Although South African cricket has largely left the troubles of the Hansie Cronje era behind, there is still a fascination surrounding the whole matchfixing controversy if the sales of a new book are any indication. “The Hansie Cronje story: an authorised biography,” by Garth King is racing off bookshelves around the country.It was published on July 22 and rushed to the top of the non-fiction bestseller list in South Africa. In Bloemfontein, Cronje’s hometown, the book reportedly outsold Harry Potter during the first week.By the end of the first month it had sold 12,000 copies – unusual for a South African sports book – and at the end of this week 17,000 had left the shelves, prompting an extra print run of 8000.Esme Britz of the Cape Town-based publishers, Global Creative Studios, told Reuters: “When I arrived at my desk today I had another order for 300 copies waiting. Every day we get enquiries from the UK asking where they can buy the book, but it’s not available overseas yet. We’re trying to get someone over there to warehouse copies of the book for us before we sell it there.”However, despite the interest from the public, the South African cricket hierarchy are not racing to pick up their copies. Ali Bacher, who was the managing director of the United Cricket Board (UCB) when the Cronje story broke in 2000, said: “I have a copy, but I haven’t read it, I will one day.”Percy Sonn, who was UCB president at the time, told Reuters he had no interest in reading the book. Most of Cronje’s former team mates have said they haven’t read the book, except for Jonty Rhodes, who is a long-time supporter of Cronje’s.”After the first day of the King commission (the South African investigation into Cronje’s conduct) I couldn’t watch the rest,” Rhodes told Reuters. “So, while I was familiar with the ground covered in the rest of the book, I found that section interesting. I thought the book gave Hansie’s life a broad background, and the key for Frans [Cronje’s brother] and the rest of the family are the lessons of Hansie’s life.”
Steve Tikolo, who led Kenya in the Champions Trophy, has said that he intends to resign from the captaincy following his side’s seven-wicket defeat against Pakistan at Edgbaston. Tikolo, 33, felt that it was time to move on and hand over the mantle to someone else while he remained in the team as a player.Kenya, a semi-finalist at last year’s World Cup, were bowled out for just 94 before Pakistan cruised to a seven wicket victory. The defeat meant that Kenya lost both their group matches, having succumbed by 98 runs against India last Saturday.Up until the match against India, Kenya had not played a one-dayer for 18 months and after today’s loss Tikolo said that the team was not due to play one of cricket’s leading nations again until the 2006 Champions Trophy.”I spoke to the selectors back at home and they said we’ll let the case rest until I get back home. I think there are other players who are capable of stepping into the captain’s shoes. I’ll be around. I’m not totally retiring from cricket. I’m still around. Immediately we get back home I’ll have another meeting with the selectors again.”Kenya’s next match is in the Inter-Continental Cup, a four-day competition for teams outside the elite Test nations, against Namibia in October. If they win that, they would qualify for the semi-finals in Sharjah.But a downcast Tikolo added, “With the scenario we have in Kenya, with a lack of games, we can’t feel optimistic anymore.”
Somerset Sabres are off the mark in National Cricket League Division Two after they beat Nottinghamshire Outlaws by 49 runs(Duckworth Lewis method)to give their supporters something to cheer about in the 45 over game.After being put into bat the Sabres at last found their Sunday batting form when they posted an enormous 293 for 4 from 35 overs, after the game had been shortened because of the rain, thanks to a fine century from Jamie Cox and valuable fifties from debutant Carl Gazzard and new boy James Bryant.The Sabres innings got off to a flying start with makeshift opener Gazzard, who was playing in place Aaron Laraman and Cox taking runs with ease. However after putting on 131in the 16th over Gazzard gave a catch to wicket-keeper Chris Read off his fellow Cornishman Charlie Shreck and was out for 58, which contained one magnificent six off Aussie Test bowler Stuart MacGill and nine fours.Keith Dutch bought up the 150 with a leg glance off Gareth Clough, and added a bright and breezy 26, before the players left the field for rain. First ball back after the break MacGill tempted Dutch to a give a catch to the wicket-keeper.New batsman James Bryant stood and watched as Cox hit MacGill for a six and a four over square leg and then saw his partner bring up the 200 in the next over.The Tasmanian went to his century in some style when he hit MacGill over the Ridley Stand into the St James Churchyard and had moved onto 110 to equal his National League highest when he went down the wicket to Clough to became another victim for wicket keeper