New Zealand Cricket will allow its players to decide whether or not they want to tour Pakistan later this month. New Zealand’s previous tour of Pakistan was called off in May last year after a bomb blast outside the team hotel in Karachi.According to the New Zealand Press Association, certain members of the team, currently playing a one-day series in India, are apprehensive about the tour.Craig McMillan, who didn’t even go to Sri Lanka for the ICC Champions Trophy Tournament last year, was non-committal when asked about his availability for the Pakistan trip.Though security checks undertaken by New Zealand Cricket revealed no reasons as to why the tour shouldn’t go ahead, both players and officials have been given the option to stay at home, without the threat of repercussions.Martin Sneddon, the NZC chief executive, said, “I don’t expect many to opt out but I can understand if one or two are doubtful.”There are five one-day games scheduled, starting at Faisalabad on November 22. Interestingly, Karachi has been excluded, as it was when South Africa toured last month. New Zealand agreed to undertake the tour only after Pakistan demanded monetary compensation for last year’s truncated series.
The first genuine after-effects of New Zealand’s success in winning the CricInfo Women’s World Cup last summer are reflected in the expected improved strength of teams taking part in the State League series starting tomorrow.The month long competition begins tomorrow with two games in the South Island. Last year’s beaten finalists Canterbury play Wellington at the Village Green in Christchurch and Otago play Central Districts at Logan Park in Dunedin.The teams will play each other again on Sunday. Four more games will be played on Monday and Tuesday.Auckland’s CLEAR White Fern laden team is expected to dominate the League.Their first games are not until next weekend when they play Canterbury first up. But with Kathryn Ramel leading the side again, and Emily Drumm, Rebecca Rolls and Helen Watson in the line-up they have a core of expertise that will be hard to lower.Wellington has made an all out bid to increase its strength. Maia Lewis will play again and if able to gain her best touches will be a formidable wicket for opponents to claim. Losi Harford has joined the side under the draft system while Anna O’Leary and Anna Corbin are home grown talents with plenty to offer.Corbin did very well on her first tour with the national side in Queensland and if able to bowl to significant totals could have a big series.Wellington performed well in the national Under-21 tournament where Frances King was named the player of the tournament. Megan Wakefield has moved from Timaru to Wellington and she gave the Under-21s some oomph at the top of the batting order although it is not certain where she will bat for Wellington.Megan Tuapawa, Amanda Green and Amanda Cooper will be backed up by Jane Hunter-Siu who has returned after a season off.Otago have beefed up their team as well. Sarah Helmore has been picked up through the draft system from Canterbury while Netherlands captain Pauline te Beest will join international team-mate and local Rowan Milburn in the batting line-up, with Rachel Pullar to lead the attack. The Kane sisters, Megan and Alana, are also expected to play a big part in the side. Katey Martin scored the only century of the Under-21 tournament and made a good impression with the Otago side.Northern Districts have gone for youth with their team which includes nine members of their Under-21 side. They have taken Rosamund Kember from the draft. The Aucklander could strengthen the batting of the side while Catherine Spence is another key member of the side.Louise Milliken and Nicola Browne have been two potentially good pace bowlers who have been hamstrung by rarely having a total large enough to defend.ND achieved some fine performances last summer and while the Under-19s finished fifth at the latest tournament there are hopes the players can lift significantly.But in all probability if any side is going to end Auckland’s dominance it will be the Paula Flannery-led Canterbury team. Backed up by Haidee Tiffen, Nicola Payne, Fiona Fraser, Sarah Burke and Emily Travers they have a strong unit.Add to that the returning former CLEAR White Ferns Helen Daly (nee Bastion), a left-arm medium slow formerly from Northern Districts, and Delwyn Brownlee, and up and coming players like Rebecca Steele, Maria Fahey and Hannah Rae and there is clear sign of potential.Coaching the side is former international Vicki Burtt, and coached Canterbury to the national Under-21 title last year.Central Districts will be a young side but for all that their players have been exposed to a lot of cricket.Kate Pulford will captain the side and Abby Burrows will provide her with good support. Erin McDonald brings White Ferns experience to the team while Megan Graham and Aimee Mason will have important roles to play.Central Districts play Otago first in the series and then meet Canterbury on Monday and Tuesday.
