There was plenty of activity on the second day of Jammu & Kashmir’sNorth Zone Ranji Trophy match against Services at Jammu. Eighteenwickets tumbled during the day and after all the dust had settled, thehosts have been left on the brink of victory. Chasing a fourth inningstarget of 108, Jammu & Kashmir were 44/1 at stumps.Earlier in the day, Jammu & Kashmir were bundled out for 176 in theirfirst innings for a lead of just 14. Ashwani Gupta remained undefeatedon 56, watching in frustration from the other end as the last sixwickets fell for 38 runs. Services seamer Sudhakar Ghag did the bulkof the damage with a haul of 6/56.J&K hit back immediately by routing Services for 121 in under two anda half hours. Skipper and lead strike bowler, Abdul Qayoom, who hasbeen in impressive form ever since the season began, added a bag of4/19 to his first innings pickings of 5/42. Ghag’s blistering 31 off17 balls was the top score in an innings that was over in 28.2 overs.Openers Vidya Bhaskar and Ajay Bhatti put on 43 in just ten overs asJ&K began strongly in their runchase. Although the former fell justbefore stumps for 30, the hosts are heavily favoured to bring a speedyconclusion to the match on Monday.
Aston Villa were involved in one of the biggest transfer deals that the Premier League has ever seen during the previous summer transfer window when Jack Grealish made the move to Manchester City for a British record fee of £100m.
Understandably, not every player that leaves the Midlands club gets as much coverage as the former Villa captain got.
One player that left the club in recent years in a much more low-key affair that has gone under the radar is Andre Green, who was released as a free agent back in the 2020 summer transfer window.
As a product of Villa’s youth academy, the winger racked up 89 appearances across their U18, U23 and senior teams, scoring nine goals and providing nine assists along the way as well as having loan spells with Portsmouth, Preston North End and Charlton Athletic.
Described as a player that has “got ridiculous pace and goes past people like [Cristiano] Ronaldo used to,” by former Villa manager Tim Sherwood, the attacker ultimately never got his senior career at the club going.
A few months after leaving the Villans, Green joined Sheffield Wednesday in the 2021 January transfer window, only to leave in the summer after making just 15 appearances with no goals to his name.
Moving on from the Yorkshire club, the 23-year-old joined Slovakian club Slovan Bratislava in the summer, where he has made 26 appearances across all competitions, scoring ten goals and providing five assists in the process.
While it took him a fair amount of time to do so, it seems as though the Englishman has finally found his feet in Slovakia after failing to make a mark on British shores.
Taking into account how little he offered the club he started his career at in their first team, it’s safe to say that Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris had a lucky escape and were right to let him go when they did, as he would have been nothing but a drain on the club’s finances if they kept loaning him out for more unsuccessful spells away from Villa Park.
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Moving forward, while the former youth prospect is seemingly having a good time at his current club, it seems unlikely that he will be making a return to the Midlands club in the future.
