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Brett Lee has said that Australia’s pace attack will not be neutralised during the World Cup by the traditionally slow wickets of the subcontinent

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Feb-2011Brett Lee has said that Australia’s pace attack will not be neutralised during the World Cup by the traditionally slow wickets of the subcontinent. Lee, Shaun Tait and Mitchell Johnson are three bowlers in the Australia squad capable of hitting the 145-kmh mark on a regular basis.”I don’t see any problem with the pace that we have and playing on slow wickets,” Lee said. “At the end of the day, the ball is still coming at 150kmh through the air. The pitch is a massive part of the equation. But if you have a bowler like Shaun Tait bowling around 160kmh at the batsman’s toes, it doesn’t matter where you are playing. It is still going to hit the batsmen on the full.”Australia have been talking up the role their fast bowlers will play during the World Cup – Mitchell Johnson had earlier said no-one would be keen on facing Australia’s pace – and Lee echoed that view, saying it was with good reason because Australia’s quicks have previously done well in the subcontinent. In the seven-match series that Australia played in India towards the end of 2009, Shane Watson, Johnson and Doug Bollinger, who are part of Australia’s fifteen for the World Cup, were the top three wicket-takers, and Australia won the series 4-2.Prior to that, in Australia’s victorious campaign in the 2006 Champions Trophy in India, it was Lee along with Watson, Nathan Bracken and Glen McGrath who were the key wicket-takers. “For pace bowling you’ve got to get the ball in the right spot,” Lee said. “The way we bowled in the Champions Trophy, with lots of pace bowlers, we won that event. Playing on slow wickets like in Delhi tends to suit our pace attack.”Australia have picked just one frontline spinner for the World Cup: offspinner Jason Krejza, a bowler who has played just one ODI. Both Nathan Hauritz and Xavier Doherty missed out due to injuries, leaving Australia heavily dependent on their fast bowlers.Lee returned to the Australia team for the recent series against England, which Australia won 6-1, after a 15-month layoff caused by an elbow injury, but he was upbeat ahead of what will be his second World Cup. “It has been a long road back. It’s been 15 months away from the game. A lot of players expected me to get back and play cricket and I am proud that I could survive the adversity to a certain extent.”

South Africa coach Corrie van Zyl has said the 2011 World Cup is not the only priority for his team

Cricinfo staff05-Aug-2010South Africa coach Corrie van Zyl has said the 2011 World Cup is not the only priority for his team, although they have begun preparing for the tournament to be played in the sub-continent.”I don’t want the World Cup to become a huge thing, it is just another step in the process,” he told the . “If we focus too much on the World Cup, the players get too tense.”South Africa have never won the World Cup, reaching three semi-finals and one quarter-final. They were knocked out in the first round of the 2003 World Cup at home.”We want to focus on each series as it comes and each one will be another stepping stone for the team towards the World Cup,” van Zyl said. “Every tour and series we play this season – Zimbabwe, Pakistan, India at home, and the World Cup – are all part of the bigger picture. We believe if we tick the boxes and do things right, the results will take care of themselves.”Technical and tactical excellence, fitness and conditioning, and team management were the boxes to be ticked, according to van Zyl, who is currently working out his players at the High Performance Centre at Tuks University.”We have worked out what we need to do to better ourselves going forward and one of those things is conditioning. We have the time now to get the guys into peak condition, and once they are there, it is easier to maintain that condition.”We also have to ensure that we function well as a team and that we improve the image of the Proteas, which took a knock after our disappointing performance in the Twenty20 World Cup [where South Africa were knocked out in the Super Sixes]. We need to make sure that we get the support of the country behind us again.”Van Zyl also said he does not expect too much experimentation with the ODI sidehead of the World Cup.”We have three one-day internationals against Zimbabwe, five against Pakistan and five against India,” he said. That means we have only 13 matches to sort out our combinations ahead of the World Cup. I can’t speak for the selectors, but I think where they will experiment with the younger players [is] in the Twenty20 matches.”

Saeed Ajmal, the Pakistan offspinner, is likely to miss the first Test against New Zealand in Hamilton, which starts on Friday, after returning home to attend the funeral of his father

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Jan-2011Saeed Ajmal, the Pakistan offspinner, is likely to miss the first Test against New Zealand in Hamilton, which starts on Friday, after returning home to attend the funeral of his father.The PCB said necessary arrangements had been made to facilitate Ajmal’s return to Pakistan after his father died on Tuesday. Ajmal played in Pakistan’s tour game against a New Zealand Cricket XI that ended on Tuesday, and did not bowl in the second innings of that game.”He is devastated by the sudden death of his father who expired after being taken to hospital, complaining of fever in the cold weather,” a board official said.Ajmal, who’s played nine of Pakistan’s 17 Tests since he made his debut in July 2009, was expected to be in the XI for the first match of the two-Test series. The only other spin option in the Pakistan squad is left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman.Pakistan have already made one change to their squad since they first announced it, bringing in seamer Sohail Tanvir after he was pronounced fit.The PCB also said it would announce the squad for the one-day series in New Zealand by next week.

