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Mohammad Ashraful has said he has not been given a fair chance by the Bangladesh selectors after he was dropped for the two Tests against West Indies

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Oct-2011Mohammad Ashraful, who was dropped for the two Tests against West Indies, has said he has not been given a fair chance by the Bangladesh selectors. Ashraful said chief selector Akram Khan had told him that he would sit out the second and third ODIs against West Indies, but would return for the Tests. Ashraful ended up playing the second one-dayer, but was dropped for the third.”Akram told me ahead of the second ODI that I should sit out the next two and play in the Test,” he was quoted as saying in the . “I told him that I want to play the remaining games and earn my way into the Test side. How can there be a guarantee in cricket? I wanted to play out the ODI series and take it from there.”Khan, though, said he had not made any promises and whatever he said to Ashraful had simply been encouragement. “I don’t know what Ashraful has said but I talk to players all the time and I say a lot of things to encourage them,” he said. “These issues get ignored when they do well but not so when things are not right.”Ashraful scored a patient 73 in Bangladesh’s last Test, against Zimbabwe in August, but had not scored a half-century in 16 Test innings before that. His form in ODIs has been woeful: his last ODI half-century was in January 2010, since then he has averaged 10.11 in 18 one-day innings with a highest score of 31. He defended that record saying he had not been given an extended run and his form had suffered from being in and out of the side.”I know I haven’t scored a half-century in 18 games,” he said. “Players have careers that don’t last that long but I have played those matches intermittently, where I would get dropped after one or two matches. I never got a full stretch. Here too [in the ODIs against West Indies] I was going to be dropped after the first game, which has happened often in the past.”Akram Khan also rubbished rumours that Ashraful’s exclusion had been due to pressure from higher-ups in the Bangladesh Cricket Board. “This is absolute rubbish,” Akram said. “He was omitted only on account of his ordinary performance. If we had acted upon pressure or sentiments from different quarters, then he would not have been in the one-day team.”We were not getting what was expected from Ashraful. He bats at No. 3 but he wasn’t contributing in several ways so we want to go with the other option, Shahriar Nafees.”Bangladesh’s coach Stuart Law had reacted to the decision by saying it was a necessary one to send players the message that they needed to perform consistently to be picked, though he said Ashraful’s career was not over.

Somerset believe they have played an important part in giving England a head start to the Test series against India after being able to “bully” India for three days in Taunton

Andrew McGlashan17-Jul-2011Somerset believe they have played an important part in giving England a head start to the Test series against India after being able to “bully” the visitors for three days in Taunton. The Indians were never a threat in their lone warm-up match before Lord’s as their bowling was twice taken apart and the batting folded for 224.For most of the contest, once they had lost the toss on a flat pitch, the Indians didn’t appear to have their heart in the game whereas the county side took it very seriously. They were determined to limit the value India could take from the outing, which is why they didn’t enforce the follow-on. Then Peter Trego embarrassed them with a 57-ball 85, which left them looking well short of readiness for the first Test.”I fully understand it’s quite difficult for Test sides to get themselves up for these games, however it’s about practising good habits,” Andy Hurry, the Somerset coach, said. “They are going to come up against a stern test against a side challenging to be No. 1, so they’ll have to lift their game. I’m sure they will, playing at the home of cricket, but it’s been interesting – their approach and how that reflects in the way they performed.”It was important that we gave it our best shot and really put them under the pump. We won the toss on a great batting pitch, dominated the game and started to bully them, which is a great position for England to sit back in their seats and appreciate what we have done for them.”We had an opportunity to build scoreboard pressure, then got our rewards and bowled them out,” he said. “They were looking for the follow-on but we weren’t giving them that. It was an opportunity for us to go in again and reinforce our position before giving them a little dart at the end to try and bowl them out.”Andrew Strauss, preparing for the Test series with a guest appearance, made the most of his time with scores of 78 and an unbeaten 109 to ensure he enters the main contest in good spirits following his lean time against Sri Lanka earlier in the season. Hurry couldn’t praise Strauss highly enough for his short spell with the team and the benefit it brought to the younger players.”It’s been a perfect three days for him,” Hurry said. “We kept the Indians in the field for a number of overs. He looked really busy at the wicket and built his innings. He’s been outstanding to have in the changing room. The boys have thrived on having him around. He’s been a real good egg.”It’s had a huge positive effect on the younger players. Guys who have aspirations of playing for England now understand what the England captain is about. He has an aura about him. [As he] sat in the changing room, the guys were listening to everything he said about batting and the England set-up. It’s been positive from all sides.”

