Tag Futebol

We received a large number of complaints about the organisation of the England v Sri Lanka match at the Rose Bowl last Friday and Saturday. This letter, from Richard Seeckts of Alton, summarises the points raised in many of them:

The Rose Bowl is not capable of successfully hosting England matches. Several journalists mentioned the long queues for buses to the park-and-ride car park on Friday afternoon, but that was not the half of it.Last Friday morning, the M27 was blocked solid as thousands of spectators sat in their cars for up to two hours queuing to get in to the official park-and-ride (price £7) which had only one gate. There was no traffic control and chaos reigned on every roundabout. To add to the frustration, we listened as the Test Match Special radio commentators remarked that the ground was only filling up slowly.When I finally reached the ground – 16 overs into the game – the seat numbers printed on my tickets did not exist. I was helpfully told they had been reissued, but then I had to find the right steward with the replacement tickets. I eventually took my seat two hours after I started queuing on the M27. An hour later play was washed out for the day.Before the long wait for the bus back to the park-and-ride, there was ample opportunity to queue for toilets, overpriced bars and food outlets, all of which were far too scarce for a crowd of 16,000. Shelter from the rain was non-existent.With Saturday dawning sunny, and big Freddie at the crease, I drove to Southampton again, knowing the crowd would be smaller and more manageable. I arrived at the park-and-ride to be informed that it was not in operation, and that parking was at the Rose Bowl (in the acres that had been mysteriously unused on Friday). Nobody had thought to announce this on Friday, or put notices up, or print it among the information sent out with tickets. The ICC preferred to focus on stern warnings about which fizzy drinks could not be taken into the ground.The big screen for replays and information was gone by Saturday, short-changing spectators again. A reserve day was set aside for the match, but not the spectator facilities! Fortunately the portable toilets were still in place, but the stench from them was nothing next to the whiff from the administrators. The ICC, Hampshire CCC and the ECB all had a hand in the disorganisation of this fixture, which will conveniently allow them to create a smokescreen as each denies responsibility for such poor planning.Leaving the ground by car in Saturday’s rain was a breeze. It took just under one hour.We have asked the Hampshire authorities to reply to the complaints raised in this letter. If you have any comments please email us.

Wasim Akram has responded positively to an offer from the Pakistan Cricket Board for a farewell appearance in a one-day international against South Africa later this year. Wasim announced his retirement from international cricket last month.”[Wasim] had given nothing to us in writing and we want to give him a grand sendoff from international cricket,” explained Lt-Gen. Tauqir Zia, the chairman of the PCB. Zia explained that the plan is for Wasim to be included in either the match at Lahore or Karachi: “It would be great to bid him farewell in front of his home crowd.””It’s a nice gesture on the part of PCB,” said Wasim, who turned 37 on Tuesday. “It would be nice to end my career where I started. I wanted to retire by giving the World Cup to my countrymen, but we fared poorly and my dreams were shattered.”I am sure it would be just a one-off match, because I don’t want toblock a youngster’s career,” added Wasim, one of eight senior players omitted from Pakistan’s squad after their first-round exit from the World Cup in March. But it was clear that his ambitions have not yet been entirely fulfilled.”I have heard there are efforts to stage two one-day games between Pakistanand India in September this year. It would be a dream come true if I get onechance against India in Pakistan,” he added in an apparent volte face. “I can’t forget our defeat against India in the World Cup so if I get another chance I will definitely end that with a win.”But the PCB still have their eye on Wasim’s expertise. “We want him to train Pakistani youngsters,” said Zia. “It would not be in our interest that he coach and train in England.”

Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi upstaged Australia’s Mike Hussey as Leicestershire mounted an entertaining reply to Northamptonshire’s 469 all out in the Division One tussle at Wantage Road.Hussey dominated for the home side, stroking 34 fours in his superb 232 – a new Northants record against the old local rivals, eclipsing the 210 made by Dennis Brookes at Grace Road in 1947.But Afridi – who burst on the world scene with a whirwind 37-ball century off Sri Lanka’s bowlers in a limited overs international nearly five years ago – responded by blasting the fastest hundred of the season to boost his side to 278-3 from 63 overs at the close.Afridi’s magnificent career-best 164 from 121 deliveries – featuring six sixes and 22 fours – gave a good-sized Friday crowd plenty to enjoy in the sunshine. He made it to three figures off just 74 balls and shared an opening stand of 233 in 43 overs with Iain Sutcliffe (64).Northants off-spinner Jason Brown experienced the ups and downs of cricket during the day. He notched 35 not out batting at number eleven, easily the best score of his career, but then had 20 runs hit off his opening over by Afridi, including two sixes in three balls.Graeme Swann eventually made the breakthrough, removing both Afridi and Sutcliffe, and Brown accounted for Trevor Ward cheaply, held at forward short leg, to keep Northants in contention with Leicestershire still needing a further 42 to avoid the follow-on.

