Topics

31

Football / Gossip column: Klopp, Van Gaal, Mourinho, McClaren, Pearson

« on: October 07, 2015, 04:24:24 PM »

 Jurgen Klopp has agreed a deal in principle to become Liverpool boss and the 48-year-old German will meet the club's owners on Wednesday before his unveiling on Friday. (Daily Mirror)

Writer Oliver Kay questions how many players at Anfield have what it takes to be central to the German's plans. (The Times - subscription)

Meanwhile, writer Simon Hughes says the former Borussia Dortmund manager is enchanted by the romantic history of the club. (The Independent)

It will cost Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich a world record £37.5m pay-out if he decides to sack 52-year-old manager Jose Mourinho. (Daily Star)
Daily Star

Daily Star back page

Barcelona legend Johan Cruyff says Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal is playing the wrong style of football and feels Chelsea boss Mourinho should "behave better". (Sky Sports)

Ex-Newcastle striker Micky Quinn believes manager Steve McClaren has three games to save his job with the Magpies. (Chronicle)

Former Magpies manager John Carver says the club's summer signings were already picked for the new manager. (The Sun - subscription required)

Former Leicester boss Nigel Pearson, 52, is unlikely to be named as the new Sunderland manager, but remains on a list of candidates being compiled by the club. (Sunderland Echo)

An alternative report says Sunderland sporting director Lee Congerton has made contact with Pearson and is firmly in contention to take charge of the Premier League strugglers. (Daily Telegraph)

Former USA and Egypt manager Bob Bradley, currently in charge at Norwegian side Stabaek, is a surprise contender for the Sunderland job. (Daily Express)

Dwight Yorke, the ex-Black Cats striker, says he is "amazed" by the lack of interest in the vacant manager's job at the Stadium of Light. (TalkSport)

And former Sunderland manager Roy Keane said if "certain people" had "left him alone" he'd still be there. (Irish Examiner)
Other gossip

Manchester United defender Marcos Rojo, 25, has withdrawn from the Argentina squad so he can be fit to face Everton on 17 October. The defender has missed the last four games with a hamstring injury. (Manchester Evening News)

La Liga side Sevilla and Valencia are battling to secure the signing of the Red Devils' Spanish goalkeeper Victor Valdes, 33, who is out of favour at Old Trafford. (Daily Star)
Mirror

Daily Mirror back page

Southampton are looking to offer Kenya midfielder Victor Wanyama, 24, a new five-year contract. (Daily Mirror)

Iceland midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson, 26, wants Swansea team-mates Ashley Williams, 31, and Neil Taylor, 26, to experience the "incredible feeling" of reaching Euro 2016 with Wales. (South Wales Evening Post)

Sporting Lisbon president Bruno de Carvalho says Leicester City made a £8.9m bid for Peruvian winger Andre Carrillo, 24, in the summer transfer window, but the move did not materialise. (Leicester Mercury)

Former Bournemouth striker Luther Blissett believes Cherries striker Callum Wilson, 23, "is definitely worth a shot" for an England call-up when he returns from injury. (Bournemouth Echo)

Meanwhile, Cherries winger Matt Ritchie, 26, says a full Scotland debut in this week's Euro 2016 qualifiers would be the highlight of his career so far. (The Scotsman)

Manchester United's Spain midfielder Juan Mata, 27, has defended Real Madrid boss Rafael Benitez, 55, against critics who claim he is a defensive manager. Mata played under the fellow Spaniard at Chelsea. (Cadena Ser via Goal)
Best of social media

Talking out of a car window, naturally, Harry Redknapp has posted a video  on his Twitter account saying he does not want to be the next Sunderland manager.

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32

Football / Football transfer rumours: Arsenal want Sergi Samper, Nolito and Aleksandr Kokor

« on: October 07, 2015, 04:23:07 PM »

The penny has dropped for Arsène Wenger. No more tight purse strings. No more thrift. No more own-brand bottles of fizzy pop that he tells himself taste just like the real stuff even though he knows in his heart of hearts that each sip is a lie. Yep, Arsenal are going to splash the cash in January like they’ve never splashed the cash before.

Wenger is keeping an eye on the wantaway Barcelona midfielder Sergi Samper and is ready to pay the £8.5m it’ll take to get the 20-year-old out of the Camp Nou. Another £13m will head to Celta Vigo in exchange for Nolito, the Spain striker. And the Gunners will have to pay around £10m if they want to get their hands on Dynamo Moscow’s Aleksandr Kokorin. Which they do.

Elsewhere, Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool revolution will begin with the signing of the Dortmund defender Neven Subotic in the January transfer window. But he faces a battle to hold on to Philippe Coutinho – Real Madrid and Barcelona are interested in the Brazilian and are ready to go mano-a-mano in a £30m transfer tug of war.

Sunderland want former USA! USA!! USA!!! coach Bob Bradley to be their manager. Because hey why not?

(Fun fact: when the Mill types “I want a” into Google, the suggested completions are: I want a baby, I want a boyfriend, I want a door, I want a divorce and I want a new job. Babies, boyfriends, divorces and employment opportunities are all understandable. But doors? Who gets themselves into a situation where they’re in want of a door? And if you do want a door, wouldn’t you search for “Door shop” or “10 best doors”? “I want a door?” Do you? Do you really? Well, you’re going a funny way about it.)

Anyway, when Mauricio Pochettino types “I want a new playmaker for my Spurs midfield” into Google, Lille’s Sofiane Boufal is the first result.

And Aston Villa will move for Wolves striker Benik Afobe in January.
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33

Cricket / Cuttack chaos: South African cricket team won; Indian cricket fans lost

« on: October 07, 2015, 04:21:33 PM »

Maybe it is true. We aren’t really a sporting nation. We watch a lot of sports but do we really understand it? Understanding sports does not mean mugging up trivia or understanding rules at a microscopic level. Understanding sports simply means understanding one basic fact – When one team wins, the other loses (unless it’s a Test match).

