Category Uncategorized

Lou Vincent will be charged with fixing offences under the anti-corruption code of the Champions League Twenty20 tournament, jointly administered by the governing bodies of India, Australia and South Africa

Daniel Brettig23-May-2014Lou Vincent will be charged with fixing offences under the anti-corruption code of the Champions League Twenty20 tournament, jointly administered by the governing bodies of India, Australia and South Africa.ESPNcricinfo understands the charges will relate to Vincent’s appearances for the Auckland Aces at both the 2011 edition of the tournament, held in India, and the 2012 event in South Africa.Auckland lost both of their qualifying matches in 2011 but reached the main draw the following year, with Vincent taking part in every match.The charges, reportedly being prepared by Cricket Australia’s general manager of legal and business affairs and Champions League technical director Dean Kino, are expected to be formally laid next month after the conclusion of the IPL.They will follow the revelation that the ECB has charged Vincent and a fellow former Sussex team-mate, Naved Arif, with fixing offences for a county limited-overs match in August 2011.Vincent’s charges are the first fruit of a long-running investigation conducted jointly by the ICC’s anti-corruption and security unit, in conjunction with integrity officials in England, Australia and India.Under its present code, the ACSU is not permitted to fully pursue investigations or initiate charges against players for offences related to domestic matches in any format, leaving the onus upon boards responsible for the tournaments in which alleged offences have taken place to do so.CLT20 charges against Vincent will not be formally announced, as the tournament’s anti-corruption code forbids the publication of charges or the naming of “participants” until the case has been heard by a disciplinary committee and a finding reached.This clause is in line with the anti-corruption codes of Cricket Australia, the BCCI and the ICC, which all stipulate that players are not to be officially named until the case has been concluded. The ECB’s anti-corruption code states that a name can be released when the charge has been laid.After news of the charges laid by the ECB, Vincent issued a statement through his lawyer acknowledging that further charges were likely and saying it proved he had not made any plea-bargains with the ICC.”The fact of the charges, and more are likely, dispel any notions of a plea bargain having been done as unfortunately appears to be wrongly suggested by others.”

MatériaMais Notícias

He breached Article 2.2, which relates to “abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during a match”

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Apr-2025Gujarat Titans (GT) bowler Ishant Sharma has been fined 25% of his match fees and handed one demerit point for breaching the IPL’s code of conduct during the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Sunday.A statement from the IPL said that Ishant breached Article 2.2, which relates to “abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during a match”. It was a Level 1 offence, for which Ishant admitted to and accepted match referee Javagal Srinath’s sanction.Ishant was taken for 53 runs in four wicketless overs against SRH in Hyderabad. He was subbed out 13 overs into GT’s innings and was replaced by Sherfane Rutherford.Ishant has had an expensive IPL so far. He has conceded 107 runs across eight overs in three games, and has taken just one wicket.GT’s win against SRH was their third in four games, taking them to No. 2 on the points table. It was their third victory in a row after they started the season with a defeat against Punjab Kings.

MatériaMais Notícias

A Chapecoense continua no grupo dos clubes que nunca foram rebaixados da Série A para a Série B. Para alegria da torcida que lotou a Arena Condá neste domingo, o time venceu o São Paulo por 1 a 0, gol de Leandro Pereira, e fechou o Brasileiro em 14ª, com 44 pontos.

Já o Tricolor paulista não atingiu o desejado quarto lugar e terá de disputar a fase preliminar da Libertadores de 2019. Como o Grêmio venceu o Corinthians, nem uma vitória seria suficiente para chegar ao G4. Campeão simbólico do primeiro turno com 41 pontos, que deu o Troféu Osmar Santos oferecido pelo LANCE!, o São Paulo somou apenas 22 no returno e encerrou a competição em quinto lugar, com 63 pontos somados.

Cadê a chapada do Nenê?
O São Paulo jogou em ritmo lento no primeiro tempo, mas conseguiu criar duas chances de gol. As duas caíram nos pés de Nenê, que finalizou a primeira sem nenhuma força e a segunda sem nenhuma direção.

A Chape, sem o ímpeto necessário a quem corria risco de rebaixamento, se resumiu à briga de Wellington Paulista com os zagueiros são-paulinos. Ele reclamou de um pênalti (que não houve) no começo do jogo e, já perto do fim da etapa inicial, acertou uma cabeçada na trave de Jean.

Àquela altura, o Grêmio vencia o Corinthians e deixava o São Paulo fora do G4. A Chape se beneficiava da derrota do América-MG para o Flu e do 0 a 0 do Sport com o Santos.