ESPNcricinfo previews the first ODI between England and India at Chester-le-Street

The Preview by Andrew Miller02-Sep-2011Match factsJade Dernbach has become a pivotal member of England’s ODI bowling line-up•PA PhotosSeptember 3, Chester-le-Street
Start time 1015 (0915 GMT)Big PictureAutumn is closing in and the football season is in full swing. A major Test series has been wrapped up with aplomb, and now attention turns to a lengthy round of what might, in some quarters, be regarded as After-the-Lord-Mayor’s-show ODI fixtures. Not so long ago, such a scenario would have guaranteed a slackening of English interest and, coincidentally or not, culminated in a crushing defeat. But not anymore. For a variety of reasons, the coming fortnight ought to contain some of the most keenly fought contests of the year.As a reference point, take the last ODI meeting between these two teams – that incredible World Cup tussle in Bangalore back in March. A Sachin Tendulkar hundred appeared to have propelled India towards a hefty victory, only for the innings of Andrew Strauss’s one-day life to haul the game back in England’s direction. A stunning late spell from Zaheer Khan tipped the scales once again, only for England’s tail to scramble their way to a tie.What happened next hardly needs spelling out. India surged to their second World Cup victory, while England staggered to a quarter-final battering by Sri Lanka in the most harum-scarum campaign of all time. Six months on, therefore, both teams have a great deal to prove. India, as reigning World Champions, will be seeking to confirm their one-day pre-eminence in their biggest bilateral series since that final in Mumbai; England will want to use this stage to prove they are a far better limited-overs outfit than they recently appeared to be.So far this summer, England have already had the better of one of the World Cup finalists, Sri Lanka, and on the evidence of India’s tour so far, they will be expecting to emulate that achievement in the coming weeks. Strauss has stepped aside to concentrate on his Test future, but his replacement Alastair Cook showed an astounding change of pace in his first ODI series for 15 months, leading from the front with a century at Lord’s, and 95 from 75 balls in the series-turning victory at Trent Bridge. A new-look team has no place for Kevin Pietersen, after the decision was taken to rest him for the remainder of the summer, but England’s momentum and self-belief is sure to carry over, to some degree, from their Test series whitewash.India’s fortunes surely cannot slip any lower than they are at present. There were glimpses of a resurgent attitude in the Twenty20 defeat at Old Trafford, where the debutant Ajinkya Rahane showcased a technique and temperament that bodes well for future challenges, and where even the exposed Suresh Raina found a method to combat his short-ball uncertainties – his baseball smack for six off Stuart Broad wasn’t entirely convincing but mighty effective.They lack a glut of senior players from that World Cup campaign – Zaheer, Harbhajan Singh, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Ishant Sharma and Virender Sehwag have all fallen by the wayside in the course of an arduous tour, which leaves the ever-green Sachin Tendulkar to carry the burden of expectation once again, as he embarks on his latest quest for that elusive 100th international hundred. Rahul Dravid, recalled to the ODI team for a farewell campaign, will provide a sturdy sidekick, but all things considered – not least, the ropey Indian fielding that prompted Nasser Hussain’s controversial “donkey” comment – England will believe they’ve got the beating of this team.As West Indies, Australia and India all demonstrated in cricket’s recent past, when you’re the No. 1 in the world in one format, the expectation is that you should emulate that achievement across the board. With 10 series wins in their last 12 bilateral engagements, England do have something on which to build. But if India deny them in the coming five games, they’ll feel they’ve lost more than just the summer’s consolation prize.Form guide (Most recent first)
England WWWLL
India LLWWWIn the spotlightJade Dernbach was a shock call-up to England’s World Cup squad this winter. Uncapped and largely unknown, he vaulted into the knock-out stages via the England Lions tour to the Caribbean, and came within a whisker of playing in that ten-wicket quarter-final defeat against Sri Lanka. But as this summer has progressed, so his extraordinary virtues have made themselves known. Not since Darren Gough was in his pomp have England possessed a one-day bowler so full of tricks and variation, and even Gough’s slower balls lacked the subtlety that Dernbach brings to the mix. In consecutive fixtures, his death bowling proved too canny for Ireland in Dublin and India at Old Trafford, and while his methods are now well-known, few batsmen have managed to decode him.Generally speaking, it’s not wise to read too much into a single Twenty20 performance, but on a tour of few highlights from an Indian point of view, the composure shown by their debutant opener, Ajinkya Rahane, was a very welcome development. He came into the contest boasting a first-class average of 67 after learning his trade in the Ranji Trophy, and the confidence with which he dismissed England’s short-ball attack gave the impression of a player with substance. In a batting order crying out for technical proficiency to replace a raft of ageing greats, he’s clearly a man to watch.Team newsGraeme Swann, who might have celebrated the Twenty20 victory a bit harder than he intended, is a doubt for Durham after suffering a stomach complaint – a decision will be made in the morning. In Pietersen’s absence, Ian Bell is likely to slot in at No. 4, although there may be a temptation to blood the new boy, Ben Stokes, in front of his home crowd at Chester-le-Street.England (possible) 1 Craig Kieswetter (wk), 2 Alastair Cook (capt), 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Ian Bell, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Ravi Bopara, 7 Samit Patel, 8 Tim Bresnan, 9 Stuart Broad, 10 James Anderson, 11 Jade DernbachIndia have no fitness issues to report – aside from the glut that have already decimated the squad, of course.India (possible) 1 Ajinkya Rahane, 2 Sachin Tendulkar, 3 Rahul Dravid, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Suresh Raina, 6 Rohit Sharma, 7 MS Dhoni (capt / wk), 8 R Ashwin, 9 Praveen Kumar, 10 Munaf Patel, 11 R Vinay KumarPitch and conditionsA seam-friendly surface, and grey Northern skies are on the agenda. The prospect is for showers, and nippy autumnal temperatures.Stats and trivia India are unbeaten in ODIs against England since 2007, having won 5-0 in their home series in November 2008, and tied their most recent match back in March. However, England took the spoils in the last series in this country four years ago, winning the rubber 4-3 after a seven-wicket win in the decider at Lord’s. England have won four of their previous eight ODIs at Chester-le-Street, including each of their last three against Pakistan, Australia and New Zealand. Their only previous match at the venue against India, in 2002, was a wash-out. Two players remain from that 2002 fixture, and no prizes for guessing which they are. Sachin Tendulkar scored 105 not out and Rahul Dravid (keeping wicket) made 82, before rain prevented a probable India win.Quotes”Let’s not get too carried away with four years’ time. The most important thing is what we do tomorrow.”
“There are fresh faces with the mindset to do well and have had time to prepare.”
Virat Kohli thinks India’s build-up to the ODIs – which included three tour games – will stand them in good stead.

