Urooj Mumtaz will lead Pakistan’s 15-member squad for the Women’s World Cup in Australia from March 7 to 22
Cricinfo staff12-Jan-2009Urooj Mumtaz will lead Pakistan’s 15-member squad for the Tri-Nation Series in Bangladesh, from February 3 to 18, and the subsequent Women’s World Cup in Australia from March 7 to 22.Sana Mir will be Mumtaz’s deputy in the touring party, which includes four uncapped players in Nahida Khan, Armaan Khan, Sania Khan and Sukhan Faiz. Among those missing from the squad are former captain Sana Javed as well as opener Tasqeen Qadeer.Pakistan qualified for the World Cup, which will have eight teams, by finishing second in last year’s qualifiers in South Africa – they lost in the final to the hosts. They have been drawn in the same group as India, England and Sri Lanka.The top three teams will make it to the Super Six round, a tough ask for Pakistan, given England are the pre-tournament favourites, and that both India and Sri Lanka beat them convincingly in the Asia Cup in May 2008. Pakistan have also not played any international cricket since the tournament, with West Indies having cancelled a visit to the country over security concerns.However, they will gain match practice before the World Cup in a triangular contest in Bangladesh, involving the hosts and Sri Lanka.Pakistan squad Urooj Mumtaz (capt), Sana Mir (vice-captain), Bismah Maroof, Nain Abidi, Sajjida Shah, Javeria Khan, Armaan Khan, Batool Fatima, Nahida Khan, Almas Akram, Asmavia Iqbal, Sania Khan, Qanita Jalil, Naila Nazir, Sukhan Faiz.
Sean Williams, the former Zimbabwe Under-19 captain, has once again backtracked on his decision to turn away from Zimbabwe by making himself available for their series against Sri Lanka
Cricinfo staff18-Nov-2008Sean Williams, the former Zimbabwe Under-19 captain, has once again backtracked on his decision to turn away from Zimbabwe by making himself available for their series against Sri Lanka.Two weeks ago Williams ended a long period of speculation by withdrawing himself from the series, stating he was frustrated by “practice without matches” and blaming Zimbabwe Cricket for the lack of proper action on the pitch. He missed the training camp at the start of this season, as well as their tour to Canada and Kenya last month, as his corrugated career again hit the buffers.But yet again he has made himself available, and was spotted at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo during Zimbabwe A’s match against Sri Lanka at the weekend. He is expected to join the rest of the squad on Tuesday ahead of the first of five ODIs on Thursday.This is not the first time Williams has made a stance before retracting it. After leading Zimbabwe in the Under-19 World Cup two years ago, there were rumours he was unhappy with the board and he subsequently turned down a central contract, allegedly to explore the possibility of playing in South Africa. Three months later, he was back for Zimbabwe.With doubts hanging over the availability of former captain Tatenda Taibu ahead of the Sri Lanka series, and Zimbabwe’s batting lacking experience, it is hard to imagine the Zimbabwe selectors ignoring Williams’ experience.
Former professional footballer Dean Windass is looking forward to watching Dele Alli play for Tottenham again this season.
Alli wasn’t a part of Tottenham’s side much in the first half of last season, featuring for just 74 minutes in the Premier League prior to the new year. The attacking midfielder suffered an injury that saw him miss four league matches at the end of January and beginning of February, but upon his return featured more regularly under Jose Mourinho and Ryan Mason, who took caretaker charge following Mourinho’s departure.
Under new Tottenham manager Nuno Espirito Santo, Alli has featured throughout pre-season and got on the scoresheet against both Colchester United and MK Dons, before being named in the starting XI as Spurs beat Man City on the opening day of the Premier League season.
And Windass is looking forward to watching Alli play for Tottenham again this season and says that the midfielder will want Harry Kane to stay, exclusively telling Football FanCast: “I think it would be a great signing again for Tottenham, as you say he’s got back fit and you go away and prove people wrong, you go and prove Jose Mourinho wrong.
“He’ll want Harry Kane to stay obviously because them two was like glue weren’t they together really. So, if Harry Kane stays and Dele is just in behind then that could work for sure. So, no it will be interesting and I’m looking forward to watching him play.”
