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Round-up of the Faysal Bank T-20 Cup games on December 3, 2012

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Dec-2012
ScorecardCrucial knocks by lower-order batsmen repaired Bahawalpur Stag’s chase and took them to a close two-wicket win against Karachi Dolphins in Lahore. Bahawalpur had lost half their side for 86 in the 14th over, needing 67 more runs to win at more than 11 runs per over. But Kamran Hussain, Usman Tariq and Moinuddin together scored 50 runs in 31 deliveries to help their side get to the target in the last over. Seamer Tanvir Ahmed was the most expensive bowler, giving away 41 runs in his four overs.Karachi’ innings was based on productive contributions by wicketkeeper Amin-ur-Rehman and Fawad Alam, who scored 44 and 43 respectively. After an aggressive stand of 51 runs in five overs that laid the foundation for a strong total, Karachi suffered a minor collapse. But Fawad Alam and Khalid Latif steadied their innings. The final total of 152 wasn’t out of reach of their opponents.
ScorecardSialkot Stallions captain Shoaib Malik led the chase of a below-par target and completed an eight-wicket victory against Karachi Zebras at the Gaddafi Stadium. All of the Karachi top-five batsmen made starts but no one carried on. Daniyal Ahsan’s unbeaten 24 was the top score as Adeel Malik claimed 3 for 19 to restrict Karachi to 111 for 5.After Sialkot lost their openers, Haris Sohail anchored the innings with 34 off 44 balls, while Shoaib Malik blasted 50 off 31. The target was achieved with 20 balls to spare.
ScorecardIn another tight battle, Abbottabad Falcons defeated Islamabad Leopards by two wickets, helped by captain Younis Khan’s responsible knock of 38. The low-scoring match seemed to be heading Islamabad’s way after fast bowler Umar Gul had helped them reduce Abbottabad to 105 for 8, but in the company of Junaid Khan, Younis took them to the target of 120 with one ball to spare.Abbottabad were in control of their chase at 83 for 2, but Mir Azam’s wicket triggered a collapse as they lost six wickets for 22 runs to be in trouble, before the recovery by Younis. Azam, with a quick 59, scored a run less than half of the team’s total.Islamabad had similarly slipped against their opponent’s bowling to post 116 for 8. Middle-order batsman Imad Wasim put up a resistance with 45, but couldn’t string more than two productive partnerships. Left-arm spinner Amjad Waqas took three wickets.
ScorecardThe contest between Lahore Eagles and Peshawar Panthers wasn’t so evenly matched as Peshawar were restricted to 86 for 8 to lose by 76 runs at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground. Four batsmen scored in double digits, and opener Israrullah top-scored with 22. A fourth-wicket partnership of 25 runs was the highest Peshawar could muster. It was a combined effective bowling effort from Lahore as no bowler went wicketless.Lahore, after being put in to bat, started with a brisk 43-run opening stand in four overs. Imran Farhat, who scored 68 off 45 deliveries, was the bedrock of the strong total. At 150 for 3, they lost six wickets for 12 runs at the end of the innings.
ScorecardFaisalabad Wolves achieved an authoritative victory by eight wickets against Hyderabad Hawks. Their bowlers restricted Hyderabad to 97 for 8, and opener Farrukh Shehzad and Naved Latif then put on 74 runs together to chase the target down with 23 balls to spare. Shehzad won his second successive man-of-the-match award.After choosing to bat, Hyderabad suffered a shaky start as the top three batsmen in their line-up fell cheaply. They had lost half their side for 50 in the 13th over. Although No. 4 Rizwan Ahmed struck a 41-run stand for the sixth wicket Mir Ali, the latter’s dismissal in the 18th over caused a collapse, as Hyderabad limped to 97 or 8.
ScorecardHalf-centuries from Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal drove Lahore Lions to a commanding total of 182, by the weight of which they crushed Multan Tigers by 30 runs. Although Multan were in the hunt in their chase till the penultimate over, their hopes had been diminished once set batsmen Gulraiz Sadaf and Saeed Anwar jnr were dismissed.Lahore, from the outset, were in control of their innings. After a couple of partnerships of more than 50 runs each, Shehzad and Umar added a further 50 runs in 3.4 overs, with Umar smashing 55 off 21 deliveries. The late acceleration pushed them to a run rate of over nine runs per over, and it ultimately proved to be the difference between the two sides. Seamer Mohammad Irfan, who took 3 for 8 in his previous game, conceded 47 in his four overs.