Adrian Barath returns from injury and Ravi Rampaul is back after being rested, but there is still no place for Chris Gayle in the West Indies squad

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Jun-2011Adrian Barath returns from injury and Ravi Rampaul is back after being rested, but there is still no place for Chris Gayle in the West Indies squad for the fifth and final one-dayer against India. Gayle, who missed out on the first four games because of his controversial radio interview, was supposed to meet with the WICB on Wednesday to discuss his comments. The board has maintained Gayle would not be selected until they met with him to clear the air, but there was no word on the meeting when the squad was announced.Barath, the 21-year-old opener, has been undergoing rehabilitation after suffering a hamstring injury that caused him to miss the 2011 World Cup. Prior to the third ODI, he was asked to spend a week practicing at the Sagicor High Performance Centre in order to be considered for selection for the Test series starting on June 20 in Jamaica. He replaces Kirk Edwards, who struggled in the last two games, while Danza Hyatt makes way for Rampaul. Barath averages 32 from eight ODIs, with one hundred.West Indies lost the first three games to lose the series but bounced back to win the fourth game by 103 runs. The final game will be played in Jamaica on Thursday.West Indies squad: Darren Sammy (capt), Carlton Baugh (wk), Devendra Bishoo, Darren Bravo, Adrian Barath, Ravi Rampaul, Anthony Martin, Kieron Pollard, Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Lendl Simmons.

02-May-2011
ScorecardLonwabo Tsotsobe produced his best performance of the season so far to inspire Essex to a seven-wicket victory over Lancashire in their Clydesdale Bank 40 duel at Chelmsford.The South African paceman, after conceding 13 in his opening over, recovered to emerge with figures of four wickets for 43 runs from 7.4 overs as the visitors were bowled out for 190. It was never enough to test Essex who, after losing two early wickets, won with 35 deliveries to spare following half-centuries from skipper James Foster and Ravi Bopara.Following the brisk start given to them by Stephen Moore and Karl Brown, Lancashire will have been bitterly disappointed to have been bowled out in the 37th over. The openers looked completely at ease as they proceeded to 87 in the 14th over – but then left-arm spinner Tim Phillips struck to have Moore taken low down at backward point by Graham Napier for 45.Tsotsobe then claimed the first of his wickets when Brown drove to cover for 47, Jaik Mickleburgh holding on to a firmly struck drive. From then onwards, Lancashire completely lost their way as wickets fell at regular intervals. In between Tsotsobe inflicting further damage, Bopara struck twice in an over to get rid of Paul Horton and Farveez Maharoof.Once the openers were dismissed only Gareth Cross and Luke Procter, with 24 each, managed to reach double figures. Bopara finished with 3 for 49 from his eight overs, while Phillips collected 2 for 32 from his full allocation.Lancashire spirits were briefly lifted when they quickly got rid of the openers when Essex replied. Mark Pettini departed leg before to Sajid Mahmood for seven, while Alastair Cook, having made 17 of the 32 on the board, swung the same bowler into the hands of Procter at deep square-leg.But then Bopara and Foster, who scored half-centuries in the victory over Nottinghamshire by the same margin a day earlier, took charge. Without the need to take risks they put on 135 in 24 overs before Foster was stumped by Cross off Simon Kerrigan for 77 that arrived off 76 balls and contained nine fours.Bopara, who enjoyed a life on 17 when wicketkeeper Cross put down a catch, finished unbeaten on a 75 that spanned 76 deliveries and included just five boundaries.

