Tag Futebol

Ricky Ponting has used the strong public reaction to his side over the past week to pin-point areas Australia need to improve. However, he said there were no “glaring issues” to address after the heated Sydney Test.”But when they are all added together in the heat of such a tense and dramatic final day, they caused a reaction, so we need to tighten up on how we play,” he wrote in his column in the Australian. “We are very keen to ensure we get the balance of how we play the game right so we can focus clearly on another very big match coming up.”Australia held a team meeting in Perth on Sunday to discuss their Spirit of Cricket pledge, which was developed under Steve Waugh in 2003, and talked about areas where things didn’t go as planned in Sydney. The Test contained problems over racism, umpiring, sportsmanship, catching and walking and both teams face alterations in their outlook before the four-match series resumes on Wednesday.”I have been surprised by the reaction of some in the broader community who believe we did not play that amazing Sydney Test in the spirit of the game,” he said. “We take the spirit of cricket very seriously and are determined to ensure we are not only remembered as a good team, but one that is respected throughout the cricket world for the way we play.”He said he was prepared for negative comments about the side because “we are not going to keep everyone happy 100% of the time”. “I am always happy to cop that sort of criticism and go away and find ways and means of how we can make things better, as we all are,” he said. “We are certainly not brushing off the criticism because if there is a public reaction like there has been, there are some areas we need to improve.”Ponting said it was sad the controversy had taken the spotlight away from the match, which Australia secured with seven balls remaining to take the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. “To be 6 for 130 and win a Test with eight or nine minutes to go on the last day, you have obviously played some great cricket, but it hasn’t been mentioned very much,” he said. “However, that’s out of our control. All I remember from the game is playing and winning one of the all-time great Tests.”

Cricket Kenya has confirmed that Kennedy Otieno and Hitesh Modi will not be considered for selection for the World Cup, as reported last week by Cricinfo.There was some confusion last week after senior officials appeared to contradict each other over the pair’s availability, but David Waters, the head of selection, told Cricinfo that the situation was unambiguous.”Just to clarify the position regarding selection,” he said, “only players who participated in training and the practice matches held in Nairobi up to January 11 will be considered.Players based overseas were given a deadline by which to return to participate in the training and practice matches. Therefore Kennedy and Hitesh will not be considered for the World Cup.”All players were written to on December 8 informing them that they had to be with the training squad by January 3. It is reported that although Otieno did try to return from Australia, where he has a club contract, he was unable to get back to Kenya before the deadline.

The former Australian coach Bob Simpson should change with the times and understand the role of the modern-day coach, according to John Buchanan. Simpson, 70, who was inducted into Cricket Australia’s Hall of Fame on Monday, has criticised contemporary coaches’ methods and said they should spend less time behind the laptop analysing statistics and more time developing players’ ability.Simpson was appointed Australia’s first full-time coach two decades ago and his ability to transform a struggling cricket nation to a World-Cup winning side within a couple of years was credited as the start of Australia’s resurgence as a power. Although a fan of using video analysis for reviewing players’ techniques, Simpson questioned the effectiveness of computer analysis.”We’ve got all the computers and we’ve got everything like that and you’d think that you’d get your fielding positions perfect wouldn’t you?,” Simpson said. “You should know where the ball is. Why do we have two men behind square leg? Why do we have no one at third man for so long when something like 25-30% of all runs are scored at third man?”But Buchanan, a former university lecturer who guided Australia to a successful World Cup defence in 2003 and kept the side on top of the Test rankings, hit back at Simpson’s criticism.”I think sometimes people make comments out of ignorance,” Buchanan told AAP. “I really just think people don’t understand what the role of the coach is now. It’s evolving with new technology. It doesn’t mean what was done before was wrong.”For those people who choose to criticise they should spend some time with the team and try to come to terms with what’s required.” Buchanan, 52, said the Australian Cricket Board (now Cricket Australia) desperately needed a mentor to put Allan Border’s young side “back on the right path” in the mid-1980s. “They found in Bobby Simpson the right person to do that,” he said. “He was Australia’s first coach and basically got Australian cricket back on track and I think that was a major achievement. He should be praised because he established the role.”