In other news: Lange plotting bargain AVFC swoop for “monstrous” £6m-rated gem, he’d be a big upgrade – opinion
A bottle of champagne is usually the gift for a world record holder, but Mark Boucher should save the postage after Adam Gilchrist became the game’s most successful wicketkeeper. The two glovemen will play pass the parcel with the mark as they wait for the music to stop on Gilchrist’s career.The milestone of 414 has arrived at a testing time for Gilchrist, whose sloppiness behind the stumps has spread through the team. Ian Healy described the wicketkeeper as the drummer in the band, but during the India series Australia have lost their beat and their previously impeccable standards have dropped.Gilchrist has a strong collection of 35 dismissals in the past seven Tests, but it is the four catches and two stumpings he has missed against India that are being remembered. Agendas to have him removed are premature, but at 36 each mistake is magnified by those looking to the new generation. Slowing reflexes and heavier legs are normal for those in middle age and Gilchrist has to regain his sharpness to fend off Brad Haddin, another attacking batsman and rounded keeper.Footwork has been a problem for Gilchrist at times over the past four weeks, preventing him from making enough ground for more comfortable takes, but regulation offerings have also been spilled. VVS Laxman benefited from Gilchrist’s error on the first day and the affliction was caught by Phil Jaques, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke and Michael Hussey on the second.Seven offerings were grassed in India’s first innings of 526 and when Gilchrist moved clear of Boucher with the final wicket there was no Warnesque fanfare. The edge from Anil Kumble’s drive was accepted and the celebration involved Gilchrist brushing his gloves together like he does after taking most deliveries.Almost two days in the field wore down Australia and only Ponting, Brad Hogg and Brett Lee congratulated Gilchrist on his achievement. Matthew Hayden, who spilled a take at first slip on Thursday, sprinted off the field to prepare to bat and the hardest backslaps came from the crowd on the way up to the dressing room. Head-to-head battles for untouched marks seem more riveting when the gloves are off.Gilchrist accepted his two chances on the second day and both were comfortable, Harbhajan Singh lobbing a sweep for a running take before the Kumble nick. The men around him were not so fortunate and when a bowling attack is experiencing hard days, like it has in Adelaide and Perth, it looks to the fielders for a boost.Only one chance was floored by Gilchrist in the innings, but his performances set the pulse for the side, and not just through sharp running between overs and sprints for balls in close. The mood is also relevant to his run-making, which has become hit and miss since the 2006-07 Ashes, when his scores were 0, 64, 0, 102 not out, 1 and 62.In this series his results have been mixed again, with a half-century pushing his tally to 136 runs at 22.66. Australia expect more from someone who changed the role of the wicketkeeper-batsman, but the slide has been starting since his problems with Andrew Flintoff in the 2005 Ashes. From the beginning of that campaign he has averaged 30.66 in 27 Tests with only two centuries.Over the past couple of years Gilchrist has complained about the workload before returning refreshed and energetic from off-season breaks. Unless the Pakistan tour is cancelled there will be no holiday this year and it would not be a surprise if Gilchrist shaved his one-day duties. A 100th Test is looming – he is playing his 96th – and so is more time with his family.The lure of being a world record holder has also gone and a cross-Asia battle with Boucher is unlikely to hold his interest. Boucher, who has played 109 Tests, overtook Healy’s 395 dismissals in Pakistan in October and South Africa will be playing India in March while Australia are scheduled to tour Pakistan.However, wicketkeeping remains largely unfashionable despite Gilchrist’s all-round exploits and the title fight for the record will not be covered like the Warne v Murali duels over the past four years. After the subdued reaction from his team-mates, Gilchrist may have to wait for a meeting with Boucher before the corks for the world mark really start to pop.
The trial of former Zimbabwe Test cricketer Mark Vermeulen, which was due to begin at the Provincial Magistrates in Harare on Tuesday morrning, has again been postponed, this time until May 7, due to inadequate medical reports being available.One of the two medicals from government-appointed experts to examine Vermeulen’s mental status had not been concluded when trial was scheduled to start. It is now expected early next month.Vermeulen is being tried for arson after he allegedly set fire to the Zimbabwe Cricket Academy building and part of the ZC boardroom last year, destroying property and training equipment worth several millions of Zimbabwean dollars.
Sanath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka’s veteran allrounder, will miss the VB Series in Australia as he recovers from a shoulder injury.Jayasuriya, 36, dislocated his shoulder in a freak swimming pool accident in August and aggravated it after slipping in the shower in New Zealand this week.Sri Lanka have had a dismal run of form lately, losing 6-1 to India and dropping three consecutive games to New Zealand. Michael Vandort, who played two Tests in 2001-02 but who has yet to make his one-day debut, has been brought into the squad while Chamara Kapugedara and Nuwan Kulasekara, the medium-fast bowler, have replaced Avishka Gunawardene and Lasith Malinga.Sri Lanka meet Australia in the VB Series opener at Melbourne on January 13. South Africa are the third team in the tournament, with the best-of-three finals beginning at Adelaide on February 10.Sri Lanka squad Marvan Atapattu (capt), Jehan Mubarak, Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Michael Vandort, Russel Arnold, Chaminda Vaas, Farveez Maharoof, Muttiah Muralitharan, Malinga Bandara, Ruchira Perera, Dilhara Fernando, Chamara Kapugedara, Nuwan Kulasekera.
