All posts by h716a5.icu

The wicket of Jacques Kallis in what turned out to be the penultimate over of the day’s play has given India an outstanding chance of closing out the match

S Aga17-Feb-2010VVS Laxman apart, this is the same Indian side that lost by an innings inside four days in Nagpur a week ago. After four days in Kolkata, they are just seven wickets away from a series-equalling victory that would silence many of those that have questioned their position at the top of the Test-match tree. This has been no designer dustbowl, and India didn’t even have the advantage of batting first. Despite that, the wicket of Jacques Kallis in what turned out to be the penultimate over of the day’s play has given them an outstanding chance of closing out the match, provided the inclement weather that allowed only 34.1 overs on Wednesday stays away.”It was handy getting Kallis out before the bad light,” said Gary Kirsten, India’s coach. “They’ve got some good players all the way through. Amit [Mishra] bowled really well today. So did Harbhajan [Singh]. With the two of them bowling really well, and with Ishant [Sharma] and Zaheer [Khan] adding in as well, we are in a good position. It obviously depends on how many overs are available to us tomorrow.”Instead of starting at 8:57am as scheduled, play got underway only at 10:30 on Wednesday morning. “When we arrived, we could have got play in,” Kirsten said, when asked about the time lost. “It was disappointing not to be on the field. That’s the way it is. We can’t fight the weather. It would have been handy to have 50 overs today. We’ve just got to get on with it and use the time available to us.”Had it not been for the bowlers’ run-ups being soft underfoot because of inadequate cover overnight, play could have resumed earlier, but Kirsten refused to be drawn into any controversy. “It was disappointing not to have had more time this morning” was as much as he would say. “We were off the field for an hour-and-a-half this morning. But that’s not for me to take up. Just the way it is.”With Ashwell Prince and JP Duminy having struggled to find form in recent times, the biggest obstacle in India’s path will be Hashim Amla, who already has 416 runs for the series. “He’s a quality player and he’s played really good cricket this series,” Kirsten said. “It’s up to us to make sure we bowl well. There are lots of players in the South African team, as there are in the Indian side, who will punish you if you give them too many chances or let them off the hook.”The only slight worry for the Indians was the fitness of Zaheer, who went off the field a couple of times in the afternoon. “He’s got a bit of tightness in his quadricep,” Kirsten said. “He came off thefield just to get some ice on it. But it’s just precautionary at the moment. We’ll see how it goes tomorrow.”For the moment, Kirsten is quite content with the manner in which the team has fought back after the pasting in Nagpur. “We didn’t become the No.1 ranked team for nothing,” he said. “We’ve got guys that are breaking records in world cricket. We’re very proud of our performances. We had a wobble in the last Test, and we have had a lot of injuries as well. And we bounced back here. The guys have shown for a while now, in the last 18 months, that when their backs are against the wall, they can bounce back. Not only the batsmen, but the bowlers as well.”Paddy Upton, Kirsten’s deputy, arranged a couple of motivational talks from Mike Horn, the South African explorer who now lives in Switzerland. “He’s someone that was fantastic to listen to,” Kirsten said. “And the timing did work well. He’s a busy man, and he’s sailing around the world for environmental awareness. He just happened to be in this area at the time. The guys really enjoyed it. It was inspirational stuff.”With clearer skies expected tomorrow, India will need one big push to reach their destination. For the coach who has helped turn things around, it’s a matter of playing the big moments well and playing with pride. “It’s amazing how Test cricket works,” Kirsten said. “Funny things happen. South Africa were 220 for one and we were able to turn it around. One thing this team has done really well is build pressure for a period of time and then make it count. We know in a two-Test series, one session can make the difference. It happened with South Africa in Nagpur and it happened with us here.”On Thursday morning, the rallying cry might well be: Once more, with feeling.

Aston Villa will be changing kit supplier next season, according to a report from Footy Headlines.

The three-year deal they signed with Kappa is due to expire at the end of the current campaign, and they will take the opportunity to switch to Castore from the start of the 2022/23 season.

It’s not yet known how long Villa’s contract with the Liverpool-based manufacturer will last, or indeed how much income it will net for the Midlands club.

Castore’s reputation pre-Villa

Castore already have agreements with two Premier League clubs – Newcastle United and Villa’s Midlands rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers. They also manufacture the kits of Steven Gerrard’s former club Rangers and are believed to have struck a deal with Champions League outfit Sevilla.

