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Emma Hayes has revealed the heart-warming response from her son that helped her decide to take the United States women's national team job.

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Hayes to leave Chelsea at end of seasonWill take charge of USWNT ahead of OlympicsReveals how son helped her make tough decisionWHAT HAPPENED?

Hayes will leave Chelsea at the end of the current season, bringing 12 incredible and illustrious years at the club to a close. She has helped turn the Blues into the dominant force in English women's football but is now set to take on a new challenge in international football, with the USWNT.

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Speaking to about the decision to make the switch, Hayes recalled the moment she spoke to Harry, her five-year-old son, about the possibility of going to the United States. "I asked him, ‘Mummy’s got the chance to go and coach the USA team or we can stay here?’ and his reaction really helped me," she said. "I didn’t know what he was going to say, but he smiled, he hugged me, he kissed me and he said, ‘Let’s go to the USA, mummy, I’m really excited, I want to go to the USA!’ and I almost couldn’t believe it. That was it, that was the endorsement I needed."

Hayes was in a difficult moment at the time U.S. Soccer's interest became known as she had just lost her father. However, she praised the federation for its "support" and said that the role was "impossible to turn down" once they had spoken about how best to make it work.

"Truthfully, I was grieving, and I couldn’t think of anything else. I didn’t have any feeling at that point,” Hayes recalled. "So, I just felt like it was hard to make a life-changing decision, at a time that just didn’t feel right, so reaching that decision with almost a compromise to start at the end of this season was, I think, the only way I could have done it. I really can’t say enough good things about US Soccer and the way they’ve supported that decision and made me feel wanted. They’ve made me feel valued enough that they supported it. Once they agreed to all the things that really mattered to me, it was impossible to turn down."

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Hayes will certainly not be eased into the USWNT role as her first few weeks in the job will be focused on the upcoming Olympic women's football tournament, with the nation aiming to win a record-extending fifth gold medal. With four World Cup titles also to its name, the U.S. has been the biggest side in international women's soccer for a long time now.

"Without doubt, it is a major reason I accepted the job, to go to an Olympics, a World Cup, and be leading out the most established women’s football nation,” Hayes added. "When the time comes, I will give it absolutely everything I’ve got. I know what the Olympics means to America and I’ve been made aware of that from my time living out there."

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Hayes has won 15 major honours in her time in charge of Chelsea. This season, the Blues are still alive in all four of the competitions they compete in, too, so could well add plenty to that total before the manager departs.

He has been dropped and has struggled to be as effective as he once was, but Saeed Ajmal says it is all part of a plan and that he needs more time to rediscover his old form