Newcastle United could look to replace Callum Wilson in the upcoming summer transfer window, according to former Premier League defender Danny Mills. 

The lowdown: Wilson’s fitness woes

Signed from Bournemouth for £20m (Sky Sports) in 2020, the England international has scored 18 times in 43 appearances for the Magpies.

Despite those exploits in front of goal, the 30-year-old has also missed 36 matches through a variety of injury issues since arriving at St James’ Park.

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Currently nearing a return to full fitness following a lengthy period out with a calf problem, Mills believes that Eddie Howe may still be on the lookout for further reinforcements at the end of the season.

The latest: ‘Concern’ over Wilson’s Newcastle future

Speaking to Football Insider, regular talkSPORT contributor Mills suggested that neither Wilson nor January capture Chris Wood are able to lead the line for Newcastle in the long-term.

The former Leeds defender claimed: “I think he’s ahead of Chris Wood by some distance. It just depends on whether Newcastle decide he is fit enough to lead the line for the whole season.

“That’ll be the only reason they decide to move him well down the pecking order. Yes, they’ll be looking to strengthen – but if you can guarantee his fitness for the whole season, they’ll probably be looking for a backup.

“But he’s had his troubles with injury – and therefore I can see him finishing up as the backup for Newcastle next season.

“He isn’t going to be fit for a full season – and that’s the concern.”

The verdict: Signings needed

Whilst few could doubt the quality of Wilson – who was described as a ‘menace’ by Newcastle legend Alan Shearer following a 2-0 win against West Ham on his Magpies debut – a wretched run with fitness issues has shown no signs of relenting.

Capped four times by England, the £18m-valued ace would be the perfect foil for target man Wood in a two-pronged central attacking partnership.

However, with the New Zealand international struggling for goals following his mid-season arrival from Burnley and Wilson’s push for prolonged fitness, it seems that Howe will almost certainly be looking to add at least one striker in the summer.

In other news, NUFC are now eyeing a move for this former Sunderland ace

The Kochi team in the fourth edition of the IPL will be called ‘Kochi Tuskers Kerala’, a name decided on through an online poll

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Mar-2011The Kochi team in the fourth edition of the IPL will be called ‘Kochi Tuskers Kerala’, a name decided on through an online poll.”The state animal of Kerala is the Asian Elephant, also known as the Indian Elephant. Therefore the appropriateness in selection of the Team Kochi IPL name, Kochi Tuskers Kerala by the fans all over India cannot be ignored. Elephants are the largest land animals alive today and their tusks are attractive, sharp and intimidating,” Mukesh Patel, the director of Kochi Cricket Pvt Ltd, a consortium of six companies that are shareholders of the franchise, said.The team, which will be led by Mahela Jayawardene, had previously decided on the name ‘Indi Commandos’. That has been now discarded in favour of ‘Kochi Tuskers Kerala.’

The Brisbane floods have forced Saturday’s Big Bash match between Queensland and New South Wales at the Gabba to be postponed until January 24

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jan-2011The Brisbane floods have forced Saturday’s Big Bash match between Queensland and New South Wales at the Gabba to be postponed until January 24. A number of the Bulls players and families, including Ben Dunk, have been affected by the city’s overflowing creeks and rivers, while Queensland Cricket’s offices in Albion have been closed.Dunk evacuated his apartment and stayed with his captain James Hopes while Ben Cutting tweeted this picture of the cricket club at Souths. Graham Dixon, Queensland Cricket’s chief executive, said the decision to postpone the game took into account a range of problems.”We faced issues with the public transport, with the fact that many people, including some of our players, would still be focused on getting back into their homes or cleaning up, and the likelihood that the usual police and security resources we rely on would be diverted to the recovery effort,” he said. “While the venue was in good condition, and Kev Mitchell had done another wonderful job to have a wicket prepared, there were some solid logistical challenges for catering if we had staged a game.”Dixon said the “extraordinary circumstances” had affected sport and every other segment of the community. “The fund raising and assistance for the community is a focus for us all at the moment, and no doubt when we play the match it will be a welcome sign for many that things are on the way back to some sort of normality,” he said.James Sutherland, Cricket Australia’s chief executive, said postponing the match was the best option. “Australian cricket is committed to providing assistance to our friends in Queensland and will continue to raise much-needed funds for the recovery effort,” he said.

