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CSA expect to conduct an inquiry with the team management at an appropriate time

Firdose Moonda26-Aug-2021Enoch Nkwe’s resignation as South Africa’s assistant coach and concerns about the functioning and culture of the national team “could not have come at a worse time, according to Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) acting CEO Pholetsi Moseki. However, he insists there will be no knee-jerk reaction to Nkwe’s claims.CSA intend to hold further discussions with the national team management, dependent on the team’s calendar, to ascertain the seriousness of Nkwe’s grievances and determine if any other further action needs to be taken.”The biggest challenge is the timing of this because the last thing we want is to distract the team’s preparation for the T20 World Cup,” Moseki told ESPNcricinfo. “But at the same time we want to get to the bottom of this. We can’t sweep it under the carpet.”The best time to hold discussions with the team management will be recommended by CSA’s board.”All parties involved in the national team will need to be interviewed and we want to give them an opportunity to respond to any of Nkwe’s concerns,” Moseki said. “We need to know how the team is functioning and if there are any issues.”Related

• National team's culture change still in its infancy, says Temba Bavuma

• SJN hearings to continue in September; Graeme Smith, AB de Villiers and others ask for more time to respond

• Enoch Nkwe resigns as South Africa's assistant coach

• Bavuma: Boucher has provided 'clarity and context' regarding discrimination allegations

• Khaya Zondo reveals anguish at being left out of South Africa ODI side in 2015

South Africa are currently in Sri Lanka for three ODIs and three T20Is before some squad members head to the UAE for the resumption of the IPL. The rest will return home to play in a domestic tournament in the lead up to the T20 World Cup. After that, South Africa are due to return home for a busy summer with incoming tours from India and Bangladesh and a visit to New Zealand on the FTP.That may make the IPL window the best opening for CSA to attend to the national team. However, that could impact World Cup preparations. ESPNcricinfo understands that CSA are particularly interested in having discussions with head coach Mark Boucher.In his submission to the Social Justice and Nation-Building (SJN) Project, Boucher profusely apologised for his role in racial and discriminatory conduct as a player. They want to have a discussion with him also because it is understood that among Nkwe’s main reasons for standing down was his working relationship with Boucher.Several sources have confirmed that the pair, who worked together since Boucher’s appointment in December 2019, were incompatible. According to insiders, Boucher’s coaching style meant Nkwe was unable to assert himself as much as he may have wanted to, but Nkwe also sought less of a day-to-day role at training grounds and more opportunity to have strategic input.Further, Nkwe has had some personal matters to deal with in the last few months which also prompted him to resign. “We want to take this matter forward and we need to be cognisant of everything that is going on,” Moseki said. There is a lot happening at the moment.”CSA’s board is also in the process of appointing a permanent CEO, and Moseki would not comment on whether he has applied for the job. They are also awaiting the SJN report, which was due on September 30. However, after extensions were granted to respondents and hearings due to resume on September 6, the report may be delayed. Moseki expects the ombudsman, Advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza, to give the board a progress update soon.

Cheteshwar Pujara, returning to the Indian side after a year and a half, says he is treating his comeback as a ‘second debut’