Umar Farooq in Mirpur04-May-2015Saeed Ajmal ran through four batsmen in one hour during a training session under the scorching heat at Shere Bangla Stadium in Mirpur. But he appeared to be bowling for the sake of it and helping the batsmen practice. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s spin coach Mushtaq Ahmed was busy looking after Yasir Shah and Zulfiqar Babar.Ajmal has struggled on his return to international cricket with a remodelled action. He has played only two ODIs and a T20, produced only one wicket in 22.3 overs and conceded runs at 6.57 per over. He was dropped for the final ODI of the three-match series against Bangladesh, and subsequently sat out of the Khulna Test as well. Ajmal, however, said there was a plan in place and he needed time to regain his confidence as a bowler.”For me it’s been a tough last eight months and I knew it will be tough moving forward also,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “I’d said prior to coming here that I need time and I am disappointed that I am not able to fulfil the expectations of the nation. But I spoke to the captain and the coach and they have a plan for me. I need time to regain my confidence. It doesn’t come in overnight.”Ajmal has been an important wicket-taker in the past and Pakistan may have banked on that reputation while picking him on the tour. That he was then dropped indicates the management may have lost some faith in him and he is eager to set that right.”I don’t want to play cricket on the basis of reputation,” he said. “I want to play with my head held high and with the same confidence level I had in the past. Things are not going well presently, but you will see in coming days that I have improved. If I am benched, that is the plan and the players playing in place of me are the best and performing well.”It’s true that you can go from bad to good and it’s also true that you can go from good to bad,” he added. “I don’t think I have changed my action significantly, only minor tweaks. I know my doosra is not being effective which is reflecting in my performance. But I am doing my best to get myself back on track as soon as possible. I am bowling with different angles from top and from side and things are improving and I am optimistic that I will be same Ajmal as I was.”Ajmal has been a vital part of Pakistan’s success. Since 2011, he has taken a third of the team’s wickets – 145 off 570. In his absence, however, Zulfiqar and Yasir have picked up the slack. They had contributed 14 wickets apiece during the team’s series win over Australia in the UAE and were again trusted to lead the slow-bowling threat in the drawn Khulna Test.”I think it’s their right to play ahead of me,” Ajmal said. “They have done great without me and spare a thought about Khulna Test where pitch was slow enough to kill the spin, otherwise they are good and have proved their ability.”Yasir, though, said he could have used the kind of help Ajmal can offer. “Sometimes you miss having an experienced partner in the field with whom you discuss [tactics] and seek advice from,” he said. “Like it was tough taking wickets on flat tracks in Khulna where the pitch was unresponsive and we all were struggling to take wickets. So having a player like Ajmal around gives you confidence.”Pakistan are yet to win a game against Bangladesh on this tour and were blindsided by Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes’ world-record 312-run opening stand in the second innings in Khulna. But Ajmal conceded the hosts’ form was so powerful that “any team would have struggled”.”They are at the top of their form,” Ajmal said. “There is no weakness in their combination; their batting, bowling and fielding is clicking at the moment.”They are a developing team and at the moment they can give any team a tough time. We underestimated them. We never thought they will play like that and that’s the reason we are shocked. Yes, in Test cricket we could have done better but the pitch was the main difference. I hardly saw the ball spin on the track but Pakistan is a better side in Tests and we have a plan this time and I don’t see any reason why we can’t beat them.”

While lifting India from 76 for 4 to 303 for 9, MS Dhoni had spoiled James Faulkner’s figures at the death. Faulkner took it out on Ishant Sharma at the death in Australia’s chase.