Noel Whelan has backed Todd Cantwell to renew his ‘telepathic’ partnership with Emiliano Buendia if he signs for Aston Villa.
The former Leeds United striker gave Football Insider his verdict on the Villans’ latest target.
The lowdown
The latest from an Aston Villa source is that talks between the Midlands outfit and Norwich City are ongoing.
They’re ‘pushing hard’ to recruit the 23-year-old following Jack Grealish’s move to Manchester City.
Villa have already done business with the newly-promoted Canaries this summer, paying a club record £34.56million to sign Buendia.
Cantwell missed 10 games through injury last season but was still able to contribute six goals and six assists for Daniel Farke’s side.
He was called up to the England squad for the group stages of the Under-21 European Championships in March, featuring in a 2-1 win over Croatia on Matchday Three.
The latest
Whelan showered Cantwell with praise and suggested that evidence of his on-field understanding with Buendia would be clear to see ‘from day one’.
“We know he’s a very young talented player,” he said. “You’re bringing that partnership back together again with Buendia as well.
“The two know each other very well so that that communication and telepathic play between the two of them will come straight into play. You’ll see that from day one.
“A highly-rated young player that other teams have been looking at.”
The pundit did warn however that it would take a ‘substantial’ fee to persuade Norwich to part with a player who may be central to their survival hopes.
According to Sky Sports’ Dharmesh Sheth, they may even demand upwards of £50million.
“If Norwich don’t want to sell and feel like they’ve given Villa too many good players, they could say no. They need to give themselves a chance to stay in the Premier League as well,” Whelan continued.
“It’d be very hard to turn down an offer from Aston Villa which I’m sure will be big and quite substantial.”
The verdict
Cantwell is an immensely talented player. He even demonstrated that in a Norwich side that amassed only 21 points and finished bottom of the Premier League table in 2019/20.
Villa may have spent in the region of £95million this summer, but after Grealish’s exit they’ve actually made a profit up to this point. They may be able to meet Norwich’s demands, then, but will they deem them fair?
If he’s their chosen successor then perhaps money is no object. But after bolstering their ranks with Bailey, Buendia and Ings, there could be wisdom in returning to the table for Cantwell next summer, when his contract will be into its final 12 months without the club option for a further year.
In other news, there’s an update on the future of this goal-shy Villa star.
Arsenal are now ready to hijack Tottenham Hotspur's move for Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz, according to a recent report from The Sun.
What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?
Despite having already signed Declan Rice in a deal worth £105m, Arsenal remain in the market for a new central midfielder this summer, with a move for Southampton's Romeo Lavia still on the cards after the 19-year-old gave the green light.
Lavia was viewed as a potential replacement for Thomas Partey, although Mikel Arteta has recently indicated that the Ghanaian will remain at the Emirates Stadium this summer.
When asked whether he expects the 30-year-old to stay, Arteta said: "Yes, Thomas is a super important player for us. Every time I had a conversation with him, he says he wants to stay with us. There is nothing there at all."
Edu has personally been in talks to seal a move for Gremio midfielder Bitello this week, with the 23-year-old now emerging as a major target, and Arsenal could now be closing in on a move.
But according to a report from The Sun, the Gunners also remain interested in signing Luiz and are now ready to hijack Tottenham's move for the Aston Villa midfielder, with Ange Postecoglou currently considering him as a potential replacement for Pierre Emile-Hojbjerg.
Arsenal tried to sign the Brazilian last summer before he opted to put pen to paper on a new £75k-per-week contract at Villa Park, which is not due to expire until the summer of 2026.
Arteta and Postecoglou are now poised to tussle it out for the central midfielder, but it is as yet unclear how much Villa would be willing to sell him for. It should be noted that considering Steven Gerrard, who held onto the midfielder's services last term, is no longer in charge in the West Midlands, Unai Emery may yet be talked into a deal this year.
How good is Douglas Luiz?
The 25-year-old has been hailed as "incredible" by sports reporter Gregg Evans, while Villa boss Emery has in fact underlined just how essential he is for his current team, saying: "He’s very important and he has big potential. He can progress more.
"I’m trying every day to support him and to push him to do one more step ahead as a player. He’s doing it and he’s working very well."