Mark Davis has been promoted to Sussex head coach following the appointment of Mark Robinson as the new coach of the England Women’s team.Davis, 44, was an offspinner and made his Sussex debut in 2001, having previously played first-class cricket in South Africa where he was born, and he was appointed Sussex 2nd XI coach in 2005.He will form a new coach-captain pairing with Luke Wright who was appointed club captain in place of Ed Joyce following the 2015 season where Sussex were relegated from Division One in the County Championship.”I’m very excited and honoured to be taking over as the new head coach at Sussex, and continuing the work that Peter Moores initially began, and that Mark Robinson continued so brilliantly. I’d like to thank Mark for everything and wish him well for his future role,” Davis said.”We will be working hard to continue with the values that Sussex stands for and to ensure that the county competes at the forefront of English cricket. We have a fantastic squad which has a good mix of youth and experience and we have some exciting challenges ahead. I am looking forward to working alongside our new captain Luke Wright.”Sussex’s chief executive Zac Toumazi said: “Today’s news has mixed emotions for us as a club. We are sorry to see Mark Robinson leave us as he has been a loyal servant to Sussex cricket. I am sure he will be a fantastic asset at the ECB.”Following an ongoing review of our professional cricket structure, we are delighted to announce that Mark Davis will assume the role of head coach. This is a fantastic opportunity for Mark and chance for him to work closely with our newly-appointed captain Luke Wright.”
Sunderland confirmed the appointment of ex-Birmingham chief Kristjaan Speakman in December 2020 and the Black Cats supremo has endured a rollercoaster of a time at the club so far.
He has overseen three transfer windows and one manager change, along with a failed play-off campaign last term in League One. Whilst Sunderland are yet to make their way back up to the Championship, the sporting director has had some success in his role.
Dream deal
One of Speakman’s first signings at the Stadium of Light has ended up being a dream deal as he signed Scottish striker Ross Stewart, who joined on a permanent deal from Ross County for a reported fee of £300k in January 2021.
At the time of the deal, then-Sunderland boss Lee Johnson said: “I think Ross is a player that will be great for us in the short term, but he can also develop and improve over the long term.”
The forward struggled for game time in the final five months of the 2020/21 campaign as he started three matches in League One and was brought off the bench a further ten times. Despite his lack of involvement, he averaged a solid SofaScore rating of 6.99 and scored three goals – a respectable return given his limited minutes on the pitch.
Johnson’s prediction came true this season, though, as he stepped up after Charlie Wyke’s departure and has made himself the figurehead of the attack. He has scored a whopping 22 goals in 35 League One outings for the Black Cats, whilst averaging a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.34.
This means that he has scored 25 times in 38 league matches for Sunderland since joining for £300k. This works out at £12k spent per goal he has scored so far and it would not be surprising to see that number dwindle in the coming months and years as his statistics do not suggest that he is going to stop finding the net any time soon.
His impressive form landed him high praise from an opposition manager earlier this term, with Portsmouth’s Danny Cowley saying: “Everyone talks about Ross Stewart’s goals, but the way he defends from the front is the reason why for me is the best forward in the division.”
These comments suggest that he offers more than goals and is able to lead from the front with his pressing. His 5.7 aerial battles won per game also show that he offers a big outlet at the top end of the pitch, with Sunderland using him as a focal point to relieve pressure.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Taking all of these points into consideration, Speakman pulled off a masterclass in bringing Stewart to the Stadium of Light last year.
Hopefully, the Black Cats chief can continue to pull gems out of the back and lead the club back to the Championship.