The Report by Abhishek Purohit19-Oct-2013Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsJames Faulkner smashed a 29-ball 64 to set up the win•BCCIWhile lifting India from 76 for 4 to 303 for 9, MS Dhoni had spoiled James Faulkner’s figures at the death. Faulkner took it out on Ishant Sharma at the death in Australia’s chase. Rarely, if ever, has a bowler lost it so completely while bowling to a fellow bowler. Australia needed 44 off 18 when Ishant was given the ball. Six balls and 30 runs later off Faulkner’s bat, the game was effectively over.Australia’s chase had started strongly, but had been suffocated mid-innings, chiefly by Ravindra Jadeja’s ten overs for 31 runs. George Bailey and Adam Voges had tried to keep pace, but the asking rate continued to climb. Voges had gamely hung on amid a clutch of middle-order wickets, including his own mix-up with Glenn Maxwell, when Faulkner joined him at 213 for 6. While their partnership lasted and grew, it seemed more a belated and inadequate attempt than a threatening one.Then Ishant was brought back for the 48th over. If you can apply brevity to carnage, here is what happened. Full and wide, four. Short, six. Length, six. Short, two. Short, six. Short, six. By the time he pulled that last six into a shocked Mohali crowd, Faulkner had blasted 54 off 24, and Australia needed 14 off 12.R Ashwin conceded only five in the 49th, but the damage was irreversible. Seeing his blinder of a century being nullified by his bowler’s meltdown, Dhoni refused to give in. Seeing Faulkner was basically swinging them into the leg side, he put all the four permissible deep fielders there, including two long-ons. He needn’t have bothered. With six needed off four, Vinay Kumar delivered a full toss, and Faulkner swung it over all those deep fielders.One wonders what Dhoni feels seeing his bowlers do what they usually do – lose limited-overs games for him. More than that, one wonders how he manages to keep what he feels to himself when one of his bowlers is going through his latest meltdown. It is hard being Dhoni.When India batted, he twisted his ankle in the 14th over while turning for a second run. He hadn’t even faced a ball. He took treatment, reached 50 off 77, and then accelerated to his ninth ODI hundred in the next 30. Dhoni’s favourite territory, the final stage of the innings, was yet to arrive. The Australia captain dropped him first ball of the penultimate over, off Shane Watson. Dhoni pulverized 34 off the final 12 deliveries to end unbeaten on 139, the third-highest score by a No 6 batsman, after Kapil Dev and Andrew Symonds. Even if it was normal service coming from Dhoni, that did not make the innings any less mind-boggling.The last time Dhoni made an ODI century, in December 2012, he took India from 29 for 5 against Pakistan to 227 for 6. Helping him that day was Ashwin, who was around today as well, showing superb calm in adding 76 for the seventh wicket with his captain. Before that, Virat Kohli had been an equal partner in a fifth-wicket stand of 72, but had fallen against the run of play for his third successive score of 50-plus this series.Admirable as these twin acts were, they were supporting ones. The stage belonged to Dhoni, who once again showed the entire range of his limited-overs batsmanship – from precisely-judged singles to hustling twos, from deftly placed boundaries to the late, towering sixes. And yes, he turned down three singles in the last two overs with Vinay at the other end.Dhoni hit one four in his first 67 deliveries. He ended with 12 fours and five sixes. Faulkner’s first eight overs went for 33, including just one run off the 46th. Dhoni hung back in the crease at the end, pulling out scythes, slices, slogs, helicopter-swings. Faulker’s last two overs went for 32. Between those two overs, the threat of Dhoni made even as experienced a man as Shane Watson bowl two wides.Before all this Dhoni frenzy, India’s specialist batsmen had been roughed up for the second time in three games by Australian pace and bounce, especially by Johnson. But after the Dhoni frenzy, for the second time in the match, Australia frittered away a strong position. A start of 68 for 0 in 12.1 overs became 88 for 3 in 19.1. India’s bowlers did well, bringing their side back with tight lines and lengths that squeezed the runs and built pressure.Voges ran hard and kept hitting the odd boundary, but the game was slipping away from Australia. Queerly, Dhoni handed the ball to Kohli in the 40th over, which went for 18, courtesy Brad Haddin. The wicketkeeper’s cameo ensured Australia were not completely out of it yet, despite the big overs Dhoni had managed late in India’s innings. As it turned out, while they had Dhoni, India also had Ishant, and Faulkner was ready.

New Zealand batsman Dean Brownlie will travel to India in October, to work on his batting in spinner-friendly conditions

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Sep-2012New Zealand batsman Dean Brownlie will travel to India in October, to work on his batting in spinner-friendly conditions. Brownlie, who was dropped from the New Zealand squad after a poor tour of the Caribbean, said he had been looking to take up such a training stint for ‘a couple of years’.”I’ve wanted this for quite a while,” Brownlie told . “I’ve been pushing for this for a couple of years, because I didn’t want to waste a tour – I suppose, like I did [against West Indies] – working out my best way to play in those conditions. But the cricket has been so full on and so busy, so it’s been hard to get the time to do it.”Brownlie will train at a Mumbai academy for five days, before heading to Pune to play in a few local matches. He will leave for India soon after the completion of New Zealand A’s home series against India A, which runs from September 18 to October 6.In the Caribbean, Brownlie had been dismissed on five occasions out of nine (including the tour game against WICB President’s XI) by the spinners, and got into double digits only twice on the tour, with a highest of 35.More than the technical aspects of his game, though, it is the mental side of it that needed some working on, Brownlie said. “It’s not so much about making big changes,” he said. “I need to learn to trust my game a little bit more. I realise it shouldn’t have taken six weeks on tour [in the West Indies] to realise what I was doing wrong, but it did.”I think I can play spin well, but I do need to work on how I play it in those [slow, low] conditions.”