ScorecardVictoria kept their Pura Cup final chances alive when they won the David Hookes Memorial Trophy with a convincing display against South Australia at the MCG. Mick Lewis ripped through the Redbacks, who have struggled throughout the season, with 5 for 46 as Ryan Harris did his best to hold on with 47.Resuming at 1 for 41, South Australia were quickly 4 for 40 as Shane Harwood picked up Greg Blewett and Daniel Harris. A minor recovery was staged by Nathan Adcock and Ryan Harris, but Lewis helped clean up after lunch with the final four wickets.The innings-and-57 run victory moves Victoria to 18 points, but the defending champions must win their remaining matches to stay in contention. However, they sealed their first silverware of the year with the Hookes award, an annual trophy contested over Pura and ING Cup matches between the sides.

The pressure on Vikram Solanki grows by the day, and his five-ball duck in England’s loosener on Saturday has only added to the weight on his shoulders.His wretched form of late has been well documented – his three one-day innings against Bangladesh produced 11 runs – and despite bullish comments to the contrary, as he sloped around the team hotel on Sunday he had the air of a man who knows that the noose is tightening around his neck. Duncan Fletcher, the coach, has continued to publicly support Solanki, but even his belief that players should have a good run in the side might not save him.What Fletcher has to decide is whether Solanki is a capable player going through a rough patch or simply not quite good enough to play international cricket. In 21 ODIs Solanki has passed fifty only twice, and worryingly the nature of his dismissals have often raised doubts regarding his tendency to play loose shots early on.Solanki’s team-mates were quick to offer words of support. “He [Solanki] has only played three games, or four including yesterday, where he has not scored too many runs," Marcus Trescothick said. “I am not sure how it will pan out over the next couple of weeks. We have three one-day games left, and I hope he will get some form back pretty quickly. I have tried to help a little bit, but there is only so much you can do.”Luck plays a crucial part in a player’s career, and it was hard not to feel for Solanki after he received what was generally considered a harsh leg-before decision at Moratuwa on Saturday. But as the door came closer to closing on him, it opened for Andrew Strauss, who made the most of his chance with an impressive 83.Whereas Solanki is a hitter, Strauss is happy to accumulate. “I’ll never be a blaster of a cricket ball," he admitted. "My game is based around trying to work the ball around and keep the scoreboard ticking. We have enough players in our squad here who can hit the ball over the ropes. So, hopefully, at some stage there will be a role there for a nudger and nurdler like me. It’s not a glamorous role, but it is there.”Strauss’s chance could come as soon as tomorrow.

Dion Nash, named in the CLEAR Black Caps one-day team yesterday returns to the Auckland side for tomorrow’s State Shield match with Otago at Molyneux Park in Alexandra.Otago lost their first round game with Wellington by three runs earlier in the week and Auckland have lost both their games in the last over.Also returning to the team is Nick Horsley while Rob Nicol, the New Zealand Under-19 representative, was not available due to a broken finger and he will be unable to play for at least 10 days.Auckland coach and selection convener Tony Sail said: “We are very disappointed not to have won our first two matches, when the result was there for the taking.”The players know they have played in two hard fought cricket matches and are disappointed not to have rewarded the very vocal and supportive Auckland crowd with victories.”Also appearing in the game will be Nash’s fellow Black Caps Andre Adams, Kyle Mills and Mark Richardson.The full team is: Brooke Walker (captain), Andre Adams, Aaron Barnes, Tama Canning, Chris Drum, Mark Haslam, Matt Horne, Nick Horsley, Kyle Mills, Dion Nash, Mark Richardson, Reece Young.

Punjab comfortably earned an honourable draw against Baroda in theirRanji Trophy Super League group B match at the PCA stadium in Mohalion Sunday. In arrears by 139 runs on the first innings, Punjab whowere 84 for one at stumps on Saturday, were 274 for four when stumpswere finally drawn. Baroda got five points and Punjab three.Punjab suffered an early setback when skipper Vikram Rathour fellwithout adding to his overnight score of 46. But Reetinder Singh Sodhiand Pankaj Dharmani made matters safe by adding 122 runs for the thirdwicket off 56.4 overs. The two batted patiently, avoiding risks andwhen finally Dharmani was out for 67, Punjab were virtually assured ofa draw. Dharmani faced 175 balls and hit nine fours.Dinesh Mongia fell in the following over for a duck but Sodhi andYuvraj Singh then added 60 runs off 21.2 overs for the unbroken fifthwicket before the match was called off. Sodhi, showing deepconcentration, batted 448 minutes, faced 325 balls and hit 14 foursand a six for his unbeaten 114. Yuvraj faced 68 balls for his unbeaten31, hitting five fours.