MS Dhoni hailed the duo of VVS Laxman and Ishant Sharma for their match-winning stand of 81 that helped India fight back after being reduced to a seemingly hopeless 124 for 8

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Oct-2010MS Dhoni has hailed the duo of VVS Laxman and Ishant Sharma for their match-winning stand of 81 that helped India fight back after being reduced to a seemingly hopeless 124 for 8. Laxman played a decisive role in guiding India to a second successive win while chasing, following up his unbeaten century against Sri Lanka at the P Sara Oval with 73, also undefeated, to seal a one-wicket win and spark off wild celebrations.”VVS was really remarkable in this match. He helped the team overcome a batting collapse. Laxman remained at the crease, hit boundaries, rotated the strike and kept the scoreboard moving all the time,” Dhoni said after the match. “For me, it was a very special innings by Laxman.”Laxman’s performance stood out as he played with a sore back, a niggle that forced him to drop down the order in the first innings and bat with a runner in the second. He was supported admirably by Ishant, who scored a determined 31 to revive India’s hopes after Australia’s seamers had put their team in sight of a win. “Ishant showed good character when the batting collapse took place. It was no doubt a big task. Only two-three batsmen remained and Laxman was on the other end. But they supported Laxman well and that worked for us,” Dhoni said. “Our heart rate went up. Nobody could imagine such an ending in four-and-a-half days when the match started.”India’s target of 216 was not the most intimidating but Australia’s fast bowlers hit back on the fourth evening to limit India to 55 for 4, and continued to make steady inroads on the final day to leave the hosts reeling. Ricky Ponting, the Australia captain, rued the unavailability of Doug Bollinger – who had to leave the field with abdominal stiffness – against the lower order. “We failed to take a couple of wickets quickly,” he said. “Bollinger’s injury probably didn’t help us there; we needed a fresh bowler to give it a shake but that’s the game.”Full credit to India; they outplayed us today. We tried our best. It was satisfying effort from the boys. I told them to just take the scorecard out of the mind. The partnership between Ishant and Laxman was great and it made the difference.”

Celtic still have the small matter of potentially securing the SPFL title this season before they can be once again let loose in the upcoming summer transfer market.

However, it seems as though an early clue has emerged over one potential deal that could take place at Parkhead that will surely delight a lot of Celtic supporters.

What’s the word?

Speaking in one of his latest YouTube videos, Tottenham Hotspur journalist Alasdair Gold had this to say about the possibility of Cameron Carter-Vickers signing a permanent deal with the Hoops in the summer.

He said: “Perhaps the forgotten man in Tottenham’s defence, he’s gone to Celtic and he’s smashed it, honestly. He’s likely to go there, £6m deal, rising to £10m if all other objectives are met.”

Fans will be delighted

Since arriving at the Parkhead club during the previous summer transfer window on loan from the north London club, the defender has been a key figure for Ange Postecoglou this season.

Described as “immense” by pundit Chris Sutton and “huge” by Greg Taylor, he’d certainly be an exciting acquisition given his displays so far this term.

With 41 appearances across all competitions for the Hoops under his belt, the centre-back has chipped in with four goals and one assist, all of which have come in the league.

As well as his usefulness in front of goal, the 24-year-old has been a rock at the back for the Hoops.

Having played in 28 league games, the American has racked up 19 tackles as well as the joint-highest number of interceptions (37) as well as a higher average of clearances per game (4.2) than any other Celtic player.

In addition to keeping a clean sheet in his latest appearance for the Hoops in their 2-0 win over Ross County at the weekend, Carter-Vickers managed to once again show what a pivotal figure he is for the team.

Throughout the 90 minutes, the defender made five clearances and won six of the seven duels he was involved in, ultimately earning himself a solid match rating of 7.3/10 from SofaScore.

Taking all of this into account, it’s safe to say that the on-loan defender has played a big part in Celtic’s season and their impressive defensive record.

With Gold’s claim that a permanent deal is likely to take place in the summer, this will undoubtedly be great news for Postecoglou. To put things simply, this signing would certainly raise the roof at Parkhead; he is that vital to their cause.

In other news: Sold for £2m, now worth £540k: Celtic struck gold on £17k-p/w dud who “had issues”

Speaking to Football Insider, Tottenham Hotspur club ‘insider’ John Wenham has suggested that transfer chief Fabio Paratici should be looking to sign Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford. 