Ticket deals for 2024 are being put in place by MLS outfits, but watching Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will come at a serious cost to supporters.

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Argentine icon remains a star attractionPulls in audiences wherever he goesEntrance passes do not come cheapWHAT HAPPENED?

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner completed a stunning move to the United States in the summer of 2023. He made an immediate impact in new surroundings, with a historic Leagues Cup title delivered at DRV PNK Stadium – allowing Messi to become the most-decorated player of all-time.

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Unsurprisingly, the Argentine icon has become a star attraction in America – with A-list guests flocking to catch a glimpse of him in action. Clubs have also taken advantage of his global appeal by hiking their prices whenever the 2022 World Cup winner is in town.

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That will remain the case next season, with plans being put in place for the 2024 MLS campaign. Columbus Crew are said to have standard entrance passes available for $40, but will charge between $382 and $679 for a home date with Messi and Miami. The New York Red Bulls have also revealed that they will offering fans a deal that includes merchandise and a ticket to their first home fixture – unless of course that game is against Inter Miami, in which case the offer will roll over to the second home match.

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American supporters should get used to such an approach, with interest in Messi showing no sign of subsiding, and Inter Miami have already announced a price rise of between 46 and 82 percent when it comes to season tickets in Florida – with the cost of said passes now ranging from $800 to $10,000.

In the feudal world of cricket, an Associate nation has never beaten a Full Member in an international series, but Ireland came desperately close to beating Pakistan before a breathtaking partnership took the game, and series, away

The Report by Ger Siggins26-May-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsEd Joyce’s unbeaten ton went in vain•AFPIn the feudal world of cricket, an Associate nation has never beaten a Full Member in an international series, but Ireland came desperately close to beating Pakistan before a breathtaking partnership took the game, and series, away.Kamran Akmal and Wahab Riaz came together with just under 100 needed off 13 overs. Kamran is experienced in Irish conditions, having played with the Limavady club in 2002 and 2003, and with his young colleague he went about repairing the early damage wreaked by the Irish seamers. But Kamran is a wily performer and eased into destructive mode as the bowlers struggled to find their lengths.Wahab took nine balls to get off the mark but his demolition of Tim Murtagh in the 47th over proved decisive and he made an ODI career best 47 not out. Murtagh, a Middlesex seamer, is the leading championship performer this season but he was taken apart by clean hitting as the over went 2,6,6,0,4,6 with the maximums soaring over long-off and square leg.With just eight needed off three overs, Kamran tried to finish it off and lost his wicket, but Wahab and Junaid Khan saw Pakistan home. The decisive eighth wicket partnership of 93 took just 62 balls. “Two special innings took it away from us”, admitted Kevin O’Brien, who took the Man-of the-Series award.Ireland had a special innings of their own to enjoy. Ed Joyce walked to the wicket in Clontarf after just five balls of Ireland’s innings, and left it unbeaten 49.1 overs later. His highest score of 116 was an innings of high quality from a player who became only the second man to make an ODI century for two countries. The first was also an Irishman, Eoin Morgan, who is playing for England.Pakistan made three changes to their bowling attack, bringing in debutant Asad Ali, Wahab Riaz and Abdur Rehman for Mohammed Irfan, Saeed Ajmal and Ehsan Adil. Ireland, too, called upon a newbie in James Shannon, who came in for club-mate Andrew White.And Ali quickly showed his great promise, finding extravagant seam movement as he reeled off three maidens to open his international career. Ireland were quickly 4 for 2, but the experienced southpaws Joyce and Niall O’Brien stitched the ideal partnership for the situation and battled their way through to see off Ali and Junaid Khan, with the debutant’s opening spell reading 6-4-4-1.When he reached 33, Joyce passed 1000 runs in ODIs, 471 of which he made for England. The pair was batting with increasing confidence when Riaz found the edge of O’Brien’s bat. Gary Wilson perished soon after when he ballooned an attempted reverse sweep to slip, but Joyce found a steady partner in Kevin O’Brien.Kevin has often been accused of inconsistency, but he continued here as he finished Thursday’s tie. He played several powerful drives and was looking set to make back-to-back ODI fifties for the first time since the 2007 World Cup when he holed out on the midwicket boundary.Joyce rode his luck – an entertaining juggling act from Mohammed Hafeez spilled to earth after five attempts when he was on 61 – and moved serenely towards his century. Kevin’s departure seemed to cause panic in the Irish lower order and four wickets fell for 11 as Rehman found some turn. Trent Johnston fell to the first leg-before decision of the series but Murtagh hung around long enough to see his former Middlesex colleague into three figures, which Joyce raised with his only six, over midwicket.Ireland had switched pitches two days before the game, banking on a greener track to negate the Pakistan spinners. The 7,000 euro bill for moving the scaffolding and grandstands looked money well spent until those last ten overs. Trent Johnston and Tim Murtagh found extravagant seam and played havoc with the Pakistan top order, reducing them to 17 for 4.  That score could have been worse had two catches not been forsaken off Johnston to dismiss Misbah-ul-Haq and Shoaib Malik before they had scored.But experienced players of the Pakistan middle order battled their way back with stands of 43, 52 and 21. Misbah and Shoaib were able to settle in when the Irish opening bowlers were removed and the pressure slipped a little. George Dockrell turned back on the heat with a spell of 8-2-16-1, but by the time he came back for his last two overs, Kamran was eyeing up the ropes.Skipper William Porterfield knows how close his team came to a historic series victory. “We’re pretty dejected at the minute because of the position we got ourselves in,” he said. “We’re very disappointed not to win.”