A number of Newcastle fans were critical of the designs for their 2021/22 strips, while Rangers’ away kit received a ‘largely negative reaction’ from many of the Ibrox faithful.

Fan feed Villa Report relayed the news, and here’s what some supporters had to say about the potentially “dreadful” switch to Castore.

These Villa fans fume over Castore news

“Look at the state of this year’s Toon kit , they’ve messed the lines up which should be simple. Nah man”

Credit: @sean_verdi1

“How do we expect to take ourselves seriously with low tier kit designer brands like Castore? And after the cheap tat Kappa have thrown together for three years. Can’t see myself buying next season’s kit.”

Credit: @_porsalin

“Look, this isn’t good news for Villa fans. Their strips are bang average. Why can’t we have a decent strip maker.”

Credit: @NickA53898967

“We must be losing the plot !! They make AWFUL kits and charge at extortionate prices !! This is a dreadful decision if true”

Credit: @craigy_hilton

“This is trash, everyone should just not buy a kit so they have to sign with New Balance, Nike, Puma or Adidas”

Credit: @wooskman

“Just one good manufacturer for once I beg please”

Credit: @euanavfc

In other news, lots of Villa fans raved over this latest update regarding Gerrard’s appointment

Daniel Vettori has given New Zealand’s coach Andy Moles little more than qualified support after Thursday’s reports that the senior players wanted Moles sacked

Cricinfo staff23-Oct-2009Daniel Vettori has given New Zealand’s coach Andy Moles little more than qualified support after Thursday’s reports that the senior players wanted Moles sacked. Vettori, the captain, was pressed on the issue when accepting his prize at the New Zealand Cricket awards night and was less than enthusiastic in his endorsement of Moles.”I think we have to be,” Vettori said when asked if he would be happy for Moles to continue as coach. “There’s no point me making statements to the contrary. I think we have to prepare to take a team away and get the best out of them. Andy and I have a good working relationship but whether that’s enough to make the team better is the question that’s been asked.”One of the concerns that the senior players were reported to have raised with NZC was that Vettori had effectively been coaching the team for the past six months and that Moles had not provided enough tactical or technical support. When asked if the players were unhappy with Moles’ input, Vettori was evasive.”I don’t think I’d put it in those terms … we’re not sitting around trying to plot Andy’s demise,” Vettori said, as reported by NZPA. “Whenever players are asked honest questions about anything they give their answers.”I think guys have voiced ways of making the team better. Part of that is my captaincy, part of it is players fronting up and a part of it is Andy improving as well. We just want the best for the team.”Moles and Vettori sat at the same table at the awards dinner in Auckland and Vettori said it had been a difficult day. The players are believed to like Moles as a person but question whether he is the right man to coach the team.”It’s been a tough day for a number of people involved and hopefully everyone can deal with it in the best possible manner,” Vettori said. “I think Andy understands this is part of cricketing life. Guys are always looking for ways to improve and you constantly go through a review process.”Moles was expected to enter mediation talks with NZC on Friday so the issue could be dealt with before the team flies out on Monday to begin its one-day series with Pakistan in the UAE. Should Moles quit before then, Vettori did not expect a replacement coach to be in place for the tour.”Our relationship stands strong in what we need to do,” he said. “Andy and I are at the helm and until we know anything different that’s the status quo … It would be incredibly difficult for someone to step in at short notice.”

Kyle Mills has been fined 20% of his match fee for two breaches of the ICC code of conduct during his team’s ODI against Pakistan at Abu Dhabi on Monday.

Cricinfo staff10-Nov-2009Kyle Mills, the New Zealand fast bowler, has been fined 20% of his match fee for two breaches of the ICC code of conduct during his team’s ODI against Pakistan at Abu Dhabi on Monday.Mills had been originally charged will three Level 1 offences – showing dissent, using offensive language and excessive appealing – by on-field umpires Bruce Oxenford and Nadeem Ghauri as well as third and fourth officials.Mills pleaded guilty to using obscene language but not-guilty to the other two charges. Following a hearing convened by match referee Andy Pycroft, Mills was found guilty of two out of the three charges.In addition using obscene language, Pycroft found Mills guilty of excessive appealing but not guilty of showing dissent at an umpire’s decision.The offences took place in the 49th over, as the match drew to a tense finish when Mills, ranked No.1 ODI bowler, appealed for a caught-behind decision against Mohammad Aamer. Mills celebrated without waiting for the umpire’s decision and then, once Aamer was ruled not out, Mills was heard using offensive language.Following the hearing Mills was fined 10% of his match fee for swearing and a further 10% for excessive appealing.”I fully accept it was a crucial moment in the match and the player was caught up in that excitement,” said Pycroft. “However, his actions went far beyond what is acceptable behaviour on the cricket field. He was heard to use an offensive expletive and clearly he was guilty of excessive appealing by celebrating a dismissal before the umpire had given his decision.”I am content to dismiss the charge of dissent because I feel it is tied up with the other two offences and so it would be unfair to charge him with that as well. The fines are on the low side because of Kyle’s good conduct in recent times and the fact that he is a senior member of a team that has shown itself to play consistently within the spirit of the game.”