The Rio de Janeiro-born maestro poses an attacking threat, having averaged 0.18 non-penalty goals per 90 in the past year, which places him in the 86th percentile compared to his positional peers, and he also ranks in the 85th percentile for assists.
Not only that, but the Aston Villa star is also competent defensively, averaging 2 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per game in the Premier League last season, with those statistics ranking him among the highest in the squad.
Having averaged a WhoScored match rating of 6.93, the midfielder was the Villans' second-best performer in the league last season. However, there are doubts over whether he is a necessary signing for Arsenal.
Given that Arteta has now claimed that Partey is likely to stay, the Gunners are well-stocked in midfield, and they have no real need to spend big on another player in that area of the pitch.
Plays of the day from the second ODI between Sri Lanka and Australia in Colombo
Andrew Fidel Fernando and Brydon Coverdale 24-Aug-2016The hat-trick Bruce Reid, Anthony Stuart, Brett Lee, Daniel Christian, Clint McKay, James Faulkner. That is the list of Australians to have taken an ODI hat-trick, six names in total after Faulkner joined the group in this match. And he did so across two overs, his wickets coming from the last ball of the 46th over and the first two deliveries of the 48th over. First was Kusal Perera, who was lbw trying to reverse-sweep a cutter. Then it was Angelo Mathews, who drilled one down the ground and was caught just inside the boundary by Moises Henriques. And finally Thisara Perera was bowled while backing away and trying to cut. Three ODI hat-tricks were taken last year, but this was the first for 2016.The sitter It was the sittingest sitter that ever sat. In the 42nd over of Sri Lanka’s innings, Kusal Perera got a top edge off Moises Henriques that lobbed up and straight down into the hands of Adam Zampa at short third man. And then down further, out of the hands of Adam Zampa at short third man and onto the ground. It was such an easy chance that it was genuinely baffling that Zampa had managed to drop it. Perhaps, having finished his own 10 overs and claimed 3 for 42 earlier, his concentration had waned. It was a costly enough miss – Perera was on 29 and went on to make 54.The long walk home Dinesh Chandimal is a batsman who puts store in personal milestones. He celebrates his own with abandon, and his team-mates’ with even more abandon. So when he was out on 48, going for a Sri Lankan record of six fifties in a row, his reaction was endearingly predictable. Chandimal dropped his shoulders. Chandimal dropped his head. Dragging his feet and the bat behind him, he trudged sullenly through the outfield, like a man who had been roughed up and robbed at the bus halt, and was left with no option but to begin walking home – a brass band playing a sombre tune in the background.The opener Nathan Lyon did not play in the first ODI but was rapidly into the action in this second match. After Mitchell Starc delivered the first over of the game, Lyon sent down the second and immediately gained some noticeable turn. For some teams it is nothing out of the ordinary to open with a spinner in an ODI, but it is a rarity for Australia. In fact, only once before have Australia used the tactic in the first innings of an ODI – when Mark Waugh shared the new ball against South Africa at the SCG on Australia Day, 1998.