South Africa A have played their part in softening Australia up ahead of the two-Test series against the senior side next week

Firdose Moonda in Potchefstroom03-Nov-2011South Africa A have played their part in softening Australia up ahead of the two-Test series against the senior side next week. Although Australia won the four-day tour match in Potchefstroom with more than a day to spare, their batsmen did not have maximum time in the middle on a lively pitch, which offered plenty of assistance to the bowlers.”We don’t want a red carpet rolled out with a white wicket and teams come and bat for three days,” Vincent Barnes, South Africa High Performance and A team coach, said. “That’s why we batted first. The wicket looked a bit sporty but we felt we wanted to bat twice and give them [Australia] as little time as possible in the middle so they leave here a bit undercooked.”Australia’s quicks, particularly Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle, enjoyed the seamer-friendly pitch, which saw them bowl South Africa A out for 183 before tea on the first day. In a low-scoring match, Australia were then dismissed for 236 and no team was able to score more than 264 in an innings.Thirteen wickets fell on both the first and second day before the pitch flattened and dried on the third, with Australia getting the easier batting conditions as they neared victory. South Africa A were not too disappointed by their defeat, saying the manner in which it was achieved will probably give the country a headstart in the psychological battle.”We didn’t want them to take as much as they could out of the game,” Barnes said. “One or two of them are still walking around thinking ‘I haven’t really had good preparation in this game,’ especially a guy like Ponting.” Ponting scored 31 runs in the match and did not have enough time to play himself in or enjoy a decent knock.Far from being hospitable hosts, the South Africa A side were openly hostile in the field. The South African fielders were not short of a word throughout Australia’s chase and made it clear that the battle lines had been drawn, even though the series is a shortened, two-match one.”That’s our responsibility; to make sure these guys go into the Test series feeling a bit underdone,” Alviro Petersen, South Africa A captain, said, “We wanted to make sure that they know playing in South Africa is going to be hard work.”Petersen, who was dropped from the Test squad to make room for Jacques Rudolph, grafted out 103 in tough conditions and had some advice to pass on to the national batsmen. “Their bowlers, when they get a bit tired, it’s easier to score off them,” he said. “They also don’t have a world class spinner, although the spinner that they do have, there’s something there.”Barnes was more bullish about South Africa’s ability to handle the Australian attack. “We are in a better position against their bowlers,” he said, adding that the key match-up in the Test series will be between both team’s pace bowlers and that South Africa have the edge. “Our bowlers are better in our conditions and I believe our batters can handle their attack.”Mitchell Johnson, who finished the match with nine-wickets and resumed a profitable relationship with South African pitches, was identified as the biggest threat. “He can change a game in one session, he showed it here this morning” Petersen said. Johnson ripped through South Africa’s tail with three wickets in five overs in the first hour and Petersen felt he was probably the leading bowler for Australia at this stage.While South Africa A saw their main task as sizing up the opposition ahead of an important Test series, Barnes described their role a “two-fold,” with their second component to analyse the resources in the country. “It showed us that the cupboards are not bare,” Barnes said.He was particularly heartened by the bowling options he saw, with 21-year-old Marchant de Lange stealing the headlines with his five-for in Australia’s first innings. “Marchant has come and bowled unbelievably well. He’s got a long way to go and a lot to learn but he showed us that there is something there,” Barnes said. “He just pulled Wayne Parnell with him. That’s the best I’ve seen Wayne bowl in first-class cricket.” Parnell was aggressive and used the bouncer to good effect. He has been seen as an outside contender for the Test squad, having never completed a full season of first-class cricket in South Africa, because of his international commitments.Vernon Philander, who has been included in the Test squad, is, according to Barnes “ready to play.” Philander will compete with Lonwabo Tsotsobe for the third seamers’ spot and Barnes expects it to be tough for the selectors to choose between them, especially since Philander has taken 80 wickets in the previous two seasons of first-class cricket.”Vern is a highly skillful bowler. If there’s anything in the wicket, he is going to exploit it. He also has added advantage of batting,” Barnes said. With the first Test at Newlands, Philander’s hunting ground, Barnes said he won’t be surprised to see Philander get his first cap. “You might want to use somebody who has played there for most of his career.”Barnes also had a compliment for Petersen, who has handled his rejection with classy composure. “That’s one of the better 100s I’ve seen in a while under the conditions and the bowling,” he said. Petersen, on the other hand, chose not to dwell on being dropped. “I think Jacques Rudolph played really well in the last year or two and I think he deserves his call up,” he said. “I was just the unfortunate one to be left out.”