Ricky Ponting and Shane Watson compiled more in a single second-wicket stand of 119 than England’s entire line-up managed in 33.5 overs

The Bulletin by Andrew Miller at Headingley07-Aug-2009Australia 196 for 4 (Ponting 78, Watson 51) lead England 102 (Prior 37*, Siddle 5-21) by 94 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMarcus North took a splendid catch at third slip to remove Andrew Strauss•PA PhotosRicky Ponting and Shane Watson compiled more in a single second-wicket stand of 119 than England’s entire line-up managed in 33.5 overs of abject surrender, as Australia built on the efforts of their four-man seam attack to seize control of the crucial fourth Test at Headingley. Though England battled back in the final session by claiming three wickets in as many overs, including Ponting for 78, nothing could gloss over their humiliation in the opening exchanges of the day. A single pitiful session could well have cost them their chance to reclaim the Ashes.Shorn of the services of Andrew Flintoff, whose damaged right knee failed to respond to treatment, and already lacking the aggression and presence that Kevin Pietersen brings to their middle-order, England went into a Test without either of their kingpin players for the first time since the tour of Bangladesh in October 2003, and duly played in a manner befitting their opponents of six years ago. They had been handed a late fitness scare when Matt Prior suffered a pre-toss back spasm, which required the toss to be delayed by ten minutes as England finalised their starting XI, and the bewilderment in their ranks was as plain as it had been at 5 o’clock that morning, when a fire alarm at the team hotel had left them shivering in the Leeds drizzle during a mass evacuation.For most of the summer, Australia have been the team seemingly lacking in direction, but with a sniff of uncertainty in their opponents’ ranks, they at last had a bowling attack to exploit the situation. The decision to recall Stuart Clark for his first Test of the summer, in place of the spinner Nathan Hauritz, was a gamble that paid rich dividends. He marked his comeback with a pre-lunch spell of 3 for 7 in 6.5 overs, while Peter Siddle followed up after the break with 4 for 3 in 14 balls, to finish with the stand-out figures of 5 for 21. Each of the four bowlers claimed at least one wicket, with Ben Hilfenhaus desperately unlucky not to have pinned Andrew Strauss lbw with the very first ball of the match.Ricky Ponting continued his outstanding form at Headingley with 78•Getty ImagesAs it turned out, Strauss survived a mere 17 balls before squirting a fat edge off Siddle to Marcus North at third slip, whose stunning one-handed reflex catch was the catalyst for the performance that followed. Strauss had spent the final minutes before the start fretting over the fitness of Prior, who injured his back while playing football in the warm-ups, leaving Jonathan Trott on the verge of a debut and Paul Collingwood pencilled in for the wicketkeeping duties, and his mind was evidently some way from the action in the middle. The confirmation of Flintoff’s lack of fitness ended up being the very least of his worries.In the event, the only England batsman to show any spine was none other than Prior, who was out in the middle at least two sessions sooner than he might have anticipated, but gritted his way to 37 not out from 43 balls before running out of partners. One other batsman managed double figures – Alastair Cook, who was the mainstay of a flimsy top order with 30 from 65 balls – while the middle-order triumvirate of Ravi Bopara, Ian Bell and Collingwood showed worrying shortcomings in temperament and technique respectively.Hilfenhaus accounted for Bopara, earning due reward for his line, length and consistent swing when Michael Hussey collected a loose back-foot punch in the gully, and at 16 for 2, the stage was hardly set for the fragile Bell to make his mark. Mitchell Johnson responded to his arrival with his best and most hostile spell of the series. Threatening to bend the ball back into the right-hander at will, and finding a superb line to complement his subtle changes of length, Johnson tormented Bell’s outside edge before slipping in a wicked bouncer that was gloved through to Brad Haddin.Next in the procession was Collingwood, whose returns have faded alarmingly since his match-saving performance at Cardiff in the first Test. He couldn’t negotiate Clark’s sharp outswing, which he prodded limply to Ponting at second slip for a fifth-ball duck, and Clark claimed his second scalp in the space of 11 balls when Cook’s resistance ended with a low edge to Michael Clarke at first slip.Prime Numbers33.5The number of overs England lasted in their first innings. It’s the lowest in the first innings in any match in which they’ve won the toss and chosen to bat. It’s also the least number of overs batted by a team in the first innings of a Test at Headingley. 