Mahendra Singh Dhoni was relieved to be fronting a press conference after India had won, and the smiles and jokes appeared more natural and less forced.”Well of course it was a tight match. They [Australia] got 200 [193] runs [batting first]. Personally I thought it was a good wicket though it does a bit under lights,” said Dhoni. “There was plenty of bounce and seam movement. So I knew it would be a tough match but I thought we would win comfortably, but I would take it [the two-wicket win] with an open heart.”When asked if it was a tough decision to leave Rahul Dravid out of the XI, Dhoni flashed his widest smile. “Well he was rested,” was all Dhoni would say before getting quite animated when speaking about Murali Kartik, a player he backed and who has delivered for him.”I think he was really excited specially if you look at the stage when he was called back into the side. He needed to perform, he was quite determined to perform,” said Dhoni. “He even had an injury on his right thumb, but still he was quite eager to play. The way he bowled I think it was brilliant. If a bowler keeps bowling in one place, you can set up an aggressive field. I think that was not the case in the previous matches. I think we bowled well, apart from the initial start when we were a bit erratic and gave too many runs with the new ball.”Kartik’s ten-over spell of 6 for 27 also came in for praise from Ricky Ponting. “Kartik bowled well today. He bowled well even in his first game [in Chandigarh],” Ponting said. “The wicket here was different because the top was a bit soft. Still you have to execute the skills and he did extremely well and deserved every wicket he got.”Like in Chandigarh, Australia had a firm grasp on the game before India made a winning fightback, something Ponting wasn’t pleased about. “Whenever we lose, it’s disappointing and more so when we lose from winning position.”I thought 193 was defendable because of the conditions as the ball was swinging and seaming. We wanted early wickets which we got but we could not get wickets in the middle and that’s why we lost.”Dhoni said it was not merely about backing Kartik. All players needed the backing of their captain. “Well of course I believe in each and every player. If you look at RP [Singh], the way he started [the series] he would have been sidelined and he would have never got to play,” said Dhoni. “You have to keep the confidence in the players and that’s how you gain their confidence. I want 14 players in my team whom I want to stand in front of a truck and they are willing to do it.”
Even with the series gone, well before this game began, Dhoni stressed that this match was a big one for his side. If anything, he said India were in a strong position in the Nagpur game, and should have won that one.”Well of course even if you see the last match, I think we were into the match and we could have won. But unfortunately we couldn’t, in between we made a few mistakes,” said Dhoni. “But we knew this was a very crucial match for us, we didn’t start the series well, but at least we wanted to end it on a positive note. We know we didn’t bat well, but as a team we played really well to win this match. With the new ball we got initial breakthroughs, but more accidentally. I thought the Australians bowled brilliantly. They made the batsmen play each and every delivery and that was very crucial.”Despite the defeat, Ponting agreed it had been an exciting contest. “It was a very entertaining game though it was low-scoring. The ball was swinging all day, which made it a pretty-even contest,” Ponting said. “It showed that even low-scoring matches can be entertaining because of the intensity right through the match.”Dhoni also counted quite a few positives from this series despite losing 2-4. “If you see Robin [Uthappa] he has matured a lot as a player. Although he is an opener he is the kind of batsman you can shuffle around to play at any place,” said Dhoni. “He is a big asset for the team. He plays positively and fielded well through the series. It was a good series for him.”At the end of his first ODI series as captain, Dhoni conceded there were differences in handling a young Twenty20 unit and a side like this one. “Well it’s a lot different. If look at Twenty20, we had a very young side so keeping the intensity going through out the 20 overs was never a problem,” he said. “But over here you have to keep the guys on their toes. At times you have to take help from people like Yuvraj and Robin Uthappa who are on the field and tell them ‘No boss, you have to pick things up, your intensity is going down.’ And that was one of things that we did really well today.”