Having played some competitive sports myself I know that no sports person steps out wanting to lose. Yet every sports person steps out onto the playing field being fully aware of the fact that losing is a very real possibility. The fact that a winner and a loser exists turns an activity into a game. And when there is a certain amount of physical activity, that turns a game into a sport.

It is unfortunate that the cricket lovers who were present at the India vs South Africa T20 International last night (5 October 2015) in Cuttack seemed unaware of this basic fact.

Not being able to digest their team’s poor performance, they resorted to hooliganism. They started throwing bottles in the ground. They may have been upset with the way India played but the way they behaved was more upsetting.

If you love a sport, you must accept when your team is losing and being outwitted. Appreciate the opponent. Appreciate the sport. Understand that the only place in life where you keep “winning” is in your dreams. Reality is different. It doesn’t work that way.

Maybe that is why whenever we go to watch any live sport in India they “lock us within cages”. Thanks to the “Cricket Lovers” in the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, this is probably only going to get worse.

But right now you, the “Cricket Lovers” at the Barabati Stadium, have a bigger problem to deal with. I hope you realize what you have done. You didn’t just disrupt a game last evening, you may have just ensured you won’t get international cricket in your city. So much for your love!

Thanks to a bunch of hooligans, every Indian fan has been blackened. We are all hanging our heads in shame. This feeling is far worse than losing just a cricket match.

Two teams played a game of T20 cricket last evening in Cuttack. The South African Cricket team won and the average Indian cricket fan lost. Last night we disappointed each other and our team. Our behavior was an insult to the sport we all claim to love.

Until we mend our ways and learn to respect sports, rest assured India will never be a sporting nation. Don’t blame the government, the board or the players when ten years from now we are still in the same place, there will be only you to blame.

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34

Cricket / Warne, Tendulkar and Ponting among stars to take cricket on tour of the US

« on: October 07, 2015, 04:20:05 PM »

Shane Warne, Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting have been named among a throng of former cricket superstars who will take the sport to the United States in November.
Shane Warne in letter to Nick Kyrgios: 'You're testing our patience, mate'
Read more

Warne and Tendulkar will captain the two All-Star sides in the three-match Twenty20 series, while Australians Ponting, Matthew Hayden, Glenn McGrath and Brad Haddin will also play in the ICC-sanctioned event.

The matches will be played at the major baseball fields in New York, Houston and Los Angeles, with plenty of talent on show with the likes of Brian Lara, Courtney Walsh, Curtly Ambrose, Muttiah Muralitharan, Wasim Akram and Jacques Kallis all confirmed starters.

“We’ve signed all the top players you’d ever want to see,” Warne told cricket.com.au. “I’m excited for cricket fans in the United States to be able to see these amazing players for the first time.”

A portion of proceeds from the series will go to the ICC for the development of cricket within the country.

“Americans are so passionate about sports, and I think there’s a huge potential for cricket to take off,” Tendulkar added.

“We’re also planning some other events and festivities in each city so we can reach as many fans as possible. It would be great some day to see cricket bats right alongside the baseball bats, basketballs and soccer balls in America.”

The first match will be played on 7 November in New York.

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35

Cricket / Warne, Tendulkar take cricket to the US

« on: October 07, 2015, 04:18:44 PM »

Australian Shane Warne and India's Sachin Tendulkar will captain two All-Star sides in a three-match Twenty20 series in the United States in a bid to spark interest in a sport alien to most Americans.

The ICC-sanctioned matches will be played on drop-in pitches at major baseball fields in New York, Houston and Los Angeles in November, with plenty of superstar talent on show.

Among the throng of cricketing greats signed up are Brian Lara, Courtney Walsh, Curtly Ambrose, Muttiah Muralitharan, Wasim Akram, Jacques Kallis, Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden, Glenn McGrath and Brad Haddin.

"We've signed all the top players you'd ever want to see," spin king Warne, who initiated the idea with Tendulkar, told cricket.com.au.

"I'm excited for cricket fans in the United States to be able to see these amazing players for the first time."

A portion of proceeds from the series will go to the ICC for the development of cricket within the US with the organisation's chief executive David Richardson saying it "would help cricket to reach its significant potential in the USA".

"We therefore wish them well and thank them for their enthusiasm to develop cricket outside of its traditional boundaries," he added.

Batting great Tendulkar said he was excited about the prospect of taking the sport to a country more used to baseball and basketball.

"Americans are so passionate about sports, and I think there's a huge potential for cricket to take off," he said.

"We're also planning some other events and festivities in each city so we can reach as many fans as possible.

"It would be great someday to see cricket bats right alongside the baseball bats, basketballs and soccer balls in America."

The first match will be played on November 7 in New York.

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36

Football / Is Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid's record goalscorer?

« on: October 03, 2015, 10:40:33 AM »

 The Portuguese forward scored twice in Tuesday's Champions League game against Malmo and Real say that took him past Raul's club record of 323.

Ronaldo, 30, who also took his career tally to 501 goals, was honoured by the club on Friday, while Raul has sent a congratulatory message.

The confusion centres around a goal scored in September 2010.

The Spanish giants credit Ronaldo with a free-kick scored against Real Sociedad, despite the fact the effort was deflected in by team-mate Pepe, who was given the goal by La Liga.

However, given Ronaldo's ratio of scoring more than one goal a game at Real - his 323 goals have come in 308 games - he may end the doubt in Sunday's derby at Atletico Madrid.

After the Malmo game, Ronaldo said: "I'm very happy, this is a special moment. I'd like to thank my team-mates for helping me reach this number.