The venue for Pakistan’s tour match against an Indian Board President’s XI is a nameless wonder. After four years in existence, the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) ground still hasn’t been christened. As one of their members quipped in jest: “The baby has started walking after 25-odd first-class games, but it has yet to be named.”But the baby’s got good looks as well. A small and glittering green plate of a ground has a perfect snow-capped background in the form of the Dauladhar hill-range. These white-carpeted mountains add to the serenity of the venue, as do the blazer-clad-men with their traditional Himachal bushairi caps, who were busy getting ready for the party.It’s been a fraught preparation. From the moment Dharamsala was announced as the venue for the tour game, it has been the centre of the wrong sort of attraction. First, there were the visitors who complained about the altitude problems (Dharamsala is some 1317 metres above sea level). Then, fearing snowfall, which just ended a week prior to the start of the match, people were asking if it was a “warm-up game” or a “freeze-down affair”.No sooner had the snow disappeared from the ground than the Lama Drama began. His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, who has a summer palace in Dharamsala, had been invited to inaugurate the game. But the Pakistan Cricket Board, apparently, didn’t want to ruffle feathers with China, a nation that doesn’t recognize a free Tibet and, incidentally, some pundits think could become the next cricketing superpower.However, the drama was ended by the man himself, who dissociated himself from any further controversy by deciding not to attend the match; instead his blessings went to the thousands who flocked to his palace for his more-popular teachings, and the governor of the state was instead pencilled in as the chief guest.The pulse of the place, by itself, is steady and calm. Normally if a small place like Dharamsala is hosting a match of international stature, all streets would be painted red. The only paint conspicuous to the roving eye was the white colour of the snow. But people do know the game is happening. Over a plate of thugpa (popular Tibetan meal) two monks, taking a break from their lessons, were heard saying: “Mohammad Kaif, captain …” the rest was in Tibetan.Near the ground the frenzy is highly vocal. Just behind the practice nets is the hostel of the Sports Authority of India, which houses a batch of 80 girls, who are training in various sports. As the Pakistanis arrived fresh, early on Wednesday morning, the girls went mad, shouting their favorite player’s name. The biggest and the loudest cheers went to … Afridi, no. Inzy, no way. Razzaq. Nah.”Sami, Sami, Sami…” went the chant as the man with a boyish face and straight and long black hair went about his routines. When Mohammad Sami didn’t respond the girls almost pleaded, “Saaaammmmiii, please, yaahaan [Sami, please look this way].” Then they were heard wishing: “Happy Birthday”. A quick flick through the player profiles showed that two players – Shahid Afridi (March 1) and Inzamam-ul-Haq (March 3) had reasons to celebrate this week.The girls said they were offering belated wishes to Afridi. They clearly do know their cricket … or at least, their cricketers. An obvious question came to mind: which team do they support? Surprisingly, their verdict was split. Either way, they had earned their free passes.
Ramiz Raja, the Pakistan board’s chief executive, today expressed his disappointment after four New Zealand players and a team official chose not to tour Pakistan for the scheduled five-match one-day international series next week.Craig McMillan, Lou Vincent, Scott Styris and Ian Butler all opted out of the tour after the New Zealand board received a threat regarding their safety.In a statement, Ramiz said that the PCB was "disappointed with this news because it strongly feels that Pakistan is a safe place to play cricket as proven with five Tests and 10 one-day internationals against Bangladesh and South Africa."He added that they had hoped to host a full strength New Zealand side for the series, and stressed that even though they respected the decision, they would make their feelings known to the New Zealand board.
