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Australia have rested the senior trio of Ricky Ponting, Shane Watson and Mitchell Johnson for the one-dayers against India later this month

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Oct-2010Australia have rested the senior trio of Ricky Ponting, Shane Watson and Mitchell Johnson for the one-dayers against India later this month. In Ponting’s absence, Michael Clarke will lead a side that includes South Australia batsman Callum Ferguson, who has made a comeback after a year on the sidelines due to a knee injury.Injuries to Shaun Tait and Ryan Harris mean Doug Bollinger will spearhead an inexperienced fast bowling unit that includes Clint McKay (12 matches), and the uncapped pair of Mitchell Starc and James Pattinson.Queensland’s James Hopes and New South Wales’ Steve Smith will vie for the allrounder’s spot, and big-hitting opening batsman David Warner makes a return to the one-day squad. There was no place for either wicketkeeper Brad Haddin or fast bowler Peter Siddle, both of whom are recovering from injuries and the selectors felt it was too premature to risk them in international cricket.”Ricky faces a very demanding domestic summer on his return to Australia,” Andrew Hilditch, Australia’s chief selector, said, “and will have no other opportunity for a break from the start of the domestic season until after the much-awaited World Cup.”Hilditch gave similar explanations for leaving out Watson and Johnson. “It is essential to the balance of our side that Shane can open the batting and play the all-round role. we have decided the best way of ensuring he can play this role is for him to miss the one-day component of this series,” he said. “Mitchell is now the leader of our bowling attack, and with numerous injuries to our fast bowling stocks at present, it is essential we manage his workload so he can get through the domestic summer and the ICC Cricket World Cup.”The three-ODI series is from October 17-24.Squad: Michael Clarke (capt), Cameron White, Doug Bollinger, Callum Ferguson, Nathan Hauritz, James Hopes, Mike Hussey, Shaun Marsh, Clint McKay, Tim Paine (wk), James Pattinson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, David Warner

Nathan Hauritz is walking freely again but is unsure whether he will be fit for Australia’s two-Test series in India in October

Cricinfo staff01-Aug-2010The injured Nathan Hauritz is walking freely again but is unsure whether he will be fit for Australia’s two-Test series in India in October. Hauritz wore a moon boot for three weeks to help the recovery from a foot stress problem that sent him home during the limited-overs tour of the British Isles.Steven Smith replaced Hauritz for the two Tests against Pakistan, but Hauritz remains Australia’s No.1 in the five-day game whenever he is healthy. “I would love to be saying I am fully fit and ready for India and there is still seven weeks to go before we leave,” Hauritz said in The Sunday Mail. “But I will have to prove my fitness before then and we will not get a good gauge until we step up the training in a couple of weeks.”Hauritz has had a four-week break but running will be the big test. “I will start 40 to 50-minute walks this week and will start jogging on it pretty soon after that,” he said.The injury had been bothering Hauritz, but it was not until he was batting in the ODIs against England that it became bad enough to leave the trip. If he had continued it could have developed into a serious stress fracture.”We were lucky to pick it up when we did, otherwise it could have been three to four months out not doing anything,” he said. Australia’s first Test against India is on October 1 in Mohali and the series is a warm up for the Ashes, which begin in November.

West Ham United are yet to make a move in an attempt to bring Adam Hlozek to the London Stadium in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by ExWHUemployee, who revealed in a recent post on The West Ham Way that, despite there appearing to be a deal to be done for the Sparta Prague centre-forward this month, David Moyes and his West Ham transfer team are yet to make a move for the 19-year-old.

Previous reports had suggested that the Hammers were leading the race for the Czech international’s signing this January, while a number of other Premier League clubs and top European sides – including Liverpool – were also thought to be keeping a close eye on the situation of the forward ahead of a potential move this winter.

However, at present, it would seem there is no bid forthcoming from East London, with Ex stating: “I have been asked why we haven’t moved for Sparta Prague forward Adam Hlozek. Whilst I don’t know for certain the thinking behind it, I believe a deal is there to be had for the player but, at this point, we haven’t decided to do that.”

Fans will be sweating

Considering the high level of January interest in the services of Hlozek, in addition to the fact that West Ham are in desperate need of backup and competition for the injury-prone Michail Antonio – who is currently the Irons’ only centre-forward – the news that Moyes is yet to pull the trigger on a move for the 19-year-old is sure to have left the London Stadium faithful sweating.