Mohammad Khalil, the Pakistan left-arm seamer, has been officially cleared of charges of ball-tampering in a Patrons Trophy match between his team, Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) and Pakistan Customs at Karachi, due to lack of sufficient evidence. Rao Iftikhar Anjum, ZTBL’s captain, was instead held responsible and imposed a fine of Rs 5000.The incident occurred in the second day’s play, during the 29th over of Customs’ innings, when the umpires Riazuddin and Shakeel Khan suspected that the condition of the ball had changed. They called for a replacement and awarded five penalty runs to the batting side. Khalil was bowling at the moment, and it was reported in the Pakistan media that he was found guilty and slapped a fine by Khalid Niazi, the match referee. However, Niazi clarified the actual version of the events in an official verdict today.”According to the laws of the game, when no one is caught red-handed, the captain is responsible,” said Niazi. “So a fine of Rs 5000 has been imposed on Rao Iftikhar Anjum on behalf of ZTBL. Mohammad Khalil was called in for the hearing just because he was bowling at the time but no evidence or proof was found against him so he has been cleared gracefully from this matter.”
ScorecardSandeep Singh and Pritam Gandhe grabbed seven wickets between them to bundle out Tripura, chasing a target of 263, for 124 as Vidarbha registered an outright win at Agartala. Subhrajit Roy, the opener, offered the lone resistance with 49 and was the ninth wicket to fall. Singh, the medium pacer, removed two top order wickets before coming back to pick up two in the tail to fold up the Tripura innings. Earlier, Timir Chanda removed the two overnight batsmen – Samir Khare and Vikrant Gonnade – to trigger a mini-collapse and Jayanta Debnath picked up two wickets to finish with a five-wicket haul. With this win, Vidarbha, already comfortably placed at second on the Group A table, enter the semi-finals stage of the tournament.ScorecardPowered by 74 from Ratan Kumar and three 30-plus scores from the middle order Jharkhand, following on, reached 252 for 6, 42 runs ahead, in their second innings by the end of the third day’s play against Kerala at Palakkad. Ratan Kumar was ably assisted by Manoj Joglekar, who hit 49, and 30s from Rajiv Kumar, the captain, and Mohan Jha. Kerala will be looking to remove the last four wickets quickly to set up small target to chase as they have to win by 10 wickets to secure a bonus point which would give them a chance to end up in top two and qualify for the semi-final. Their hopes lie on Somasetty Suresh and Sadgaoppan Ramesh, the two batsmen who shifted from Tamil Nadu. ScorecardGoa, asked to follow on after Sandip Maniar’s seven-wicket haul blew them away for a paltry 144 in the first innings, rode on an unbeaten half-century from Swapnil Asnodkar to reach 133 for 2, 162 runs in arrears, at stumps on the third day that was completely dominated by Saurashtra at Rajkot. Maniar tore Goa apart and picked five of the six wickets that fell to the bowlers today after Jobanputra had removed the overnight batsman Nikhil Haldipur early in the day. ScorecardA combined disciplined bowling performance from Rajasthan put them on the brink of victory against Assam at stumps on the third day at Udaipur. Four bowlers picked two wickets apiece to shot out Assam for 110 before Rajasthan, set a target of 70, reached 16 for 0 at close. Earlier 30s from Ajay Jadeja, the captain, and Sanjay Gill lifted Rajasthan, overnight at 172 for 4, to 281 in their first innings, gaining a 41-run lead. ScorecardA 151-run partnership for the sixth wicket between Monish Mishra (83) and Devendra Bundela (76 not out) lifted Madhya Pradesh from a wobbly 58 for 5 to 221 for 6, 93 runs in arrears, by the end of the second day’s play against Jammu & Kashmir at Indore. Abid Nabi, the medium pacer, rocked the MP top order with a three wicket burst before Bundela and Mishra came together to pull MP out of trouble before the pair were separated by a run-out. Earlier, Dhruv Mahajan extended his score from the overnight 42 to 59 as J&K reached 314 in their first innings. Madhya Pradesh will have to get the first-innings lead to get two points and qualify for the semi-finals. Scorecard Subit Biswal’ maiden first-class century and Pravanjan Mullick’s unbeaten 93 powered Orissa to a commanding 312 for 3, 150 runs ahead, by the end of the second day’s play against Himachal Pradesh at Cuttack. Biswal and Mullick shared a unbroken 198-run stand for the fourth wicket in 63 overs to grind out the Himachal Pradesh attack. Orissa sit pretty on top of the pool having already qualified for the semi-finals.Owing to bad weather and problems in flight connectivity the match between Orissa and HP was postponed by a day.