AND in other news, Neil can save Speakman millions with “promising” SAFC dynamo who’s “really bright”…
New Zealand Cricket Players Association (NZCPA) Masters XI eased to a comfortable seven-wicket victory over New Zealand Under-19s in the first of the World Vision Cyclone Relief Fund Twenty20 matches in Hamilton. After limiting the U-19s to 103, NZCPA Masters XI knocked off the runs with more than three overs to spare.The U-19s won the toss and opted to bat, but started poorly, losing Michael Bracewell in the second over. Jeet Raval hit a couple of boundaries and a six before falling to Kerry Walmsley. Kane Williamson (18) and Corey Anderson (14) also got starts, but a middle-order collapse left the U-19s tottering at 59 for 6. An unbeaten run-a-ball 22 from Greg Morgan lifted them past the 100-run mark.The NZCPA Masters XI, comprising mainly former New Zealand internationals, got off to a rapid start, with openers Matt Horne and Mark Bailey plundering 64 runs in the first seven overs. Both fell in quick succession but Andrew Jones and Justin Vaughan played steady knocks to ensure the NZCPA side coasted to victory.The match was one of two fixtures to raise money for people affected by Cyclone Sidr which devastated Bangladesh in November. The touring Bangladesh team take on a New Zealand Cricket XI in a day-night Twenty20 match later today.
Stuart Clark has been cleared by the ICC to play in the World Cup after being picked as Brett Lee’s replacement for the tournament starting on March 11. The ICC’s World Cup technical committee has also received a request from the Pakistan board to switch the allrounder Azhar Mahmood for Abdul Razzaq after he suffered a knee injury that ruled him out of the contest.Clark was added to the 15-man squad last Friday subject to the approval of the committee and he will leave for the Caribbean with the outfit today. “Clark is the first replacement player called up for the tournament after each of the 16 teams taking part nominated their final squads,” an ICC spokesman said. Lee suffered the ankle injury before the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy in New Zealand and the problem did not improve over the next week.David Richardson, the senior ICC official, will also chair the committee when it rules on Mahmood’s case. The ICC spokesman said the application would be “considered in the very near future”.
A suspension to Adam Voges has given Liam Davis the chance to become Western Australia’s sixth debutant of the summer in the one-day game against South Australia at the WACA on Wednesday. Voges missed a compulsory squad session last week and was banned for one match.Davis, a hard-hitting batsman from Scarborough, is in his second year with the state squad and is one of two changes to the side that beat Queensland. Marcus North also comes in for Shawn Gillies after recovering from a broken finger.Grant Roden, the Western Suburbs fast bowler, will replace Grant Lambert in the New South Wales squad to play Tasmania in the ING Cup match at Hobart on Wednesday. Roden is the leading wicket-taker in the Cricket Australia Cup with 25 at 13.88 this season, and he joins an attack including Matthew Nicholson, Doug Bollinger and Stuart MacGill. New South Wales enter the match on top of the table with 25 points and are looking to extend their advantage against the defending champions.Dane Anderson, the Tasmania opening batsman, injured his right shoulder during fielding training on Monday and has been ruled out. Rhett Lockyear has been recalled from the Cricket Australia Cup team playing in Perth and is expected to make his one-day debut.New South Wales squad Phil Jaques, Craig Simmons, Dominic Thornely, Aaron O’Brien, Brad Haddin (capt, wk), Matthew Phelps, Corey Richards, Grant Roden, Aaron Bird, Doug Bollinger, Stuart MacGill, Matthew Nicholson.Tasmania squad Michael Di Venuto (capt), Travis Birt, Rhett Lockyer, Michael Bevan, George Bailey, Luke Butterworth, Adam Griffith, Tim Paine (wk), Xavier Doherty, Brendan Drew, Ben Hilfenhaus, Adam Polkinghorne.Western Australia squad Justin Langer (capt), Luke Ronchi (wk), Liam Davis, Marcus North, Shaun Marsh, Chris Rogers, Peter Worthington, Beau Casson, Steve Magoffin, Matthew Petrie, Ben Edmondson and David Bandy.
