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Finally an Argentine selection was defeated at the South American cricket championships

Grant Dugmore07-Dec-2002Finally an Argentine selection was defeated at the South American cricket championships. Chile pulled off a resounding 96 run victory over Argentina A at Longchamps, and thus break a winning streak maintained by the full Argentine side at the first three tournaments and by the A side at the last championship.And it was a fully deserved and comprehensive victory. Chile batted first and compiled a daunting 249 for 3 in their allotted 40 overs. Opener Paul Hollis continued his blazing form with an undefeated 114 to follow his unbeaten double century of the previous day, with solid support from Simon Shalders (58).In reply, Argentina A were bundled out for 153 in only 26,3 overs. Player-coach Grant Dugmore top-scored with 50, with other contributions coming from Sunyog Chauhan (31) and Alejandro Ferguson (28). Overall a sustained Chilean seam attack proved too accurate and consistent for the Argentine batsmen, with Jason Anglin providing the bulk of the damage with 7 for 32 off 7 overs.In the other match of the day played at Pinazo, Brazil were too strong for a valiant Andean Masters combination. Brazil made 250 for 5 in their 40 overs, and then restricted the Masters to 206 for 8 to win by 44 runs.The final day of the round-robin league sees Chile take on Brazil at Belgrano, while Argentina A host the Andean Masters at Pinazo. Wins for Chile and Argentina A will see them through to the final on Sunday, but if Brazil should beat Chile, the three teams will have equal points, and the finalists will be decided by nett run-rate.

The question of Somerset County Cricket Club remaining at their traditional town centre home has once again come back onto the agenda with the publication of `Taunton Vision 2025 and Beyond’ document

SOMERSET01-Nov-2002The question of Somerset County Cricket Club remaining at their traditional town centre home has once again come back onto the agenda with the publication of `Taunton Vision 2025 and Beyond’ document.For the first time this week chief executive Peter Anderson gave his response and told me: "It is very pleasing to note that in the report it is acknowledged that Somerset County Cricket Club is an asset to the town and should be used to help to promote it."The chief executives comments refer specifically to the section in the report that focuses on culture, leisure, sport and tourism which says: "If we are to attract and retain tomorrows’ population we will need to provide them with the right mix of contemporary leisure and cultural facilities."The report continues: "We envisage that Taunton should become a leading centre for the South West for its range and quality of leisure, sporting and cultural activity focused around the town centre."The Somerset boss continued: "Our Patron Christopher Ondaatje is very keen that we should remain on our current site earlier this year made a very generous loan to enable us to purchase the Barnicott’s Building. He is very keen indeed to save the County Ground."The first objective listed by the `Taunton Vision 2025 and Beyond’ document in this section is: "To build upon the potential of Somerset County Cricket Club, both as a facility and a strong local brand."The Club also features as the first of the main projects that are outlined in the same section which states: "Support the development of Somerset County Cricket Club as a centre of excellence, including multi-use of facilities and increased capacity for international competition."From the point of view of the Cricket Club this document recognises the important part that it plays in the fabric of the town, and supports the notion that the Club should remain at it’s town centre venue whilst also being encouraged to develop sufficiently to hold international matches.Mr Anderson concluded: "I shall be looking forward to discussing with Taunton Deane Borough Council exactly what it is they have in mind to enable both the club and Taunton itself to fulfil these intentions."

It seemed like a massive blow for Liverpool when their star man Philippe Coutinho departed for Barcelona, but after just 90 appearances since 2018 for the Catalan giants Paul Stewart believes that he would love to return.

Coutinho was the main man at Anfield who carried them through numerous tough games and scored several famous goals where he would cut in from the left and whip a shot into the far corner, but those sorts of days have been few and far between at Barcelona, even being farmed out on loan during the 2019/20 season.

Reports have suggested that Barcelona have offered Coutinho back to Liverpool as the Spanish giants are struggling to pay the full transfer fee that was agreed between the two clubs in 2018, which totalled £142 million.