Nagraj Gollapudi21-Aug-2012Cheteshwar Pujara, recalled into the Test squad for the New Zealand series, is treating his comeback as his “second debut”. One of the impressive young batsmen to have come out in the last five years on the domestic circuit, Pujara was a popular choice to take a place in the Indian middle order once the top guns walked out of the game. And with two berths opening up after the retirements of Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, Pujara feels he is “motivated and passionate” while not being fussy about his position in the batting order.Pujara, who made a match-winning debut in Bangalore against Australia in 2010, played just two further Tests before a knee injury in IPL 2011 sidelined him for six months. Recovering from the surgery, he missed out on the home series against West Indies late last year, but was eager to get a ticket for the Australia tour. However, the selectors did not have enough confidence since Pujara, who plays for Saurashtra, had not had quality match practice.Pujara made just 200 runs during last season’s Ranji Trophy, but stronger performances on the recent India A tour of the West Indies, where he topped the run-charts, put him back in the reckoning. “I have been working hard on making a comeback. It has been delayed because there were not many games but I did whatever I could in domestic format and with India A. But I do not want to rush. I’m going to be calm and play my natural game,” Pujara told ESPNcricinfo immediately after being picked for the Tests.Making a comeback was never going to be easy. Pujara was hurt by some pundits questioning his fitness levels. But, working alongside his father Arvind, his driving force and mentor, Pujara made the finer adjustments to his batting. “When you come back after a six-month lay-off it is difficult to straightaway catch the rhythm. You need to start from the scratch. But once you cross those hurdles then you get mentally tough,” Pujara said. He knew he could not throw away a lifetime of hard work. “I am fully motivated. This is the moment I have always worked hard for. There is hunger and passion about playing at the highest level. It is once again a debut game for me.”Mentally adept and patient, Pujara, who is only 24, has blended those qualities with his batting skills which have remained sound and fluent from his age-group cricket days. Though the likes of Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane have made more headlines in the last year, Pujara has remained a favourite to take the important No. 3 slot vacated by Dravid. It was the same position he batted in the nets today in Hyderabad during the Indian training session, with Kohli at No. 5; the other two contenders – Rahane and S Badrinath – batted late down the order.However, Pujara does not want to be picky about his position in the batting order. “It is a team game so most of the time you have to see the comfort of the team, not your own. As a batsman I need to be flexible. I am a youngster who is making a comeback and not someone who is settled in the batting order so I should not be demanding. Yes, once I prove myself at a particular position then I can say I would like to bat at this number.”

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O Botafogo encerrou uma sequência negativa de três rodadas sem vitória no Campeonato Brasileiro no último domingo, quando derrotou o América-MG por 1 a 0, no Estádio Nilton Santos. Além da torcida, que esteve presente em bom número, outro fator que pode ter inspirado os jogadores do alvinegro foi a presença de João Paulo, lesionado desde o Campeonato Carioca, nos vestiários.

João está longe dos gramados desde março, quando se machucou após uma forte entrada de Rildo, do Vasco. O meia, que chegou a carregar a braçadeira de capitão, faz fisioterapia visando um possível retorno ainda nesta temporada e apareceu no Estádio Nilton Santos para motivar o elenco antes da partida. O vídeo foi divulgado pela “Botafogo TV”, o canal do clube no YouTube.

– Queria muito estar aqui mesmo, queria poder subir com vocês (pro estádio). Quando a gente fica de fora a gente começa a dar valor de como é gostoso e prazeroso poder jogar e viver isso aqui. Seis meses sentindo falta disso e vocês podendo fazer, eu vejo vocês durante a semana, desempenhando para car*****, treinando firme e falta colocar lá. Não tem mistério nenhum, a gente faz isso desde os 6, 7 anos, tem que ter personalidade e confiança – disse.

No pré-aquecimento, o meia participou de algumas partidas de ‘fut-mesa’ e mostrou muita desenvoltura para pular, tocar na bola e subir na mesa em inúmeras oportunidades. Ao lado de João Pedro, a dupla jogou contra Aguirre e Flávio Tênius, preparador de goleiros, e depois com Bochecha e Brenner.

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In the wake of the widespread allegations of embezzlement of the BCCI grants at the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA), the Indian board has asked its auditors to investigate the matter and prepare a detailed report on the situation

Nagraj Gollapudi31-Mar-2012In the wake of the widespread allegations of embezzlement of the BCCI grants at the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA), the Indian board has decided to take action and has asked its auditors to investigate the matter and prepare a detailed report on the situation.

Even as his name has featured in the alleged financial scam at the JKCA, Muhammad Aslam Goni was in Johannesburg, as the manager of the India team for the one-off Twenty20 played on Friday evening at the Wanderers against South Africa. Though he was appointed to the post by the BCCI, no board official would comment on the appointment.