"Breaking this record at the best club in the world is a real honour for me."

And on his message from Raul, Ronaldo added: "Raul is a person I deeply admire.

"He sent me a message to congratulate me. I'm delighted and I'm certain Raul is happy too because he sincerely told me that me breaking the record was a wonderful moment."

On Tuesday night, Real manager Rafael Benitez said: "If we're talking about the history of Real Madrid and the club's goalscorers, it's worth pointing out that he has needed less time to achieve this feat and that makes what he's doing all the more remarkable."

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37

Football / Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend

« on: October 03, 2015, 10:36:59 AM »

1) Ivanovic the terrible?

Don’t tell José Mourinho, but exasperating loyalty to under-performing players is a distinctly Arsène Wenger-esque trait. Actually, do tell Mourinho, as that may be the best way to convince him to drop Branislav Ivanovic this weekend. The Serb is one of the Premier League’s finest defenders of recent times and has given years of excellent service to Chelsea but he has been utterly hapless so far this season, much more so than the benched John Terry. It has been almost painful to watch a once-great defender be targeted by every opponent. Continually picking him does not appear to be doing him any favours and certainly isn’t helping the team. If Ivanovic plays this weekend, expect Sadio Mané and Dusan Tadic to take turns tormenting him, with the fit-again Ryan Bertrand raiding forward to join in the fun on a regular basis. The solution is not merely staring Mourinho in the face, it is grabbing him by the lapels and bawling “Cesar Azpilicueta on the right, Baba Rahman on the left” at the top of its voice. Mourinho’s refusal to pay heed is mystifying. PD

   
2) Is Liverpool’s rotation doing more harm than good?

Liverpool prepare to visit Goodison Park with question marks over the fitness of Daniel Sturridge, who has made just two first-team appearances after a five-month absence through injury. As it happens the last time Liverpool prepared to visit Goodison Park, in February, there were question marks over the fitness of Daniel Sturridge, who had made just two first-team appearances after a five-month absence through injury. On that occasion Sturridge came on with a little over half an hour to play and failed to break the deadlock in a 0-0 draw, but this time he will certainly start. Last week he scored two fabulous goals in a 3-2 victory over Aston Villa, and given his side’s current form, and bearing in mind his absence from Thursday’s Europa League game against Sion and the 13-day gap between the derby and their next match, a visit to Tottenham, Brendan Rodgers cannot ignore him. There were few positives in Liverpool’s display against Sion: it was a disjointed performance, producing their second 1-1 draw in as many European games, and all the changes – there were seven in all from the team that beat Villa – are certainly not aiding the team’s cohesion. Liverpool’s first Europa League fixture, in Bordeaux, prefaced a 1-1 draw at home to Norwich (four of their last five games have finished 1-1), and it would be a pity for any momentum and goodwill created by the Villa victory, their first in over a month, to be so swiftly and voluntarily wasted. More encouragingly, perhaps, Liverpool have drawn their last three games at Goodison, and lost just one of their last eight. SB



3) Can Mertesacker and Gabriel handle United’s attack?

Per Mertesacker, always so honest when Arsenal suffer one of those capitulations they have turned into an art form, did not hold back after the Olympiakos shambles. “We should have done much better, especially having come back and had a lot of possession in the second half,” the Arsenal defender said. “After we scored it looked like we were not ready to win this game. There was a lack of concentration, a lack of discipline. We need to do much better defensively on these occasions because these occasions decide more and more games in modern football.” It keeps happening and there is bound to be another fraught inquest into Arsenal’s failings if they play with the same lack of focus and organisation against Manchester United. Mertesacker always says the right things when Arsenal implode but they never seem to learn from their mistakes and United, who are slowly but surely clicking in every area of the pitch, look primed to capitalise on their diminished confidence. Juan Mata was influential against Wolfsburg and Anthony Martial caught the eye again, so it is concerning for Arsenal that they could be without the hamstrung Laurent Koscielny, their best defender. Mertesacker and Gabriel Paulista have started only two games together since the latter’s arrival in January and they did not cover themselves in glory when Alfred Finnbogason scored Olympiakos’s winner. Still, at least Petr Cech should be back in goal. JS


4) Can Mitrovic ruffle City’s defence?

Aleksandar Mitrovic has certainly made his presence felt as he acclimatises to English football, sometimes too vigorously and with not enough regard for the wellbeing of opposing defenders, but Newcastle United’s burly striker put his physicality to good use against Chelsea, his impressive performance demonstrating that he can be a force in the Premier League when he stays out of trouble with referees. The Serb gave Newcastle an outlet which had previously been sorely lacking when Papiss Cissé was leading the line and he bullied Chelsea’s defence at times, reinforcing the impression that he is not a character who will be easily intimidated against the big teams. He will relish the opportunity to test himself against Manchester City, whose defending has been shoddy without the injured Vincent Kompany and Eliaquim Mangala. While Martin Demchelis never convinces, Nicolas Otamendi is still adjusting to his new surroundings and once again Joe Hart spared City from taking a pummelling on a big Champions League night on Wednesday. Hart was exposed too many time in the win over Borussia Monchengladbach and his saves spared Manuel Pellegrini from having to answer some awkward questions. Newcastle have a terrible record in the league at the Etihad Stadium. Can Mitrovic change that? JS



5) How will Bournemouth cope without Wilson?

