Following in the footsteps of Bangladesh’s recent announcement to establish a women’s side, the UAE have announced their plans for a national team. The project starts this Saturday at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.But they will have to get their skates on – UAE’s first engagement is in six weeks, with the Asian Cricket Council’s tournament which runs from July 11 to 17. Bangladesh will also play, alongside Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore and Thailand.Two former India players, Smitha Harikrishna and Pramila Korikar, will help to establish the set-up. The pair have each played 22 one-dayers, while Korikar also has five Tests to her name.
The ICC has asked for an explanation from the Indian board for the crowd trouble that had erupted during the April 9 one-day international between India and England at Guwahati.”Malcolm Speed [the CEO of ICC] has sent us [BCCI] a letter asking for explanation over what he’s called serious breach of security,” Niranjan Shah, the BCCI secretary, told PTI. “I will forward the letter to the Assam Cricket Association (ACA) for its reply which I hope to get in four or five days.”The ICC has also sent a copy of the report sent to it by match referee Roshan Mahanama which is a standard procedure. After getting the reply from ACA we would send a reply to the ICC.”However, the ACA had not received any letter from the BCCI till late last evening. Ghanshyam Baruah, the treasurer of the ACA, told the , a Guwahati-based daily, that they had not yet received any intimation from the Indian board.Crowd trouble erupted during the game after the umpires had called off play because of a wet outfield. There was rioting in the Eastern stands and the police had to fire tear gas shells to break up the mob. The trouble escalated when the crowd began to target the television cameras, in place to cover the match and at least four cameras were badly damaged. It was later revealed that the damage was around 6.5 to 8 million rupees (US$146,000 to 180,000).
Andrew Symonds, whose big hitting and canny offspin have made him an integral part of the Australian team in recent times, has been suspended for two matches, and fined his fee for the same, after he was found to have breached team rules by drinking and staying out late on the eve of the game against Bangladesh. At the toss, Ricky Ponting had said that Symonds had the flu, but by the close of the Australian innings, it emerged that he had been omitted for disciplinary reasons.To compound Australia’s woes, they were at the receiving end of a stunning Bangladeshi performance, though Simon Katich, who replaced Symonds, acquitted himself creditably with a rapid cameo. Symonds had apparently come out for the warm-up with the smell of alcohol on his breath, and in no fit state to play.After the shock defeat, Ponting, John Buchanan and Steve Bernard – captain, coach and manager – met to discuss the issue, and exchanged views with Cricket Australia headquarters in Melbourne. The nature of the reprimand and suspension will be announced before Australia clash with England at Bristol later on Sunday. Though the possibility of sending the player home was discussed, he will stay with the squad for the remainder of the NatWest Series.According to Australian Associated Press (AAP), Ponting became aware of the situation only minutes before he went out for the toss. He was quoted as saying: “Was I angry with Andrew this morning? Of course, yeah. I think all of his teammates would be as well.” Incidentally, Ponting himself had come through well-documented problems with the booze, having been suspended for his part in a bar brawl in 1999.Symonds had attended a dinner with seven other team-mates to celebrate Shane Watson’s 24th birthday, but while the others retired at a reasonable hour, he opted for more liquid refreshment. Afterwards, Ponting spoke of what was expected from his players when he said: “As a team, under the players’ spirit of cricket pledge, we pride ourselveson playing cricket hard but fair, but also on being good role models.”We take this sort of thing very seriously and I am very disappointed with what has happened, as is Andrew. Andrew is aware he has let the team down, as well as all his cricket fans, but most of all he has let himself down.”While Ponting referred to the incident as an unwanted distraction, Symonds was contrite when asked to explain his actions. “I know no-one has to accept this, but I apologise to everyone for what I have done,” he said. “I know it was the wrong thing and I am very embarrassed.”
