the club without question; Berbatov has been linked with moves away after two un-prolific seasons at Old Trafford. Owen is very injury-prone and the rest are young and un-tested so a number of them could be sent out on loan. Therefore there would be space for Fabiano in the team but you feel that probably either Michael Owen or Berbatov might have to leave the club on a permanent basis.
As to what he can bring to United’s forward line Fabiano is a good finisher and if it wasn’t for a debateable handball has scored arguably the best goal at the World Cup so far; he is a strong forward as well capable of leading the line and is also very good with his head. Despite these attributes opinion seems to be divided amongst United fans as to whether they want him at the club, some want Berbatov to leave and for him to come in as his replacement. They believe that Fabiano can work upfront with Rooney similar to how Louis Saha formed a good partnership with him. However others are not to keen because he is set to turn 30 this year and they are wary of his temperament and sometimes lazy attitude.
Judging by the forums some fans would seem to prefer Luis Suarez arriving at the club after an impressive World Cup for Uruguay so far; however his price-tag will surely be very inflated and as Fabiano only has one-year remaining on his contract with Sevilla he could prove to be the cheaper option.
At times Fabiano has flattered to deceive, especially early on in his career, however his overall goal-scoring record for Brazil is very good with 27 goals in 40 games and for Sevilla he has done well scoring 94 goals in 190 games in the past few seasons.
Despite some uncertainties over Fabiano he has proved himself capable of scoring goals and as long as he curbs his temperament he could be a very good player for Manchester United. They will be reluctant to overpay for his services though and if they can land him for around £15m then they can see it as a good a bit of business. Luis Fabiano is definitely a player who can make the difference and a partnership with Wayne Rooney could be lethal.
Do you think Luis Fabiano would be a good signing?
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Click on image below to see the BRAZILIAN babes at the World Cup
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Since 2008 there has been a consensus that two players in world football stand alone from the rest of the bunch, battling it out on an annual basis to be crowned the unofficial ‘Best Player in the World’. Those two, are of course Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Officially too, the footballing world has recognised this. From 2008 to present, both players have won the FIFA World Player of the Year, Ballon d’Or, or the FIFA Ballon d’Or as both awards have now become known. A rivalry of sorts developed, and became even more intriguing since both players are now in direct opposition of each other, lining up for bitter club enemies Barcelona and Real Madrid, in Spain’s La Liga. But if you were the manager of a Premier League club and had the opportunity to sign just one of those players, who would you, choose?
Having either of these world greats in your Premier League team is the stuff of fantasy football – or Football Manager! Although they are the attacking fulcrum for their teams, both are distinctly different from one another, each having their own unique characteristics. The difference is even more apparent when you consider the personality traits of the two.
Many now consider Messi to stand alone as the world’s current best. He has won the FIFA and Ballon d’Or award, two years running. But does that mean he would automatically succeed in the infinitely more physical Premier League? Would he really be a better fit than Cristiano Ronaldo? We’ve all heard the (arrogant) jibes from the British media; ‘he may be great, but could the little Argentine do it on a cold Wednesday night at Stoke City?’ A figure of speech, inferring that many believe Messi couldn’t hack the physical nature of the Premier League, coupled with the bitter cold and boisterous atmosphere the stadiums produce. Up to now, it’s hypothetical. But this is one area to make a case for Cristiano Ronaldo – he has done it.
As a manager of a football team, gambling on player selection at one time or another is inevitable. So if presented with a ‘sure thing’ over the ‘unproven’, which would you choose? It sounds ridiculous to refer to Messi as ‘unproven’ but the point is valid – Ronaldo is proven in the Premier League and the Argentine isn’t.
After a slow start to his career with Manchester United many quickly dismissed him as just a ‘show pony’ – full of pointless tricks with no end product. Yet he grew into his massive potential, terrorising defences up and down the country, culminating in an amazing 2007-2008 season which saw him score 42-goals on-route to winning the League title and Champions League, before being crowned both World Player and Ballon d’Or winner.
Thunderous shooting, fantastic skill and lightening-footed, Ronaldo’s speed is a major attribute both with and without the ball. As a specimen he looks more of a fit to the Premier League. Taller, he is better in the air than the little Argentine, and physically appears stronger. Yet appearances can be deceiving. As many Premier League fans remember, the Portuguese was (and still is) keen to go down with the slightest of contact – then display a full act of histrionics and scowling. Messi on the other hand receives just as much contact, if not more rough treatment from the opposition, but diving isn’t a part of his game. If felled, more often than not he bounces up, keen to get on with play. No fuss, no drama, no petulance. Out of those two characteristics, which is the most Premier League-like?
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The major difference between the two however, is their egos. Ronaldo’ unquenchable thirst to be the worlds greatest has led to him to become an individual in a team game, where the matches are ‘his’ show. Shooting from all angles and distances when team-mates are better positioned, consistently demanding the ball then preferring to charge-off in favour of a more considered team-approach, and his overly-dramatic free-kick routine – that’s without mentioning his constant on (and off) field preening and petulance. It’s no wonder he’s been rumoured to hire an ‘image’ coach this season, in hope of changing his perceived public persona.
Messi, by vast contrast, is very much a team-player. However, with such unique and immense talent he stands out as the individual. Whilst he can seemingly dribble round an opponent at will, if a team-mate is in a better position, he will pass. His outrageous technique makes the ball appear glued to his foot, whilst his outstanding vision, calmness and finishing are almost second-to-none. A Maradona-like clone, at the age of just 24 he is already considered one of the greatest players ever.
So, who would you choose for your Premier League team? The man who’s already been there, seen it and done it? Or the man who is currently considered the best, and could quite possibly be regarded as, the greatest player of all-time?
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