The Brazilian was a fan favourite before he engineered a move away from Anfield and former Liverpool man Stewart believes that Coutinho would love to come back and play for the Reds, speaking exclusively to Football FanCast about the potential move:

“In a heartbeat he’d come back. I guess because he will be sat there on reflection saying I don’t really know why I left because my career has not kicked on, in fact, it’s sort of got worse.”

Coutinho did leave a hole in Liverpool’s side in the immediate aftermath as he was great to watch and have in Liverpool’s side with Jurgen Klopp labelling him a genius back in 2016.

It speaks volumes of how Barcelona have been run in the last few years having agreed on massive transfer fees without thinking if they are really getting a good deal and thus, are now struggling to cope with their financial difficulties.

Newcastle United are interested in swooping for Liverpool defender Nat Phillips, as reported by The Sun.

The Lowdown: Newcastle gear up for the 2021/22 season

As Steve Bruce refines his squad ahead of 2021/22, much intrigue will surround how the Magpies plan to build on their 12th place finish in the Premier League last season [BBC].

As of recently, Newcastle United have been linked with the likes of Kristoffer Ajer and Marc Guehi respectively, as they look to strengthen their depth in central defence.

However, they now seem to have turned their attention towards the 24-year-old as they look towards the new campaign.

The Latest: Magpies interested in Phillips swoop; may cost around £10 million

Presently, the Geordies are said to be courting Phillips in a deal that could total around £10 million [Sun]. This has become common knowledge after journalist Alan Nixon signified that the North East giants would have around £50 million to spend this summer on transfers [Sun].

In recent times, Burnley have also been accredited with keeping an eye on the 6ft 3in stopper [Lancashire Live]. Previously, Swansea City came close to signing the Reds defender on loan [Football League World].

The Verdict: Phillips would be a very astute prospective signing for Newcastle United

Without doubt, Phillips would be a welcome addition to the fold at Newcastle United. Coming out of nowhere due to a mass injury crisis for The Reds, he made 20 appearances in 2020/21 as he helped Liverpool to UEFA Champions League qualification [Transfermarkt].

Once labelled “brilliant” by manager Jurgen Klopp [Liverpool FC], the Englishman showed his domineering nature last year winning 5.6 aerial duels on average per game for Liverpool [WhoScored], the highest successful aerial tussle rate of anyone in the entire Reds’ squad [WhoScored].

Fitting the Steve Bruce philosophy, there is every chance that the Englishman could be a rousing success on Tyneside due to his aggressive nature and likeability as a player. Newcastle United should be pushing the boat out to acquire Phillips ahead of the new campaign.

In other news, Newcastle United face a potential blow in their pursuit of a reported target.

Centuries from Mark Butcher and Ali Brown ensured an imposing start for Surrey, as the Championship leaders’ latest match got under way at Leicester

Stephen Lamb14-Aug-2002Centuries from Mark Butcher and Ali Brown ensured an imposing start for Surrey, as the Championship leaders’ latest match got under way at Leicester. Butcher made a steady 116, while Brown batted with his usual gusto to reach 104 off just 97 balls with two sixes and 14 fours. Skipper Adam Hollioake made a fluent 80, and Rikki Clarke chimed in with an unbeaten 52 as the visitors closed on 454 for six.Mark Wagh made life difficult for second-placed Kent at Edgbaston. Wagh made 109 (207 balls, 18 fours) as Warwickshire cruised to 387 for five by stumps. Nick Knight (67) Dominic Ostler (80) and Jamie Troughton (64*) were the day’s other main contributors.An innings of 83 by the Australian Matthew Elliot shored up Yorkshire’s brittle batting in the Roses Match at Old Trafford. Glen Chapple and James Anderson then took three wickets each, and a captain’s innings from Richard Blakey (68*) took Yorkshire to 272 for eight at the close.Alan Mullally took four for 58 as Somerset were bowled out for 278 in the relegation clash at The Rose Bowl. Somerset were indebted to Keith Parsons (51), Rob Turner (57) and Richard Johnson (61) for reviving them from the perils of 102 for five. Hampshire ended the day on 15 for no wicket in reply.In Division Two, an unbeaten 232 from Kevin Pietersen ensured that life was less than a bed of roses for leaders Middlesex. Pietersen scored his runs at more than a run a ball, with three sixes and 30 fours to entertain the Trent Bridge faithful. Following a rather more austere century from Darren Bicknell (108, 309 balls, 13 fours) Pietersen ensured a forgettable day for the visiting attack.Fourth-placed Derbyshire didn’t enhance their promotion cause by being bowled out for 190 by Worcestershire at Derby. Alamgir Sheriyar was destroyer-in-chief, with six for 71 as only Chris Bassano (85) and Graeme Welch (64) kept the visitors at bay for long. At stumps Worcestershire were just a run behind with five wickets in hand, thanks primarily to Ben Smith (49) and Anurag Singh (41).