As they battle to establish themselves in the Premier League there is something particularly meaningful about matches between recent promotees. Bournemouth have already played, and lost, one of them, going down 3-1 at Norwich last month, and now face a Watford side that has lost just one of their last 12 away league games, and that at Manchester City. Both sides have shown the potential to keep their places in the top flight, though the way they are going about it could hardly be more different: Watford’s last six matches combined have featured precisely as many goals as Bournemouth’s rip-roaring 4-3 win at West Ham. Only one of the two, though, appears to be battling fate. After losing £15m of summer signings in Tyrone Mings and Max Gradel, Bournemouth’s top scorer Callum Wilson this week became their third victim of long-term anterior cruciate ligament injuries this season. Whether Eddie Howe can somehow convince his players to see this as a challenge rather than a curse remains to be seen, but it will certainly make their lives harder against opponents whose defensive record is bettered only by Manchester United and Tottenham. Watford, by contrast, are almost cruelly injury-free so far this season, and haven’t been given any reason to consider the world slanted against them since they last visited the Vitality Stadium in January, when their centre-back Gabriele Angella was wrongly sent off (the red card was later rescinded) after just 28 seconds and they lost 2-0, the only defeat in their last six league meetings with the Cherries. SB

 
6) Sunderland should sit back against West Ham

West Ham United’s away form has been surprisingly excellent this season, with wins over Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City, and they will be expected to continue that run at Sunderland, but in a perverse way playing against a side who they are expected to beat could negate their counterattacking qualities. West Ham’s speed in attack means that they are at their best when they win the ball and break quickly, which is why they are content to sit back, concede possession and bide their time until the moment is right for them to pour forward. It is measured football which has brought them success on the road. Yet at home they have played in bursts, often starting slowly and conceding an early goal – or sometimes two – before rousing themselves. They laboured again in the draw with Norwich, who dominated for long spells, and if Sunderland approach this game counter-intuitively, they could benefit from Slaven Bilic’s search for the right balance between proactive and reactive football. West Ham will want Sunderland to pour forward. They will attempt to lure them in and Sunderland must take care not to fall into their trap. Instead, even though convention dictates that the home side should take the initiative, they should sit back and play West Ham at their own game, force the visitors out of their natural comfort zone, while also making sure not to overcommit even when their caution causes the crowd at the Stadium of Light to grow edgy. Sunderland have been terrible and Dick Advocaat sounds like he is running out of patience but rationing their attacks could bring them their first win. JS

   

7) Will Pulis tighten up Baggies?

West Bromwich Albion have kept 17 clean sheets in the 31 matches for which Tony Pulis has been in charge. But they have had a couple of leaky spells in that period. Last season they shipped three goals against Manchester City and Leicester City either side of an absurd 4-1 home defeat by Queen Park Rangers – and then they went to Selhurst Park and got back to their stingy ways, shutting out Crystal Palace en route to a 2-0 win. They will be seeking to do the same thing on Saturday having conceded three against both Norwich and Everton in their last two outings. A lot will hinge on the condition of Gareth McAuley. If the Northern Ireland defender is fit enough to play, then the Baggies should be tighter – they have conceded in only one of the six matches that he has played this season. Even if McAuley is unavailable, Pulis is sure to have his players primed to defend. Palace will have to excel to find the space that they exploit so well in away matches. PD


Gestede can propel Villa out of the bottom three
It is too early for Aston Villa to panic. Tim Sherwood has a young side and there is time for them to grow and improve. Nonetheless Villa’s record since their win over Bournemouth on the opening day of the season is cause for concern. They have picked up only one point since then and the lower end of the table will make for grim reading for them if they lose to Stoke City on Saturday. After defending fairly well in their first two league matches, Villa have conceded at least two goals in five of their past six outings and the manner of their collapse from 2-0 up against Leicester City three weeks ago encouraged the suspicion that Sherwood’s side do not possess enough mettle and defensive nous. Yet at least Villa are finding ways to score. Rudy Gestede devoured two crosses in last week’s defeat at Liverpool and the powerful striker could profit similarly against Stoke, who have lost some of their defensive solidity. JS


9) Swans need to find their wings

Swansea have neither won nor scored from open play in four matches, with Gylfi Sigurdsson’s successful penalty at St Mary’s last week their only goal in a curiously dodgy spell. Their last two away outings – at Watford and Southampton – were alarming, as the team looked uncharacteristically feeble for most of those games. Garry Monk has to ensure such rotten form does not contaminate home displays, otherwise a worrying rut could be dug. With Jefferson Montero not starting, nor rediscovering his form of the first few weeks after being sprung from the bench, Swansea have suffered from a lack of width, their full-backs seemingly unable to provide regular service to the frontline. Son Heung-min may be injured but this is not an ideal time for Swansea to be facing a Tottenham side who are looking increasingly secure at the back and now have Harry Kane back in goalscoring form. PD



10) Ranieri’s riddle

Claudio Ranieri’s approach at Carrow Road will be fascinating. He has tended not to tinker so far this season and has embraced the adventurous style with which Leicester won survival last term. But Arsenal mercilessly exploited their openness last week, racking up a score from which even Leicester could not come back. Other sides had already threatened to do that this season and Ranieri surely knows there is a risk that Norwich could do so on Saturday. So how will the Italian react? Change personnel? Deploy the back three that Nigel Pearson used towards the end of last season? Or carry on gungho and keep hoping his team will outgun rivals?

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38

Cricket / Shaminda Eranga suffers another injury

« on: October 03, 2015, 10:33:13 AM »

 Sri Lanka fast bowler Shaminda Eranga has been ruled out of the upcoming Test series against West Indies because of another injury sustained during a period of rehabilitation. He hasn't played for Sri Lanka since January 2015, and missed the home series against Pakistan because of a back problem and the Tests against India with a groin niggle. The latest setback is also a groin injury.

"Eranga unfortunately has been really struggling to recover from a few of his injuries," said chief selector Kapila Wijegunawardene. "He started off with a back injury in December, and when he was recovering from that towards June-July he developed a groin injury, and since then every time he was rehabilitated and tried to get into the normal routine of bowling he had tightness in his hamstring."