The lowdown: Backing the wrong horse…

Spurs have been heavily linked with a move for Leeds winger Jack Harrison in recent times and a summer swoop could be on the cards.

Boasting 11 direct goal contributions across all competitions this season, Harrison has continued to impress in the Premier League.

However, Wenham believes that Tottenham manager Antonio Conte should be focussing attention elsewhere within the Elland Road squad…

The latest: Better options

Speaking to FI, the regular contributor to the Lilywhites Rose social media channels suggested that Bamford may well be a more worthwhile target.

“If we were going to sign somebody from Leeds, he wouldn’t be in my top three, to be honest.

“I really like Bamford, I like the idea of him as back-up for Kane. I think he’s quite underrated.

“He has a similar skill set in that he can bring other players into the game.

“If we were going to get anyone from Leeds, that’s what I would do but maybe Harrison could do a job at wing-back.”

The verdict: Smart move

Whilst this season has been an injury-hit one for the 28-year-old, the outstanding 17 goals and eight assists in the league in 2020/21 suggest that the Englishman is certainly on the level required to bolster Conte’s attacking options.

Comfortable operating in a similar role to that of Harry Kane, Bamford would have no issues adapting to life in North London and could be the perfect foil for the England captain.

At the right price and with fitness woes behind him, the frontman once hailed as ‘exceptional’ by Jurgen Klopp would be a smart addition to the squad at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

In other news: Tottenham plotting move for Premier League star,  find out more here.

Speaking to club media, as shared by The Peterborough Telegraph, Director of Football Barry Fry of Peterborough United has shared an update on Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit of defender Benjamin Mensah.

The Lowdown: Spurs make enquiry…

First breaking the news, Sky Sports (13 Jan, 12:46) claimed that Spurs had made an enquiry to sign the 19-year-old amid manager Antonio Conte’s hunt for a right-wing back.

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Alasdair Gold says that the search for a player in that position is among the Italian’s and transfer chief Fabio Paratici top priorities for January with Mensah now attracting interest.

It is believed that the young ace would go straight into Tottenham’s Under-23s set up as the club seemingly look at RWB options for the future also, with Mensah capable of slotting in there as well as in a traditional back four.

The Latest: Fry confirms talks with Spurs…

As per club chief Fry, Spurs do indeed hold an interest and have ‘suggested one or two things’, with the Peterborough chief revealing he has in fact ‘talked to Tottenham’.

“I have talked to Tottenham and they have suggested one or two things to me,” he explained.

“Which I told the manager and the chairman about but they were adamant it was a no. Tottenham are still monitoring the situation.”

The Verdict: Interesting development…

It’s not everyday club officials come out to confirm transfer rumours, so this comes as an interesting development.

In terms of Mensah, he could be a brilliant option for the future with Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson already raving over the teenager after he signed his first professional contract.

The former Manchester United player called his youngster ‘aggressive’ and ‘excellent’ in one-vs-one situations with the English-born Ghanian ace seemingly one to watch out for.

If Tottenham can get him over the line and reach an agreement with The Posh, it’ll be fascinating to see his development at N17.

In other news: ‘This will excite Tottenham fans…’ – Sky Sports drop major live TV transfer claim, find out more here.

West Ham United are interested in a deal to bring Stephy Mavididi to the London Stadium in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian media outlet Tuttomercatoweb (via TEAMtalk), who claim that both West Ham and Aston Villa are preparing late offers for the Montpellier forward – whom the Ligue 1 side are reported to be demanding a figure of around £15m to part with this month.

“Greyhound”

Mavididi somewhat struggled to make a name for himself after graduating from the Arsenal academy – enduring largely uninspiring loan spells at Charlton Athletic and Preston North End, before once again failing to make his mark after a £1.35m move to Juventus back in 2018.

However, since making a switch to France, the 23-year-old appears to have finally found his feet.

Indeed, joining Montpellier in a £5.67m deal in the summer of 2020, the former England U20 international has since scored 17 goals and registered three assists over his 62 appearances for La Paillade.

A large share of these returns have come this season, with the £8.1m-rated winger – who can also be deployed at centre-forward – having highly impressed over his 21 Ligue 1 appearances, scoring eight goals, providing three assists and creating four big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.1 shots and making 0.9 key passes per game.

These metrics have seen the player who Lee Bowyer dubbed a “greyhound” average a SofaScore match rating of 6.84, ranking him as Olivier Dall’Oglio’s sixth-best performer in the top flight of French football.

As such, should West Ham be successful with a late bid for the winger this month, David Moyes will not only have formed a deadly front three in the shape of Mavididi and Jarrod Bowen either side of Michail Antonio, the 58-year-old manager will also have ticked the box of bringing in competition to and backup for the 31-year-old Hammers’ centre-forward – something that would appear very much needed as the club mount a charge on the top four.