Read. As he walked back to the pavilion he received a standing ovation from the good sized crowd.Bryant and Ian Blackwell added a swift 45, the left hander contributing 23 including six into the churchyard before he was bowled by Smith. Bryant went to his fifty with the first ball of the final over, by the end of which the Sabres had reached 293 for 4, by far their Sunday best so far this season.Chasing a revised total of 315 under the Duckworth Lewis method the Outlaws appeared to be cruising towards an unlikely victory as Jason Gallian (69) and Usman Afzaal (105) put on 161 in 17 overs for the third wicket. Gallian then fell to a superb catch by Simon Francis at long on who appeared almost from nowhere to take the chance.However from 201 for 3 the Outlaws collapsed to 265 all out, with Gareth Andrew and Francis ending with three wickets apiece to see the Sabres home to their first NCL victory of the season.At the end of the game coach Kevin Shine told me: ” After today’s match you have to say that the game is pushing the boundaries out, and you are left wondering what is a safe score to defend.”He continued: “However we did mount some scoreboard pressure after posting our total, which was not easy for our batters after the interruptions that there were in our innings.””Carl Gazzard had a fine debut, and took his chance when it came along which is what it is all about. It was great to see Jamie Cox back in that sort of form, and there were some responsible contributions from several of the others to set them a big total to chase. Then when we fielded we dealt with the pressure and took some vital catches,” he concluded.Regarding his first appearance for the county at this level Gazzard told me: “It was amazing really, and I must admit that I felt a bit nervous to start with, but I soon put that behind me. I only knew that I was playing late in the morning when Aaron Laraman dropped out, so I didn’t have much time to think about it.”He continued: “We had such a good start and Jamie was a great help to me, he kept me going. I tried to treat every ball on it’s merits, it didn’t matter to me who was bowling it , even though they had Test bowlers like Australian MacGill and South African Steven Elworthy.playing for them.””It was just a perfect start for me, and having got to where I did I would have liked to have gone on and got a hundred! However tomorrow I will be playing for the Seconds in a two day match at Bristol, and I will have another chance to score some more runs,” the youngster said.
After experiencing a disappointing 2001 Busta Cup season, formerBarbados captain Philo Wallace is hoping to finish the year incontrasting fashion by achieving two major goals.The hard-hitting right-hander, who turned 31 last month, told Sunsporthe is aiming to help Big B Spartan lift the Courts/Suzuki Division 1title, in addition to doing well in the Red Stripe Bowl regionallimited-overs tournament, if he is selected.Yesterday, he warmed up for both tasks with a chanceless century forSpartan against Caribbean Lumber YMPC.I am using this season to try and get Spartan into a winning position,if not to win the Division 1 competition, and help develop the youngcricketers we have at the club, Wallace said yesterday.At Big B Spartan, we have a very young side. We only have two guysover 30 Livingstone Puckerin and myself and all the others are under25; so a lot of the responsibility is on me and Puckerin. I decidedtoday I would carry the baton and I did.Wallace’s century an unbeaten 107 was the feature of an otherwisebleak day where the first two hours and 35 minutes were lost to rain.His innings lasted 205 minutes and included 13 threes and five fours.I am very pleased with the innings, Wallace said. I have been trainingvery hard for the last couple of weeks under the guidance of HendersonSpringer and Andrew Callender and Mr Griffith from the BDF, so it ispaying off.The former West Indies opener hinted he was not focussed heavily onthe Red Stripe Bowl at the moment, though he was making the necessarypreparation.You have to be selected to go to the Bowl and I don’t have a play so Ihave to work hard. Right now, I am working hard for my club and I amenjoying it, Wallace explained.If selected, we will go to Guyana and I will look to do well for mycountry.Wallace and Wayne Blackman gave Spartan a solid start after YMPC wereasked to bat, when play finally started 35 minutes after lunch.The duo posted 101, with the attractive Blackman scoring 49 beforebeing bowled by off-spinner William Lashley with the third ball of histhird over.When Corey Yearwood fell cheaply for one, Wallace added 28 withcaptain Puckerin before the former Barbados wicket-keeper /batsman wasdismissed for eight, with Spartan placed at 140 for three. Young DionLovell (12) added 49 with Wallace to carry Spartan to 189, beforeSpartan lost their next three wickets for just 11 runs.Lashley, who took two wickets in his 16th over, finished with threefor 44 while Powlett grabbed three for 62.Prediction: Spartan to gain first innings lead.