Shaun Marsh may need time away from the spotlight in the Sheffield Shield to rediscover his game after a dire series against India, his captain Michael Clarke has conceded

Daniel Brettig at Adelaide Oval28-Jan-2012Shaun Marsh may need time away from the spotlight in the Sheffield Shield to rediscover his game after a dire series against India, his captain Michael Clarke has conceded.In a 4-0 pounding of India, Marsh’s 17 runs in six innings has stood out as the most troubling element of Australia’s progress, casting significant doubt on the role Clarke had envisioned for him as the strong, silent type to replace Ricky Ponting at No. 3.While Marsh has been named in the Twenty20 squad to face India in two matches in Melbourne and Sydney from Wednesday, the national selectors are yet to decide whether he should be included in the team for the triangular ODI series. Clarke left open the possibility that some first-class matches for Western Australia would be an option for the panel.”It is a tough question. To be honest I don’t know the answer. I’m sure Shaun would like some more runs,” Clarke said. “His form in one-day cricket and the shorter form has been outstanding for a good period of time whether for WA or Australia or Perth Scorchers. I have always loved the way Shaun has played. He is wonderful talent. I do see him as a big part of the Australian team in all three formats but he certainly needs to keep making runs.”If he gets the opportunity to play for Australia in the shorter form or if he goes back to WA he just has to keep working hard and puts some runs on the board. He needs to spend time in the middle to build his confidence back up. I am confident he will perform again for Australia.”Apart from Marsh, the opening partnership of David Warner and Ed Cowan shone at times during the four Tests, but also showed plenty of room for improvement, notably against spin in Adelaide. Clarke said the team’s success made it possible to keep the current group together for the time being, the next Test assignment a three-match series in the West Indies in April.”When you’re winning it helps keep a team together,” Clarke said. “Individually Shaun and Eddie and probably David would have liked a few more runs. There’s swings and roundabouts. When you’re playing well you need to cash in.”There’s going to come a time when you’re not making runs. Ricky Ponting is a great example of that. Now we’re saying he’s batting as good as he’s ever batted. When you’re not performing you need to hang in there. I’m confident they can turn it around.”Ponting’s strong form, alongside that of Michael Hussey, has encouraged the selectors to look at retaining both for some considerable time, perhaps as far as the 2013 Ashes in England. However Clarke indicated that further discussions of their futures lay ahead, alongside his own place at No. 5.”That is probably something I have to speak to the selectors and the coach and a couple of the senior players about I guess. We need to do whatever is best for the team,” Clarke said. “If that means I stay at five for the rest of my career, then I stay at five. If I have to move, then I move.”And everybody is the same in the team to be honest. My goal is to pick the best XI for every game we play to help us win that game of cricket, whether that be one-day cricket or Test cricket and whatever that XI is, I have no problems in selecting that if we think it’s going to help us win the game.”So it’s not about the individual player, it’s about getting an XI we think can win and players doping their job and the same with the batting order, if it means I have to move from number five up the order or go down – whatever it takes to help us win.”I really like the fact we have a good mix of youth and experience, I think that is really important in the team success throughout the last few months.”At the end of his initial run of 11 Tests as captain, Clarke said he had grown comfortable with his dual role as leader and selector, and said the level of communication between the players and the national panel had been particularly helpful in establishing a team comfortable in its own skin.”I think it has been good to be able to voice my opinion as part of the selection panel,” Clarke said. “You are one of five though, so the selectors, if they disagree, I have only got my one vote. But it is pleasing, more than being a selector, the communication and the relationship with the selectors, captain-coach, has been very pleasing for me.”I have enjoyed the challenges, I have enjoyed the communication with the selectors and being able to voice my opinion.”