Waqar Younis was retained Pakistan captain till this September’s ICC Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka

Sports Reporter03-Aug-2002Waqar Younis was retained Pakistan captain till this September’s ICC Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka. The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Lt Gen Tauqir Zia believed Friday that it was never a difficult decision to make.”The team is doing great and Waqar’s own performance is an inspiration for his boys. I don’t think it is a difficult decision to make,” Tauqir said.Waqar reached the peak of his brief captaincy’s tenure when he led Pakistan to a marvellous 2-1 victory over Australia in the Super Challenge Series-II in Australia.”Of course we are looking at Waqar as potential Pakistan captain for next year’s World Cup. But we have to stick to our policy of series-by-series appointments.”It gives the establishment as well as Waqar himself to monitor his progress. But so far, the PCB is absolutely satisfied with Waqar’s performance and of his team,” Tauqir said.Waqar will now spearhead Pakistan in this month’s Morocco Cup, the golden jubilee tournament in Kenya and finally the Champions Trophy. He will have a minimum of 10 one-day internationals and a maximum of 15 one-dayers to further consolidate his position as captain till the World Cup.”I can’t be more delighted. I feeling is superb and I am over the moon at this stage,” Waqar said from Lahore.”It gives the player an added boost to do better and improve his performance and justify the confidence that has been trusted upon him,” Waqar said.Waqar didn’t mince words in saying that he would like to lead Pakistan in the World Cup – the biggest achievement for any cricketer – but added that leading Pakistan has always been a great honour.”Leading the Pakistan cricket team is something that makes me very proud. It is an honour that very few cricketers have got and I am one of them. “But I must thank my team-mates here without whose cooperation and support I have never been successful. I feel very lucky to have players who want to deliver for the country and keep the green flag aloft,” he said.Team: Waqar Younis (captain), Inzamam-ul Haq (vice captain), Saeed Anwar, Shahid Afridi, Imran Nazir, Younis Khan, Yousuf Youhana, Rashid Latif, Abdul Razzaq, Azhar Mahmood, Shoaib Malik, Wasim Akram, Mohammad Sami, Saqlain Mushtaq and Misbahul HaqManager: Yawar Saeed. Coach: Mudassar Nazar.

Sri Lanka’s confidence ahead of the final npower Test against England will hardly have been boosted by their performance in the rain-affected match against an MCC side full of England hopefuls, which ended today in a draw.