A brutal Sri Lankan performance delivered Australia their first Twenty20 defeat at home

Peter English31-Oct-2010Sri Lanka 3 for 135 (Sangakkara 44*, Dilshan 41) beat Australia 8 for 133 (Haddin 35, Randiv 3-25) by 7 wickets

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Tillakaratne Dilshan’s 41 off 34 balls helped swing Sri Lanka to victory•AFP

A brutal Sri Lankan performance delivered Australia their first Twenty20 defeat at home as Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara thrust the tourists to a commanding seven-wicket victory. The hosts were first overwhelmed by a stunning bowling display, dropping to 5 for 43 in the 11th over and finishing at 8 for 133, before becoming the victims of an explosive batting effort.The opener Dilshan guided the small chase with 41 off 34 balls while the captain Kumar Sangakkara registered a delightful 44 off 43 and the game was over 21 balls early. With the English squad staying a short walk away as they prepare for the Ashes – Kevin Pietersen was in the stands – Australia suffered their fourth Twenty20 loss in a row and their first in 11 games at home. The defeat felt as severe as the result inflicted by England in Southampton at the start of Australia’s failed 2005 Ashes tour.Mahela Jayawardene and Dilshan raced to 35 in the fourth over and Dilshan kept up the pace when Jayawardene went for 24 off 16. Sangakkara joined Dilshan and they were rarely troubled as they drove, flicked and forced boundaries. Dilshan, who was stumped off Steven Smith, finished with six fours and Sangakkara gained six of them as the pair enjoyed tormenting the inexperienced attack. Thisara Perera then arrived to finish the game off by thrashing Smith for a six, a four and another six over long-on to finish the match.Jayawardene crashed two boundaries from Clint McKay’s opening over and then blasted two more from Peter Siddle, who got his revenge when the batsman edged behind. Siddle was back in Australian colours for the first time since January and the breakthrough was a relief for the hosts. Dirk Nannes was then fortunate to have Dinesh Chandimal (2) lbw to a ball pitching outside leg, but that was when Australia’s luck ran out.Brad Haddin and Smith were in charge of Australia’s first-innings rescue and put on a much-needed 66 in 7.2 overs. Haddin, playing his first international since the World Twenty20 in May, showed his elbow was healed with 35 off 30 balls, including a crisp straight six off Dilhara Fernando.However, the offspinner Suraj Randiv dismissed Haddin and Smith (34) in the same over to stop them from racing away. Sri Lanka’s attack was brilliant as it dominated on a surface offering some helpful bounce. Randiv was impressive with 3 for 25 off four overs while Malinga (1 for 26) and Fernando (1 for 29) were fast and uncomfortable. Perera also chipped in with a very handy 2 for 22 from four.Clarke delivered an immediate surprise after winning the toss by walking out to open with David Warner, but the restructure didn’t provide the required boost as he strolled to 16 off 19. He has been criticised for his run-a-ball scoring in a game that demands much more but the move back-fired, especially in comparison to the output of his opponents.Clarke managed the first four in the third over and also lifted Muttiah Muralitharan for six, but in between the boundaries a frustrated David Warner (2 off 8) miscued Fernando. Fernando then removed Clarke with a spectacular back-pedalling, one-handed catch at mid-on to turn the volume down on a crowd desperate for the locals to fire.The exits of David Hussey (7) and Shane Watson (4) added to the Australian headaches, leaving them at 4 for 31 in the eighth over. When Cameron White edged behind to Malinga five of their main men were gone just after the halfway point of the innings. From that point the game was Sri Lanka’s.