A Warwickshire player is to appear before an ECB disciplinary panel on Monday (Sept 20) after reportedly failing a drugs test. Warwickshire and the ECB declined to confirm the identity of the player concerned, but a report in the Daily Telegraph alleged that it was Graham Wagg, the 21-year-old allrounder who has also played for England A.Wagg, who has been struggling with a back injury that has stopped him playing Championship cricket this year, reportedly gave a positive sample after a random drug test after Warwickshire’s final National League match of the season, against Gloucestershire.The ECB confirmed that a disciplinary hearing had been set up in accordance with their anti-doping regulations.According to the Telegraph the drug involved is recreational, rather than performance-enhancing. The English authorities have always pursued a hard line on drug abuse, of whatever kind: in 1996 Ed Giddins was suspended for 18 months after traces of cocaine were found in his systen.
Dropped catches cost Minor Counties dearly, together with some wayward seam bowling on a pitch of variable bounce and slow pace, enabling Northants to score 271 for 8 in their 50 overs. Chris Brown was again on top form, taking 2-13 from his 10 overs.This was always going to be a stiff target especially when Howitt was caught at cover off his first ball. Adshead and Dawson batted aggressively, adding 54 for the second wicket in just 6 overs. Trower again showed his class and together with Mann proceeded to keep up with the clock. When Trower(45) was well held driving uppishly to fly gully and Mann(29) spooned a catch to extra cover, the target proved out of reach, in spite of some determined batting from Brown(30) and Kidner.
Carisbrook will become a leader in the New Zealand game with the establishment of a new practice facility this season.An enclosed nets system, based on that used at the Sydney Cricket Ground, will be built and in use within the next two months.A joint venture between Carisbrook’s owners, the Otago Rugby Football Union and Otago Cricket, the nets will feature eight pitches with a fully retractable roof on two at any one time. Each pitch will be four metres wide and will be enclosed by netting four metres high.They will be built on ORFU land adjacent to Carisbrook and will allow teams and individuals to practice while play is in progress on the main ground. They will come into immediate use with Carisbrook hosting three State Championship matches before the New Year, six games in the ICC Under-19 World Cup in January, and the New Zealand/England One-Day International in late-February.The pitches will comprise the same Kakanui soil as used in the Carisbrook block and which has seen groundsman Mark Perram produce some of the best playing sufaces in the country in recent summers.
ScorecardAshwell Prince salutes the crowd after his last innings at Old Trafford•Getty Images
This was an excellent match for Surrey. It illustrated their strengths and suggested they are ready for the tough school that is Division One of the County Championship. Even though Lancashire’s resilient batting on the final day prevented Gareth Batty’s team from winning the game and with it the Division Two title, there was no doubt which team had bossed the contest.But this was also a very useful match for Lancashire, providing they learn the lessons it proffered and recruit the players they need in the close season. Quite regardless of where the title ends up, and Surrey go into the final round of matches with an eight-point lead over their rivals, these four days at Old Trafford surely showed Ashley Giles the gaps he needs to fill if 2016 is not to be a chastening experience.All this matters because Surrey and Lancashire are in the middle of a project which they hope will see them rise to the top of the English domestic game. They have enjoyed promotions only to suffer three relegations apiece over the past 11 seasons. They have had enough of the switchback between joy and disappointment.Although they might not admit it, both counties probably expected to be promoted this season. Now they aim to establish themselves at the top table of the English domestic game.In John Sturges’ classic 1960 filmThe Magnificent Seven hired guns Chris and Vin are defying the local racists to ensure that a native Indian is given a decent burial at the squalid local cemetery Boot Hill. As they make their way to the graveyard Vin voices his fears: “It’s not getting up there that’s bothers me. It’s staying up there that I mind.”Vin’s words need only a slight tweak to be applicable to both Surrey and Lancashire. Getting up to Division was barely the concern; it was expected. It’s staying up there that bothers them now.The final day of the season brought reasons for Lancashire supporters to be concerned and reasons for them to be cautiously optimistic. The chief concern was surely prompted just after