“He has taken his role as the senior pro very seriously and it shows on the field”
Mohammad Isam28-Jun-2022The fast bowlers showing the ability to take wickets from slow pitches was the biggest gain for West Indies from their 2-0 win over Bangladesh, according to head coach Phil Simmons.Alzarri Joseph was the series’ top wicket-taker while Kemar Roach became only the sixth West Indies bowler to take 250 wickets during the series. Kyle Mayers and Jayden Seales contributed with regular wickets while Anderson Phillip made an impressive debut in St Lucia.Related
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It had a big impact on Bangladesh, who got bowled out for less than 250 in all four innings in the Test series, losing both games by big margins.”The first (Test) wicket wasn’t conducive to fast bowling but we got them out for low scores,” Simmons said. “In this Test match, to get them bowled out on the first day on a comparatively slow wicket, gave us the driver’s seat. The fast bowlers deserve a lot of credit. We have worked hard in the two series, and come out victorious. This one maybe wasn’t as hard as the first one, the important thing is that at the end of the day, the W is behind the two Tests. We won 2-0 in Bangladesh in 2021 as well. You have to take all those things, and sit back and enjoy it.”Simmons was happy with Roach in particular helping out the young pace attack. Roach, who debuted in 2009, had a series to remember for reaching the 250-wicket milestone. He was lauded by West Indies greats Curtly Ambrose and Michael Holding, whose tally he crossed during the St Lucia Test.”(Roach) is helping the fast bowlers to mature quicker. I think he has an exceptional influence on all the young fast bowlers. He has taken his role as the senior pro very seriously. It shows on the field. You can see him talking to them, who are trying to do the right things all the time. I think his influence has been massive to these young fast bowlers.”Mayers, too, emerged as an all-round factor for the first time in his short Test career. He contributed mainly with the ball in Antigua, before hitting his second Test century in St Lucia, a backs-to-the-wall counterattack.”He brings in the wicket-taking factor. He is not express, but he puts the ball in the right areas. If he bats normally, he scores quickly in all three formats. I have to get him to understand that he needs to bat normally. Once we get that, he is going to be a force to be reckoned with.”Phillip also had a good first outing but Simmons felt that nerves got the better of him at times. “I think he had a good debut. Two wickets earlier on, but he got a bit of cramps. It comes with all the nervousness that comes with your first Test match. If you are not nervous, something is wrong.”He was nervous, and it didn’t help him. He bowled well in both the innings. He did what the captain wanted him to do.”
Cristiano Ronaldo slammed a reporter for disrespect as he accused the media of spreading negativity around the Portuguese team.
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Ronaldo slams journalistAccuses media of spreading negativityPortugal face Denmark on Sunday nightFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱AFPWHAT HAPPENED?
The former European champions are on the verge of exiting the Nations League at the quarter-final stage after they suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to Denmark in the first leg of their tie. Manchester United star Rasmas Hojlund netted a late winning goal as the Danes stunned the Selecao. Ronaldo was left frustrated with his team's defeat and subsequently claimed that too much negativity was being spread about the Portugal side.
AdvertisementWHAT CRISTIANO RONALDO SAID
Speaking to reporters, the 40-year-old said: "I think the team is playing well except for one or another game, which is part of football. I believe the team has maintained an excellent level, in my opinion. One thing is for you to have your point of view; I have mine.
"The demand you place on me, the best generations are always the ones that win. “In my point of view, there are golden generations, there are silver generations, there are bronze generations. It’s whatever you want."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
The Al-Nassr star then slammed a reporter for being disrespectful as he added: "They are the ones that win, the ones that rally the troops and manage to win more than they lose in battles. I feel there is a certain negativity surrounding the national team. I have seen the press conferences in recent days, I don’t like it. I don’t like it.
"Even some of the questions you ask, I think it’s a lack of respect as well when someone asks a question, I will give you my answer, but don’t ask me a question and then look at the computer, you should be looking at me in the eye. I say it and I’ll continue to say it. I’m sure that I will leave the Alvalade with my head held high and I want my teammates and all the Portuguese people to leave the same way, regardless of the result."
AFPWHAT NEXT FOR PORTUGAL?
Ronaldo and Co will get an opportunity to overturn the one-goal deficit when they host Denmark in the second leg of their quarter-final clash on Sunday at Jose Alvalade Stadium.