Gol do alívio
O jogo continuou morno no segundo tempo, mas a Chape conseguiu marcar o gol que garantiu a permanência na Série A independentemente de qualquer outro resultado. Aos 22 minutos, Canteros recebeu em impedimento e cruzou para Leandro Pereira marcar de cabeça.

Como o Grêmio continuava vencendo, um gol são-paulino na parte final do jogo não serviria para nada além de rebaixar a Chapecoense, já que o Sport fez 2 a 1 no Santos.

André Jardine até tentou acordar sua equipe com as entradas dos garotos Igor Gomes, Shaylon e Brenner nas vagas dos experientes Nenê, Edimar e Diego Souza, mas o goleiro Jandrei continuou assistindo à partida sem ser incomodado.

Efetivado, Jardine somou duas derrotas, dois empates e só uma vitória nos cinco jogos em que substituiu Diego Aguirre. A missão era o G4… Que o ano que vem seja melhor.

FICHA TÉCNICA

CHAPECOENSE 1 x 0 SÃO PAULO

Local: Arena Condá, Chapecó (SC)
Data/Horário: 2/12/2018, às 17h
Árbitro: Wilton Pereira Sampaio (GO)
Assistentes:Fabricio Vilarinho da Silva (GO) e Bruno Raphael Pires (GO)
Público e renda:19.992 torcedores /R$ 331.630,00
Cartões amarelos: Jean, Arboleda, Everton (SAO)
Cartões vermelhos: –

Gol:Leandro Pereira, aos 22’/2ºT (1-0)

CHAPECOENSE: Jandrei, Eduardo, Douglas, Fabrício Bruno e Bruno Pacheco; Amaral, Márcio Araújo, Canteros (Elicarlos – 41’/2ºT) e Diego Torres (Bruno Silva – 23’/2ºT); Leandro Pereira (Osman – 40’/2ºT) e Wellington Paulista. Técnico: Claudinei Oliveira.

SÃO PAULO: Jean, Araruna, Arboleda, Bruno Alves e Edimar (Shaylon – 24’/2ºT); Hudson, Liziero e Nenê (Igor Gomes – 24’/2ºT); Helinho, Everton e Diego Souza (Brenner – 40’/2ºT). Técnico: André Jardine.

England’s traditional cricketing summer must face up to another unwelcome challenge next week when meetings take place in London to promote a United States Twenty20 league

David Hopps and Peter Della Penna01-Sep-2012

England’s traditional cricketing summer, already under siege from the expanding ambitions of IPL, must face up to another unwelcome challenge next week when meetings take place in London to promote a United States Twenty20 league planned to launch next July with a host of international stars.The league will be launched in direct competition to the English season with ambitions to attract many of the world’s top stars for what Neil Maxwell, one of the main proponents, is presenting to the States as “baseball on steroids.”Maxwell also freely admitted that USA promoters are monitoring tense negotiations between the ECB and Kevin Pietersen, which will determine whether he has an England future. Maxwell told ESPNcricinfo: “We haven’t spoken to Pietersen as yet. We are keen to work through the Boards to ensure the appropriate processes a followed. Once his position and ours is clarified we will no doubt chat.”Pietersen’s choice of whether he commits himself to a serious future on the Test circuit – which he told England he would on a specially-commisioned YouTube video – or becomes an itinerant player, making a fortune on the Twenty20 circuit, could now not be more stark.England will be slap bang in the middle of an Ashes summer, and will automatically be unavailable, but if UST20 succeeds it will cause further disruption for a county circuit already struggling to find overseas players of quality, including for a long-standing t20 tournament that is struggling to compete with newer, brasher competitors.While the ECB continues to agonise over the future make-up of its t20 competition, which earlier this week lost its sponsor, Friends Life, promoters from the United States are heading for London to begin the tender process for six inaugural franchises, with ambitions to grow to as many as ten by 2016,The league would most likely get underway after the conclusion of the ICC Champions Trophy, which takes runs from June 6-23 in England. The 2013 Ashes Series then follows, which means that top international stars from Australia and England would be unavailable but players from other countries might be tempted by the prospect of coming to play in America.Cricket Holdings America, a joint venture headed by the USA Cricket Association and New Zealand Cricket, has also declared ambitions for the USA to apply and secure hosting rights for future ICC events, including the ICC World Twenty20 within the next 10 years.In addition to taking bids for franchises starting this month, CHA also plans to host exhibition matches in the USA next year between imported stars and local talent.The population in the USA with South Asian background has doubled in ten years, leaving promoters convinced that the time is right to launch what will initially be a league relying entirely on imported talent.Maxwell, a CHA director, told The this week that the success of ESPNcricinfo in the United States was further proof that a market exists. There is little pretence, however, about educating an American audience, initially at least, about the finer points of the game.”Our marketing has to appeal to mainstream America,” he said. “It’s about promoting an entertainment product. Almost remove the reference to cricket and create a thing called Twenty20 that competes with movies. Link it to Hollywood and Bollywood and provide all the razzmatazz that goes with it.”CHA hopes for the league to grow to as many as 10 franchises by 2016. The first season, reports suggest, will be played primarily in New York and San Francisco. New York has thriving West Indian and South Asian immigrant populations, particularly in Brooklyn and Queens, while the San Francisco Bay Area includes Silicon Valley, where thousands of South Asians have immigrated over the years for work in the software and technology industries.If the league does launch franchises in New York and San Francisco, it would be highly probable that matches in those cities would be played on artificial pitches. While both cities are home to multiple professional sports teams with outdoor stadiums that hold in excess of 40,000 seats, neither city has an international standard natural turf wicket facility exclusively for cricket and it is doubtful that one would be built to be ready in time for next summer.Currently, the only facility in the USA that is approved by the ICC for use in Twenty20 and ODI matches is the Central Broward Regional Park in Lauderhill, Florida. Two t20 internationals between New Zealand and West Indies in Florida in July attracted decent crowdsA Twenty20 league launched in the summer months would primarily be competing for fan and media interest inside the USA with mid-season Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer. The NHL and NBA typically finish their play-offs by the middle of June while the NFL, currently the most popular professional league in the USA, starts its regular season every September.