In other news: “Interestingly…”: Sky Sports journo drops big transfer claim, WHU fans will be livid

The January transfer window is coming to a close and a big Rangers claim has emerged as they potentially look to add to their squad…

What’s the talk?

Transfer insider Dean Jones has revealed that the Gers are looking to sign a centre-back from an English Premier League club before the end of the month.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “Rangers are interested in Dan Quick from Crystal Palace on a permanent deal, but there are others trying to sign him too, including Leicester, Southampton, Dortmund and PSV.”

Excitement

This update will surely leave Giovanni van Bronckhorst feeling excited for several reasons.

Firstly, it shows that they are competing with some top clubs to bring him in, with Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund and 2016 Premier League winners Leicester also in the running. It suggests that Ross Wilson is identifying talented players as he is looking to sign prospects who are wanted by other top European outfits.

Van Bronckhorst will also be excited by the prospect of having a young centre-back with whom to work. He could mould him into the perfect defender for the system he wants to play, with a view to him replacing a current first-team stalwart in the future.

Having a player in the academy who could slot straight into the first team further down the line if needed could alleviate the stress of needing to dip into the transfer market to find a replacement if a player is sold. For example, if Calvin Bassey is sold to a Premier League team in 18 months’ time, Quick could then step into his place in the XI if he is able to fulfill his potential.

The 19-year-old has played 22 times for Palace at under-18 level and four times for the under-23s, scoring three goals and providing two assists from centre-back. Whilst this is not an abundance of data from which to judge him, it does suggest that he excelled sufficiently for the under-18s to earn a step-up to the under-23s.

In his one appearance in the EFL Trophy this season, he recorded an excellent SofaScore rating of 7.50 against Portsmouth’s senior side. He made three tackles, five clearances and two interceptions that night, whilst completing 80% of his attempted passes and creating one chance, as per SofaScore.

This suggests that he is capable of delivering solid defensive displays whilst also using the ball efficiently in possession. Quick could therefore suit Rangers, as they average 63.6% possession per game in the Premiership and need players who are comfortable on the ball, as the Palace youngster appears to be.

AND in other news, “Monitoring”: Journalist delivers key Rangers transfer update which Van Bronckhorst will love…

Xavier Doherty’s sudden elevation to the Test squad will only turn into a trip to Brisbane if he can out-bowl Nathan Hauritz at the SCG

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Nov-2010Xavier Doherty’s sudden elevation to the Test squad will only turn into a trip to Brisbane if he can out-bowl Nathan Hauritz at the SCG this week. Doherty, the left-arm spinner, will go head-to-head with the incumbent Hauritz when Tasmania play New South Wales from Wednesday.Having gained a full-time spot in the Tigers’ line-up this season, Doherty jumped into a one-day debut two weeks ago. He is on the verge of another big leap after being picked in the huge 17-man squad for the opening Test, but has to make the final cut when the outfit is trimmed to 12 or 13.”I guess it’s probably come down to that given the fact that they will cut it back by the end of the week,” Doherty said in Sydney. “They are obviously looking at something this week, I guess this week’s performances probably won’t hurt too much.”Like most people, Doherty, 27, was surprised by the elevation. “I guess it wasn’t that long ago that I was not even carrying the drinks for Tassie,” he said. “It comes as a bit of a shock and it’s a nice shock.”Usman Khawaja was on the tour to England for the Pakistan Tests during the winter but didn’t get a game. It has made him even more desperate to play.”Just getting a baggy green one day would be a dream,” he said in Hobart. “I never try to put too much pressure on myself. If it is meant to happen it happens.”Khawaja will be jostling with Callum Ferguson and Steven Smith in Australia A’s match against England, although the tourists will have their four best bowlers preparing in Brisbane. Ferguson, who is back after a knee reconstruction, is in his first ODI squad after impressing in 26 ODIs.”After 11-and-a-half months of rehab, I really didn’t expect to be here right now,” Ferguson said. “There’s a lot of uncertainty when you hurt your knee like I did. I’m just thrilled to be back playing cricket.”Ryan Harris is battling a persistent knee injury and doesn’t expect to play at the Gabba, but he insists he’ll be ready when needed. “In all honesty I don’t think I’ll be included in that first Test,” he told AAP. “But if someone goes down and things change, I will be ready to go. That’s going to be my role – to be ready if anything goes wrong.”Andrew Hilditch, the chairman of selectors, said Phillip Hughes was disappointed to miss out, but the team did not need cover for the openers Simon Katich and Shane Watson. “We would consider him in a middle-order position,” Hilditch said, “but at the moment we think the two young players from Australia A we picked are in a bit better form and ready to go.”