Prasad, Watekar lead dramatic Andhra recoveryAn unbeaten hundred from RVC Prasad and his remarkable 168-run with No. 9 Hemal Watekar brought Andhra within shouting distance of Gujarat’s first-innings score of 499 on the penultimate day of the five-day Ranji pre-quarterfinal between the two sides at the Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad.Earlier, Andhra, who resumed at 250 for six, lost two early wickets in the morning. The score was 269 for eight when Watekar joined Prasad. In the 86 overs that followed the two men resuscitated Andhra hopes. When stumps were drawn, Prasad was batting on142 off 378 balls, a knock which included 20 fours, while Watekar was batting on a patient 61. All is now set for an engrossing first session on the final day. Whichever team secures the lead will make it to the quarterfinal. Gujarat needing just two quick wickets are still the favourites. But as anyone who has followed Andhra’s fairytale run would tell, one would be writing off the latter at one’s own peril.Tamil Nadu thrash MumbaiTamil Nadu have run out winners in their clash against Mumbai at the Guru Nanak College Ground, Chennai. A Mumbai capitulation was what sealed Tamil Nadu’s passage into the Ranji Trophy quarterfinals.In the morning, Tamil Nadu, who resumed at 265 for eight, folded almost immediately. Sridharan Sharath was the last man to go after a good hand of 56. The eventual Tamil Nadu score of 272 left Mumbai chasing a stiff victory target of 269 in their second innings.The start was ominous. Tamil Nadu new-ball bowler MR Shrinivas snared Wasim Jaffer in just his second over. Then followed stands of 40 and 30 for the second and third wicket respectively. But the fall of top-scorer Kunal More (39) with the Mumbai score on 71 signalled the beginning of the end. Except for Amol Mazumudar, who made 28, none of the other batsmen could even get to double figures as the visitors slumped to a 140-run defeat. For Tamil Nadu, Robin Singh and Laxmipathy Balaji claimed three wickets each while Shrinivas chipped in with two.Hyderabad win by ten wicketsHyderabad completed a ten wicket win over Himachal Pradesh at the end of the fourth day’s play at the Gymkhana Ground, Secunderabad. The hosts, who had reduced Himachal to 175 for eight at the end of third day after putting up 403 in the first innings, managed to dislodge Nischal Gaur after the latter had put on a spirited resistance for the best part of 28 overs. They then rattled the 31 runs without much ado to seal a ten-wicket win and a place in the Ranji quarter-finals.On the third day, Anirudh Singh (37) and Arjun Yadav (39) were the only two Hyderabadi batsmen who did anything of note. The home team’s eventual total of 403, after they had resumed at 288 for five, though secured them a massive 211-run first innings lead.When Himachal replied for the second time, the openers Sandeep Sharma and wicket-keeper Ravikanth Shrama provided a sound platform. The duo put on 78 runs before Sharma was out for a well-made 50. Off-spinner Jogram Singh, who snared him, went on to claim three more wickets. Later on, the other Hyderabad bowlers also joined the party. No.7 Gaur though proved a determined foe. He made 73 while holding fort for 129 balls. Shakti Singh, who made a rapid 31 off 22 balls, was the other batsman to score a few runs. Yadav, who ended with figures of 5 for 91 from 31 overs, was the most successful bowler for Hyderabad.Railways secure vital first-innings lead against DelhiDelhi failed to gain the first-innings lead despite a double hundred from opener Gautam Gambhir. Gambhir made 214 before being run-out by a substitute. Railways reached 27 for one before stumps were drawn at the Karnail Singh Stadium, Delhi.Earlier, Delhi, who resumed at 262 for three, had to suffer the mortification seeinf her bastmen make a beeline for the pavilion. Only with the arrival of No. 10 Ashish Nehra did Gambhir find a partner who was willing to give him worthwhile company. The two put on 50 runs before Gambhir’s long vigil ended. Nehra went on to make 25 before becoming the last man to be dismissed. Railways bowlers Harvinder Singh and Murali Kartik, who claimed three wickets each, played a big role in helping their team secure the vital 102-run lead. With just a day’s play remaining, Railways are well on their way to the Ranji quarter-final.Bengal secure massive win over RajasthanThe powerful Bengal side have secured a place in the Ranji quarterfinals after thrashing Rajasthan by an innings and 51 runs at the KL Saini Ground, Jaipur on Sunday. Bengal, who had claimed a 197-run lead by the end of the fourth day’s play, then dismissed the hosts for 146 runs on Sunday.The 41 overs play on Saturday had seen Bengal batsman Subhomoy Das, resuming on 99, complete a well-deserved century. He was eventually out for 129. The rest of the willow-wielders did not add too many runs as the visitors were dismissed for 518. They had though secured a massive lead and this had already assured them of a place in the quarterfinals. A six-wicket haul by their new-ball bowler Sabir Ali on the fifth day though saw them have the pleasure of securing an outright win.
