Ricky Ponting has again urged the ICC to scrap one-day cricket’s experimental rules in time for the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean.The ICC’s cricket committee is set to evaluate the Supersub and Powerplay rules at the end of their 10-month trial run in March, but Ponting has called for both to be dropped. “I don’t think there’s anything lost by going back,” he told BBC Sport. “We’ll keep trying and making the best of it but I’d like to see us going back to 11 against 11 for the World Cup.”The Supersub rule allows teams to substitute any player with a 12th man, who can bat and bowl, rather than just taking a place in the field as under traditional regulations. Ponting aside, other international captains too have urged the ICC to amend the rule based on the situation of the toss.Under the new rules, Australia have won 76.5% of their matches but when winning the toss that percentage jumps up to 90. England, in comparison, have won just three one-day games – one against Australia and two in Pakistan – since the rule was invoked, all after winning the toss.To show how impractical the new rule was, Ponting cited a recent VB Series fixture between Australia and Sri Lanka at Perth, when Brett Dorey, the fast bowler, was 12th man and effectively rendered useless after Sri Lanka made Australia bowl first. “He goes out of the game and you’re playing 11 against 12,” he said. He implied that only an allrounder would really benefit from the new rule.Under the Powerplay rule, the side bowling must have nine fielders inside a 30-yard circle for two five-over periods after the first 10 overs. Ponting, however, suggested that both captains should have a say when the Powerplay was used. “At the moment the batting team has no say – it’s just when the bowling team wants to use it. We’ve used the Powerplays in a couple of different ways but generally you try to get them out of the way as soon as you can,” he said. “The reason Powerplays were brought in was because everyone thought the game was a bit boring between overs 15 and 40. The Powerplays aren’t even being used then at the moment so that doesn’t really make much sense.”
Abdur Razzaq is the senior-most member in the Pakistan side after Inzamam-ul-Haq, and he appeared keen to accept that responsibility. Before Mohammad Kaif stole the show, it was Razzaq who had started off the fireworks on a bright Friday morning. At the press conference, he talked about the team’s performance, and his own form.On such a weak batting performance on the eve of the Test match Our main motive was to get some practise from this game as we hardly had any practice back home after the Australia tour. We wanted the batsmen to get some hits and get acclimatised to the wicket. Our batting, that way, is powerful.On his own batting in the game It felt nice to do well and get a fifty just before the Test series, and I look forward to how the wicket will be at Mohali.On his bowling It was raining in Pakistan so I could hardly train, but I was steadily getting back to my rhythm today.On his role as an allrounder Considering that we don’t have Shoaib Akthar in the bowling line-up and without any senior bowler, there is a big responsibility on me to do well and guide the youngsters.On how they expect to fare if given similar kind of pitches The conditions are completely different for international games, and the players also adapt accordingly.
The WACA have announced the WA team to take on Zimbabwe in the three-day RE/MAX Cup clash beginning at the WACA Ground on Friday.Retravision Warriors: Michael Hussey (Captain), Jo Angel, Ryan Campbell, Beau Casson, Shaun Marsh, Scott Meuleman, Marcus North, Chris Rogers, Adam Voges, Darren Wates, Paul Wilson and Peter Worthington.The 12th man will named on the morning of the match.Zimbabwe today released their team for the RE/MAX Cup clash.Zimbabwe: Heath Streak (Captain), Tatenda Taibu (Vice-Captain), Andy Blignaut, Stuart Carlisle, Dion Ebrahim, Craig Evans, Trevor Gripper, Sean Ervine, Ray Price, Mark Vermulen and Craig Wishart.Zimbabwe did not name a specific 12th man.Peter Worthington is in line to play his second first-class match.Exciting all-rounder Darren Wates returns after three and a half years battling chronic groin and side complaints.Wates’ last first-class game was against South Australia at the WACA Ground in early 2000."It’s a pretty weird feeling going in to a game and not have to worry about injuries," the right-arm swing bowler said."The last two years have been a nightmare."