Indeed, the youngster would very much look to make a fantastic addition to the 58-year-old’s attacking arsenal, as, over his 18 Fortuna Liga appearances this season, the £17.1m-rated wonderkid has already bagged five goals and registered 11 assists, in addition to bagging a further goal and assist over nine outings in Champions League qualification and the Europa League – taking his haul to six goals and 12 assists in just 27 appearances.

Furthermore, the player who is reported to cost around €25m (£21m) this winter is also extremely versatile, having been fielded on both the left and right-wing, as well as in the number 10 role, a relatively even number of times during his short professional career with Sparta Prague.

As such, when taking into account Hlozek’s undeniable potential, West Ham’s desperate need for a player in the 19-year-old’s mould and the sheer level of January interest in the youngster, it would appear highly advisable for Moyes to make his move for the forward sooner rather than later, or else the Scottish manager only increases his chances of missing out on a deal for the Czech sensation.

In other news: Moyes can repeat Lingard trick with swoop for £6m “fighter”, he’d be “perfect” for WHU

Newcastle United have now made contact with Arsenal for striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ahead of a potential move in this January transfer window.

What’s the story?

According to Italian journalist Rudy Galetti, the Magpies are “trying” for the Gabon international, and that “contact” has already been made with the Gunners for the maverick striker.

It’s added that a “possible loan is being discussed”, and that crucially, Aubameyang himself “would like the destination”.

Fans will be buzzing

While Aubameyang may not have covered himself in glory this season either on the pitch or off it – he’s netted just four goals in the Premier League and was recently stripped of the Arsenal captaincy by Mikel Arteta – he still remains a class player who could provide Newcastle with genuine quality up front.

It was only a couple of seasons ago that Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville was waxing lyrical about the striker, and how good he is compared to the rest of the Premier League’s elite forwards.

He said: “Including me, we have stopped short of announcing Aubameyang as world class. We’re happy to go with (Sergio) Aguero, we’re happy to go with (Sadio) Mane and (Mohamed) Salah, (Roberto) Firmino, (Harry) Kane… all these players who have graced the Premier League in the last two or three seasons.

“I feel that Aubameyang doesn’t get that same credit and maybe it’s something that comes from when he first entered into English football. I think he’s been absolutely sensational, and I think now’s the time for us all to start recognising the quality and the brilliance of this player. He fights for the team, he’s always there, and for me, he’s everything you would want in a football player.”

The man with 294 career goals to his name could be the perfect replacement for the injured Wilson for the remainder of this Premier League season.

Galetti’s update that the Magpies have now made contact for him, and that Aubameyang himself is interested in a move to St James’ Park is sure to have fans absolutely buzzing.

Meanwhile, Newcastle United have held talks with this director of football candidate…

Paul Collingwood shone with the ball on his first Durham appearance of the season before rain wrecked their Friends Provident t20 match with Derbyshire

13-Jun-2010
ScorecardLoots Bosman helped Derbyshire to an excellent start before the rain•Getty ImagesPaul Collingwood shone with the ball on his first Durham appearance of the season before rain wrecked their Friends Provident t20 match with Derbyshire.England’s World Twenty20-winning captain conceded only 21 runs from his four overs, but the Dynamos were still facing a daunting run chase after the Falcons plundered 172 for 3 from 19 overs. Loots Bosman scored his second half century in the competition and former Somerset batsman Wes Durston hit two sixes and seven fours in an unbeaten 71 from 53 balls.Derbyshire were only five short of their biggest Twenty20 score at Derby before rain forced the umpires to take the players off the field and resulted in the North Group match being abandoned. Collingwood was the only bowler to trim the Falcons’ wings as his two England team-mates Steve Harmison and Liam Plunkett came in for some rough treatment.Plunkett went for 18 off one of his four overs which cost 40 while John Sadler dispatched Harmison for two sixes in three balls over mid-wicket before the rain arrived. Durston followed his explosive century at Trent Bridge on Friday with another impressive display of clean hitting in an opening stand of 89 with Bosman.The South African cut Harmison for six and also smashed nine fours in a 32-ball 57 before he was run out going for a second by Plunkett’s throw from long on in Collingwood’s first over. Although Durston lifted Collingwood over long on for six, it was the only boundary off the England all-rounder who cleverly took the pace off the ball to restrict the batsmen.But the rest of the Dynamos attack suffered as Greg Smith and Robin Peterson also cleared the ropes to take the Falcons to what was their second highest Twenty20 total on home soil. It would have tested even Durham’s formidable line-up of big hitters but with no sign of an improvement in the weather, umpires Nigel Long and Michael Gough called the match off at 5.20pm with both sides taking a point.