Hampshire County Cricket Club announced today that Rod Bransgrove has been appointed as the County’s new Chairman.Mr.Bransgrove was elected unanimously at last night’s special meeting of Hampshire’s General Committee at which Brian Ford’s letter of resignation as Chairman was considered and accepted. Mr.Ford said he needed more time to concentrate on his personal affairs.Mr.Bransgrove said today: "I’m honoured to take over this role and I will discharge it to the very best of my ability".At the press conference held to make this announcement, 50 year old Mr.Bransgrove intimated his committment to the county that he had a deep passion for. With his businesses now in good hands he feels he can devote much more time to the task at hand. The smooth opening of the new ground was a major priority. He saw himself not so much as an overlord, more as a decision facilitator.The club under the new Chairman, will be forming a Fund Raising Committee to look into the shortfall needed for the Rose Bowl, and when pressed stipulated that his committment would also include some personal finantial obligation.When asked about an overseas player for next season, Mr.Bransgrove whose playing ability was mainly local league "stuff" in Sussex, stated he was not an expert on cricket matters, and would leave these in the hands of people in the know, all he could say was that the club were in advanced negotiations, and would expect to name a player soon.Hampshire’s Chief Executive, Tony Baker’s reaction to a question from the floor, stated he was very pleased with the appointment, he an Mr.Bransgrove had much in common and felt they could work well together in the name of Hampshire CCC.
According to The Daily Star, Antonio Conte has personally set his sights on a new top transfer target for Tottenham Hotspur.
The Lowdown: Conte wants backing…
Following his arrival in north London, an appointment which came with much promise given his record of winning silverware, much has been made of whether Spurs chairman Daniel Levy will back Conte to bring in fresh faces.
The January transfer window saw both Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur arrive from Juventus but moves for both Adama Traore and Luis Diaz were unceremoniously hijacked.
A mixed window puts much emphasis on the summer as pundits and fans alike urge Tottenham to give Conte what he needs.
The Latest: Levy pressured to ‘strike a £30 million deal’ for Botman
As per The Daily Star, the Italian has now set his sights on a new top target. According to their sources, Conte is ‘still to be convinced’ that Tottenham’s ‘hierarchy’ will back him.
This is apparently ‘cranking up the pressure’ on Spurs chiefs and chairman Daniel Levy to ‘strike a £30million deal’ to sign Lille star Sven Botman before Newcastle United, as they wish to ‘appease’ their manager.
The Italian is ‘demanding’ that Spurs sign Botman as an ‘absolute priority’ this summer, green-lighting a bid as he gives ‘his seal of approval’ to move for the 22-year-old.
The Verdict: Get it done…
One of the most highly sought-after left-footed central defenders in Europe, Spurs and Levy will face a battle to sign the Dutchman. However, for a reported £30m, Conte is certainly right to prioritise a swoop given just how brilliant Botman has been at the top level despite his tender age.
Already lauded as an ‘established Champions League player’ by pundit Noel Whelan, the defender has averaged more clearances per 90 in France than any Spurs regular has in the Premier League (prior to Lille’s clash with Lyon tonight), including the rejuvenated Eric Dier (WhoScored).
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He has also found a higher percentage of his passes to team-mates (87.7%) than Spurs’ entire defensive crop, highlighting his composure and maturity (WhoScored).
If Conte can win the race for Botman’s signature, there is no doubting that he would be a stellar capture.
In other news: ‘Worrying’…Insider shares what ‘in the know’ source is ‘reporting’ at Tottenham, find out more here.