A calm century from Martin Love helped Queensland defuse a hot-tempered New South Wales in a spiteful ING Cup cricket clash at the Gabba tonight.Love’s 127 from as many balls propelled the Bulls to a six-wicket win, pushing them into a share of the competition lead with the butter-fingered Blues and Western Australia.NSW was always behind the pace tonight after Love and Jimmy Maher (47 from 62 balls) quickly made the Blues’ total of 7-271 look shaky as the Bulls reached4-272 from 47.1 overs.The Blues had a faint sniff midway through the run chase when captain Shane Lee (2-39) and leg-spinner Stuart MacGill (2-62 from 10) outfoxed Andrew Symonds(four) and Clinton Perren (zero) to leave Queensland 4-197.Lee claimed a popped return catch from Symonds before throwing the wicket down – with Symonds already out – and then giving the Queenslander a verbalsend-off.MacGill was just as frustrated in the next over when he trapped Perren LBW.Perren was unhappy with the dismissal and accidentally dropped his glove as he departed, only to watch it fall into the team huddle of the celebrating Blues.MacGill picked up the glove, held it to his chest and gave Perren a verbal spray before tossing the glove back at him.MacGill has already been fined for dissent this season and he was roundly booed by the 16,000 Queensland fans, who had their revenge two overs later whenall-rounder James Hopes smacked MacGill 12 rows back into the northern stand.They cheered again soon after when MacGill dropped a catch from Hopes at fine leg, continuing a poor fielding performance by the Blues in the last two weeks.Lee, who was responsible for a costly missed chance in Queensland’s eight-wicket win in the Pura Cup match earlier this week, missed a catch from Love on 65.Love reached his century on a misfield from MacGill and barely looked troubled as he guided Queensland to its third win from four matches, exacting revenge forNSW’s five-wicket victory at the SCG.Hopes followed his sound bowling and fielding performance with an impressive 52 not out from 50 balls to leave the Blues without a point from their two matches in Brisbane this week.Love had been promoted into the opening spot made vacant by Test opener Matthew Hayden and he executed a calculated, if not daring innings to reach his seconddomestic one-day century.But the 27-year-old had to survive a loud appeal from his first ball when the Blues believed he edged a catch to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin from the bowling ofNathan Bracken.That would have continued an excellent night for Haddin, whose explosive 74 from 55 balls put the Blues on the path to a big total.But his departure, following the loss of former Test players Michael Slater (five) and Michael Bevan (26 from 63), left the Blues scratching for runs.Their mid-innings lapse, caused by tight bowling from Symonds and Hopes, ended when promising young batsman Michael Clarke worked 62 runs from 79 balls.
James Anderson, Ian Bell and Alastair Cook are among the England players who could appear in the Pakistan Super League.Bell and Anderson have both signed agreements confirming their appearance in the competition’s draft, while Cook has been in talks with organisers for some time but has yet to confirm his involvement.The inaugural PSL will feature five franchise-based teams from the provincial capitals – Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and Islamabad – with prize money of $1 million. The 24-match tournament is scheduled to run from February 4 to 24 in Dubai and Sharjah. Players will be allocated to teams via a draft to be held in December.The dates of the tournament will prevent members of England’s white-ball squad taking part as they will be required for the series against South Africa, but several other England-qualified players – including Luke Wright, Monty Panesar, Tim Bresnan, Jade Dernbach, Ravi Bopara and Michael Carberry – are also expected to appear in the draft.Bell was recently dropped from England’s Test squad for the tour of South Africa so currently does not have any competitive cricket until April while Anderson has not played white-ball cricket internationally since the World Cup.Kevin Pietersen has also agreed to play, leading to the intriguing possibility that he and Cook could face each other, or even share a dressing room, at some stage during the tournament. The two have not spoken since the day in February 2014 when Pietersen was informed that he no longer featured in the England’s management’s plans. Pietersen subsequently portrayed Cook as a “decent” but weak man in his autobiography – he compared him to Ned Flanders, from – suggesting he spent the final meeting between the pair unable to look Pietersen in the eye.While Pietersen hailed Cook’s captaincy as “outstanding” during the Ashes and admitted that the decision to drop him had been largely vindicated by Ashes success, the two have yet to mend their personal relationship.