“We are asking the auditors to check the JKCA accounts and report back to us,” Anurag Thakur, the BCCI joint-secretary, told ESPNcricinfo. According to Thakur there was no deadline set and a final call on the matter would be taken by the BCCI president N Srinivasan once the auditor’s report was ready.The allegations came to light when Muhammad Aslam Goni, the JKCA managing committee chairman, lodged an FIR with the police on March 10 against Ahsan Mirza and Mohammad Saleem Khan – the JKCA general secretary and chief administrative officer respectively – accusing the duo of pushing the BCCI funds into bogus bank accounts created in the name of the association.But on March 21, Goni himself was dragged into the controversy when majority of the 62 JKCA working committee members claimed Goni, too, was involved in the scam and demanded he resign from the chairman’s position. The working committee requested JKCA president Farooq Abdullah to dissolve the current management committee and organise fresh elections at the end of April.

South Africa U-19 halted Pakistan U-19’s three-match winning streak with a 42-run victory in Cape Town

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jan-2012
ScorecardSouth Africa U-19 halted Pakistan U-19’s three-match winning streak with a 42-run victory in Cape Town.Batting first, South Africa overcame an indifferent start through a 98-run fourth wicket stand between Shaylin Pillay and Theunis de Bruyn. The latter was the mainstay of the innings, contributing 73 off 76 balls. No. 7 batsman Prenelan Subrayen chipped in with 25 at nearly run-a-ball as South Africa surged to 240 for 7. Zia-ul-Haq and Usman Qadir impressed with two wickets each for Pakistan.Opening bowler Corné Fry dismantled the chase early, removing both Pakistan openers before they could settle in. The support cast backed up Fry and left Pakistan in trouble at 107 for 6 in the 28th over. No. 8 Qadir resisted with a fifty, but it was only a matter of time before Pakistan subsided. They were 42 runs short when they were bowled out in the 44th over.

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Um dos grandes destaques do Cuiabá na boa campanha até aqui na série C, Marino tem vivido um momento goleador. Meio-campo de origem, o atleta é o vice-artilheiro da equipe com três gols marcados, um a menos que seu companheiro Eduardo Ramos que possui quatro. Feliz pelo momento individual e também coletivo, Marino destaca o bom trabalho realizado pelo grupo até aqui e mostra felicidade pelas boas atuações que tem conseguido ter com a camisa do clube.

– Temos conseguido os resultados e estamos na briga em busca da classificação para as quartas de final da série C. O grupo é muito qualificado e o trabalho da comissão técnica também. Estou muito feliz pelo meu bom momento individual e, claro, mais feliz ainda pelo momento coletivo. É justamente por essa boa fase coletiva, que tenho conseguido mostrar meu potencial com mais facilidade. É manter a pegada em busca do acesso a série B.

Segundo melhor ataque do Grupo B da série C do Brasileiro com 15 gols marcados, o Dourado vem mostrando força ofensiva que o credencia a estar entre os cotados a subirem para a série B de 2019. Considerado o motor e válvula de escape da equipe, Marino garante que procura dar equilíbrio ao time inicialmente e que os gols marcados são frutos da liberdade dada pelo treinador a ele durante as partidas.

– O Itamar tem me dado essa liberdade de aparecer lá na frente como elemento surpresa. Graças a Deus a bola tem sobrado e tenho conseguido fazer meus golzinhos. A equipe é bem treinada e isso facilita nossa movimentação e me deixa livre em alguns lances para concluir. Claro que minha primeira missão é dar esse equilíbrio a equipe no meio campo, mas, como todo atleta, gosto de fazer gols. Tenho conseguido e espero manter essa pegada e as boas atuações até o fim da competição.

O Cuiabá do meio campo Marino volta a campo neste sábado, 23, quando encara o Volta Redonda, na Arena Pantanal.