102England’s total, which is their lowest in the first innings of a home Test since being bundled out for 77 against Australia at Lord’s in 1997. 4The number of ducks in England’s innings. Only three times have they had more ducks in an innings. 9.5The number of overs Peter Siddle bowled for his five-for. It’s the seventh occasion, since 1970, of an Australian bowler taking five wickets after bowling ten overs or less.105.25Ricky Ponting’s average at Headingley. In four innings, he has scores of 127, 144, 72 and 78.Prior did his best to rally the innings in his standard counter-punching style, but Stuart Broad found the going extremely tough in his over-promoted position of No. 7, and was extracted on the stroke of lunch when Katich at short leg scooped Clark’s third of the innings. Then it was over to Siddle to make mincemeat of a tail that had wagged regularly in the series so far, but was unable to make any headway at all with the momentum all in the bowlers’ favour. Graeme Swann laboured to a 15-ball duck which ended with a snick to first slip, while Harmison – back in the side at Flintoff’s expense – edged to the keeper to notch the 20th duck of his career, an England record he now shares with Mike Atherton.James Anderson did at least manage to extend his duckless run to 53 innings, but the scampered single that preserved his world record culminated in a leg injury that visibly reduced his subsequent effectiveness with the ball. He and Graham Onions were bounced from the crease in consecutive Siddle deliveries, whereupon Shane Watson clattered Anderson’s first two deliveries of the reply through point for a brace of fours in a style reminiscent of Michael Slater. Though Harmison responded by extracting Katich at leg gully with the fourth ball of his comeback, Ponting emerged to put his personal seal on the day with a smouldering and initiative-seizing cameo.Once again, Ponting came to the crease to a chorus of boos, but true to form, he turned the animosity to his advantage. Latching onto the slightest error in length, he pulled Onions’ first ball through midwicket for six, in an over that eventually went for 17 runs, as Australia’s fifty was brought up in just 39 deliveries. Ponting’s only let-off en route to his 63-ball half-century came on 32, when Bell missed a shy from the covers that would have run him out by five yards.For as long as he and Watson were in tandem, Australia’s dominance was absolute. Watson, revelling in his new opener’s role, cracked his third half-century in as many innings, and battered Harmison for four fours in nine balls as England’s bowlers completely forgot about the virtues of line and length. But then, almost without warning, they finally remembered to pitch the ball up, and with a hint of movement around that habitual 30-over mark, they succeeded in stemming the tide.First to strike was Onions, who pinned Watson lbw for 51 as he whipped across the line, whereupon Broad – for the first time this summer – opted to follow suit. Twice in four balls he angled the ball in from a full length, first to end Ponting’s stay on 78, and then to remove Hussey before he could get going. England created opportunities as the shadows lengthened, not least when Harmison, in a furious final spell, cracked Michael Clarke on the helmet and the glove from consecutive deliveries. But by the close, Australia’s hold on the Ashes was looking as sprightly as it has done since Cardiff.

With Bruno Lage’s Wolverhampton Wanderers side heading into Saturday’s Premier League clash on the back of a decent run of league form, the 45-year-old manager would have undoubtedly been hoping for yet another positive result when Wolves welcomed Newcastle United to Molineux.

And, while it was not exactly the best performance the Old Gold have ever put in, they nevertheless managed to overcome Steve Bruce’s winless Newcastle side thanks to two goals from summer signing Hee-Chan Hwang, with the South Korea international’s brace being enough for Lage’s men to secure a 2-1 win.

However, while the 25-year-old winger stole the headlines with his goals, Lage will have arguably been more impressed with the performance of Raul Jimenez, as, despite not getting himself on the scoresheet, the centre-forward put on a dominant display against the Magpies.