Australians 413 for 9 (S Marsh 101, Warner 101, Watson 61, M Marsh 53) v Derbyshire ScorecardShaun Marsh retired after reaching his hundred•Getty Images
Derby’s low-slung county ground was once a place of indifferent achievement by Donald Bradman, who never made a hundred here in four innings. It was also first of the four counties Chris Rogers has called home, in an unpretentious part of the world he still regards fondly.Rogers, though, was not in Derby this day, still recovering from the inner ear problems that have affected his balance since he was struck on the side of the helmet by James Anderson at Lord’s. Instead, Shaun Marsh had the opportunity to audition for the role of opener in case of Rogers not recovering in time for the Edgbaston Test. He made the most of it by sculpting 101, thus pressing his case by bettering Bradman.David Warner also cantered to a hundred against a Derbyshire bowling attack that emulated the ensembles put out by Kent and Essex in proving to be diligent and persistent but not of international class. There was a significant omission from the hosts’ attack also, for the left-armer Mark Footitt, who journeyed to Spain for Trevor Bayliss’ orientation week with England, was not selected by way of resting.If England wanted to hide their intentions for the rest of the series, the Australians were somewhat less opaque. Apart from Marsh, the rest of the batting order favoured those who had played at Cardiff and Lord’s, leaving the rest in positions that looked very much those of reserves. Shane Watson was at seven behind Mitchell Marsh and Peter Nevill, and Brad Haddin as far down as eight.Watson and Haddin found themselves batting together in the final session, and Haddin at one point called for the physio Alex Kountouris to examine some apparent tightness or cramping around the left hamstring. After a brief consultation Haddin kept on batting, and he and Watson went on to add an entertaining 66.Much as he did against Sri Lanka during the World Cup after being dropped and recalled, Watson looked far less anxious and immeasurably more fluent than he had seemed earlier in the tour and particularly in Cardiff. Watson suffered from a virus during the Lord’s Test and lost his voice – his bat was rather more fluent here to remind all present of his talent, until a leg glance too fine made its way into the wicketkeeper’s gloves.Watson’s were runs the captain Michael Clarke would dearly have liked, after watching Warner and Marsh add a more or less untroubled 154 until the swifter of the pair reached his hundred and promptly retired. Clarke wore a helmet with the neck guard that had helped prevent Rogers from suffering a heavier blow from Anderson, and looked intent on a longer stay than he had managed in either of the first two Tests.But after 37 balls and one boundary, a well-pitched delivery from the 19-year-old debutant Will Davis found the outside edge and was snaffled by Tom Knight in the slips. Clarke’s present stiffness at the crease will be a source of some concern for the coach Darren Lehmann and his batting assistant Michael Di Venuto, for it is readily apparent that he is not merely out of runs but certainly out of form.Clarke’s exit also brought a low score for Adam Voges, who was pinned in front of his stumps by Davis and trudged off lbw. He too has struggled for a score of import thus far, though it must be said he has looked more comfortable at the crease than Clarke and twice edged useful deliveries behind. Nonetheless Voges will not want to wait too much longer than Edgbaston for a score beyond 50, lest Marsh find another way into the XI other than the opener’s path that may be left open by Rogers.
Not so long ago the name Jack Rodwell would have been circled and underlined multiple times as it sat proudly on top of many transfer shortlists. However, as season after season was curtailed by injury he slowly faded from the print of gossip columns, which is why his move to Manchester City caught many by surprise. Was this a case of Everton trying desperately to balance their books? Had David Moyes lost faith in his precocious talent? Or did Roberto Mancini fear he would spontaneously combust if he didn’t spend more of the many millions at his disposal?
The initial reaction to this transfer seems to be one of ridicule, with many criticising Mancini’s decision to purchase a player with a similar medical history to Owen Hargreaves. Everton chairman Bill Kenwright came under fire for again allowing the sale of a promising youngster whilst a wise crack about Rodwell ‘retiring’ from first-team football spread like wildfire on Twitter. However, dwell on this transfer deal for more than a minute and you’ll soon realise that it benefits all parties involved.
The best aspect about this transfer is the fact that it isn’t built on false promises. Mancini has already stated that Rodwell will have to improve considerably before he is competing consistently for a first-team place whilst the player himself insisted, “the hard work starts today.” This is a move fuelled not by greed but by ambition, perhaps forced upon him by the club but nevertheless he appears determined to silence any doubters.
“I relish the opportunity of playing with some of the best players in the world and continuing my development. I look forward to working with Mr Mancini and his coaching staff and ultimately playing in front of the City fans at the Etihad Stadium.” (mcfc.co.uk)
Everton have already lost key players during the summer, with veteran talisman Tim Cahill hopping across the pond and underrated centre-back Joseph Yobo finally sealing a move to Fenerbache. The loss of Rodwell will inevitably hurt the most, a popular figure on the terraces that never had a prolonged injury free spell in order to fulfil his potential. Moyes is once again the victim of his own success having continued to succeed despite being forced to sell before he can strengthen but perhaps Rodwell’s departure will mean other vital players like Leighton Baines can remain at Goodison.