Nick Compton made an unbeaten 42 to secure victory for Somerset as both teams qualified for the quarter-finals

Alex Winter at New Road08-Jul-2012
ScorecardUnlike their last visit, when rain ruined Nick Compton’s pursuit of history, he and James Hildreth walked off victorious at New Road•PA Photos

Somerset have enjoyed regular success in the Friends Life t20, albeit not having lifted the trophy since 2005. Their batting line-up suggests they should sweep all before them. Here they were facing a must-win tie on a pitch not conducive to big hitting but got the job done to advance to the quarter-finals, where they have drawn Essex. They even allowed themselves a second verse of The Wurzels’ , their victory song.Despite losing, Worcestershire also went through as one of the two best third-placed sides and will now play Yorkshire at Headingley.It was a pitch typical of a riverside ground with an exceptionally high water level: pretty slow and tacky but it gave the impression of being a touch two-paced. The outfield was also soft and bumpy and it made for anti-T20, with runs being ground out against slow bowling. Much credit is due to the groundstaff for getting the game on – a washout would have seen both teams qualify regardless of results elsewhere.The situation was tailor-made for Nick Compton. He controlled the small chase. Compton’s season began prolifically when most other batsman around the country struggled. His solid technique and ability to stay patient and build an innings were the basis for his early-season form, which nearly saw him make a thousand runs before the end of May. It was on this ground where his pursuit of the feat was ended cruelly by the weather.Here again the weather briefly threatened to derail Somerset’s progress but Compton’s correct attributes enabled the visitors to carefully pick off the target. Having someone bat through is often required to marshal a small chase. Compton was the lynchpin, with an unbeaten 42 from 54-balls, holding the rudder steady to take Somerset through.”The bowlers bowled very well and the spinners got the pace of the wicket,” Compton said. “I don’t think the wicket was that bad, it was a little bit tackier for them, which allowed us to get through a few overs at the start. But when I came into bat with pace on the ball it actually came through quite nicely. When they took pace off the ball it was difficult.”It was nice to get a couple away early, I tend to get criticised for not going off like a train. But it suited me today, I like to take responsibility and it was important that I stayed until the end.”The difficulty of the surface was no more evident than in the first wicket of the match to fall: Vikram Solanki through with his stroke far too soon and providing a leading edge to mid-off. Conditions made getting away Somerset’s spinners – George Dockrell and Max Waller – very difficult. The pair proved the most successful bowlers, sending down seven overs between them for just 33.It was a work-it-around innings. There was a brief late flurry with Ben Scott’s 14-ball 19 but not enough batsman were able to play around Phil Hughes’ 50-ball 45 – his Compton innings. But it was hard to know what a competitive score was batting first.Worcestershire managed to take the chase all the way to the penultimate over but while Compton was at the crease Somerset always looked likely to get over the line. He stuck four boundaries in the first five overs but then found the rope only once more, working the ball around and allowing his more aggressive partners to try and clear the ropes.It was difficult, though, as Moeen Ali’s offspin took up much of the middle of the innings, conceding only 13 in his four overs and ending Jos Buttler’s run-a-ball knock. Left-armer David Lucas also returned for two tight overs, as the hosts tried to create a nervous ending – not knowing results elsewhere were in their favour.But what they needed defending a small score was wickets and Worcestershire couldn’t find enough of them. Somerset had two much in the armoury and when things began to get close, James Hildreth played a busy innings that was excellent considering the surface. He broke the back of the chase with three swift boundaries: reverse-sweeping Brett D’Oliveria, then taking successive Gareth Andrew deliveries over the leg side.