Group A

Naumnaullah and Shahid Yousuf scored centuries as National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) set Pakistan Customs a steep target of 410 runs to attain an improbable win on the final day of the eighth round at the NBP Sports Complex. After having gained a slender 23-run first-innings lead over their opponents, NBP hammered 386 for the loss of only three wickets in their second innings and had Customs struggling at 52 for two at close. Naumanullah, fresh from his century in each innings during the previous match against Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) at the same venue, scored his third hundred in succession and fourth in the tournament. His 136 came off 223 balls with 12 fours and a six while Yousuf’s unbeaten 125 took 212 deliveries with the help of seven fours and four sixes. Customs face a daunting task of improving on their first-innings total considerably – where only three of their batsmen reached double figures – to save the match.Hyderabad set up the prospects of their first win of the tournament when they gave third-placed WAPDA an improbable target of 458 runs to win at Niaz Stadium. After having gained a big 167 run first-innings lead over WAPDA, bottom placed Hyderabad scored 290 for five in their second innings with vital contributions from all batsmen before declaring. Faisal Athar top scored with 92. At close, WAPDA were six for no loss in reply.Table leaders Habib Bank Limited (HBL) were left with a modest target of 132 runs for victory by Multan at the Multan Cricket Stadium after having dismissed the hosts for 196 in their second innings. A disastrous start saw Multan lose their first three wickets for only ten runs and, having stabilised in the middle with three 30-plus scores, lost their last four wickets for 12 runs. At close, the HBL openers had reduced the target by seven runs without being separated.Sialkot played well to claim a first-innings lead of 18 even after losing their last five wickets for 37 runs while chasing Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC)‘s 269 at Jinnah Stadium. Sohail Khan picked up three of the last wickets to finish with figures of five for 86 – and took his tournament tally to 43 – as SSGC scored 74 for one in their second innings.Karachi Whites opening batsman Asad Shafiq was unbeaten on 197 against Faisalabad as the tourists replied with a 330 for five at Iqbal Stadium. With only one more day to go, a draw looked certain on the card although the Karachi team still need another 170 runs to overhaul the home team’s total. Asad, who scored a century on his first-class debut in October, scored his second century of his career as no other Karachi batsmen, bar his opening partner Khalid Latif, contributed much.

Group B

With only one day remaining in the match at the KRL Stadium, Karachi Blues still required another 187 runs to attain a first-innings lead over KRL after having gone into close at 217 for seven. Resuming at their overnight 347 for five in a rain-stricken encounter, KRL declared at 403 for seven soon after Bilal Asad had reached his half-century. In reply, most of Karachi’s batsmen got starts but didn’t go on to make big scores as only Shadab Kabir (54), Karachi’s captain, wicker-keeper Mohammad Masroor (56) scored half-centuries.Table leaders Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) may eventually have to settle for only the three first-innings lead points as Lahore Shalimarreached 315 for six at the Gaddafi Stadium. Facing a huge PIA total of 564 for five declared, most Lahore batsmen got among the runs and a 101-run fifth-wicket partnership between Suleman Khan and Ali Raza proved significant. Suleman top scored with 82 off 137 balls with 12 fours while Ali Raza’s unbeaten 60 has come off 102 balls with seven boundaries.At the Arbab Niaz Stadium, hosts Peshawar had Quetta following-on after being dismissed for 143 in reply to Peshawar’s 307. Quetta, however, fared better in their second innings through an unbroken 88-run third-wicket partnership between Hameedullah Khan (40) and Samiullah Agha (61) as they went into close 46 runs behind Peshawar.In the rain-hit match at the Mirpur Cricket Stadium, Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) declared at 326 for nine, looking for at least the first-innings lead points against Rawalpindi.They had lost six wickets with only 154 runs before a seventh-wicket stand of 93 between Faisal Naved (80) and Zohaib Khan (53 not out) rescued them. Rawalpindi replied with 22 for one by close.