Where does this leave Rodwell? What convinced Mancini to spend such a sizeable sum on another midfielder? The former Evertonian was long thought to be on Sir Alex Ferguson’s radar so dare I suggest this is another element to Mancini’s mind games. I personally believe it runs deeper than that, with the Italian identifying that Rodwell could become a key player for Manchester City should one particular player pick up an injury.
Rodwell doesn’t have the brute strength to displace Barry or De Jong as the holding midfielder, he doesn’t have the capability to play out wide like Adam Johnson or Milner and neither does he possess the creative flair to compete alongside Nasri or Silva. Who are we missing? Yaya Toure, one of the best box-to-box midfielders in the league and someone I believe Mancini hopes Rodwell can learn from and one day emulate.
Whenever I have had the pleasure of watching Rodwell play, he has always struck me as a complete midfielder, blessed with the technique and tenacity to pull the strings in the centre of the pitch. He reminded me of Gareth Barry under Martin O’Neill during their successful time together at Aston Villa. Last year, despite making just 14 appearances, he ended the season as Everton’s best passer with an accuracy of 87%, with 75% precision in the final third. As we already know, like many teams across the continent Mancini adores his possession football tactics, a style of play that Rodwell should slip seamlessly into.
Rodwell, now 21-years-old spent the majority of last season as the poster boy for Team GB before an inevitable injury cost him his place in Stuart Pearce’s Olympic squad. His omission could be a blessing in disguise given that the competition served only to demoralise a nation further on the international stage. It has however enabled him to have a full pre-season with Everton and in turn prompted Roy Hodgson to call him up to the senior England squad for the friendly against Italy.
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A taste of first-team football on Wednesday could well prove to be the exact kind of inspiration he needs to make a success of himself in Manchester. He may not play week in week out – when has he ever? – but there are few better ‘squad players’ teams in the Premier League can call upon, than an eager to impress Jack Rodwell.
Join me on Twitter @theunusedsub where I’m currently laughing at Martin Jol’s *reported* plans to bid £3m for David N’Gog.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has spoken of his happiness at his side’s 1-0 win over Swansea on Saturday, stating it was vital for the Gunners to get their first win of the season.
After just one point from their first three games, and the 8-2 humiliation against Manchester United in their last outing, The Gunners were under pressure to get a win against the newly promoted team.
An Andrey Arshavin goal five minutes before half-time gave the London side a 1-0 victory, but the home team were helped by a mistake Swansea goalkeeper Michel Vorm.
Despite this, the French trainer was pleased with the victory.
“It was vital for us to win the game. I think we started quite well and slowly the nerves took over. We played handbrake-ish, restrictive in the second half,” Wenger told Sky Sports.
“It’s not often that we pass the ball back to the goalkeeper from halfway. We just wanted to get over the line. We didn’t manage the second goal and any mistake and then you don’t win the game – a game that we absolutely had to win.
“Swansea make it difficult for you because they keep the ball well and are quick on the flanks,” he continued.
In a new look Arsenal team, Per Mertesacker and Mikel Arteta made their first appearances for their new club, and their boss was happy with the manner of the performances.
“Mertesacker was calm and composed – he leads the line well but needs to adapt to the pace of the game. Arteta played well overall, especially in the first half. You could see that he will bring us some technical security,” he praised.
Russia international Arshavin has had a dip in form of late, but Wenger has backed the goalscorer to get back to his best.
“Arshavin has a very good spirit. He had lost confidence and has a good attitude in training – people sometimes think he doesn’t care. That’s not true at all, he cares very much and he had just lost confidence – you could see he was himself again,” he concluded.
Arsenal will now face a tough test in midweek as their Champions League campaign starts on Tuesday with a trip to Germany to take on Bundesliga holders Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park.
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It’s amazing really what a little bit of time can do in football. Cast your minds back to last season and Dimitar Berbatov was something of a whipping boy in the stands at Old Trafford. Now though, the Man United striker is the focal point of the attack and pretty much saved his side from an embarrassing defeat to Blackpool on Tuesday night.
United supporters aside, most would deem this type of behaviour towards a footballer as fickle. Those who deemed the Bulgarian surplus to requirements may have been over-reacting, but they certainly had a point to be annoyed.
Berbatov was a direct placement for the outgoing Carlos Tevez. The Argentine represented something of a work-horse, which always goes down well with the home fans. Berbatov has never really had that in his locker, and was ultimately labelled ‘lazy’.
What was most infuriating for the fans though was that they never saw enough of his unquestionable quality. He’s one of the most technically gifted players to be playing the game but last season in particular, he rarely showed it.