West Indies haven’t quite hit their stride in this tournament, but Dwayne Bravo is hoping his side will be at the top of its game in the crunch match against South Africa

Nagraj Gollapudi in Cardiff13-Jun-2013On Thursday the rains forced Dwayne Bravo and his men to train in the indoor nets at Sophia Gardens. Soul and reggae music piped out of a stereo from corner of the nets as players hummed and danced to the tunes while carrying on with their jobs. This chilled-out attitude is what separates West Indies from other teams. And on Friday, that attitude could provide West Indies the vital edge in a do-or-die encounter against South Africa, an intense opponent, who can be vulnerable if pushed into a tight corner.However, the same laidback attitude has been West Indies’ bugbear in the past. Today Bravo was not afraid to call South African “chokers” because of their history of failures in the most important matches of the biggest tournaments. But Bravo is no Steve Waugh who had an indomitable will, the leadership skill, a handful of match-winners, and the bloody-mindedness, to dominate the opposition.South Africa were robbed of the services of Jacques Kallis and Graeme Smith before the tournament began and were then hit by the exit of Morne Morkel due to injury, and Dale Steyn has missed the first two matches. West Indies have had no such concerns. Yet, a desperate finish against Pakistan followed by a woeful performance against India shows that they remain unsettled.West Indies cannot even complain about the conditions considering they played both their matches on dry days, on mostly flat pitches and in their most favourite ground outside the Caribbean – The Oval. West Indies have played out 359 dot balls so far in two matches, which is only seven less than Pakistan, who have played the most. The highest partnership is 78 with only two batsmen making half-centuries – Johnson Charles and Darren Sammy have one each.The middle-order (4-7) which includes batsmen like Marlon Samuels, Kieron Pollard and Bravo, has lacked the vigour scoring at an average of 16.12 with a strike-rate of 53.97. The West bowlers have taken 10 wickets in the tournament at an average of 40.10 and a strike-rate of 52.3, both being the worst in the tournament. West Indies so far have been anxious and awful.Gayle has got starts, but has failed to deliver on his promise to score big runs; Samuels’ poor ODI form in England continues; Darren Bravo has failed to switch gears after playing the anchor role; captain Bravo, too, has shown more desperation than assurance with both bat and ball in hand. Pollard has been circumspect to begin with only to falter soon after; the inclusion of Ramnaresh Sarwan, who has scored just two runs in two matches, remains a curious decision; Kemar Roach, after an aggressive spell of fast bowling against Pakistan was completely disoriented against India, thereby releasing all the pressure Ravi Rampaul created.Common sense, Bravo stressed, is what the West Indies players have been forgetting to utilise during crucial moments. “In a game there are times when you need to think on your feet – for example, when to go for the big shots. We need – all of us, myself included – to know when to take a risk or when to hold back like if you just lose a wicket,” Bravo said. “I don’t need to play this shot, I need to play this shot. So that’s a bit of common sense: knowing when to gamble and when not to gamble.”The teams have met three times during the knockout stages in big tournaments with West Indies leading the count 2-1 so far. South Africa defeated them in the final of the 1999 Wills International Cup, but West Indies won in the 1996 World Cup quarter-finals and in the semi-finals of the 2006 Champions Trophy. Does that history make it easier for West Indies tomorrow?”It doesn’t make it easier; it makes it more exciting,” Bravo said. The last time West Indies did play exciting cricket, turned up smarter on the field, were pro-active, though on their feet and won their gambles, was during the World Twenty20. They found themselves living on the edge on more than one occasion during that tournament, yet managed to finish with a big smile. They realised the importance of self-belief. The lack of that now is hurting them. “In this format, it is longer so it requires more skills and more thinking, and I think that’s where we fall short most times in this format,” Bravo said.On Thursday afternoon, Cardiff was emptying fast. If you were arriving today to the Welsh capital, you would be greeted by the gentle wafting rain accompanied by the sight of people checking out of the hotels. Jon Bon Jovi played here last night. Rihanna rocked the city on Monday. But there could be more music in store for the fans – if West Indies regain their self-belief, their brand of cricket which can be as entertaining as that of Bon Jovi and Rihanna.