"The physio Steve Mount is now really looking at taking him to a more medical solution. Eranga is likely to be ruled out for the upcoming West Indies series. The latest injury is he's developed a groin injury.

"Every time he recovers he develops a new injury which is worrying us a little bit. When you are recovering from an injury your natural tendency is to protect that injury and invariably you end up putting strain on another part and you tend to tear that. That is what is happening. This is about the third time that he is experiencing a recurring injury."

Until his injury Eranga was considered the spearhead of Sri Lanka's bowling attack, having bowled them to a historic Test series win in England last year. He took 11 wickets in two Tests, including the scalp of last man James Anderson that sealed the 100-run victory at Headingley.

In Eranga's absence Dhammika Prasad has taken over the role of main strike bowler, picking up 29 wickets in the series against Pakistan and India. Until quite recently Prasad too was unable to go through a Test series without injury problems, but he has worked on his fitness since.

"It's about understanding your body, understanding which areas you need to strengthen," said Wijegunawardene, a fast bowler who played two Tests and 26 ODIs for Sri Lanka. "Today the workloads are far more than what a fast bowler had to endure a few years ago.

"It's all to do with how disciplined you are on the physical fitness side and understanding which parts of your body need to be focused on. These boys really need to be professional and focused, and care for their own well being over and above the routine that you do in a team environment. These boys need to be looking at themselves individually also."

Wijegunwardene said that apart from Eranga the rest of the fast bowlers were fit and available for selection. "They are all looking lean and mean and ready to go. They do understand there is competition now and there are a few young boys yapping at their heels."

Sri Lanka host West Indies for two Tests, three ODIs and two T20Is in October and November. The first Test begins on October 14 in Galle.

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39

Cricket / 'We were unfortunate not to get Duminy' - Dhoni

« on: October 03, 2015, 10:32:15 AM »

 South Africa's JP Duminy believes he produced "one of his best" innings to help his team chase down 200 in their tour-opener against India in Dharamsala on Friday night. India captain MS Dhoni agreed that Duminy "executed well", but said his team was "unfortunate" to not get him lbw when South Africa were still a way away from their target.

The incident Dhoni was referring to came in the 17th over of South Africa's chase, when Duminy and Farhaan Behardien were still repairing the damage done by three quick wickets earlier in the innings, which had threatened to derail their innings. At that point, with South Africa needing 43 off 23, a yorker from Bhuvneshwar Kumar struck Duminy's boot seemingly right in front of the stumps, but the umpire ruled not out.

"If decisions don't go in your favour, that also puts pressure and I thought we were unfortunate not to get Duminy," Dhoni said. "The game was evenly poised but that's how cricket is, you don't get everything in your favour. But I felt they also batted well, kept the momentum going which is important when you're chasing 200 runs."

India's triple-strike came after a rollicking opening partnership for South Africa, between AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla, which knocked off 77 runs in 7.4 overs. Duminy said that stand set the pace: "I thought the way we started the innings, it was probably what we wanted chasing 200. We knew it was going to be a tough total to chase, probably just above par, but we were happy with that start."

Duminy put together an unbroken stand of 105 with Behardien to take the side home. Duminy, who hit seven sixes in his innings of 68 not out, brought the chase back on track in the 16th over, when he hit three consecutive sixes of left-arm spinner Axar Patel. He effectively finished the job by depositing debutant left-arm pacer S Aravind into the stands beyond midwicket with three balls to spare.

Speaking of the Axar over, Duminy said he had no choice but to go after him. "The situation of the game called for me to just go hammer and tongs. Myself and Behardien both said we need to take it on now and we don't want to die wondering at the end of the 20 overs. I was fortunate that a few were in my arc and cleared the boundary with a few, I was pretty happy with that over."

He was fortunate to get a full toss in the final over, he said, but given the conditions he was confident of getting a big hit away. "We knew if we get it down to 10-11 runs in the last over, we stood a chance. With this ground being a little bit small, and the altitude, so the ball travels a bit, so we knew we were in the game. Fortunately enough the left-armer missed his length a little bit, so gave me the opportunity to clear the boundary one more time."

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40

Cricket / Bangladesh government says Cricket Australia's decision to postpone tour

« on: October 03, 2015, 10:02:53 AM »

Cricket Australia boss James Sutherland yesterday announced that the tests, due to be played in Chittagong and the capital Dhaka later this month, would not go ahead because of concerns for player safety.

The decision was based on intelligence that Australian interests could be targeted by terrorist groups in Bangladesh, which had prompted the Federal Government to upgrade its warning for Australians travelling to the country.

But Bangladesh's interior minister Asaduzzman Khan criticised the decision, telling the ABC that the team would have been safe.

"I think that they may be misinformed by some quarters," Mr Khan said of the Cricket Australia decision.

    The security we proposed to provide them [Cricket Australia] was almost blanket security, at VVIP level — the security we provide for heads of state.
    Nazmul Hassan, Bangladesh Cricket Board chairman

"Bangladesh is quite safe and secure ... nothing will happen here."

Cricket Australia's decision followed the shooting murder this week of an Italian aid worker in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka, an attack for which militant group Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility.

But Mr Khan said the incident did not mean player security would be compromised and denied that the attack could be attributed to the radical Islamist group.

"Regarding the Italian citizen, it is a different thing," he said.

"It is not an act of IS, it may be something else. Our intelligence, our police people are working hard to work out actually what happened."
'No possibility of any attacks in Bangladesh'

The chairman of Bangladesh's cricket board, Nazmul Hassan, today told reporters that a terrorist attack would be "impossible", saying that Australia's cricketers had been promised the same level of protection normally afforded to visiting leaders.

"The security we proposed to provide them [Cricket Australia] was almost blanket security, at VVIP level — the security we provide for heads of state," he said.