Andrew Strauss used his return to the scene of his Ashes-winning triumph last summer to rediscover his batting form for Middlesex in their London derby against Surrey.

18-May-2010
Scorecard
Mark Ramprakash was the mainstay of Surrey’s first innings with a superb 223•Getty ImagesAndrew Strauss used his return to the scene of his Ashes-winning triumph last summer to rediscover his batting form for Middlesex in their London derby against Surrey.Strauss finished the second day of the County Championship Division Twoclash on 54 not out after earlier watching former England batsman MarkRamprakash turn an overnight century into a superb 223 as Surrey totalled 490. With Scott Newman also hitting an unbeaten 79 in his first match against hisformer county, Middlesex reached 148 for 0 in reply by the close.England captain Strauss certainly needed some runs in his last countyappearance before the start next week of the two-Test series againstBangladesh.In 11 previous Championship innings for Middlesex this season, Strauss had madeonly 262 runs at an average of 23.81, with just one half-century. In threefurther Clydesdale Bank 40 one-day innings, he had managed only another 60 runswith a top score of 26.Strauss, who missed the short winter tour to Bangladesh in order to rest, alsohad to watch from afar as Paul Collingwood and the England Twenty20 team becameworld champions with their magnificent victory against Australia in theCaribbean on Sunday.He would not have wanted to link up again with England without some significantruns behind him and it was his good fortune to find himself batting on a trueOval surface.Ramprakash’s innings, too, showed Strauss just what was possible as the 40-yearold moved on majestically from his overnight 125. It was Ramprakash’s 11th double-ton for Surrey, putting him just one behind SirJack Hobbs’ county record of 12. Hobbs, though, made 144 centuries for Surrey;this was Ramprakash’s 57th three-figure score for the county.In addition, Ramprakash moved into joint fifth position in the all-time list offirst-class double-century makers when he thrashed a short ball from Dawid Malanthrough the covers for four. He now has sixteen in his career, putting him levelwith Hobbs, CB Fry and Graeme Hick.Gary Wilson hit 10 fours in an excellent 62, dominating the strike and thescoring in an 88-run stand with Ramprakash for Surrey’s seventh wicket, beforehe was stumped giving Malan the charge.Ramprakash was eventually ninth out, hitting high to long on, after facing 395balls and striking a six and 26 fours in a 564-minute stay at the crease.Surrey also announced during the day that Younis Khan, the former Pakistanbatsman, will be joining the club until mid-July and could be in the country intime to play in Friday’s Clydesdale Bank 40 fixture against Glamorgan inCardiff.Surrey professional cricket manager Chris Adams said: “I am confident thatbringing a world class player such as Younus Khan to Surrey will have a verypositive effect on the side.”As well as benefiting from the weight of runs we hope he will bring, we havea number of young batsman who will doubtless benefit greatly from being able totrain and play alongside him.”Brian Lara, however, will not be joining Surrey for the Friends Provident T20following talks between the club and the great West Indian, and Indianleg-spinner Piyush Chawla – Surrey’s original overseas signing for this season -has been refused permission to play county cricket by the BCCI.