Rain and bad light kept the final day to 31 overs at Bellerive Oval, where Tasmania took the only points in the draw due to their first-innings lead

Cricinfo staff27-Nov-2009
ScorecardPeter George finished the match with 11 wickets•South Australian Cricket Association

Rain and bad light kept the final day to 31 overs at Bellerive Oval, where Tasmania took the only points in the draw due to their first-innings lead. When play was called off the Tigers had 4 for 129 in what had become a meaningless second innings with George Bailey on 64 and Luke Butterworth on 29.Rain delayed the start substantially and when play finally resumed Tasmania added 90 to their overnight total for the loss of one wicket. Much of the interest on the final day was in how many victims Peter George would end up with for the match, having grabbed eight wickets in the first innings.He finished with three in the second innings, making the only breakthrough on the fourth day when he had Daniel Marsh caught for 4. It meant George ended up with match figures of 11 for 131, the best analysis by a South Australia bowler in a Sheffield Shield/Pura Cup match since Paul Rofe picked up 13 in a game in 2001-02.

Glasgow Rangers ran riot over Celtic at Parkhead on Saturday to move four points clear of their Old Firm rivals at the top of the Scottish Premiership table.

Steven Gerrard’s side dominated the derby from start to finish to record a 2-0 win at Celtic Park, and they are currently enjoying a 14-game unbeaten streak as a result – dating back to the 1-0 win away at Aberdeen – meaning they are early favourites to reclaim the title.

The Light Blues took an early lead when Connor Goldson headed them in front and the centre-back doubled the lead after the restart. But one player stood out from the rest.

James Tavernier put in a performance to remember as Rangers romped to victory over their arch-rivals. It was announced last month that the club captain had been named Premiership Player of the Month after scoring three goals in September.

And Tavernier certainly lived up to pre-match expectations as he ran up and down the flank with abandon, combining with Brandon Barker and Ryan Kent on multiple occasions.

Per SofaScore, the 28-year-old showed exactly what he has to offer, as he won 66% of his aerials duels whilst he supplied the assist for the opening goal and provided one key pass, as well as made two clearances, two tackles and one interception. A look at his heatmap shows the workhorse put in a shift with acres of space down the right wing.

As is often the case, a workmanlike performance can often go unnoticed, especially when a player like Goldson steals the limelight. But his contributions cannot be ignored, especially when you consider the fact that his sublime free kick enabled his teammate to open the scoring after just eight minutes on the clock.

Moreover, Celtic failed to muster a single shot on target, which speaks volumes. Whilst Neil Lennon’s side may argue that they were without Odsonne Edouard and Ryan Christie, it’s hard to deny the fact that they were outclassed in almost every area of the pitch.

It’s perhaps hardly surprising that Tavernier attracted interest from West Ham in the summer. One thing is for sure, the Gers must keep the £4.5m-rated ace at all costs, as it is highly unlikely that he will be short of suitors in the winter transfer window.

AND in other news, Glasgow Rangers must keep Glen Kamara at all costs after Pukki comments…

Everton will be looking to continue their rich vein of form in the Premier League later this afternoon as they head to South London to face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men are unbeaten in all competitions since the 2020/21 campaign got underway – in the past week alone, the Toffees have scored ten goals across two matches. They could well be a team to fear this season.

Last time out in the Premier League, they defeated West Brom 5-2 with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting a hat-trick and then on Wednesday night they thrashed Fleetwood Town by the same scoreline, so will the Italian boss make any changes?

Here’s the lineup we are predicting today…

Ancelotti will surely revert back to his usual lineup, meaning there could be as many as six changes.

Jordan Pickford is the number one between the sticks until further notice, so he keeps his place whilst Lucas Digne, who played at centre-back in midweek, reverts back to his attacking left-back spot with Yerry Mina replacing Niels Nkounkou. The 19-year-old has impressed but his fellow Frenchman is the first choice.

Michael Keane also keeps his place with skipper Seamus Coleman coming in for Jonjo Kenny at right-back.

A midfield trio of Allan as anchorman, supported by Abdoulaye Doucoure and £22m maestro Andre Gomes return in the engine room with the third summer arrival James Rodriguez taking his place slightly wide right.

Whilst leading the attack, the in-form goalscoring duo of Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin will, of course, remain in the starting XI.

Despite scoring in midweek both £34m flop Alex Iwobi and Bernard drop to the bench as does Gylfi Sigurdsson and Fabian Delph.

AND in other news, Everton can end centre-back nightmare by signing £13.5m monster… 

As per Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Glasgow Rangers have had an offer rejected for Andreas Skov Olsen.

The Gers are said to have made a loan offer for the winger, who only signed for Bologna last year.

However, the report says that was turned down by his current club, with them saying that they will not allow him to leave on a temporary basis, and that it will need a considerable offer to convince them to part ways permanently.