Michael Vaughan produced a captain’s innings of 140, to put his personal seal on an historic 3-0 series victory in the Caribbean. On a soporific final day in Antigua, the game briefly sparked back to life when West Indies’ spinners grabbed three quick wickets with the final hour approaching, but Graham Thorpe and Geraint Jones stemmed the jitters and batted with enough common sense to force Brian Lara to call off the hunt.It was a peaceful end to a high-octane series, but nothing could dampen the spirits of the Barmy Army, who sang lustily to the bitter end, and no wonder. Only one other side in history has ever pulled off a 3-0 away win in the Caribbean – Ian Johnson’s 1954-55 Australians, whose team included such luminaries as Richie Benaud, Keith Miller, Ray Lindwall and Neil Harvey. It remains to be seen whether the likes of Steve Harmison, Andrew Flintoff and Simon Jones will be spoken of in the same breath.After Lara’s phenomenal unbeaten 400, England did remarkably well to avoid being crushed by his sheer weight of runs. Despite following on after a first-innings bout of vertigo, Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick had regained England’s composure by the fourth evening to close on 145 for 0, and that was the hard part done. It was always going to take something out of the ordinary for West Indies to wrest the initiative back from there.Both Trescothick and Vaughan were quickly into their stride as the day resumed, cutting and square-driving a West Indian attack that appeared resigned to its fate. The pair had been England’s missing links throughout the series, but by the time their partnership ended at 182, they had almost exactly doubled their tally from seven previous efforts.It took a bizarre dismissal to separate them. Trescothick had moved to within 12 of his hundred, when he played forward to a full-length slower ball from Edwards, and somehow squeezed a catch to Ramnaresh Sarwan in the covers. It was a puzzling end to a cathartic innings, and Trescothick was as bemused as any onlooker as he trudged off – had he not checked his shot, he would surely have played it straight into the ground.Vaughan, however, was determined to seal the series with a captain’s knock, and he crashed to his hundred with a gorgeous cover-drive off Edwards, and then followed up with another one in the same over, just for good measure. He had one scare on 99, when Tino Best skimmed his bails with an offcutter as he shouldered arms, but Vaughan would no doubt put it down to impeccable judgment. This was the third time in four English follow-ons that he had made a century, and it was his most significant batting contribution since a similarly backs-to-the-wall effort against Sri Lanka at Kandy last December.After lunch, and with Lara off the field, the game began to drift as West Indies’ spinners wheeled away and Vaughan moved effortlessly towards another milestone. But Sarwan, West Indies’ stand-in captain, brought himself into the attack and in his very first over, he rolled a legbreak across Vaughan’s bows for Ridley Jacobs to snaffle a faint deflection off the glove. Vaughan was gone for 140, and England weren’t entirely out of the woods just yet.
After their crucial contributions earlier in the series, Nasser Hussain and Mark Butcher were the perfect partnership to carry England to safety. Hussain, who was undoubtedly playing in his final innings in the Caribbean, bristled with attacking intent, with Best’s comeback over with the new ball disappearing for 11 runs. Butcher, meanwhile, sailed past his fourth fifty of the series – a metaphor for England’s serene progress.But it wouldn’t have been fair to let the series drift away without a final plot twist, and it was the innocuous spin of Ryan Hinds who sparked the final session into life. His first victim was Butcher, who had made 61 when he aimed a heave over midwicket and snicked a thin edge through to Chris Gayle at first slip (366 for 3). It was so thin, in fact, that Gayle wasn’t fully aware that he had made the breakthrough.Four overs later, Hinds struck again as Hussain swept ambitiously out of the rough and was bowled round his legs for 56 (387 for 4). At this stage, England still trailed by 79, and while Andrew Flintoff could have knocked that deficit off in a matter of minutes, he was determined to emulate his first innings and play sensibly. He wasn’t able to resist temptation, however, when Sarwan lollipopped up a rank full-toss, and Lara pocketed a simple miscue at midwicket (408 for 5).Lara quickly recalled his pacemen for one final victory push, but there was to be no fairytale ending for West Indies. Instead, as Vaughan held aloft the Wisden Trophy and England embarked on a lap of honour, they had to satisfy themselves with a reclaimed world record, and the belated recovery of their pride.