حقق فريق بيراميدز فوزاً كبيراً على منافسه أسكو كارا التوجولي، بأربعة أهداف مقابل هدف، في المباراة التي جمعت الفريقين اليوم الأربعاء ببطولة الكونفدرالية.

بيراميدز واجه أسكو، في إطار الجولة الرابعة من عمر مواجهات دور المجموعات للبطولة الإفريقية، وذلك في اللقاء الذي أقيم بالعاصمة لومي في توجو.

وتقدم فخر الدين بن يوسف مبكرًا لفريق بيراميدز وتحديدًا في الدقيقة 3، بعدما وصلته كرة من زميله إسلام عيسي داخل منطقة الجزاء ليسكنها في شباك حارس الفريق التوجولي.

طالع | ترتيب مجموعة بيراميدز في الكونفدرالية بعد الفوز على إسكو كارا

وأضاف مصطفى فتحي هدفين متتاليين في الدقيقتين 26 و36 من تسديدتين من داخل منطقة الجزاء.

وعزز إسلام عيسي من تقدم بيراميدز بالهدف الرابع في الدقيقة 64 بتسديدة متقنة سكنت مرمى حارس أسكو.

بينما جاء هدف الفريق التوجولي عن طريق كانجنيفي اماتشوتشوي في الدقيقة 66 من رأسية على يمين أحمد الشناوي.

وبهذا الفوز، يرتقي بيراميدز إلى صدارة المجموعة الثالثة بالكونفدرالية، برصيد 8 نقاط، بينما يتواجد فريق أسكو في المركز الرابع والأخير بنقطة واحدة.

ويتواجد بيراميدز وأسكو في المجموعة الثالثة بجانب كل من “فيوتشر والجيش الملكي المغربي” الذي من المقرر أن يتواجه في التاسعة من مساء اليوم الأربعاء ضمن منافسات نفس الجولة. أهداف مباراة بيراميدز وأسكو اليوم في الكونفدرالية:

An unbeaten 82-run partnership between Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor set up a tantalising final day in Dunedin, in which all four results remain possible

The Report by Andrew Fernando09-Mar-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
A lot will rest on Brendon McCullum if New Zealand are to complete their highest successful fourth-innings chase•AFP

An unbeaten 82-run partnership between Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor set up a tantalising final day in Dunedin, in which all four results remain possible. South Africa need eight wickets to take the series lead, while New Zealand require another 264 runs to complete their highest successful fourth-innings chase. Rain forecast for tomorrow however, may prevent a result.McCullum and Taylor were positive through their association, especially harsh on width outside the off stump from South Africa’s fast bowlers. A mid-session flurry in the evening even produced 40 runs from 31 deliveries, as the pair smacked five fours and a six, making it clear New Zealand were not simply chasing a draw. Although the pitch had become considerably slower and lower over the past two days, a lack of marked increase in turn for Imran Tahir will bolster hopes of an unlikely upset. The possibility was not lost on Graeme Smith, who stationed men on the offside fence towards the end of the day.The two batsmen had put on a promising partnership in the first innings, only to throw their wickets away when New Zealand seemed headed for a significant first innings lead. But on the fourth evening, false shots were rare. Jacques Kallis had Ross Taylor slashing at one too close to his body, late in the day, but apart from that solitary misjudgment, only the truly loose deliveries were attacked. A languid cover drive by Taylor relied more on timing than his characteristic power to reach the fence, while McCullum’s innings displayed a keen awareness of the field, which he sought to manipulate. It has not always been the case for him, even at times during this tour. He was unbeaten on 58, when the umpires called it a day, due to bad light, with Taylor two short of his fifty.The chase was set up by Jacques Rudolph, who became South Africa’s third centurion in their second innings, with an unbeaten 105, embellishing an impressive record in New Zealand, where he now boasts an average of 98.6. South Africa had moved slowly in the first session of the day, largely unwilling to take risks to spur an ambling run rate, but alongside Mark Boucher, Rudolph quickened the tempo after lunch, and South Africa declared with a lead of 400 midway through the afternoon session. He had taken 140 deliveries for his 59 at the end of the first session, but needed only 35 more to move to triple figures, shortly before Smith motioned the innings closed.Eighty-nine overs in the field on day three had seemingly sapped the New Zealand attack, as their opening forays on day four lacked pace and penetration, while South Africa progressed slowly to a hefty lead. Chris Martin was negotiated without fuss by South Africa’s overnight pair – much as he had been throughout several toothless spells the previous afternoon – and though Doug Bracewell coaxed modest nip from a placid surface, his first spell found chiefly the middle of Kallis’ blade, when the batsman resumed an unhurried innings on 107.Smart stats