James Faulkner has been banned from driving for two years and fined £10,000 after he admitted the drink-driving offence which had already led to him missing the forthcoming limited-overs leg of Australia’s tour of England.Faulkner, who was Man of the Match in the World Cup final in March and is currently playing for Lancashire, was found to be nearly three times over the legal limit when he gave a breath test after his Toyota hit the back of a BMW 3 Series car in West Didsbury, Manchester on July 2.Manchester Magistrates’ Court heard that he did not want to walk the one mile home in heavy rain following an evening out with a friend from Tasmania, previously reported to be team-mate Tim Paine.District Judge Mark Hadfield said: “I am sure you accept it was foolhardy in the extreme to get behind the wheel of your vehicle having been out for a meal with your friend.”The judge explained that he had reached his decision on the level of Faulkner’s fine because a community order would not be possible given his circumstances.Speaking on behalf of Faulkner, his manager Phil Weston said: “I deeply regret my actions which gave rise to my behaviour.”Cricket Australia had already implemented their own disciplinary procedures shortly after Faulkner was stopped by police last month while he was also fined by Lancashire. He was handed four suspension points by CA for a level three offence which meant he was immediately ruled out of Australia’s ODI against Ireland then the T20 against England and the start of the one-day series.”Given he will be unavailable for a significant component of that series, Faulkner will not be considered for the Australian T20 or ODI squad when it is announced in mid-August,” a CA statement said. “Faulkner may be considered as a replacement for an injured player following his suspension if required.”Faulkner will also have to undergo an alcohol management counselling programme, as determined by the Cricket Australia chief medical officer and pay for any damage to property caused by his actions while driving.”

Shane Jurgensen has said that his experience as Bangladesh’s head coach will give him a slender edge in working with the Rangpur Riders in the BPL. He is also relishing the prospect of his first assignment in guiding a T20 franchise team which is tipped to be the strongest on paper in this season’s tournament.”I think it will be a slight advantage [with my previous experience in Bangladesh] but every team will be well-prepared,” Jurgensen said. “We will have to make sure that we don’t take our foot off the pedal. We have to make all the 240 balls count.”It is a good opportunity for me to get into T20 cricket. I am pretty excited. I have never really done something like this in a franchise set-up. It is a new thing for me. It is a good test for my coaching ability to get along with the players, to have a good time in a team environment. I like what I am seeing. Everything is well organised off the field, so everything has gone well so far.”Jurgensen said that his role in Fiji, where he worked after leaving Bangladesh in April 2014, was that of an allrounder in terms of coaching all the representative sides on the island. He said that the hands-on role has added to his repertoire as a coach.”I have taken up a role where I do a lot of stuff off the field, apart from coaching. It has been good for me personally, to tap into other areas like budget, planning and lot more of other stuff.”In Fiji, it is me and me only. So I am coaching in a lot of different areas of the game. I am coaching a lot more fielding, batting and bowling. It has helped my coaching. I have to be more hands-on,” he said.It is a totally different story now for Jurgensen, who is in charge of a team that boasts the topmost catch among the local players – Shakib Al Hasan – as well as having Darren Sammy, Misbah-Ul-Haq, Thisara Perera, Lendl Simmons, Sachitra Senanayake, Mohammad Nabi and Wahab Riaz as their seven foreign players.He said that it would be an interesting task to pick the four foreign players allowed in the playing XI but what is more challenging to him is to pick the seven locals from the rest of his squad who are training in Mirpur for the last few days ahead of the BPL.Soumya Sarkar was Rangpur’s first pick in the BPL draft held last month while they also have Arafat Sunny, Mohammad Mithun and Jahurul Islam among Bangladesh internationals. Muktar Ali, Saqlain Sajib and Abu Jayed Chowdhury have just finished their assignment for Bangladesh A in Zimbabwe, so the likes of left-arm spinner Murad Khan, allrounders Rasel Al Mamun and Alok Kapali, Al Amin jnr and seamer Nazmul Hossain have been in training and Jurgensen is confident they will be ready.”It is going to be the same for all the team. But all these [Rangpur] boys have been playing some form of cricket recently. Some of them have been in South Africa while some have been in Zimbabwe,” he said. “The Sri Lankan and West Indian players have been playing too. They are all cricket-fit and they are experienced players now.”It is an opportunity for the [local] guys who are training in Dhaka to put their best foot forward. We have four overseas players and seven local players so everyone will be pushing for spots. It is important at the moment that these guys have the best preparation possible while the other guys are playing.”He said that while Shakib’s experience as a T20 player would be important for his team, he likes the balance of his team too.”Shakib is obviously an integral part of the team. He is Bangladesh’s most experienced T20 player and MVP in the last BPL. It is great to have him in the team and we have a good overall team too. The balance is pretty good.”Our goal is to reach the final. I have come here to win. I think we have a well balanced team. We have to make sure to put all the potential we have on paper and execute accordingly.”Rangpur play the BPL opener against the Chittagong Vikings on November 22.