Beleaguered Pakistan skipper Waqar Younis on Monday refused to quit following his side’s unceremonious World Cup exit while seeking the nation’s pardon.However, Inzamam-ul-Haq, after a wretched run with the bat during the tournament in southern Africa, stepped down as vice-captain.Waqar, while announcing his decision, told a crowded press conference at Gaddafi Stadium that he will continue to play on because he deemed himself quite fit.The fast bowler is following in the footsteps of Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Lt Gen Tauqir Zia and chief selector Wasim Bari who are keen to carry on.Waqar said, “at the moment I am not opting for retirement,but I can’t say any thing about tomorrow.”I want to repair the damage that has been done to Pakistan cricket in the World Cup by us,” Waqar said.Waqar refused to discuss the reasons behind team’s debacle. “There was no mystery and the case is simple we did not play to our potential.”.Waqar did not agree that his captaincy played a part in the downfall of Pakistan side. “It is not true, but we batted and bowled badly which led to poor results.”The 31-year-old pacer said changes in the batting order for every match was done by the tour selection committee, which also included the team manager Mr Shaharyar Khan.Waqar conceded that the team had been facing problems of placing suitable batsmen for the first three positions. “In the past Pakistan had a good opening pair in Saeed Anwar and Aamir Sohail but after that it becomes a chronic problem.”Waqar negated the impression that the team had not learnt lessons from the sequence of defeats that started from the Morocco Cup last August.”We learnt from the defeats, but could not perform in the World Cup,” he said.Waqar agreed with manager Mr Shaharyar’s point of viewthat holding of the send-off ceremony before the team’s departure only served to mount further pressure on the players,who were already fighting with the pressure of the World Cup.Commenting on the statement of coach Richard Pybus that the seniors of Pakistan team were not willing to learn more, Waqar said that it was a totally wrong perception of the coach.He, however, defended Pybus to an extent and added that the coach was not responsible alone for the defeats.Waqar admitted that the bowling let down the team in the crunch match against India. “I dismissed two Indian batsmen in one over, but overall, the performance of the bowlers at both ends was very bad.”When asked why he resorted to bowl two beamers at Australian batsman Andrew Symonds in the opening match, Waqar admitted that he was unaware of the beamer rules and that’s why umpire David Shepherd prevented him from bowling again.Inzamam too sounded apologetic about the team’s pathetic showing and like Waqar sought the nation’s pardon.The burly batsman, who made just 19 runs in six matches, conceded the added burden of vice-captaincy was the reason of his poor form.Mr Shaharyar, meanwhile, very diplomatically pointed out that the seniors were not capable of delivering the goods.”Top players are aging now and they can’t deliver the same that they had been producing in 90s. While the rising stars like Yousuf Youhana, Younis Khan, Abdul Razzaq and others proved they still lack in countering pressure of the mega event,” the manager noted.Mr Shaharyar confessed that he had no justification todefend the regrettable performance of the team. “Neither the team faced any injury problems nor any decision of the umpireswent against them.”The former diplomat also remarked that Pakistan playerswere not disciplined enough in terms of cricketing language. “We have learnt these basics about cricket at school level which is the right platform to polish cricketers from their teenage years.”Mr Shaharyar dispelled the impression of grouping between Wasim Akram and Waqar. “It is totally baseless. Both Wasim and Waqar had been addressing the team’s meetings before and after every match which shows unity between them.”He said that people had great expectations from this team. “The public during the send-off ceremony were saying with confidence we can win the World Cup and wewill bring the cup home.”Former captain Wasim Akram was also officially called up by the PCB to attend the press conference, but for some reasons, he failed to show up.