The battle to be crowned No. 1 women’s team in the world begins this week when England, India, New Zealand and Australia compete in the Natwest Twenty20 and 50-over quadrangular tournament

Sahil Dutta in Chelmsford22-Jun-2011

The battle to be crowned No. 1 women’s team in the world begins this week when England, India, New Zealand and Australia compete in the Natwest Twenty20 and 50-over quadrangular tournament.Two years ago England were undisputedly the best side, winning the World Twenty20 and World Cup in the same year, as well as retaining the women’s Ashes. Since then other sides have improved while injuries and loss of form have seen England rejoin the rest of the pack.They had a poor World Twenty20 in West Indies last year, falling out at the group stage, while Australia took the trophy after beating New Zealand in the final. England also then lost their hold on the Ashes when Australia won a one-off Test in Sydney at the beginning of the year.Despite the slips, Charlotte Edwards, England’s captain, is confident her side can turn things around and is looking forward to putting on a good show when the Twenty20-leg starts on Thursday, against New Zealand in Chelmsford.”We have been lacklustre in the last couple of years I guess, but we welcome back a number of players from injury and other things and we’re looking forward to putting on a good show,” she told ESPNcricinfo. “The atmosphere we get for Twenty20 cricket especially is good and hopefully if we get some people at the grounds we can show that we are a good side.”Though Edwards conceded home conditions will help she didn’t feel England could start as favourites. “I don’t think, with the way the teams are now, that anyone can really feel favourites. Especially in Twenty20 cricket where it just takes one good performance to turn things.”These are our home conditions though so I guess that should be something that works in our favour but I’m just looking forward to a good performance from all our players. Gone are the days in women’s cricket where you just needed one strong player to win games; we will need all of our players to claim that title of No. 1.”Australia have a clutch of exciting players and after lifting the World Twenty20 are confident of impressing again. Captain Jodie Fields thinks the experience that many of the players gained in England two years ago will hold the side in good stead.”The girls played really well in the West Indies and the goal here is to come and perform as well and win the tournament. We have our experienced and consistent players like Lisa Sthalekar and Shelley Nitschke who will look to drive our younger players. Meg Lanning, our opener, is one who I expect will come out here and do well.”We’ve been training really hard since coming over here. We’re happy playing both formats and we think we can come here and win both [the Twenty20 and 50-over tournaments], that’s what our aim is.”For local rivals New Zealand, the tournament represents captain Aimee Watkins’ farewell as she’s retiring at the end of the tour. That, though, won’t, be a distraction for her team, Watkins said, but their recent form has been patchy and she says her side will start as underdogs.”I know it’s my last tour and it’s actually quite an exciting time for me but it won’t affect the players,” Watkins said. “We are excited to be here and it’s a great tournament with the best teams. Though I’m confident in all our players I’d say we probably start as underdogs. We play India on Thursday and they have won both their warm-up games while we’ve come out of our off season.”New Zealand have been perpetual bridesmaids; they lost in the final of the last World Twenty20 to Australia, the one before that to England in 2009 and, in the same year, the final of the 50-over World Cup as well.It is an aspect of their game that the team has discussed and Watkins says they have been unable to understand exactly what the problem is. “It’s something we have discussed a lot, with coaches, among ourselves as players, but we can’t put our finger on it.”I don’t think it’s a specific problem really. On the day you need a bit of luck but each time, while we’ve been outplayed by a better side, we haven’t maybe given the best account of ourselves.”One thing that will be in New Zealand’s favour is the weather. Dank, damp and cold, the English summer is more than familiar to New Zealand and Watkins, who has happy memories of England after top-scoring in the 2009 World Twenty20, says the team will relish the conditions. “We love touring here. The weather and conditions suit us and are very familiar.”India will be less impressed with conditions having left the height of summer back home. Yet captain Jhulan Goswami says the exposure is important for the team and thinks the tournament is crucial for their development. “After the World Cups this is the biggest tournament,” said Goswami. “It gives us exposure against the best teams. Obviously some of our players haven’t been here but to be the best you have to play well in all conditions. We are really looking forward to just starting.”