For the 15th time overall in Tests and the first time against New Zealand, three South African batsmen scored centuries in an innings. The last time this happened was in the third Test win against Sri Lanka in CapeTown.

Jacques Rudolph scored his sixth Test century and his second against New Zealand. On the previous occasion he scored a century against New Zealand, South Africa lost the match by wickets. It is his first Test century since the 102 against Australia in Perth in 2005.

South Africa’s total of 435 is their highest second-innings score in Tests against New Zealand. On the previous occasion when they made over 400 in the third innings (Johannesburg in 2007), they went on to win by 358 runs.

If New Zealand are to win the Test, they will become only the fifth team to chase over 400 in the fourth innings. West Indies hold the record for chasing the highest target (418) in Tests. The highest target chased by New Zealand is 324 against Pakistan in 1994.

The 82-run stand between Ross Taylor and Brendon McCullum is the fourth-highest third-wicket stand for New Zealand against South Africa and is presently their third-highest stand for the third wicket in the fourth innings.

Trent Boult drew the unenviable task of bowling into a strong, chilling wind, but it turned out a blessing when Kallis misjudged the pace of the third ball in Boult’s first over. Expecting the ball to arrive much quicker, Kallis was through a clip off the pads, and ended up scooping it in the air to Rob Nicol at midwicket.Despite that early breakthrough, New Zealand were unable to build pressure as South Africa ambled on comfortably via risk-averse accumulation. The run-rate rarely stirred above three an over, and when AB de Villiers sought to raise it, he found McCullum at deep midwicket with his first truly expansive stroke.The declaration prior to tea gave South Africa enough time to prise the first New Zealand wicket before the break, when Martin Guptill fell prey to Vernon Philander, who induced bounce and slight movement off the seam to take Guptill’s edge on 6.Dale Steyn was down on pace throughout his spells in the second innings, perhaps hampered by a swollen big toe on his landing foot. Morne Morkel threatened with the new ball, hitting Nicol on the shoulder and the wrist in his first spell, but had his natural bounce hamstrung by an aging pitch playing lower as the match wore on.Tahir could not generate the turn he might have hoped for, but was handed a wicket nonetheless – off the worst ball he bowled in the innings. Nicol’s surrender was perhaps the most mindless dismissal of the summer, when he slapped a knee-high full toss to Smith at mid-on. The batsman cringed regretfully almost as soon as he played the stroke, but South Africa were gleeful at the bonus – Tahir barely able to believe his luck, or the folly of a batsman who had scraped through another testing new-ball period from the seamers.McCullum’s fluency was immediate though, as he hit boundaries from each of the first two overs he faced. New Zealand will rest their hopes with him and Taylor, when the pair resume tomorrow, if the weather allows it.

دخل حسام البدري المدير الفني لمنتخب مصر الأسبق في دائرة الترشيحات لتولي مهمة تدريب فريق الوداد المغربي خلال الفترة المقبلة.

وكان الوداد المغربي قد خسر مباراته الماضية أمام شبيبة القبائل الجزائري بهدف وحيد، في أولى مواجهاته بمرحلة المجموعات في دوري أبطال إفريقيا، بجانب خروجه من بطولة كأس العالم للأندية أمام الهلال السعودي.

وأفادت صحيفة 360 سبورت المغربية، بأن حسام البدري يرغب في خوض تجربة جديدة في البطولة الاحترافية المغربية، ويُراهن على التعاقد معه لتحقيق لقب دوري أبطال إفريقيا مع الوداد.