Somerset consolidated second place in the CricInfo Championship FirstDivision with a crushing 10-wicket victory over Lancashire at Old Trafford.Richard Johnson took four wickets, Ian Blackwell three and Steffan Jones two as a Lancashire team missing their captain John Crawley were skittled out for 126 in their second innings.That left Somerset needing only 66 to win and Jamie Cox and Piran Holloway knocked them off inside 18 overs.They are now only 14 points behind First Division leaders Yorkshire having played a game more, while Lancashire are left looking over their shoulders at the relegation zone after two consecutive defeats.Somerset were unable to add to their overnight 385 for nine, with GaryKeedy trapping Matthew Bulbeck lbw to complete figures of five for 73, the fifth five-wicket haul of his career.But that still gave them a lead of 61 and Lancashire lost three wickets before they wiped it off, with Johnson trapping Jamie Haynes lbw then Jones firing out Mark Chilton and Neil Fairbrother in his first two overs.Jones’s first ball lifted and left Chilton, who could only glove it to Rob Turner, while Fairbrother was all at sea and edged the first ball of Jones’s second over to the wicket keeper.Lancashire’s plight was even bleaker in the absence of Crawley, with their 12th man Graham Lloyd prevented from batting by the Championship regulations even though Somerset were happy for him to do so.Andy Flintoff threatened a fightback as he pulled Jones over mid wicket for six with his second scoring shot, then thumped the first three balls he faced from Blackwell for four.But Blackwell had Warren Hegg caught at slip by Peter Bowler before lunch, and afterwards claimed the crucial wicket of Flintoff who was bowled around his legs trying to pad the ball away.Johnson then made short work of Lancashire’s first innings hero GlenChapple and also Peter Martin, then wrapped up the innings by bowling Chris Schofield for a plucky 23.The former Middlesex seamer ended with four for 40, with Blackwell defying back trouble to claim three for 47 and Jones returning two for 22.”You cannot rule the championship out,” Somerset coach Kevin Shine said afterwards.”There are a lot of people up there still chasing very close together, butthe atmosphere in our dressing room is fabulous after that win.”That is a fabulous win for us here. To turn over Lancashire in three days isa job very well done,” he said.”We had to fight hard for that first-innings lead. Then the bowlers have donea very professional job. That lead was very important, though. We would not have wanted to be chasing 150 on that wicket, with the ball turning.”It looks like we have done it quite easily, but chasing 66 to win waspretty much what we wanted on there.
Manchester United are now preparing an ambitious move to sign an £80m+ mega star who is keen to complete a Premier League switch, according to reports.
Man Utd preparing £80m+ offer to sign Juventus forward
The debt may be increasing at Old Trafford, but that’s not set to stand in the way of INEOS’ spending in 2026. According to recent reports, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co. have set their sights on major upgrades for Ruben Amorim ahead of 2026, which could include one of Elliot Anderson or Adam Wharton.
The Premier League duo are wanted men in English football and whoever wins the race to secure their signatures next year will land transformative midfield additions.
Midfield is certainly an area of concern for Amorim, who needs the same overhaul at the heart of his side that his frontline received last summer.
As things stand, the former Sporting CP manager has an ageing Casemiro, an untrusted Manuel Ugarte, Bruno Fernandes and the unhappy Kobbie Mainoo to call on in his deep midfield roles. And given that Bryan Mbeumo is heading to AFCON, Fernandes may be forced to push ahead into one of the No.10 roles.
A deep-lying midfielder should be top of INEOS’ priority list, but that is unlikely to stand in the way of even more attacking additions. According to reports in Spain, Man United are now preparing an offer to sign Kenan Yildiz from Juventus worth as much as €100m (£88m in 2026.
The Juventus star reportedly wants a Premier League move, handing those at Old Trafford a major boost in pursuit of his signature next year.
"Magnificent" Yildiz would spearhead Man Utd rise
Aside from Fernandes, it’s difficult to pick out a true world-beater in Man United’s strongest side. They’re beginning to form the foundation of a side capable of getting back into the Premier League’s top four, but still lack that big standout player that all top sides can boast across Europe.
Yildiz would be that superstar. The 20-year-old is already one of, if not the top stars at Juventus and was dubbed “magnificent” by scout Jacek Kulig last season.
After 21 games in all competitions this season, Yildiz has scored six goals and created another six with plenty more to come throughout the campaign.
Man Utd could sign Bruno replacement who's "the most underrated CM in Europe"
Manchester United look set to make a move for one player should Bruno Fernandes depart.
ByEthan Lamb
In the current market, signing a player of the 20-year-old’s quality who can play all across the frontline for around £88m could even turn into an undeniable bargain. If United have the funds, then a deal to sign Yildiz should be seen as a no-brainer next year.
Edgar Schiferli claimed a career-best 5 for 48 on the second day in Sharjah but UAE dented Netherlands’ hopes of qualifying for the Intercontinental Cup final by taking a narrow two-run lead.To stay in the race for a spot in the final, Netherlands really needed to collect the maximum 20 points from this match, but after conceding a lead, only 14 points are now available. However, following the efforts of Schiferli victory is still within reach. The home side looked well placed for a handy advantage on 256 for 5 until Schiferli ran through the tail as the last five wickets fell for 33 runs.UAE had been given a solid base as they replied to Netherlands’ 287 with a opening stand of 69 between two Ali’s – Amjad and Arshad – with Amjad reaching a hardworking 55 from 190 balls. The middle order scored more freely as captain Saqib Ali hit 58 off 73 balls while Khurram Khan and Rashid Khan produced useful innings.Mohammad Kashif and Daan van Bunge claimed two important wickets apiece, but it was Schiferli who produced the most dramatic intervention towards the end of the day. He made short work of the last four wickets, which fell for eight runs, and when he bowled Fahad Alhashmi it completed his first five-wicket haul.Netherlands, who currently lie fourth in the table, will now need to produce a solid batting effort to leave UAE a final-day target.