Stuart Law, Sri Lanka’s interim coach, believes that England’s Test cricketers currently pose the “toughest deal on the planet”, but insists that his players have the expertise and character to put up a strong fight when the first Test in Cardiff gets und

Andrew Miller in Cardiff24-May-2011Stuart Law, Sri Lanka’s interim coach, believes that England’s Test cricketers currently pose the “toughest deal on the planet”, but insists that his players have the expertise and character to put up a strong fight when the first Test in Cardiff gets underway on Thursday.Despite being considered outsiders in English early-season conditions, Sri Lanka enter the series full of confidence after a pair of impressive victories in their warm-up matches against Middlesex at Uxbridge and England Lions at Derby, where they overcame the follow-on to win a thrilling contest by 38 runs on the final day.They have since suffered a major setback with the news that Nuwan Pradeep, their matchwinner at Derby with 4 for 29 on the final day, is set to fly home with a knee ligament injury. However, Law was confident that his squad was sufficiently well rounded, even in the absence of the retired Muttiah Muralitharan, to pose a challenge to England’s strong batting line-up.”It seems everyone else isn’t confident in our bowling, but we’ve played four different seamers [in the warm-ups] and won both games,” he said. “Our seamers run in and hit the seam, and in England conditions that’s always a bonus. Our spinners do a lot of work for Sri Lanka, and yes we haven’t got Murali, but we’ve got good spin. Given the right conditions and the right attitude, and if they are consistent enough, yes they can take 20 wickets.”Sri Lanka will be further buoyed by the memory of their last meeting with England, in the World Cup quarter-final in Colombo two months ago, when they romped to a ten-wicket victory with more than 10 overs to spare, thanks to centuries for Upul Tharanga and the new captain, Tillakaratne Dilshan. However, Law believed that in five-day cricket, England would pose an entirely different challenge.”I’ve said it openly, in the last 18 months, I believe England are the best team in Test cricket,” said Law. “They’ve beaten teams in their own backyard and away from home as well, they are well drilled, they leave nothing to chance, they prepare well. You can’t complain with the way they are going, and as an Englishman you’d be very happy after the Ashes, which is one of the biggest contests on the planet. We know we’ve got our work cut out, but we’ve not come here to roll over and die. We’ve come here to fight.”Injuries aside, Sri Lanka have had a difficult build-up to the Test series. There was a change-over in leadership following the resignation of Kumar Sangakkara in the aftermath of their World Cup final defeat against India, and a clash of priorities which led to several of the squad, including Sangakkara and his fellow veteran Mahela Jayawardene, missing the early part of the tour to concentrate on the IPL in India.In the circumstances, Sri Lanka have done remarkably well to make light of such difficulties, although Law – who himself is coaching in an interim capacity following the resignation of Trevor Bayliss – said that off-field problems were part and parcel of the country’s cricket.”If you understand what goes on in Sri Lanka cricket behind the scenes you’d be amazed how well these guys play,” he said. “They do have to put up with extra pressures, but this tour is a magnificent opportunity for [some] young guns to come in, stick their hands up, and say ‘I want to be here for 10 or 15 years and have a great career for Sri Lanka’.”Although Law admitted that his IPL latecomers, Sangakkara and Jayawardene, had looked a bit rusty during the match in Derby, he said he could sense a sharpening of focus during the squad’s practice in Cardiff on Tuesday morning. “Looking at them today their mindset has completely changed,” he said. “They are preparing for the first day of battle on Thursday. They are two quality individuals, two quality players, I’d expect they’d leave no stone unturned.”Although Sri Lanka’s Derby victory showed that they are not afraid of grassy wickets, the Cardiff wicket is one that could well play into the hands of a team of strokemakers who know how to make the most of flat surfaces. Two years ago, Australia posted a mammoth 674 for 6 at the same venue, and on first inspection, the 2011 pitch looks to be similarly full of runs.”The pitch looks a belter, completely different to the nets,” said Law. “It’s a true batting surface as they have been down here for a long time. In Test cricket you expect to see those sorts of pitches, and with all the weather around it might not change too much. And that’s what I’ve been trying to tell our boys. In all conditions, never give in, because you never know what’s round the corner.”We’re just preparing for them to be the toughest deal on the planet at this stage,” he added. “We are not underestimating one facet of their game. People are saying that certain areas of their batting line-up can be exposed, we are not seeing it that way, we are just coming up with good plans for each batsman, rather than say we are targeting this guy or that guy. If we can sniff a result, we’ll try to put our foot on their throat.”