ScorecardLeeward Islands continued to build a lead after dismissing Windward Islands for 268. The Windwards, who resumed on 171 for 4, made their way to 251 before another wicket fell. It was the beginning of a severe collapse, with Carl Simon and Omari Banks sharing dismissing six batsmen for only 17. Leewards’ lead surged to 323 by the end of the day. Stuart Williams led the way in their second innings with his boundary-filled 76. He shared a stand of 107 with Sylvester Joseph (49). However, wickets fell regularly and the Leewards found themselves at 214 for 7, but in a position to take control of the match. ScorecardAfter conceding the first innnings lead to Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago rode on the back of a double-hundred by Lendl Simmons. Simmons scored his 200 off 290 balls and hit 19 fours and four sixes as T&T reached 392 for 9 in their second innings, gaining a lead of 359. It was a monumental effort, especially as batsmen fell around him cheaply at the start. After T&T stuttered to 103 for 4, Simmons and Denesh Ramdin put up 168 for the fifth wicket. Ramdin’s 60 was a patient effort, in contrast to the innings by Richard Kelly, whose 62 came off 76 balls and dominated a stand of 94 with Simmons. Jerome Taylor was the bowler of the day for Jamaica with 3 for 62. ScorecardAfter two days of rain effectively put paid to any chances of a result favourable to either team, Ryan Ramdass lit up the third day at Guyana with 142 – his third hundred of the season – as Guyana scored 367 for 7 in 104 overs. Ramdas and Sewnarine Chattergoon (77) made Courtney Browne repent his decision to put Guyana in, for the two openers put on 185 as the sun beat down and dried the moisture in the pitch. After the quick loss of Chattergoon and Ramnaresh Sarwan, Narsingh Deonarine added 96 with Ramdass and watched as Ramdass became the first of four batsmen to fall to Ryan Hinds (4 for 143).
Murray Goodwin records his maiden triple-century to put the icing on a wonderful day for Sussex
County Championship round-upWhen you’ve got a maiden Championship title at stake, there’s nothing quite like sealing it in style. And in Mushtaq Ahmed and Murray Goodwin, Sussex found two players with the perfect sense of occasion.On the first day, Mushtaq became the first bowler for five years to take 100 wickets in a County Championship season. He reached the landmark with his first wicket, that of Leicestershire’s Brad Hodge with the last ball before lunch, on his way to 4 for 71.The last bowlers to take 100 wickets in a season were Andrew Caddick for Somerset and Courtney Walsh for Gloucestershire in 1998. The last spinner to reach 100 was Northamptonshire’s Anil Kumble in 1995.Mushtaq’s efforts put the destiny of the Championship beyond reasonable doubt, but it took a supreme innings from Goodwin to set the champagne corks a-popping. When Chris Adams finally declared at 614 for 4, Goodwin had lamped a wonderful 335 not out. It was the first triple-century of his career, and appropriately enough for such an historic day, the highest first-class score in Sussex’s history. The previous record of 333 had belonged to KS Duleepsinhji, set against Northants at Hove in 1930.At Headingley there’s plenty at stake as well, with Yorkshire needing a victory to secure promotion to the first division. Damien Martyn duly followed up the fastest first-class century of the season by reaching 200 in record time against Gloucestershire. Martyn’s hundred came off 65 balls, with 15 fours and four sixes, beating the previous-fastest, Bilal Shafayat’s 100 in 73 balls for Nottinghamshire against Durham UCCE on the second day of the season.Martyn’s innings looks likely to secure him AON’s £5000 prize and the Walter Lawrence Trophy for the season’s fastest hundred. If so, it will be the first time in the history of a competition which started in 1934 that the winning innings has been scored at Headingley.Martyn’s double-hundred took only 128 balls (including 32 fours and seven sixes). Again, it was the fastest of the season, beating the previous best of 134 balls, set only last week by Ian Blackwell for Somerset against Derbyshire.
Tamil Nadu restricted Hyderabad to just 199 on Day One of their Ranji Trophy league match at Chennai.Winning the toss, Hyderabad opted to bat first. Wickets fell fast, and four batsmen were back in the pavilion with just 64 on the board. There followed a slow partnership between D Vinay Kumar and Arjun Yadav. Yadav made 71 off 176 balls, with nine fours and a six, and was the top-scorer of the innings.Yadav fell just before the close of play. At stumps, Hyderabad were 199 for five, with Vinay Kumar unbeaten on 56 off 176 balls, and M Srinivas on 0 off three balls. For the home side, skipper Robin Singh bowled impressively, returning figures of 14-8-12-2.