John Buchanan, who has retired from his coaching role, said it was Australia’s destiny to be at the cutting edge of cricket after they had won a third straight World Cup title. Australia’s victory over Sri Lanka by 53 runs meant his players gave Buchanan, 54, a winning send-off in his last game after eight years in charge.Although supervising a gifted side, Buchanan has been credited with extending the team’s horizons. Buchanan, who is set to concentrate on what had been a motivational speaking sideline, had challenged the rest of the world to match Australia’s standards after they beat India in the 2003 World Cup final.But while now reluctant to pass on tips to other nations, Buchanan was clear where the sporting future of Australia lay. “It’s our role always to lead change, to lead new ideas to be right at the cutting edge of cricket or of sport,” he said. “Then it’s up to other countries to try to chase us. In a sense we’re not interested in what other countries have to do, it’s what we still have to do.”India and West Indies are two of the sides looking for a new coach after World Cup failures, but Buchanan said he had no interest in taking charge of another country. “I suppose you can never say never but right at the moment no,” he said. “I feel very loyal to the team that I coach and the players that I’ve worked with. So right at the moment I’m looking to venture into new territory altogether. This sort of role will be a thing of the past for me.”Buchanan said the key to Australia’s enduring success – they are the world’s best Test side and have now gone 29 games unbeaten at the World Cup – began with the players. “Each individual has strived for perfection all the time,” he said. “From a coach’s point of view, that is the perfect team. The perfect team is the one that keeps wanting to be better day in and day out. I’ve been basically a passenger for the last three years or so. I get there [to practice], put the gear out and bring it back in again.”But Ricky Ponting said: “We shouldn’t let the coach get away with that. He’s challenged us all the whole time he’s been in charge of this team. He’s always been overlooked. It’s not an easy thing to do to take over a team that’s already playing good cricket and make it better.”But he’s been able to do that with me and with all of us. Some of that is to do with the players, but a lot of it is also to do with how you’re coached as well.”
Gerard Denton’s shock withdrawal with appendicitis has upset Victoria’s preparations for the Pura Cup final against Queensland starting on Friday. Denton had surgery in Melbourne last night after complaining of stomach pain during a training session yesterday.While his team-mates flew to Brisbane for the final, Denton went for scans and a Victoria spokesman said he would remain in hospital for a couple of days. Allan Wise has stepped in as a replacement and Greg Shipperd, the coach, said Denton had been an integral part of the squad and would be missed.”He’s swung the ball, taken wickets consistently, and been a popular member of the team,” Shipperd said. “We wish him a swift recovery, but know that Wise will be a handy replacement should he get the nod in the final XI.” Denton has completed his most successful Pura Cup season after finishing with 33 wickets at 28.15 while Wise has 27 victims at 27.55 in seven games.Victoria have also been forced to deny Mick Lewis is considering a move to Western Australia after reports he talked with the state’s officials about playing at the WACA next summer. “There’s been nothing come to us through the correct channels in relation to asking permission that they’re going to speak to Mick, so it’s pure fabrication,” Shaun Graf, the Victoria spokesman, told . “Mick Lewis is a Victorian, he wants to finish his career in Victoria, and that’s where he’ll stay.”Victoria Jason Arnberger, Lloyd Mash, Brad Hodge, Nick Jewell, David Hussey, Cameron White (capt), Jon Moss, Nathan Pilon (wk), Adam Crosthwaite (wk), Dirk Nannes, Mick Lewis, Shane Harwood, Allan Wise.Queensland Jimmy Maher (capt), Lachlan Stevens, Martin Love, Clinton Perren, Shane Watson, James Hopes, Brendan Nash, Chris Hartley (wk), Andy Bichel, Ashley Noffke, Daniel Doran, Mitchell Johnson.