midday when Ashwell Prince, who has been the mainstay of Lancashire’s batting for the past four seasons walked away from the Old Trafford wicket for the final time. He had just been caught by Kumar Sangakkara off Matt Dunn for 11.Although often accused of being at Lancashire under a flag of convenience, Prince is leaving the club wearing a badge of honour. This was shown when he received a standing ovation at a members’ forum at Tuesday evening. Somebody is going to have to score Prince’s runs if Lancashire are to survive, let alone flourish next season.However, the rest of the day at Old Trafford was dominated in part by the batting of Haseeb Hameed, an 18-year-old opener whose excellent technique and calm temperament help to explain why Lancashire feel able to dispense with Paul Horton’s services, although Hameed’s undoubted talent may not entirely justify that decision.Hameed’s 91 in 325 minutes suggested that he has the concentration necessary to succeed at the top level of the county game. However, he faced 234 balls and did not score off 195 of them, suggesting that his ability to keep the scoreboard ticking over needs work. That, though, will come with time, experience and hard work.On the final day of this game Lancashire supporters were simply grateful that Hameed stayed at the crease for over five hours and was only dismissed when caught at leg slip by Tom Curran off his brother Sam a few overs before bad light ended the game nine overs early when Lancashire were 195 for 7 and a tense finish was in prospect.Hameed’s success in resisting Surrey’s talented seamers was not shared by too many of his colleagues. In the first hour or so of play Karl Brown was leg before to Tom Curran and Dunn had removed both Alviro Petersen and Prince to catches in the slip cordon. That left Lancashire on 71 for 3 and almost grateful that Surrey had left with so little time to bat on the third evening and the absurd target of 492 to chase.Steven Croft kept Hameed company in a 91-run stand for the fourth wicket but his dismissal, caught at the wicket by Ben Foakes off Tom Curran just before tea, was followed just after the resumption by the dismissals of Phil Mustard, Jordan Clark and finally, Hameed.It was, though, an excellent day for Surrey’s seamers. Tom Curran bowled economically and well; his brother, Sam, maintained a constant threat; and Matt Dunn, often overlooked recently took 3 for 46. Gareth Batty’s seamers look ready for Division One; whether some Division One batsmen are ready for them is an intriguing question.
Chelsea are reportedly interested in signing Brighton midfielder Alexis Mac Allister in the summer transfer window, and he could form a dream partnership with Enzo Fernandez in Graham Potter's side.
Could Chelsea sign Alexis Mac Allister?
Chelsea were heavily linked with signing the Argentina international in the January transfer window and the player's father has now provided an update on his situation ahead of the summer window, with an exit seemingly on the cards.
He told ESPN Argentina (via 90min): "Clubs are starting to call us for Alexis but there are no concrete talks now. We’ll decide together with Brighton, they deserve respect. We will pick the best project, based on the coach too — it’s not about money."
Since signing from Argentinos Juniors in January 2019, the midfield maestro has gone on to make 98 appearances, in which he has contributed 17 goals and eight assists.
The 24-year-old has been a revelation in Roberto de Zerbi's side so far this campaign, hitting seven goals and one assist in the Premier League as the south coast side sits 7th, with a European finish well and truly on the cards.
WhoScored have awarded Mac Allister an impressive 7.08 rating for his performances in the top flight, which ranks him as the third-best player in De Zerbi's squad, while he also has the most shots per game with 2.4, so it is no surprise that the Seagulls have placed a reported £70m asking price on his head ahead of the summer.
Former Brighton boss Alan Mullery was full of praise for the Argentine midfielder on BBC Radio Sussex’s Albion Unlimited podcast last year.
He said:
“We have had six or seven players in the World Cup playing for their country – when did Brighton do that? Fantastic. Mac Allister has looked like a class, quality player.
“He thinks of what he wants to do when the ball arrives, play it short, run it, defend it. He’s a very good midfield player. He has the capability to go forward and also defend. He’s not big and strong but he wins tackles. He has this attitude and when he has the ball he looks forward very carefully. I think he has been outstanding this season.”
Could Mac Allister form a dream duo with Enzo Fernandez?
Chelsea have already brought in one of Argentina's World Cup stars from their triumph in Qatar, as Fernandez made the move to Stamford Bridge for a British transfer record fee of £106.8m.
Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Final – Argentina v France – Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar – December 18, 2022 Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez poses with his Best Young Player award during the award ceremony after the match REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach
He has impressed in Potter's side since then, with WhoScored awarding him a superb 7.08 rating which sees him ranked as the second-best player in Chelsea's side, while he also ranks as the best tackler at Stamford Bridge with a mammoth 3.6 per game.
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The duo were ranked by WhoScored as the third and fourth-best performers in Lionel Scaloni's squad in Qatar, and their combination of tough tackling and attacking intent could see Potter secure a dream duo in Chelsea's midfield for comfortably another eight years.
Daryl Tuffey, the New Zealand fast bowler, has been linked to the Indian Cricket League (ICL) and is ready to sign on the dotted line for an “attractive offer”. The ICL is expected to start next month and Tuffey hoped it would not stop him from playing first-class cricket for Auckland later this season.”I’m leaning towards [signing]. It’s the money and a bit of security,” Tuffey told the . “Nothing’s guaranteed with New Zealand Cricket, even the money you get playing domestic cricket back home. You’ve got to start looking after No. 1 at some point.”Tuffey, 29, isn’t contracted by NZC and last week turned down a provincial deal with Auckland. Tuffey said he spoke to Auckland coach Mark O’Donnell, who indicated there would be a place for him when his ICL commitments finish at the end of November. “Not signing with Auckland has just made me a free agent. I’m can play for match fees if Auckland choose to do that. It’s a bit more relaxed for me now,” Tuffey said. “I’m pretty keen to come back and play for Auckland and see what happens from there, if I’m bowling well.”If he does join the ICL Tuffey will join former New Zealand team-mates Chris Cairns, Nathan Astle, Chris Harris and Hamish Marshall. It is believed Craig McMillan will hold talks with Justin Vaughan, the NZC chief executive, over his potential involvement.Tuffey has played 22 Test and 80 ODIs and has taken eight wickets at 15.25 in the opening three rounds for Sutherland in Sydney grade cricket, where he is playing for six weeks. Tuffey said the side, which plays under the former New Zealand coach Steve Rixon, was keen for him to return later in the season if he wasn’t required by Auckland.Tuffey, who played one match in this year’s World Cup before returning home, believed he had “four or five” good cricketing years left. “Who knows what happens if I go to India, but if the chance arose again that would be great,” he said. “But I’m not putting all my eggs in one basket and hoping to play for New Zealand any more. I’ve had a great time playing international cricket but there’s other opportunities outside of cricket that I’m putting first at the moment.”
Michael Clarke has vowed not to look too far ahead after his short-term Test future was sealed with Damien Martyn’s sudden retirement. A century at Adelaide not only showed Clarke was ready for an extended stint in the side, but it also led to Martyn walking away from the game mid-series.The men are close friends and have exchanged text messages since Martyn’s decision, a move Clarke believed opened a spot for him during the third Test at Perth from Thursday. “If Watto [Shane Watson] was fit for this game, I still would’ve assumed I would’ve been the one to go,” Clarke said in the . “Marto’s performances have been outstanding over a long period of time. A player of that class is always going to come good.”With Marto retiring, I guess there are spots there. But I’ve got to focus on continuing to score runs. I feel like I’m batting pretty well and my goal is just to focus on that – one ball at a time, not look too far ahead – because as I’ve seen before it can all be taken away from you very quickly.”Clarke fell away after two brilliant centuries in his first month in the Test arena in 2004 and had to fight his way back. He has batted at No. 6 in the opening two games of the current series and does not expect a move to No. 4, where he sat for a couple of games when Martyn was dropped after the previous Ashes.”I haven’t spoken to anyone but I’d assume I wouldn’t go back [to No. 4],” he said. “I don’t even really want to think about it. In my opinion, Huss [Michael Hussey] is batting that well it makes sense for him to go to No. 4. I’m rapt just to be in the team at the moment given that a few games ago I was playing for New South Wales. It’s slow and steady for me now.”Clarke said he hoped “it’s not my fault” Martyn retired. “Marto made that decision because he did what he thought was best,” Clarke said in . “Now this gives us the chance to continue our friendship outside cricket, I guess.”He’s a great mate of mine and I’m not going to get the chance to play international cricket with him anymore. I’m the first guy to congratulate Marto on every single thing that he has achieved. He’s helped me a lot. He’s a very close mate.”