Celtic have informed striker Albian Ajeti that he’s free to walk away in the summer, according to Football Insider.
The lowdown
Celtic paid just under £5million to sign Ajeti from West Ham United in August 2020.
In all, he’s made 48 appearances for the Hoops, but only managed to score nine goals in addition to five assists.
This season, the Swiss forward has been limited to just three league starts, though it’s worth noting he did miss two and a half months of action with a hamstring problem.
The 25-year-old is now valued at £2.25million at Transfermarkt and still has around two and a half years left on his £18,000-per-week contract (the fifth-biggest at the club).
The latest
A source at the club has told FI that Ange Postecoglou doesn’t see Ajeti as part of his squad going forward, in what the outlet call a ‘major update’ before Livingston.
As such, they’ll be receptive to any offers they receive when the transfer window opens.
They add that, at this stage, it looks more likely that he’ll leave on loan.
The verdict
A summer move would be best for both parties.
Celtic, for their part, would surely hope to agree a wage split with any loan club, reducing the financial burden.
They already have the likes of Kyogo Furuhashi and Giorgos Giakoumakis as centre forward options, and the duo have struck a combined 18 goals this season.
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Ajeti clearly finds himself well down the pecking order and a move may be just what he needs as he looks to secure a place in the Switzerland squad for the upcoming World Cup.
He was called up in October but missed out in November, suggesting his fate hangs in the balance.
In other news, Celtic could be about to bank seven figures from this transfer.
Graham Gooch has pulled out of contention for the role as England’s new national selector, saying the commitment wouldn’t allow him to maintain his other interests and also raising concerns over where the final selection decisions would lie.Gooch had been the biggest name linked to the position, but said after weighing up all his options he decided it isn’t a job for him.”The job is very appealing for someone like me who has a big interest in English cricket and a strong desire to see us succeed at international level,” he told the . “Initially I was interested but, after weighing up all the options, I do feel that whoever does the job will have to devote themselves fully to it, to the exclusion of other interests. Mainly on that basis I’m ruling myself out.”If I were to be appointed there is no way I could continue with the coaching work I do at Essex,” he added. “I feel I’ve been able to help in the development of Alastair Cook and Ravi Bopara on their road to the England team and that has given me great satisfaction. The other issue is that it seemed unclear to me who would actually have the final say over selection.”David Graveney, the current chairman of selectors, is having to reapply for the role, but the ECB job description says that international playing experience is “desirable although not essential.”Chris Adams, the Sussex captain and former England batsman, is reportedly interested in the role. The closing date for applications is December 17, with interviews taking place early next year. The new selection panel, which will also include two part-time members, will take up position at the start of the 2008 English season.
Despite another delay, the PCB reiterated its aim to implement the new constitution by the end of this month.Nasim Ashraf, chairman of the board, told reporters after an ad-hoc committee meeting in Islamabad that the board is yet to receive the draft constitution back from the President’s house, as it has yet to be approved by President Pervez Musharraf, who is also patron of the board.The PCB was expected to receive an approved draft copy ahead of its ad-hoc meeting but will not get it until next week now because the attorney general was away performing last month.The PCB has been run on an ad-hoc basis for over seven years now, since July 1999. Each chairman since has promised a speedy implementation of the constitution but has failed to do so.The committee did, however, approve a scheme for a monthly retirement-pension fund for players who represented the country before 1978. Pre-1978 Test and international cricketers will now be entitled to monthly income of Rs15,000, Rs20,000 or Rs25,000, depending upon the number of matches they played.It was also announced that the board will soon be hiring a candidate for the chief operating officer position, after holding a number of interviews with potential candidates.