Celtic have the chance to secure the Premiership title tonight as they travel away from Parkhead to take on Dundee United.

The Hoops are currently six points clear of their rivals at the top of the league table and this means that one point will be enough to seal the deal, with only one match left in the division after today.

Ange Postecoglou’s team come into this clash off the back of a 4-1 win over Hearts at the weekend and will be looking to carry some of that momentum into this potential title clincher.

How many changes will Ange make to the team? Here is our predicted XI…

We are predicting that he will make three alterations to the side, with James Forrest, Stephen Welsh, Giorgos Giakoumakis and Tom Rogic all coming in.

Starting off at the back, Postecoglou may offer Welsh a rare chance to show what he can do at the heart of the defence next to Cameron Carter-Vickers.

Carl Starfelt was arguably at fault for Hearts’ goal at the weekend and has been dubbed “Sunday League” in the past by John Hartson. The head coach may opt to rest him, from the start, for this match as a result of that error and this would open the door for the young Scot to showcase his quality.

In the middle of the park, we are predicting that Rogic will be given the nod ahead of David Turnbull. It was the latter’s first start of 2022 after an injury-hit beginning to the year and he may drop to the bench to avoid breaking down again.

This will allow the Australian gem to return to the starting XI. Postecoglou previously tipped him to be “dominant” for Celtic and that is what he has been at times this season as he has plundered six goals and six assists in just 19 starts.

FFC published an article explaining why James Forrest should come into the starting line-up and the final change we are predicting is Giakoumakis starting in the number nine role. The Greek has scored 10 goals in as many Premiership starts this season and Postecoglou may look to his goalscoring prowess to clinch the title.

AND in other news, Forget Maeda: Celtic must unleash “frustrated” ace today, he’ll fire them to the title…

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A Federação de Futebol do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FERJ) divulgou nesta segunda-feira (26) os árbitros das partidas das semifinais do Campeonato Carioca.Marcelo de Lima Henrique apita o clássico entre Flamengo x Botafogo, enquanto Rodrigo Nunes de Sá fica responsável por Fluminense x Vasco. Rubro-negros e Tricolores têm a vantagem do empate para avançar à decisão.

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Árbitros da semifinal do Campeonato Carioca.

⚽ @Flamengo x @BotafogoOficial
👉 Marcelo de Lima Henrique

⚽ @FluminenseFC
X @VascodaGama
👉 Rodrigo Nunes de Sá

— FERJ (@FFERJ) 26 de março de 2018

As semifinais serão em jogos únicos. Campeão da Taça Guanabara, o Flamengo entrará em campo na próxima quarta-feira, às 21h45, como mandante, diante do Botafogo. Campeão da Taça Rio, o Fluminense terá pela frente o Vasco, na quinta-feira, às 21h. As partidas serão realizadas no Maracanã.

A tendência é que as finais sejam disputadas nos dias 1 e 8 de abril. Na classificação geral, o Flamengo terminou na liderança com 25 pontos conquistados, seguido do Fluminense, com 22, do Vasco em terceiro, com 20, e com o Botafogo na quarta melhor colocação, com 19.

Confira as semifinais do Campeonato Carioca:

Flamengo x Botafogo – quarta-feira – 21h45
Fluminense x Vasco – quinta-feira – 21h