Michael Klinger once again led from the front as Gloucestershire kept alive their hopes of a place in the Yorkshire Bank 40 semi-finals

18-Aug-2013
ScorecardMichael Klinger’s outstanding form was again central to Gloucestershire’s success•Getty ImagesMichael Klinger once again led from the front as Gloucestershire kept alive their hopes of a place in the Yorkshire Bank 40 semi-finals with a thrilling two-wicket Group C win over Glamorgan at Bristol.The captain took his run tally in the competition to 662 at an average of 94.57 by scoring 87 to help the hosts to their target of 248 with just one ball to spare. Hamish Marshall contributed 55, while Dean Cosker claimed 2 for 28 from his eight overs.Gareth Rees had scored 83 off 110 balls to provide the backbone to Glamorgan’s 247 for 7 after winning the toss, with Murray Goodwin also making a brisk 49 and Tom Smith returning two for 43.Rees might have been run out in the opening over of the game as Mark Wallace sent him back attempting a single to backward point. Ian Cockbain’s shy at the stumps missed when he could have given wicket-keeper Gareth Roderick time to get to the stumps.The Glamorgan openers went on to build a half-century stand before Wallace departed for 18, caught at deep square as he pulled a ball from David Payne. Gloucestershire introduced the left-arm spin of Smith for the 16th over and the loan recruit from Middlesex had Chris Cooke caught behind cutting for 19 with the total on 83.It was 95 for 3 when Marcus North fell cheaply to Smith. Rees reached fifty off 62 balls, with five fours, and survived a stumping chance off Smith when on 63.After Jim Allenby lifted a catch to deep midwicket off Benny Howell, Goodwin supplied the necessary acceleration with six fours in his 32-ball innings, helping the score to 199 when he gave a catch to backward point.Graham Wagg hit a straight six in making 19 before being yorked by Craig Miles and Rees took successive boundaries off the penultimate over, bowled by Payne before being caught at mid-off to give Miles a second wicket.Gloucestershire made a confident start in reply as Klinger and Marshall put together a century opening stand, the latter hitting six fours in his 43-ball innings before offering a return catch to Cosker.Klinger continued his love affair with the competition, striking nine fours in facing 99 deliveries before getting an inside edge on to his stumps off Simon Jones with 49 runs still needed.There were nerves in the home dressing room when Alex Gidman followed for 28, but Howell played a key role with a six and a four off Jones in the 38th over, which cost the seamer 17, followed by another six off Wagg.Wagg responded with two wickets in the same over, but the home side began the final one from Michael Hogan needing only five. He removed Smith caught and bowled, but James Fuller hit the winning boundary.The result puts Gloucestershire level on points with group leaders Somerset, with the two arch-rivals facing each other at Bristol in the final group match tomorrow week. Glamorgan are two points adrift, but have two games remaining, at home to Leicestershire next Sunday and away to Yorkshire 24 hours later.