United’s manager Sir Alex Ferguson has suggested that the reason his £30 million striker is now finally starting to show his worth is because Berbatov himself and his team-mates are starting to realise just how good he is. If we were being pedantic, his one fault this season is that he becomes overly frustrated with his colleagues because they’re not capable of matching his ability.
I could also offer another reason why he is now producing the quality which made Fergie spend so lavishly on him. Berbatov was always the star-man at Tottenham. He was their main attacking threat and played like a man determined to carry the weight of his team. He then joined United, who at the time already had Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez. Is it just a coincidence that Berba’s form comes at a time when United had lost two of those stars and the third is lost looking for form? Ferguson would have recognised that his attack was depleted compared to that of the Champions League winning 2009 season. It was time for the big Bulgarian to step up, and I would put good money on the manager telling him so.
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The player himself as suggested that the best is yet to come, so United fans will be hoping that the likes of Rooney will let him have the limelight for a little bit longer. Was he too expensive? Is he lazy? Maybe so, but his contribution this season has elevated him from the United boo-boy to the Stretford End hero whose name is now sung along with past greats such as George Best and Cristiano Ronaldo. What’s that United fans? Give it to Berba? Oh how times have changed indeed…
Swansea boss Michael Laudrup has confirmed that Liverpool have not made an approach for Joe Allen.
The Liberty Stadium midfielder is said to be one of Brendan Rodgers’ summer transfer targets at Anfield, but as yet the Welsh club’s former boss has not been in touch.
“I haven’t heard anything from Liverpool. If it comes to more than rumours then I am sure I will talk to the chairman about it, but it is a part of football,” the Dane told The Guardian.
“You have to deal with it, talk to the player and see what he wants. We all have our own positions, the manager, the club, the player and there are a lot of things we have to look at.
“I want him to stay here because I think he is very important for the team, but we will have to deal with that when it becomes something more than rumours,” the new coach continued.
Speculation in the press was that one of the conditions of Rodgers leaving Swansea was that he would not try to sign their players for a 12-month period, but Laudrup is unaware of this.
“I don’t know about the agreement, but of course I will do everything to keep the best players here. When that moment arrives and we have to deal with it then we will do it. For now it is only speculation,” he confirmed.
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If there was one concern to take from the 1-1 draw against Sunderland on Saturday, it was the lack of pressing and the deep defensive line which Liverpool adopted, especially in the second half. Although Liverpool struggled to establish themselves on Sunderland in the second period, utilising at times some aimless long passing, a big reason why the Reds lost control of the match was because of the team shape.
Certainly a lack of control of the ball in the second half was a main contributory factor in the Reds not pushing on from their first half display, but what was strikingly evident was how deep the Reds back line was playing at times. It was not only the backline which withdrew deeper though, the Reds midfield also began to stand off Sunderland which inevitably meant less possession and less opportunities for the Reds to attack further up the pitch.
No pressure on the ball allowed Sunderland back into the game, and when Larsson scored, Liverpool failed to grab back the initiative. Instead they continued to play pretty deep. This defensive line led to some of the problems Liverpool had in the attacking half of the pitch in the second period.
Rather than having the ball in more advanced areas, the Reds more often than not had the ball in the back four, and with the Reds not pushing up in midfield, there were very few options for the backline to pick out. It all began to go a bit ragged as the second half went on with the Reds resorting to long ball tactics, trying to pick out an increasingly isolated Andy Carroll . This inevitably led to the ball being given away which became part of a vicious cycle where the back four gave possession away, leading the backline to go deeper and deeper.
So what may have led to such a deep backline and to a lack of pressing in midfield? Would this have been a planned tactic by Dalglish and Clarke? Although there were times under Dalglish last season where the Reds didn’t press the ball very well (e.g v Tottenham), in most matches it was noticeable that there was marked return to higher pressing than there was under previous manager Roy Hodgson. Against teams such as Manchester United and Manchester City, this was very evident indeed.
Against Sunderland however, there was one big difference: personnel. The Reds team is still gelling together, and in the second half especially, the lack of communication was evident as the Reds gave the ball away a lot more. The Reds looked good with possession in the first half and had a lot more of it, but still they did look unconvincing off the ball. In the second half, with less possession, this meant more problems and it is clear that the likes of Charlie Adam, Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson are not used to pressing as much without the ball.
Again, I must reiterate, this is only one match and things will take time to get right, and I hope that on the training ground this week, Kenny Dalglish and Steve Clarke take measures to address this lack of pressing, which led to the backline moving deeper and deeper.
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Read more of David Tully’s articles at Live4Liverpool