Cheap dismissal of Joe Root can’t dent progress, as young-old partnership holds firm
David Hopps20-May-2022Yorkshire 269 for 4 (Lyth 118*, Brook 82) lead Warwickshire 244 (Burgess 96, Patterson 3-43) by 25 runsAnybody who witnessed last week’s Roses match, and reflected upon the favourites to win the Championship season, would feel that it was a strange old world if Yorkshire were to find themselves ahead of Lancashire when the first raft of fixtures ends on Sunday evening.Yet that is a potential outcome after Lancashire, dominant in the Roses match and strongly fancied to take their first title since 2011, suffered a first-innings collapse against Essex at Old Trafford and Yorkshire moved into a position of strength against last year’s winners, Warwickshire.Strong first-innings batting performances have been at the heart of Yorkshire’s season and they remained wedded to the task at Headingley, driven to 269 for 4, and a lead of 25 when rain caused a premature halt 17 overs early, by the England call-up Harry Brook and a batter whose England days have passed and who now must stave off retirement as long as he can, Adam Lyth. New and old in harness in a fourth-wicket stand of 159 in 43 overs that began cagily but gradually took the game away from Warwickshire with deceptive ease.It is a rare occasion when the dismissal of Joe Root, who was out for 8 when he edged a late-swing delivery from Henry Brookes to the wicketkeeper, leads to such a positive outcome.It was a poignant stand in many ways (this is new Yorkshire after all, where hearts are open and emotion encouraged), because Brook’s uncomplicated ambition dovetailed with Lyth’s more complex determination to keep his career on the rails. He has been a loyal and skilful pro, but he had 140 runs at 18 in a season of high scores and on the first day had brought groans from the crowd with two dropped slip catches, and had been stung enough to respond.For nearly six hours, including an hour on the first evening, he set his season to rights. It was a player who knows him best, Will Rhodes, once of the same parish, who restrained him most, also the left-arm spin of Danny Briggs, but otherwise he milked the offside with relish whenever the opportunity presented itself.Whereas Brook’s innings are an outpouring of talent, Lyth was a worthy old pro, buckling down. He just avoided falling at short leg, off Briggs, on 87, and after his century was achieved, he was nearly run out on two occasions by Alex Davies as fatigue took hold. The rain which fell at 5.30pm must have felt blissful as it fell upon his forehead. He dedicated his innings to his wife, Lily, who has suffered a year of illness but who is reportedly over the worst. Life still happens outside the confines of professional sport.Brook has only failed to reach 50 once this season, and he had 82 to his name when he edged an excellent outswinger from Oliver Hannon-Dalby to first slip. He is a much less fretful figure than he was this time last year, which is a bit of a shame for those who self-indulgently like to see a bit of eccentricity in their cricketers, but a proof of his growing maturity. A Test debut will not be long delayed. As Lyth remarked: “Nobody is hitting the ball better than Harry”.Brook is the leading scorer in Division One with 840 runs at a remarkable average of 140. With his departure, probably went another season – this one of six games and benign surfaces – where nobody has seriously challenged Graeme Hick’s 1000 runs by the end of May, last achieved in 1988. Ben Compton (like his cousin Nick before him) has also come within wondering distance, but the feat is now distant enough to be dubbed by Wisden as one of the “quaintest pursuits” in English cricket. Shift the Championship to later in the season, where it should reside, and it may never be mentioned again.He has doubtless played more soundly this season; there were more play-and-misses here than he has been accustomed to as the ball continued to swing. He goes to Lord’s for the first Test in the knowledge that he will be the batter omitted, but he has a new management team to impress at close quarters and, anyway, he is only a calf strain away from a Test debut.Yorkshire’s season of batting consistency is entirely out of character with recent seasons and all the more creditable considering the racism debate that sullied the club in the close season (and that, if you care to scratch the surface, still exists). Lord Kamlesh Patel is a temporary chairman and does not really have the time, or indeed the circumstances, to continue for much longer. Darren Gough, still based in the south, probably remains an equally short-term hit as director of cricket. The appointment of a full-time chief executive remains in abeyance. And occasional tensions rear their head – a life member was reportedly barred from the ground this week after a contretemps with racist overtones and emails are still circulating about the minutiae of AGM legality that are best left unread. People really do need to attend to their courgettes.The ECB’s inquiry is also proving to be as slow as was Yorkshire’s and, as much as the county deserves to know if it will face a points penalty – players and coaches have a right to know if they are pressing for the title or avoiding relegation – decisions that should be made quickly for the good of the game are nearly always made slowly because somewhere, on behalf of someone, the lawyers are taking their shilling. Charges might be laid within a few weeks, although charging a new set-up committed to change for the perceived failures of the regime no longer in power would seem to possess dubious logic.That Yorkshire are holding body and soul together during all this is a tribute to their coaching staff, led by Ottis Gibson, their captain Steve Patterson, whose maturity in the face of adversity has never been more needed, and a playing staff who have got on with the job. They have only won once this season. It is not the done thing for a Yorkshire Championship crowd to cheer, but if they win again, and move above Lancashire in the table (still quite an ask against the draw specialists of Division One) during such a testing season, then the optimism and resilience of youth deserves commendation from every corner.