"If you see the history of Bangladesh there has been no terrorist attack and I don't see any chance of it."

Mr Hassan said Australia's decision was a very disappointing one for Bangladeshi cricket.

"If we are unprepared that is one thing, but when we are prepared and after taking all the precautions there is no possibility of any attacks in Bangladesh, and even then they postponed the Bangladesh tour, then we feel very sad because Bangladesh cricket is going through a very good time," he said.

Mr Khan urged Cricket Australia to reconsider.

"Bangladesh is a cricket-loving country, Bangladesh is a friendly country of Australia," he said.

"From my Government, I request the Australian team to come, and to play. This is my appeal to you."

Sutherland described the decision as "unfortunate" and said his administration was still hoping to reschedule the tour.

"We'll enter into discussions with the Bangladesh Cricket Board to work out when we can play this cricket series next," he said.

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Cricket / Cricket Australia call off Bangladesh tour amid fears over team's security

« on: October 03, 2015, 10:02:10 AM »

Australia’s tour of Bangladesh has been called off following high-level meetings about threats of militant attacks.

Cricket Australia announced that the two-Test series, slated to start on Saturday with a tour game, has been abandoned in the wake of the threats.

“Following the most recent information from Australian Government agencies and our own security advisors, we have decided that, regrettably, we have no alternative but to postpone the tour,” said chief executive James Sutherland.

“We have worked tirelessly to try to find a way for the tour to proceed, but in the end it was simply not possible. We understand that this decision will be very disappointing for the cricket community in Bangladesh. However, from an Australian perspective, the safety of our players and officials is our highest priority. We will work with the BCB to reschedule the tour as soon as possible.”

CA’s security staff briefed the board and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Wednesday, having returned from meetings in Bangladesh. DFAT cited intelligence about possible militant attacks on Australian interests in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh has hosted Test cricket since 2000 without a major security incident and in a final attempt to persuade Cricket Australia to have a change of heart, Nazmul Hassan, the president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board, revealed an unprecedented level of security for a touring nation would be supplied.

“We have left no stone unturned in providing assurance regarding security for the Australian team,” Hassan said in a statement on Wednesday. “The Bangladesh Government has committed additional security on top of the substantial and elaborate arrangements in the BCB’s standard Security Plan for international cricket. For the team [Australia] the level has been confirmed as VVIP which is equivalent to security accorded to head of states and is unprecedented for any international side.”

Australian football is also monitoring the situation, with the Socceroos scheduled to play Bangladesh in a World Cup qualifier in Dhaka on 17 November.

Australia’s Test squad have returned to state ranks for training and are now expected to feature in the domestic one-day tournament starting Monday in Sydney.

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Athletics / Recapping the weekend in Penn Athletics

« on: September 23, 2015, 10:32:43 AM »

This past weekend marked the first time in 2015 that each of the Red and Blue's fall sports teams were in action. With a great deal of attention focused on Penn football's season debut on Saturday, here's an update on the squads and games that you may have missed since last Thursday.

Field Hockey

September 4 seems like a long time ago, doesn't it?

Since surrendering a one-goal lead late in regulation against Liberty in their season opener, the Quakers have been hotter than any team on campus. Penn entered its Thursday matchup with Villanova looking for its fourth straight win after winning three consecutive contests by a combined 14-6 margin.

Two first-half goals from sophomore midfielder Gina Guccione and another score from Alexa Hoover put the Red and Blue up, 3-1, at halftime, and the Quakers held on for a 3-2 victory. After two days off, Penn extended its winning streak to five with a 5-2 win over Sacred Heart, a game in which Hoover registered her third hat trick of the season.

The team now kicks off Ivy League play with a Friday matinee at Ellen Vagelos Field against Cornell.

Volleyball

It was sweeps galore for the Red and Blue on Friday and Saturday.

Penn struggled to kick off its weekend, falling to Villanova in three quick sets at the Palestra, the first time the Quakers were swept all season. The following morning, the squad lost, 3-0, to Temple in the first game of the day before rallying with a sweep of La Salle to cap off the Big 5 Tournament.

Against the Explorers, senior Ronnie Bither registered 27 assists — she finished with 73 across the tournament's three contests — and five kills en route to being named to the All-Tournament team. Like the field hockey team, volleyball also has its first Ancient Eight contest on Friday against Princeton.

Cross Country

Couldn't have done much better.

At this weekend's Mainline Invitational, Penn men's cross country finished first out of seven teams to capture its first title of 2015. The women's squad, fresh off its first-place finish at the Big 5 Invitational on Sept. 11, came in second, only one point behind Villanova.

The Quakers put together the five best times on the men's side while the women saw five of their own cross the finish line in the race's top 13. Both teams will be back in action at the Paul Short Invitational in Bethlehem, Pa., on Oct. 2.

Women's Soccer

220 minutes. Two total goals. Two draws.

Against VCU on Friday, the Red and Blue found themselves trailing by a goal after just over two minutes. Penn senior back Shannon Hennessy knotted the score at one apiece with her first goal of the season — the second of her career — and the teams played 65 minutes of scoreless soccer before ending in a 1-1 draw.

The story was much the same for the Quakers on Sunday against Towson, just with fewer fireworks. Penn outshot the Tigers, 13-10, but was unable to hit the back of the net. The Red and Blue are next on the pitch in Cambridge, Mass., on Saturday when they take on rival Harvard.

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Athletics / Welle Takes Home Title at Ram Masters

« on: September 23, 2015, 10:31:43 AM »

After being on top of the leaderboard for much of the tournament, Kansas senior Ben Welle will come back to Lawrence with an extra piece of hardware, as he finished in first place at the Ram Masters Invitational.  Tuesday's victory marks the first time in Welle's career the Moorehead, Minnesota native has won a tournament in a Kansas uniform.