Three key passes

After scoring a match-winning first goal of the season against Southampton last time out, the 30-year-old striker will have gone into Saturday’s fixture in high spirits, and it certainly showed.

Over his 90 minutes on the pitch against Newcastle, the £25.2m-rated man proved an extremely creative outlet for Lage’s side, providing both of the assists for Hwang’s goals, making three key passes, creating one big chance and completing five of his six attempted dribbles.

The player who Nuno Espirito Santo dubbed a “special” talent also chipped in for his side in a defensive capacity, winning eight duels, making one tackle, one clearance and drawing one foul against the Magpies in a dominant physical display.

These returns saw the £41k-per-week man earn a SofaScore match rating of 8.0, with only Hwang receiving a higher rating than the Mexico international on the day.

As such, while Jimenez did not manage to score himself, the 30-year-old nevertheless ran the show for his side on Saturday, with his performance undoubtedly giving Lage and the Wolves fans confidence that their team can continue their current run of Premier League form after the international break.

In other news: Wolves dealt “massive blow” on 20 y/o beast, Bruno Lage will be gutted

Sri Lanka and New Zealand still have a few experiments to complete and players to evaluate in their last chance before the Champions Trophy

Jamie Alter in Colombo07-Sep-2009With only 15 days until the Champions Trophy you’d think the teams’ preparations would be ready for the final polish. But Sri Lanka and New Zealand still have a few experiments to complete and players to evaluate in their last chance before the bigger competition.A four-game tournament is hardly ideal preparation but it’s all these teams have. Some sections of the local and foreign media are querying the value of this series, which was originally scheduled to be a five-match series between New Zealand and Sri Lanka but expanded to include India and contracted to four games. Though the format has raised the odd eyebrow of players from both sides, Sri Lanka and New Zealand see it as a big opportunity to test themselves, especially against India, who have been in electric form in ODIs over the past year.Both Sri Lanka and New Zealand are reliant on explosive openers and two men behind, with a worrying degree of rawness in the middle- and lower-orders. Both also carry a mixture of inexperienced batsmen and those whose potential remains unfulfilled due to a flawed approach at the crease.Sanath Jayasuriya’s lack of form is a serious concern. “We’d like to keep Sanath out of form, but we know that a player of his class can strike at any time,” was Daniel Vettori’s assessment.Thilan Samaraweera and Thilina Kandamby, two solid but unspectacular players, are in the squad to bolster the middle order. For Samaraweera, who revived his Test career 18 months ago, it’s another chance to improve a sorry ODI resume. If Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene are brushed aside early, there is just too much pressure on a wobbly lower-middle order. Everyone has to put their hands up.Muttiah Muralitharan’s groin injury is being monitored and he is in doubt for the first match, putting pressure on Ajantha Mendis. Mendis poses a tough proposition, but New Zealand have taken confidence from the amount of time they’ve faced him recently. “If we can negate his ability to tear through batting line-ups that will set us up to be a bit more aggressive later on,” Brendon McCullum said. “So far everything has been going well and hopefully we can gain that momentum again.”New Zealand appear to have less to worry about than Sri Lanka and can claim an edge over them thanks to the upset 2-0 Twenty20 win. But despite progressing smoothly from Tests to Twenty20s, Vettori’s outfit is still trying to ease a massively influential player back into the side and get a couple of batsmen into form. Brendon McCullum and Jesse Ryder have been short of runs recently but gained some momentum in the Twenty20s, and the lack of runs from Martin Guptill and Jacob Oram and the inexperience of Grant Elliott and Neil Broom shows.Shane Bond faces a big test after reasonable outings in the Twenty20s. Nathan McCullum is a part of this squad but not in the Champions Trophy, so his role remains uncertain with Jeetan Patel attempting to seal the second spinner’s spot. New Zealand’s 15-man squad includes names that don’t evoke thoughts of class or assured temperament, so if they reach the final they should considered it a success.Sangakkara addressed Sri Lanka’s concerns on the eve of the tournament but was confident of a change in limited-overs fortunes when the teams stepped into the 50-over format. “You can read into a loss and come up with a number of theories but it’s best to just deal with it and move on. The reality is that New Zealand outplayed us,” he said. “It was unfortunate that we lost the first game after having such a strong start from Dilshan. In the second game, we were second best all throughout. One-day cricket is a different ball game. There are more overs and you have more time. You have to raise your standards. I’m confident of our abilities.”New Zealand have won five of 14 matches this year; at the end of 2008 they were tested by Bangladesh in similar conditions. They last played an ODI in March, losing to India 3-1, and need to prove their ability in the 50-over format. Sri Lanka’s recent ODI form has been patchy; they have lost their last two home series against India, and have been convincing enough against the weak Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. They won the first three games of a five-match series against Pakistan but went on to lose the next two.If the rankings are any guide, then second-placed India will arrive here confident of reaching the finals. New Zealand and Sri Lanka, at Nos 4 and 7 in the ICC’s ODI rankings, will have to prove that rankings don’t count for much. The first step comes tomorrow.