طالع | ترتيب المجموعة الأولى في دوري أبطال إفريقيا بعد فوز شبيبة القبائل أمام الوداد

وأوضح التقرير أن البدري قدم سيرته الذاتية على طاولة الوداد رغبة منه في تولي مهمة تدريب الفريق، خلفًا للتونسي المهدي النفطي الذي يتجه سعيد الناصيري لإقالته بعد الهزيمة الأخيرة أمام شبيبة القبائل.

ويأمل حسام البدري في الفوز باللقب القاري للمرة الثانية في مسيرته التدريبية، بعد تحقيقها سابقا مع الأهلي في نسخة 2012.

In almost 30 years as a Test-playing nation Sri Lanka have gone from minnows to maestros and, in the last year, halfway back. They have begun a tough tour of South Africa by suffering injuries to key players in the lead-up to the first Test, which starts on December 15 in Centurion. Kumar Sangakkara, Sri Lanka’s second-highest run-getter in Tests, is one of the players in doubt for the first Test after he split the webbing on his right hand during Sri Lanka’s drawn warm-up match against a South Africa Invitation XI in Benoni. He does expect to play a part in the series, though, and said the team would prove a point to themselves and their opposition.”We are in a transition period and are coming to terms with new players coming into the side, especially younger ones,” Sangakkara said. “We know where we stand as a group. It’s important for us to understand that and work with what we have.”In recent times, Sri Lankan cricket has been run by interim committees appointed by the country’s sports minister. The most recent of these interim committees was dissolved in November with board elections set to be held in January next year. Sangakkara said the changes at the administrative level did take a toll on the team. “There has been quite a big change in the sense of personnel coming in and out really quickly. Once we come to an understanding of how we want to build in the future as a side, we will have a lot more settled intent and a settled kind of feel to us.”For now, their intent lies in putting on a competitive performance against South Africa. Their tour began with a rain-hit warm-up match in which openers Tharanga Paranavitana and Tillakaratne Dilshan found form, and Mahela Jayawardene was allowed some time in the middle. Although a shortened tour match was not ideal, Sangakkara said the team were relatively happy with what they got out of the match, particularly from a bowling perspective.The Sri Lanka attack was depleted when Nuwan Pradeep tore his right hamstring after bowling just ten balls on the second day in Benoni, but Dilhara Fernando and Rangana Herath enjoyed fairly successful spells with the ball. “The benefit was in getting out there, getting used to conditions, understanding what lengths to bowl to try to get wickets and really coming to grips with the challenges South African wickets are going to present for the bowlers,” Sangakkara said.Since the retirements of Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralitharan, Sri Lanka’s bowling has been a major concern but Sangakkara hopes that this tour will help the team move on from that. He said they should focus on finding new talent to take them forward. “You get one Murali and that’s it. It’s important for us to come to terms with that mentally. We are not looking for the next Murali. We are looking for the next best spinner to come and win games for us. He might not take 800 wickets but I think the guys we have on tour are good enough to do a job for us.”In Benoni, Herath played both a containing and an attacking role, and most importantly was successful on a surface that offered no help for spinners. It is that quality that Sangakkara says makes Herath a top-class competitor. “Spin has come to play a major part in all formats of the game, much more than ever before. If you are a good spinner you should know and be able to work on how to take wickets on pitches that don’t assist you.”Although Sri Lanka have been warned against going into a Test in South Africa with two frontline spinners, they may be forced to because of the deluge of injuries that have hit their fast-bowling department. Ajantha Mendis, famous for his variations, is the other spinner in the squad, and Sangakkara said Mendis would have to concentrate on accuracy rather than magic balls. “It’s nice to have that x-factor. But Test cricket is about being disciplined, bowling in the right areas, ball after ball, over after over, and exerting pressure on the opposition.”Sri Lanka remain hopeful that one of either Nuwan Kulasekara or Dhammika Prasad will be fit enough to rejoin the tour, and perform a containing role. With five injured fast bowlers, Sri Lanka have had to answer questions about the fitness of their quicks and Sangakkara agreed that they have to work on their stamina.”The fast bowlers must start working on their bowling loads. They have to get their bodies used to the load that international cricket demands of you.”The series is one that many expect to be decided by the gulf between the two teams’ pace attacks but Sangakkara said there could be more to it than just that. “South Africa has always depended on pure pace and skill with the ball when it comes to fast bowling. But they’ve got a good spinner in [Imran] Tahir. It will be interesting to see whether the wickets will assist them [spinners] enough for them to break open games.”