Throughout the two-day event, Welle carded rounds of 67-67-72--206 (-4), making him the only player of the 88 participants to record two rounds below 70 on the first day.  He consistently hit greens at necessary times, which in turn, gave him the opportunity to knock down a tournament-leading 14 birdies.

"(It) feels really good to win my first event," Welle said after the victory. "This was one of my goals for this year and accomplishing it feels incredible. It is not only a big win for me, but for my school as well. (I'm) really proud to represent Kansas here in Fort Collins."

For the second time in as many years, Kansas finished in second place at the Ram Masters Invitational, which also marks back-to-back top-five finishes to begin the 2015-16 season. The Jayhawks recorded rounds of 280-281-288--849 (+9), falling short to host-Colorado State, which shot a three-round 839 (-1) on its home course. Fresno State finished third at 862 (+22), 13 strokes behind KU.

"We needed a good day from top to bottom and unfortunately had a few guys that played poorly," KU head coach Jamie Bermel said.  "I am proud of the seniors as they both played well, with Ben getting his first individual victory at KU."

Welle's fellow senior classmate, Connor Peck, placed tied for fourth. Using his momentum from last week's top-15 finish, Peck improved his stroke score every round at the Ram Masters, with rounds of 73-70-67--210 (E). His three-under, 67, Tuesday tied Welle as the lowest recorded rounds throughout the entire event.

Much like yesterday's opening rounds, junior Chase Hanna and freshman Charlie Hillier, practically had the same day today. The two teammates finished tied for 25th and recorded a 77 (+7) in round three, making it the third consecutive round they have shared the same score.

Rounding off the Jayhawks were sophomore Daniel Hudson and freshman Drake Hull, who placed 38th and 31st, respectively.  Hudson finished the event with a scores of 73-78-72--228 (+13). His 72, two-over this afternoon moved him up nine spots on the overall and tied his season-best round from last week. Hull completed the event shooting 76-70-75--221 (+11), in his first collegiate tournament.

"We need to get better consistency from our younger guys but hopefully everyone learned from today and next week they will respond better," Bermel said.

Up next: Kansas will travel to Madison, Wisconsin and participate in the Badger Invitational, where the Jayhawks finished 8th.  The three-day event is set to take place from September 27-29.

KUAthletics.com: The official online source for Kansas Athletics, Williams Education Fund contributions, tickets, merchandise, multimedia, photos and much, much more.

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44

Athletics / From school spirit to the Holy Spirit: UCF Athletics' emcee launches a new churc

« on: September 23, 2015, 10:30:39 AM »

Sure, the UCF football team lost, somehow, to Furman on Saturday night.

But the next morning, parishioners gathered in the Doubletree hotel just up the road – emblazoned everywhere with UCF and Knights banners – and heard the UCF Athletics emcee proclaim that Sunday was "Day One."

"I welcome you guys and ladies to Renovation Church," said John Evans to the packed congregation. "Seven years ago, God laid on my heart this exact expression."
On Any Given Sunday: The Tom Joyner Family Reunion

The Tom Joyner Family Reunion expo at the Gaylord Palms Resort.

Evans, the self-proclaimed "guy with the mic" at sporting events and campus director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, was kicking off a new project – overseeing the first official worship services for the his new church, after years of planning and months of preparation.

"I did not sleep at all last night," Evans joked before the service began, as an army of volunteers – many of them UCF students – scurried around in preparation. "I have the most honestly bloodshot eyes anyone's ever possessed."
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He said had "a very clear stirring in my heart" to use the platform he has at UCF for something greater, and the name "Renovation Church" came from how he believed himself to be "a renovation project – not perfect, but in a process."

While the church was his dream for years, as a minister to college kids he never had the resources.

But one day, he decided to make a go of it – "and people jumped on board," he said. Soon, he had about 60 volunteers.
On Any Given Sunday: Flea World opens its doors for the last time

Sunday August 30th is the last day Flea World opened its doors as it closes for multi-use development. Vendors have been at Flea World anywhere from 4 to 30 years. Some vendors like Pei Chent are fortunate to have found another space to set up shop. However, others are still uncertain where they'll go next.

"What really excites me is the energy and push of 20-year-olds," Evans said. "They have the passion, strength and chance to change the world. If you take twenty 20-year-olds and you can change the world. I really believe that."

His volunteers returned that praise right back.

"I love his passion for the Lord," said volunteer Karen Copeland, a UCF grad from Oviedo. "It's something way out of the comfort zone from when we were growing up. But it's been a blessing, I tell you, just getting to work with the students. … It's a lot of work, but we're kind of learning as we go."

Jade Hays of Orlando volunteers with Renovation Kids, a children's group, while Laura Hood of Navarre ran the merchandise table.
cComments

    How exciting to see college students living their faith! God bless them deeply and bountifully. My own path involved growing up attending church regularly but never having made a personal decision to make my faith real. One afternoon a collegiate missionary with Cru: Campus Crusade for Christ...
    ragness
    at 9:37 PM September 20, 2015

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Over at the audio table, Matt Oberlin of Orlando programmed the lyrics for the band's songs into the projector, while UCF senior Shelby Foyer said that volleyball prevented her from volunteering even more.

"I've known John for two years now," Foyer said. "When he told me he was starting a church, I was so excited to be a part of that. … The opportunity we have here is incredible."

As the 10:10 a.m. service approached, the seats began to fill up to almost standing-room-only capacity. Many of the parishioners said they had personal connections to Evans – they knew him through the Fellowship, like Eric Flyng and Damion Thompson, or when he was a youth pastor in Oviedo, as Tina Shearon came to know him.