Ralph Dellor08-Jun-2002Sri Lanka’s confidence ahead of the final npower Test against England will hardly have been boosted by their performance in the rain-affected match against an MCC side full of England hopefuls, which ended today in a draw.Sri Lanka were bowled out for just 127 in reply to the MCC’s first innings 326 for seven declared. MCC captain David Fulton and Middlesex’s Andrew Strauss then batted out 17 overs, declaring at 93 for no wicket to end the game early.MCC resumed this morning on 270 for six, and batted for a further 15 oversbefore Fulton declared. Usman Afzaal, 25 tomorrow, completed a celebratory hundred, finishing on 111 not out with 11 fours and three sixes. The one wicket to fall was that of Richard Dawson, caught by Russel Arnold for 15 off Ruchira Perera, who finished with four for 66 off 20 overs.James Kirtley and Kevin Dean then reduced the tourists to an embarassing 30 for five. Skipper Sanath Jayasuriya tried to hook Kirtley and top-edged a catch to wicket-keeper Chris Read. Kumar Sangakkara, in need of runs, was lbw padding up to Kirtley. Hashan Tillekeratne got a perfect Dean yorker before he had scored, and Arnold edged Dean to Afzaal at second slip. Upul Chandana was run out by a direct hit from Strauss attempting to get off the mark. Dean then accounted for Prasanna Jayawardene, who edged a straightforward catch to Read.Simon Jones, included in England’s 13-man squad for the Old Trafford Test, struck in his third over when Thilan Samaraweera was caught at short leg by Dawson. The tourists slipped to 57 for eight when Eric Upashantha, on eight, was caught behind cutting at Jones.Only Aravinda de Silva, with an unbeaten 54 (49 balls, three sixes, five fours), provided real resistance. He put on 59 with Dilhara Fernando before the latter was caught behind, and off-spinner Dawson finished the innings by having last man Perera caught by Jones at deep backward point.On the upside for the tourists, Sri Lanka manager Chandra Schaffter says their star bowler, Muttiah Muralitharan, is continuing to recover from his shoulder injury.”He’s much better than he was, but he’s a long way from being 100% fit, and the final decision depends on him,” Schaffter said. “I cannot say he will definitely play. If the Test was tomorrow he’d certainly be very keen to play.”Asked whether Sri Lanka would raise their game at Manchester, Schaffter said: “I think it will be difficult to perform much worse than we did atEdgbaston. I’m very confident we can do much better and I’m looking to contain England a little bit more than we did at Edgbaston.”Players sometimes relax and don’t take these matches too seriously. We didnot do too well in any of the county games, by and large, and we can’t take theresults of these matches as a serious indication as to how we will perform.”

“Viv Richards was dead right when he said that this generation of West Indian cricketers do not play for the West Indies, would not put their lives at stake for the islands

Special Correspondent26-Apr-2002″Viv Richards was dead right when he said that this generation of West Indian cricketers do not play for the West Indies, would not put their lives at stake for the islands. That is why he does not want to give any importance to these cricketers. The passion is not there any more,” said an old supporter of Caribbean cricket.”Brian – he let us down in the Test,” added another, pronouncing, as the Trinidadians do, Lara’s first name “Brion.” He was not happy at the way the prince of Trinidad got himself out in the second innings. The internal politics of the islands’ cricket came to the front once again when the gallery commented, “Who told Hooper to play such a rash stroke at that crucial juncture of the match? Was the pull needed then?”The West Indies are now trying to find reasons for the defeat. But after failing often in many of their recent matches, they are now a frustrated lot, and that was evident when the public implored Wes Hall, the president of the West Indies Cricket Board, to do something. “Last year the South Africans came and defeated us. Now it is India. Even in our country, we are no longer a winning team. Every country is beating us in our own backyard. When we will start winning at home again, can you tell us?” went the crowd’s shouted remarks to Hall.The legendary West Indian fast bowler could not reply. Later, he told this correspondent, “I really didn’t expect the match to be so interesting. Congratulations to your team. They kept their nerve during the moments that mattered.”Hall may not have poured out his heart’s tribulations, but as Board president, he is not allowed to do so either. The Trini Posse stand was more eloquent in its silence. They had come to the ground with the hope that Lara, Hooper and Shivnarine Chanderpaul would give them a memorable victory, and they had to return home dejected.Mervyn Dillon, the West Indian bowling spearhead, was quoted as saying, in a Trinidad daily on the fifth morning of the Test, that he would not have to come out and bat, and that Lara and Hooper would win the match for them. But he did have to pad up and bat, although Javagal Srinath had him off his very first delivery. He was not to be found in the dressing rooms after Zaheer Khan dismissed Cameron Cuffy.All of Queen’s Park Oval wore a disappointed look. They were unwilling to leave the stadium even after late into the evening. When we were coming out of the Park Oval, much of the outside area was covered in broken glass. No more solid evidence of the shattered hopes of the Caribbean people can be found.