A rapid, maiden, half-century from Tom Poynton gave Derbyshire crucial momentum against Essex

Alex Winter at Chelmsford24-May-2012
ScorecardIn mechanics, momentum is the product of mass and velocity. In sport its impact is massive though difficult to measure but the product of Tom Poynton’s weight of runs – 50 – by their velocity – 35 balls – produced momentum that put Derbyshire on the victory path for the fourth time this season.Poynton’s innings, his first-class best, came against the tide. Derbyshire had lost 4 for 28 and sacrificed a position from where they might have hoped to bat once. Their lead was 96, still significant, but Essex’s fightback and knowledge of a good surface was enough to have the hosts believing there was a way back into the match. Cue Poynton. Then two wickets in nine balls at the start of Essex’s second innings: Alviro Petersen playing a horrible shot away from his body trying to drive a full ball and Tom Westley pushing at another swinging ball for Tim Groenewald’s second wicket. Funny thing momentum.Poynton would not have expected to play too great a part in Derbyshire’s season, with captain Luke Sutton taking the gloves but his sudden retirement saw Derbyshire coach Karl Krikken turn to Poynton. He has been protected, coming in at No. 9, enabling him to focus solely on his glovework. But teams no long carry wicketkeepers so it will have been a relief to Poynton to have finally made a meaningful score after a previous best this season of 15.Always batting with the tail, he might have some licence to play strokes but his dismissals this season have been playing rather tentatively. Here he unleashed seven fours and two sixes – the latter clearing the pavilion with a slog-swept full toss – and made his maiden first-class half-century. The 10th wicket stand with Groenewald added 45 at almost eight-an-over. A stand which made Derbyshire feel a whole lot better and gave them a third batting point.They did not need rescuing but they should have made more of their opportunity to kill the game. At 161 for 2 shortly after lunch a lead of 200 was well within them. But there were too many giveaways. Dan Redfern played across the line to edge Charl Willoughby to James Foster; Ross Whiteley holed out to mid-on off Tom Westley; Martin Guptill had earlier pulled a ball to the same field placing.They were also hindered by a decision against Wayne Madsen. He was adamant he did not touch a ball from David Masters to Foster, said the replays backed him up and he always walks. Madsen and Wes Durston looked to be set to bat all afternoon after putting on a comfortable 77. But Derbyshire failed to build another stand and lost momentum. Thus Wes Durston’s stay proved not the highest score of many but the essential knock.Durston scored at a good lick too, taking 49 balls for his half-century and 110 balls for his second century in three matches. “It’s exactly how I wanted to bat when I went in,” Durston said. “I was slow to 20 but then it clicked. It’s not the fastest wicket and spun more as the day’s gone on.”Durston played the legspin of Tom Craddock, who took a maiden five-wicket haul in first-class cricket, with confidence. Durston is in good form. He used his feet well and swept well. It was his fifth hundred since joining Derbyshire in 2010 and like David Wainwright, who was unsuccessful in five overs before the close, he has been given a new lease of life after being released from the county he began at. Durston spent eight years at Somerset but found a path back through the Unicorns.”I’ve pretty much played every game in two years since I’ve joined and that’s exactly what I needed,” Durston said. “I never doubted my own ability just needed the chance to play. I don’t think I’ve done a huge amount to my game.” He’s perhaps regaining momentum in his career.