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Haidee Tiffen was responsible for guiding New Zealand to a relatively comfortable consolation win to end the Rose Bowl Series in Darwin. After handing over the trophy to Australia on Saturday, the captain Tiffen made sure of a 3-2 final result with an unbeaten 66 that pushed her side past the hosts’ 9 for 180.Karen Rolton won the toss and Australia started strongly, but once the openers Shelley Nitschke and Melissa Bulow were dismissed the innings fell away. Nitschke was stumped off Sarah Tsukigawa for 47 and Bulow departed with 51 when the team was in good health at 2 for 115.However, New Zealand struck regularly over the final 20 overs to restrict their opponents to a total they reached with 5.1 overs to spare. Australia had a chance when the visitors were 4 for 75 after Sara McGlashan had retired hurt with an injured knee, but Tiffen received valuable assistance from Nicola Browne, the Player of the Series, and Rachel Priest (39) on the way to a four-wicket win.Rolton was delighted with Australia’s showing throughout the series. “I think all the games were tough and well-contested but I guess our good record against New Zealand helped us come through in close finishes. I think New Zealand played good cricket and it has some exciting young players who should make their names in years to come.”Tiffen, meanwhile, called for more consistency from her team. “It was disappointing to lose the series. We need to be more consistent in all facets of the game. We have come out of our winter and both the Rose Bowl and the England tour will provide us with an opportunity to expose players to international cricket before the World Cup.”

Merv Hughes, the former Australian fast bowler and current national selector, has clarified his stance on the attitude of the Australian players during last year’s Ashes series. Hughes had earlier attributed the players’ friendliness towards their English counterparts as one of the reasons for Australia’s loss.”Get this straight, I haven’t got a problem with the way the Australian team plays its cricket,” Hughes told website. Hughes had previously said the attitude introduced into the Australian team by Allan Border in the late 1980s and early 1990s had been lost and he felt Shane Warne’s friendship with Kevin Pietersen had played a part in Australia’s defeat.”Warney [Shane Warne] likes to get into a bloke’s brain and toy with them, and I just don’t think he could do that with Pietersen,” Hughes said. “It would have been interesting to see their head-to-head battle had they not played at Hampshire together. Warney’s attitude towards Pietersen was pretty good, but Pietersen feels comfortable against Warney because he knows him so well. He didn’t feel threatened. But I’ve got no problems with the players being matey off the ground.”Brett Lee and Andrew Flintoff created the image of the series when Flintoff walked up to Lee to console him after Australia lost the second Test by two runs. “Brett is there to intimidate the opposition,” Hughes said. “I think that he does that … For him to give a smile, it doesn’t mean he’s being friendly. He’s thinking, ‘I’d hate to be in your shoes’, and the batsman knows it. Brett Lee and Flintoff – You know when they get on the ground, they’re both going to be as tough as nails.”Lee defended his attitude by saying it was how he played. He said he should not have to match his menacing bowling with a frightening on-field persona. “It’s not life and death,” he said. “We’re going to play hard, but I’m not going to stop having a beer with someone at the end of a day or having a chat to them on the field if I feel like it.”Lee and his team-mates have a busy schedule laid out for the next few months. Australia start a tri-series against India and West Indies on Tuesday before the Champions Trophy in India in October and the Ashes.

The Delhi police, which uncovered the match-fixing scandal when South Africa last toured India, and is still investigating it, has said that it would like to question Nicky Boje if it gets the chance. Boje and Herschelle Gibbs were the two current players who were involved in the controversy then, and Gibbs backed out of this tour over worries about whether he would be questioned.According to the Press Trust of India, a news agency, a senior police official has said that despite the South African board’s request for an assurance to the contrary, the Delhi police would still like to question Boje. This development increases the chances of Boje, who has been named vice-captain, backing out from this tour.

England 285 (Edwards 117, Newton 103) lead New Zealand 215 by 70 runs
ScorecardPersistent rain in Scarborough meant no play was possible on the third day of the one-off Test between England and New Zealand’s women. England were bowled out on day two for 285, a lead of 70, despite centuries from Laura Newton and Charlotte Edwards, their openers. But there is still plenty of time for a result in this match, with a strong series finish for England very much on the cards.

Sekem has renewed agreement to continue as official apparel supplier to the Western Warriors.The agreement sees Sekem providing training gear for the Western Warriors and representative teams and uniforms for the staff of the Dennis Lillee Fast Bowling Academy.The agreement continues the association between Sekem and the WACA through to late 2006.Sekem has 80 years experience in manufacturing and distribution through sporting channels.WACA General Manager of Business Development Mr Darren Beazley said he was delighted to continue the relationship with a Western Australian company in Sekem."Sekem has been invaluable to the WACA in designing, sourcing and marketing licensed merchandise," Mr Beazley said."Sekem will be working closely with the WACA on a new line of supporter clothing for the Western Warriors this year, aimed at increasing opportunities for our fans to show their true colours in supporting our Warriors."Sekem’s Licensing Manager, Mr Lee Bodimeade, said his company was delighted to continue its close partnership with the WACA.”Sekem is very excited to be able to continue its association with the WACA and the Western Warriors for a further three years," Mr Bodimeade said."We at Sekem, pride ourselves on supplying quality sporting apparel to a wide range of Western Australia’s sporting community."Sekem is proud to have its name closely linked with another great West Australian sporting institution.”