The coach Mark Greatbatch felt the unit was a balanced one but that few players would need to be tested in the warm-up games

Cricinfo staff24-Apr-2010New Zealand’s squad for the third ICC World Twenty20 features a mix of rookies and players on the comeback trail from injury, but that has not been a deterrent for a side that believes they are genuine contenders for the title in the Caribbean.Coach Mark Greatbatch felt the unit was a balanced one but few players would need to be tested in the warm-up games before New Zealand open the tournament against Sri Lanka on April 30. “We think we have some dynamic batters, who can be lethal in this form of the game. Our bowlers are also very effective Twenty20 performers,” he said.Jesse Ryder, Jacob Oram, Kyle Mills, Ian Butler and Aaron Redmond are still undergoing rehabilitation ahead of the first game and there is a concern that they may play even when not 100% match fit.Ryder has not played international cricket since last September, having been sidelined with a series of injuries, and described his progress as “probably not 100% but it’s as good as it’s going to get.””I’ve been out for about six months and to come back and to score runs like I did has been good,” he said.Oram, on the road back to full recovery from a knee injury, believed the side was capable of reaching the semi-finals as they did during the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 in 2007. “If we can get everyone fit then we’re a real chance to go all the way,” he said.”On surfaces expected to play slow and low, New Zealand’s selectors have included a phalanx of spinners. Daniel Vettori, the captain and arguably the canniest spinner in Twenty20, will be backed up by Nathan McCullum, Rob Nicol and Redmond. “Obviously the squad balance we’ve got … means that if they’re [the pitches] going to turn and be slow there’s definitely going to be the option of using more spin,” said Greatbatch.

A number of Manchester City fans have been praising Raheem Sterling after he scored his 100th Premier League goal in the 1-0 win against Wolves on Saturday.

Pep Guardiola’s men were able to maintain their reign at the top of the Premier League table as the champions gained three points at the weekend, taking them up to 38 points from 16 games this season.

Sterling kept his cool to slot home from the penalty spot in the 66th minute following a controversial VAR check, which ruled that Joao Moutinho had illegally blocked Bernardo Silva’s cross, despite claims that the ball hit the player’s armpit.

The England international joins the Premier league 100-goal club as the 32nd player to ever reach this total in the competition and is the eighth youngest to do so at 27 years and three days of age.

Lots of Man City fans laud Sterling

In acknowledgement of Sterling’s landmark goal, Manchester City’s official Twitter channel shared an artistic image depicting the 27-year-old being greeted by other centurions to the ‘Premier League 100 Club’, including former Etihad Stadium team-mate Sergio Aguero.

Lots of City fans were buzzing upon seeing the tweet, with one describing the England international as ‘King Raz’. Check out some of their reactions below:

“King Raz”

Credit: @Kafkaesque_10

“Our GOAT”

Credit: @MCFCHag

“I cannot express enough how genuinely happy I am for him. He’s the whole reason I’m a City fan!”

Credit: @MSU_Cityzens

“One of the great players in City! Raheeeem Sterlingggg! Keep going and get us over the line this year.. Trophy is ours!”

Credit: @jkjk52563

“This image made me emotional. I love us. Congrats again, @sterling7”

Credit: @katedemallie

“So happy for him.. just work hard [and] results will come… He is doing it right now”

Credit: @meamitshuklaa

In other news: Lots of Man City fans fume as injury claim emerges

Plays of the second day between New Zealand and Australia in Wellington

Brydon Coverdale20-Mar-2010Tuff opponents
Daryl Tuffey’s Test career against Australia has spanned ten years – long enough, you’d think, for a big tally of wickets. In that decade Tuffey has taken a grand total of … zero Australian wickets. In fairness, this is only his third Test against them, the first coming in Hamilton in March 2000 and the second at Bellerive Oval in November 2001. Unfortunately for Tuffey, by the time the declaration came on the second day at the Basin Reserve he had career figures of 0 for 250 against Australia in Tests.Chris Martin to Clarke: I will try to fix you
Chris Martin took a leaf from his Coldplay namesake’s lyric sheet when he jagged one back to strike Michael Clarke flush in the groin. It was enough to send Clarke into crouching position, taking a few deep breaths to regain his composure. “Don’t panic,” Clarke may have thought, “yes, it hit me in my place, but the hardest part is over”. A couple of deliveries later the electronic scoreboard brought up a message advising the crowd to “Keep your eye on the ball” to avoid being struck by any stray sixes. A sly dig from the scoreboard operator?Mitch, the footy star
Mitchell Johnson can do some wonderful things with ball, bat and, as it turns out, his feet. Johnson effected one of the more memorable run-outs when he sprinted almost level with the stumps at the striker’s end and soccered the ball from side-on. The action found Peter Ingram short during his attempt at a quick single. Perhaps those football warm-ups are useful after all.Beating a memorable pair
The 253-run partnership between Clarke and Marcus North was Australia’s highest fifth-wicket stand against New Zealand, surpassing a 24-year-old record that was also set in Wellington. Greg Ritchie and Greg Matthews, two of the characters of the Australian team in the 1980s, had put on 213 back in 1985-86.Nathan H…
The ground announcer at the Basin Reserve had a little trouble pronouncing the name of Australia’s spinner when he came on for the first time, advising the crowd they were about to see “Nathan Hore-witz”. Still, you can’t blame him. One of Australia’s selectors, Merv Hughes, kept saying “Horritch” when he was giving special comments during the Ashes coverage on Australian television, while another occasional commentator, the aforementioned Matthews, insists on calling him “Horridge”.