Former West Indies coach Roger Harper has been appointed as Kenya’s new coach, replacing Andy Moles who quit almost a year ago.Harper, who will spearhead Kenya’s preparations for the 2007 World Cup, quit as manager of the West Indies Under-19 side last week. He was recently shortlisted for the Kenya post after a number of candidates, including a former coach of a Test-playing side, were interviewed by the Kenyan Cricket Association (KCA) and the ICC.”It was a tough decision, but I am looking forward to the challenge, looking forward to getting back on the coaching circuit with Kenya,” Harper said. “I’m delighted and very excited at the opportunity to work with a Kenya side that has a fair amount of talent. My objectives now are to get the best out of individual players and the team as a whole and to move Kenyan cricket forward.” He is expected to leave the Caribbean for Nairobi later this month.Kenya have been without a full-time coach since Moles walked out, but former Pakistan allrounder Mudassar Nazar has been filling the void. He was understood to have also been shortlisted for the post.Samir Inamdar, the KCA chairman, said Harper will bring many qualities to the role: “Roger’s coaching credentials are extremely impressive, not just in terms of working with players but also on the technology side of the game. Also, his attributes as a splendid player in all disciplines – batting, bowling and fielding – mean he has hands-on experience to help coach those aspects of the game.”One of the main problems facing Harper is that Kenya are finding it almost impossible to arrange fixtures against other leading countries. Even though the ICC is known to have contacted a number of major boards asking them to see if they can fit in games against the Kenyans, the response has been poor. It was hoped that three one-dayers against Bangladesh could be played in early February, but a senior Kenyan official admitted that the chances of that now happening were rapidly diminishing as there had been no contact from the Bangladesh board.Harper coached West Indies from 2000 through to the end of the 2003 World Cup, but it was a difficult period as the side adjusted to their diminishing status. Under his tenure they won nine and lost 19 of the 39 Tests they played.As an offspinner, he played 25 Tests and 105 ODIs for West Indies between 1983 and 1996 and was regarded as one of the greatest fielders of his generation.
Brett Lee’s intimidating one-day form is leading Australia to another seriously difficult decision when the Test series against New Zealand begins next week. Ricky Ponting said it would be “almost impossible” to leave any of the four fast bowlers out, but with Shane Warne returning the third spot shapes as a contest between Lee and Michael Kasprowicz.Lee’s speed in the five-match one-day series, which Australia sealed 3-0 at Auckland on Saturday, has been frightening, and the New Zealand batsmen have found no way to cope as he’s picked up seven wickets. Michael Papps was the latest to be upset when he was hit on the helmet by two bouncers at Eden Park and taken to hospital with concussion.Stephen Fleming has been unable to reach double figures against Lee, who has dismissed him each time in the series. Fleming said Lee’s speed had unsettled his batsmen and they weren’t used to the jump in pace. “In our competition we don’t have a lot of bowlers operating in the 140s, let alone the 150 area,” he said. “There’s only really two in the world doing it so it’s not something that comes along every series. He is bowling pretty quick and doing what any good fast bowler should do – he’s unsettling and bowling with intensity.”Ponting said Australia had four bowlers in the world’s top 12 and it would be difficult to separate them for the first Test at Christchurch from March 6. “It’s going to be almost impossible to leave one of the four out,” he said. “Lee’s doing everything in his power to give himself the best chance, but so are the other guys. All of those four bowlers are stats-wise in the best 10 or 12 bowlers in the world.”Lee, who hasn’t played a Test in 14 months, told AAP he could bowl even faster now he was fully recovered from ankle surgery last March. “I’m not going flat out,” he said. “I know I’ve got a bit more in the tank, which is a good thing too, and I sort of feel comfortable bowling within myself.” His only problem has been with the occasional waist-high full-toss, and he delivered another one on Saturday that angered Brendon McCullum.Australia are expected to name their Test squad on Wednesday, but Kasprowicz is again looking vulnerable for the final XI despite a spectacular 2004 that reaped 47 wickets in 13 Tests.