"I think it's exciting," said Shearon. "I think it was a long time coming. He reinvests in the lives of everyone around him, and it's going to be fabulous what he does here."

After singer Travis Pate and a full band kicked off services – they would perform five songs overall, including "Not Ashamed" and "My Heart is Yours" – Evans spoke to the packed crowd of how he was always asked, "'How many people will show up?'"

"'I don't have a clue,'" he would say. "'I know I'll be there, and my wife will be there, and we have five kids, so…'"

At times, the congregation would erupt in conversation as they turned to greet each other, including at one point answering Evans' question about their favorite toy growing up.

"I love you," Evans said. "and I care for you."

As for the future – and where the church might end up – Evans was circumspect.

"We will be here as long as this fits," Evans said of the hotel. "We'll respond to and rightfully steward (congregants) while we reside here. And if we find a permanent location, in East Orlando, or maybe Oviedo? So be it."

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Athletics / Much more good than bad in RU athletics | Di Ionno

« on: September 23, 2015, 10:29:16 AM »

Flipping the channels the other morning, I came across the last few seconds of a sports-channel report on the football news out of Rutgers. You know it all by now. Players arrested for shaking down drug dealers with baseball bats and knives. Coach suspended for not-quite shaking down an instructor. Player charged with physical violence against a woman, who was an athletic department "hostess."

Downstream, downstream, Rutgers BLAH!

The morning guy's segue to the upcoming segment went like this: "Now, going from one extreme to another, we'll interview a quarterback who is a Harvard graduate, Ryan Fitzpatrick, of the New York Jets."

And there you have it. In the perception of the national news media which, like it or not, impacts the perception of millions, Rutgers is now seen as the kind of  football factory that sells its soul.

Like it or not, the bad overshadows the good. Want an example? Is "The U" (Miami) known for its excellent architecture program or for its football team inciting brawls?
We're all fortunate to be here, so I think we should be giving back to community." -- Ryan Morris, Rutgers crew

Everything many people feared – and many predicted – about Rutgers going "big time" seems to be coming true.

Academic rule-bending. Players with mug shots.Young women paid by the athletic department to be hostesses.

This last item seems to have escaped scrutiny, but if there is ever a reason to lump Rutgers in with the bums of college sports, this is it.

No university, especially one that regards itself as prestigious, should hold young women up to high school recruits, offering the illusion or veiled promise of what awaits them if they sign. Girls. Pretty girls. Lotsa pretty girls.

The fact that this is going on at Rutgers -- where the head of the athletic department is a woman, as is one of her top assistants -- should be pretty good evidence that not only is the program broken, but the university's priorities are way skewed.This hostess program should be ended, now, no questions asked.

Hostess scandals became so bad in the mid-2000s that the NCAA huffed-and-puffed about banning such programs. They happened at Arizona State, the University of Oregon, the University of Tennessee and, just last year, at Vanderbilt — another great academic institution that is going "big time." At Vandy, defense attorneys for the football players accused of raping and unconscious woman and urinating on her, partly blamed the campus culture of promiscuity. They used the hostess program as Exhibit A.

So now, in the world of sports media, Rutgers is one of "those" universities. The kind that imports thugs to win. The kind that has players take courses like Dance Appreciation (which now, thanks to Rutgers, may replace Basket Weaving as the accepted vernacular as courses for athletes in search of a passing GPA). The kind that offers ... ambassador-ettes.

The kind that has a good-ol'-boy governor to say it's all no big deal, as Gov. Chris Christie did just a week after he made a law-and-order campaign speech. The only thing missing was the Southern drawl saying, "Buddy, that ain't crime, it's football."

The kind where a football player in handcuffs and an orange county jumpsuit puts on a Charles Manson face in court for the cameras for millions to see and think, "That's the face of the Rutgers football program."

The kind of program where some Rutgers fans defend it all, using this kind of logic: At least it's not pedophilia. This is a common spew on some fanboy  boards -- including nj.com -- where the media, Penn State fans and concerned Rutgers fans are attacked for "blowing it out of proportion."

"At least we didn't have Sandusky."

If that's Jersey logic, Pennsylvania looks better every day.

Missing from all of this coverage and controversy is this obvious perspective: the truth is that most athletes are good kids and good students, and they put their status to work to do good things for people.

Members of the football team, including quarterback Hayden Rettig, splashed around in the Somerset Y pool every Saturday with children with autism and developmental disabilities last spring.

The baseball team raised $13,500 for the Vs. Cancer Foundation last season, in a campaign organized by junior Mike Zavala. The volleyball team volunteers at the Ronald McDonald House in New Brunswick.

The women's lacrosse team embraced and raised funds for Genna Camiolo, a girl with a pediatric brain tumor, in 2008. She is still alive and the team continues to support her medical needs.

The wrestling team played in a wheelchair basketball tournament in South Plainfield in June to help a 6-year-old girl named Brianna Feeney, who suffers from an extremely rare genetic disorder.

These are just a few examples, tailored for space.

This week, Ryan Morris, 21, a senior business major and member of the Rutgers crew will launch a fundraiser called "Eat to Beat Drug Addiction," which takes place Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Four off-campus restaurants – Brother Jimmy's Barbeque, the Sushi Room, Papa Grande Grill and Thomas Sweets are donating proceeds. Track team member Kyle Holder has helped organize, which will feature some Jersey-centric guest eaters like Gerry Cooney and "Real Housewives" stars.

Morris has addiction in his family and had a drug death in his circle of friends. While studying last year in Rome, he picked up the book "Start Something that Matters," by Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS Shoes.

"That had a big influence on me," he said.

He knew he would have support -- and a platform -- at his school to do something good.

"We're all fortunate to be here (Rutgers)," Morris said, "so I think we should be giving back to community."

And that is the truer face of Rutgers athletics.

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