As per a report by The Sun, Tottenham Hotspur seem to already have a plan in place when it comes to potentially signing West Bromwich Albion ace Sam Johnstone.

The Lowdown: Tottenham target Baggies ace…

Amid the speculation surrounding Hugo Lloris’ future at N17, with the France number one still yet to put pen to paper on a new deal, the Lilywhites could add a new ‘keeper to their ranks.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/spurs-updates/” title=”Spurs updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Despite already signing Pierluigi Gollini on loan with the option to buy, Spurs have been linked with Baggies ‘keeper Johnstone as his future at West Brom hangs in the balance.

The Latest: Spurs offer ‘pencilled in’ for Johnstone…

As per The Sun, Tottenham already have an offer ‘pencilled in’ for Johnstone if he does leave The Hawthorns next summer, as his contract is set to expire in 2022 as it stands.

West Brom have let the player know that there will be a ‘lucrative deal’ if he stays in the Midlands as Spurs eye a swoop, with Southampton the only prospective suitors willing to pay a fee in January rather than waiting until he becomes a free agent.

The Verdict: Great option…

Signing the England international for free next summer would certainly come as a great bit of business for Spurs considering his exploits in the Premier League last season.

The 28-year-old was lauded a ‘world class’ player by Wolves legend Steve Bull to This is Futbol, while former Tottenham manager Glenn Hoddle hailed him as ‘outstanding’ in a column for The Evening Standard.

It’s clear that Nuno Espirito Santo and co could certainly do far worse in the search for a possible heir to Lloris.

In other news: Spurs rejoin race to sign ‘world class’ 171-goal striker who Pochettino wanted in 2016, find out more here.

Rangers will look to extend their lead at the top of the Premiership as they travel to face St Mirren on Sunday.

Heading into the weekend, the Gers sat at the summit of the table on 20 points, whilst tomorrow’s opponent’s were seventh and have only lost two of their opening nine matches.

Steven Gerrard’s team come into the game off the back of a 2-0 win over Danish side Brondby in the Europa League on Thursday night, so will he make any changes to the starting XI? We believe that one player he should bring into the fold is central midfielder Scott Arfield.

The experienced Scottish-born Canadian impressed during his cameo off the bench on Thursday, recording a SofaScore rating of 7.00 in 12 minutes. As per SofaScore, he won both of his duels, made one tackle and one interception, and provided one key pass as well as hitting the post with a good effort on goal.

It is time to forget about Steven Davis starting against St Mirren and Gerrard to unleash Arfield in midfield for the Gers. We published an article explaining why the 36-year-old should be axed from the starting XI after his disappointing performance against Brondby.

Arfield is a proven performer for Rangers and could come in to give the Northern Irishman a rest. Last season, the 32-year-old averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.85 in 28 games as he chipped in with four goals and five assists in the Premiership

During the campaign, Gerrard lauded the midfielder for what he offers in and out of position in the middle of the park, which hints at what he could bring to the side this weekend against St Mirren.

The Gers boss said: “Scott epitomises what we want. Out of possession he shows grit, he shows fight, he’s there for you and in possession, he’s always available. He stands up to be counted at important times, so we’re extremely happy with Scott at the moment.”

This highlights why Gerrard must unleash the £16k-per-week beast on Sunday to show what he can do with a first league start of the season. It would allow an underperforming Davis to have a rest and focus on getting back to his best in training, whilst also throwing a bone to Arfield to see if he can stake a claim for a regular starting berth for the Gers.