The Somerset Board Eleven are in action again on Sunday when they take on Devon at the County Ground, Taunton in the 38 County Competition

Richard Walsh24-May-2002The Somerset Board Eleven are in action again on Sunday when they take on Devon at the County Ground, Taunton in the 38 County Competition.In their first match of the season Somerset were beaten in the final over by Wiltshire at Chippenham, and are likely to have their work cut out to beat their Minor County opposition on Sunday.Devon played their opening match last weekend and triumphed comfortably over Dorset at Bovey Tracey by 84 runs. Several players with strong Somerset connections were playing for Devon at Bovey Tracey including Ian Bishop, Gareth Townsend, David Lye, Matt Theedom and former captain Peter Roebuck.Looking ahead to the game Somerset Board Eleven manager Peter Robinson told me: "This will be a tough game because they are a very experienced side, even without Nick Folland. Their batting in one day cricket is very strong and is probably better than some second elevens. It will be a good test for some of our younger players to see how good they are."The Somerset Board squad is: Kevin Parsons (Taunton St Andrew’s) captain, Tom Webley (Bournemouth Sports), Luke Stokes (Keynsham), Michael Coles, (Bridgwater), Kevin Sedgebeer (Taunton St Andrew’s), Gareth Andrew (Glastonbury), Arul Suppiah (Taunton) Matt Dimond (Taunton St Andrew’s), Mike Parsons (Wembdon), Steve Davis (Bridgwater), Nat Price (Taunton St Andrew’s).The game gets underway on Sunday at 11.30. Admission is free and the bar will be open all day to serve refreshments.

The chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, Lord MacLaurin has publicly backed the England coach and captain, Duncan Fletcher and Nasser Hussain, and stated that he would like them to stay on beyond next year’s World Cup in South Africa

Ralph Dellor08-Apr-2002The chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, Lord MacLaurin has publicly backed the England coach and captain, Duncan Fletcher and Nasser Hussain, and stated that he would like them to stay on beyond next year’s World Cup in South Africa.He praised their work during the winter tours to Zimbabwe, India and New Zealand.Not so impressive, according to Lord MacLaurin, was the lack of discipline shown by players who failed to maintain their levels of fitness before reporting for the New Zealand leg of the tours. Both James Ormond and Usman Afzaal were the subject of criticism earlier in the winter for allowing their weight to rise.In a radio interview, Lord MacLaurin said: “I would very much like Duncan and Nasser to stay. I’m always talking to Duncan on a very regular basis and he’s done a very good job in his management of the England side.”However, the sad thing I’ll take from these tours is that when the players turned up to tour New Zealand some of them weren’t fit and that is not acceptable for international cricketers.”They had a programme they had to keep when they left India and some of the players were not as fit as they should have been when they turned up in New Zealand. I find that very strange and not very clever.”At a time when the domestic structure has come in for criticism, notably in the recently-published Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, the chairman was quick to come to its defence, even if he admits that the county game is not “sacrosanct” and that it needs to become more popular with younger followers.Commenting on the Wisden reference he said: “I read that with quite a lot of interest and obviously it is designed to be provocative. But our county structure is there, we have 18 clubs and they are our centres of excellence.”The county game should be promoted in a much more vigorous way. There has been talk of a possible 20-over competition to attract younger people along, I’m very much in favour of that sort of thing.”The ECB committee meets on Thursday to discuss ways in which the game might be restructured to give county cricket a wider appeal and to produce higher quality Test cricketers.