Live scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary

Australia’s perfect home summer continued with England’s tour of woe as Adam Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting set up a crushing eight-wicket victory in the opening CB Series game. If England expected any relief after the Ashes whitewash and the Twenty20 demolition they were severely disappointed and they managed to leave the MCG with more severe bruises.Kevin Pietersen felt the most pain after receiving a cracked rib from Glenn McGrath, which ruled him out of the rest of the series, and Andrew Flintoff suffered further on a demoralising trip by giving up 11 runs of wides in the opening over of their defence.The Australian team does not need such generous donations and Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden piled on the misery during a 101-run opening stand that ended in the 16th over. Despite picking up both openers quickly, England barely had time to celebrate their minor achievements before Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke fulfilled their roles in an unbeaten 125-run partnership that earned the success with 4.4 overs remaining. The result continues their impressive winning streak over the past two months and gives Michael Vaughan an understanding of what lies ahead.Vaughan won the toss in his first ODI for 18 months as he returned from a serious knee injury, but it was one of the few highs during a disappointing contest. “When it rains it pours,” Vaughan said. Pietersen made a courageous half-century and England reached 8 for 242 with help from Flintoff, who returned to form to belt 47 from 38 balls. England’s best player of the Test series continued his strong performances, but Pietersen’s desire to dominate McGrath led to the end of his tour.Attempting to force the pace, Pietersen was on 73 when he charged the bowler – it was a popular tactic during the Ashes – and attempted to swivel the ball to the legside. He missed, was almost bent in half by the impact and collapsed to the ground out of his crease. He returned to safety swiftly, spent a couple of minutes with the team medical staff and was taken for a scan after his dismissal that revealed more bad news.The blow troubled him as he continued his innings and he fell to a slightly mistimed heave to deep mid-on for 82 from 91 balls. Pietersen arrived with England needing a boost after Vaughan’s departure for an encouraging 26 and he provided it once he settled. He registered his fifty with a six over mid-off from White, who he later pounded for two rope clearances in consecutive balls, and combined with Paul Collingwood (43) for a crucial 95-run partnership from the discomfort of 3 for 73.Flintoff built on their gains with a bright contribution after struggling during the Tests. With Vaughan in charge he was able to relax with the bat, although he did not enjoy the same feeling with the ball. While Nathan Bracken’s three wickets and two each to McGrath and Mitchell Johnson combined for a fine home-team performance, England struggled from the opening exchanges.It was Flintoff who had a strong say in his side’s early lack of direction when he started the second innings with a spray of 11 runs, none of which came from the bat. His first ball was a wide and another two went for five wides when they were not intercepted by Paul Nixon, the debutant wicketkeeper.Australia were showing off a new uniform in baggy-green colours and the opening batsmen made sure the first outing was as successful as the previous five Tests under the famous cap. Gilchrist and Hayden sped away during the stand that quickly downgraded England’s total from testing to easy.Gilchrist pounded a string of boundaries in front of the wicket during his 60 – the six he launched over long-on off Flintoff was the best – as England’s hopes of a first win drowned. Benefiting from sloppy early bowling, Gilchrist took advantage while the start was slower for Hayden, who returned to the team after missing the Champions Trophy when Shane Watson was preferred.Hayden edged Monty Panesar on 28 and Gilchrist finished with seven fours from his 61 balls in an innings that ended when he nicked Jamie Dalrymple. Ponting made sure the loss of his two frontmen was barely a blip and he eased the side to victory with an impressive 82 off 96 balls. Clarke’s 57 not out was a useful contribution alongside his captain as a new tournament started with an old result.

Derbyshire have named Graeme Welch as their new captain for the 2006 season. Welch replaces Luke Sutton, who left the club at the end of last season to join Lancashire.Welch, 33, takes over the reins of a club whose fortunes last season could hardly have been worse, finishing bottom of the Championship. Welch, though, remains optimistic for the team’s prospects in 2006.”I am very proud to have been asked to lead the side in what we see as a new era for the club,” he said. “While we struggled last season we also showed some signs of promise for the future. With the young players we have coming through and the excellent signings we have made, we are confident of making real progress in 2006.”Derbyshire had hoped to sign Justin Langer, but the Australian batsman turned down the offer in November. However, Welch will have the services of two experienced Test batsmen after Mohammad Yousuf and Jacques Rudolph signed deals for 2006. The Tasmanian batsman, Michael di Venuto, will be Welch’s deputy.