Stuart Broad is confident that Alastair Cook is ready to withstand the pressures of the England captaincy

Andrew Miller in Dhaka26-Feb-2010Stuart Broad is confident that Alastair Cook is ready to withstand the pressures of the England captaincy, as the build-up begins ahead of the first ODI against Bangladesh in Mirpur. Cook inherited the role when Andrew Strauss opted out of the tour following an arduous series in South Africa, despite not having featured in a 50-over contest since November 2008. But Broad is confident that the new leader will rise above all the obstacles that are placed in his way.”Alastair has taken over with a lot of confidence and slotted into the regime very well,” said Broad. “He’s worked well over the past year and is enjoying the responsibility – and the players are enjoying it. I’m sure he’ll be nervous on Sunday but everyone’s behind him and doing their best to help him. We’ve had some really good preparation, we’ve got used to the conditions and we’re looking forward to Sunday.”At the age of 25, Cook is perceived in some quarters as too inexperienced for such a high-profile role, and Bangladesh’s coach, Jamie Siddons, ramped up the pressure on Friday by saying he hoped that the decision to rest Strauss would come back to “bite him on the bum”. But Broad insisted that the entire squad was rallying behind the stand-in skipper, and had no doubts about his aptitude for the role.”Cooky’s captained all through the age groups and is quite experienced in the captaincy role, and I’m looking forward to playing under him,” said Broad. “We’re trying to push him to the front of the bus because that’s where the captain sits, but he still sits at the back of the bus and gets involved in the banter. He’ll always be a nice bloke. Being captain doesn’t change you in any way because you’ve still got to socialise with the lads.”Regardless of who is in charge – and Broad has had a fair range of leaders in his international career, including Michael Vaughan, Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood – there’s only one player who really matters when a bowler is stood at the top of his mark. “You rely a lot on yourself as you are the one who’s got to deliver the ball, but it’s going to be a good challenge for Cooky,” said Broad. “The team are looking forward to it, and are ready to get back into international cricket.”Although England’s immediate thoughts are drifting towards the World Twenty20 in the Caribbean in April and May, their long-term aspirations are focussed every bit as intently on the 2011 World Cup, which takes place in the subcontinent in exactly 12 months’ time. Among England’s challenges will be a group stage contest with Bangladesh in Chittagong, and Broad knows that the coming three matches could be their last chance for subcontinental practice before the tournament gets underway.”I think there are 20 ODIs before the next World Cup and we need to be together for the majority of that to be able to grow and bond and figure out players’ roles,” he said. “It’s always a learning experience and you have to bowl very differently to how you do in England. Line and length can sometimes be predictable over here, and batsmen can line you up. I think slower balls work really well over here.”Although England were routed 5-0 on their tour of India in November 2008, they do have some happy memories of the subcontinent to fall back on, and their impressive victory in Sri Lanka in 2007 is one of Broad’s earliest memories as an international cricketer.”I had some notes that I looked up from [that] tour,” said Broad. “I had quite a successful tour over there and I wrote a few things down – using slower balls at certain times of an over as the lack of pace on it made hitting a boundary more difficult – and that’s something I’ll be looking to use over here. At my age I came to the conclusion I’ll have the chance to tour these places again. If I have a few things to look at in the future, it will be useful to see if I did well or badly in a certain place.”I think everyone will learn a lot from this tour,” he added. “No-one in the England camp thinks this is going to be a walk-over. We need to perform well as you do in every international to win. We need to continue the momentum we got from beating South Africa in South Africa. If we don’t there’s no point in being here, because we need to come here and win.”