AND in other news, Gerrard could unearth McGregor 2.0 in Rangers gem who has shown “excellent progress”…

Only Virender Sehwag can say that he felt sorry for the bowlers, without sounding arrogant. The arrogance is for on the field, which he showed a plenty of against New Zealand at Seddon Park today

Sidharth Monga in Hamilton11-Mar-2009
Virender Sehwag: “They [the New Zealand bowlers] are bowling into my body, and I’m playing my hook and flick shots to get boundaries. There is no other [effective] way they can bowl to me” © AFP
Only Virender Sehwag can say that he felt sorry for the bowlers, without sounding arrogant when he says it. The arrogance is limited to the time he spends on the field with bat in hand, and he showed plenty of that against New Zealand at Seddon Park today.It’s almost like Roger Federer wearing a champion’s jacket especially made for him by Nike, while walking out onto the centre court at Wimbledon. Anybody other than Federer would seem ridiculous in that. Anybody other than Sehwag would have sounded absurdly pompous saying that he left the bowlers helpless.”The wickets are good to bat on, and it’s very tough for them to stop me,” Sehwag said. “They are bowling into my body, and I’m playing my hook and flick shots to get boundaries. There is no other [effective] way they can bowl to me.”Imagine being a bowler. Check your limitations first: you can’t hit 140kmph regularly, you don’t have any help from the pitches, and the grounds are small. You start off with what you think is the best theoretical way to bowl to Sehwag: short and into the body. Sehwag clears his front leg, and pulls it ferociously into the stands over midwicket, sometimes from chest-high.”I played some good shots, especially the hook and pull shots, which I never expected from myself on these tracks,” he said. “I don’t know how it comes or where it comes from, but I managed to hit the [short] ball.”So you try and bowl fuller, looking for some swing. If you are Iain O’Brien bowling your first over in your comeback match, you almost get badly injured – the ball whizzes past your ear for four. If you are Kyle Mills and you manage a perfect short-of-driving length and get some shape away, the bat faces opens a bit and the ball flies over extra cover. If you are Ewen Thompson, making your debut, and dibbly-dobblying onto Sehwag’s pads, you get flicked over midwicket and then turned fine of fine leg. The backlift is high, the swing downwards clean and fast, and the ball makes its own way on the field.So you try and slow things down. If you are Daniel Vettori, the canniest left-arm spinner in the world, you get some respect, and even get a forward defensive stroke. But soon enough Sehwag jumps down the track, is beaten in the flight, but still lofts you over long-off to get to his century. And later he says: “That was a mistimed six, the only mis-hit.”Sehwag also admitted to edging a ball after reaching his century, that was dropped by wicketkeeper Peter McGlashan. “Before the 100 there was no chance for any bowler.”Sehwag-speakOn leaving a psychological scar on the bowlersYes, because they are now worried about our opening partnership. Gautam [Gambhir] batted very well and we will open in Test matches, so they have to think twice or thrice about where to bowl to this opening pair.On this being the best line-up he has played inYes, you can say that because we are a very young and talented side, and we can chase anything because we have belief in ourselves. If we chase around 350, we have batsmen who can hit the ball hard and score 50 in 30 balls or 100 in 60 balls, so we believe in ourselves.The psyche of such an explosive line-upWe’re not worried about getting out. If you’re worried about getting out and how you’ll get out, then you’ll not make runs. As a unit, you have what you think is a good plan – to not give Sehwag any width outside off. And you succeed, which shows how only six runs came behind square on the offside. But what you think is a weakness is not a frailty after all.The biggest part of Sehwag’s resurrection after being dropped from the 2007 World Cup squad has been his improved on-side play. The flicks during his hundred on Test debut in Bloemfontein are back. He has been hooking and pulling murderously. As a result you end up bowling a grand total of 20 dot balls to him.It’s obvious the opposition shoulders will droop. But that’s not new for Sehwag. “I have felt it a couple of times against Australia and South Africa, and against England also,” he says. “So it happens.”Just that it happens more often when Sehwag is batting. This is not the first time that it has been on display during this tour. But in the Twenty20s it happened for too brief a while. In the first two ODIs, when he scored match-winning half-centuries, he left the job unfinished. Today he finished his business, and because he came out unbeaten, he rated this as one of his best innings.Sehwag’s batting philosophy comes through from one of his old advertisements, where he professes, “The ball is supposed to live outside the boundary, send it there.” It is a simple thought that he goes about implementing in his own inimitable way. Just like he hits what he sees, he tells what he sees.He spoke what he saw today, and it didn’t sound boisterous. He spoke plain facts. You indeed felt sorry for the bowlers (except that they watched the spectacle from the best seat). They were indeed helpless and they didn’t know any effective way of bowling to him. On some days you just can’t do anything, except live with it.