Aston Villa forward Leon Bailey has been dealt a blow after picking up another injury in the win over Norwich City on Saturday.

What’s the word?

Speaking in his post-match press conference following the 2-0 victory over Dean Smith’s side, manager Steven Gerrard revealed that the Jamaican speedster faces a race to be fit for next week’s trip to Turf Moor, having been withdrawn just 40 minutes into the clash with the Canaries.

Asked about the summer signing’s status, the Villa boss said: “It’s an ankle issue. In terms of the extent and the damage I’m sure he’ll be MRI scanned in the next 24 to 48 hours. I’m really disappointed and frustrated for him because he’s worked really hard to get back, he’s been training ever so well.”

The Englishman then went on to add: “He said there was a bit of a twist after the contact so we’ll get him looked at. He’s obviously going to be a major doubt for the next game against Burnley because it’s very rare that you come off the pitch and you’re available for the next game, so we are concerned about it.”

Huge Blow

That frustration for all concerned stems from the fact that it has been a disrupted debut campaign for the 24-year-old since his £25m move from Bayer Leverkusen, having been restricted to just seven Premier League starts for the Midlands side.

The £27m-rated man had missed a fair portion of the season over the festive period with a thigh injury, although since his return to action in February he has failed to nail down a regular starting berth, despite the club’s inconsistent form.

He had arrived last summer with a big reputation after providing 65 goal contributions in 156 games in all competitions for the Bundesliga side, although has since chipped in with just one goal and two assists in the top-flight during his brief stint at Villa Park.

Nevertheless, he had begun to show signs of life in his recent outings, notably going close to scoring early on in Saturday’s win, only to be denied by a fine save from opposition stopper Tim Krul, while Birmingham Mail writer John Townley wrote that he looked “lively in spells” prior to his withdrawal.

With Gerrard’s men still not certain of survival – despite reaching the ‘magic’ 40 point mark with that latest victory – they are still in need of all the help they can get, with Bailey’s potential absence in the coming weeks far from an ideal situation.

Yes, it has not gone to plan so far, but there is certainly an immense talent in there somewhere, with his former coach Heiko Herrlich previously suggesting that he “can do anything” such is his undoubted quality.

He looked as if he had begun to build some rhythm in recent weeks, although this latest setback is set to be a huge blow for both his manager, the supporters and the player himself.

In other news, “I’m told”: Journo gives huge Aston Villa transfer boost, Gerrard will be delighted…

Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara was unsurprisingly full of praise for his team after they wrapped up their first ever series victory on Australian soil with a 29-run win in the second one-dayer at the Sydney Cricket Ground

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Nov-2010Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara was unsurprisingly full of praise for his team after they wrapped up their first ever series victory on Australian soil with a 29-run win in the second one-dayer at the Sydney Cricket Ground.”There’s a lot to be taken out of the way we played these games,” he said. “It’s fantastic. We played the way we believed we could coming here. It was just a case of us fighting to convert every opportunity and tonight I thought it was a great all-round performance.”The last time Sri Lanka were in Australia, in 2007-08, they were beaten 2-0 in the Test series and failed to reach the final of the CB series, which also included India. This time, they met an Australian side struggling for form, having lost five consecutive games across all formats going into this series. But Sangakkara insisted that Australia’s struggles didn’t take the gloss off a maiden series win down under.”It means a lot,” he said. “This is a stage we always wanted to get to where everyone does what is asked of them and you can’t ask any more of the players. They have grown in stature and self-belief. Sri Lankan cricket seems to be in really good hands going forward.”While Sri Lanka’s new generation of players, such as opening batsman Upul Tharanga and allrounders Thisara Perera and Angelo Mathews, played a major role in the team’s victory, Sangakkara also made special mention of Muttiah Muralitharan, who is on his final tour of the country.”What more can he do?” Sangakkara said of Muralitharan. “To win the series in Australia on his last tour here. We are thankful to have a champion like him in the side.”