Olsen made the move to Italy for £5.4m last July, but he made just 26 appearances in all competitions for the Serie A outfit last term – he has struggled to adapt to a step up in quality from the Danish top flight.

However, he is just 20 years old, and his displays at Nordsjaelland were very impressive – as a teenager, he scored 26 goals and provided six assists during the 2018/19 campaign, whilst he has also shown his ability on the international stage with eight goals in 16 matches for Denmark’s U21s.

Currently valued at £6.03m by Transfermarkt, it would likely require a big offer from the Gers to convince Bologna to part ways, but if they could strike some kind of deal, he has all the ability to become a real star for Steven Gerrard north of the border.

Let us know what you think below!

Manchester United thrashed Aston Villa 3-0 at Villa Park on Thursday night to extend their unbeaten run to 17 games in all competitions.

Plans seem to be in motion to return the Red Devils to their pedestal, as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is eager to sign Jadon Sancho this summer.

While the club legend ferrets around for some new additions to his squad, United are in a strong position in the Premier League. They are currently fifth in the table, a point behind fourth-placed Leicester and two points away from Chelsea.

Solskjaer’s side remain firmly in the race for Champions League football next season with only four games remaining. If United keep on going as they are, they may not even need to take Manchester City’s place in the competition – although this is not guaranteed.

As the transfer window approaches, Ed Woodward will begin to feel pressure to keep this momentum going and make a statement signing, as used to be a tradition under Sir Alex Ferguson. While Fergie’s days are long gone, and the club has been on a rollercoaster ever since, the reality remains that the Glazers must take advantage of this situation.

Solskjaer has built a platform for the Glazers to build a winning team again but, as Mark Ogden has opined, they are still several signings away from challenging Liverpool and Manchester City for the title.

The foundations are there for all to see, as Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes have formed a formidable midfield partnership, but United’s defence has been circumspect at best.

Signing Sancho isn’t enough as there are other key areas that urgently need addressing. The Red Devils don’t seem to have any problems scoring goals – indeed, Mason Greenwood has racked up a tally of nine goals in the league.

David de Gea and Harry Maguire have copped a fair amount of criticism from club legend Roy Keane amongst many others, as they have made a string of errors on multiple occasions. That’s not to say that Solskjaer should get rid of the culprits, far from it, and it is hard to imagine that the board will be willing to sell Maguire after they spent a fortune on him last summer.

Rather, it suggests that there are other areas where they need improvement to bring out the best in them. If United have to splash the cash on another centre-half to compliment the club captain, so be it, as Victor Lindelof has never looked particularly convincing alongside him.

For whatever reason, Eric Bailly can’t seem to get a game at the moment, while Lindelof has received a below-par rating of 6.69 overall for his performances so far.

The Glazers have a real chance to close the gap on the runaway leaders this summer and get the club back to where they used to be. Money shouldn’t be a problem as The Athletic revealed the board still have an ample amount to spend.

Chelsea have already paved the way by bringing Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech to Stamford Bridge, and United should follow suit by making several signings to level the playing field.

Jurgen Klopp has insisted that Liverpool will not be spending vast sums, while City’s transfer policy hinges on the outcome of their appeal against a two-year ban from UEFA competitions, and the Glazers should be looking to seize the advantage in the transfer window.

There is not a moment to waste and United should be seeking to snap up some key players to improve the squad.

United fans, do you think the Glazers will make several major signings? Let us know your views below!

Arriving at Molineux during a significant period of overhaul for the club, Mick McCarthy made slow but steady process as manager of Wolverhampton Wanderers.

His first season at the club saw him radically revamp the squad, with experienced players such as Paul Ince, Kenny Miller and Darren Anderton departing and younger talents including Karl Henry, Jay Bothroyd and Michael Kightly coming in.

Having missed out on promotion narrowly in his first two seasons as boss, Wolves secured their return to the big time in 2009, with McCarthy’s free-scoring side impressing throughout the season.

Following their promotion to the Premier League Wolves were never able to fully establish themselves as a force in the top flight, but nonetheless McCarthy kept them up in consecutive seasons, before being sacked in 2012 as his side slid towards the bottom of the league.

With football back underway and Wolves chasing a place in the top four, we look back on the career of Mick McCarthy at Molineux and are testing your knowledge of his Wolves career…

As sad as it is, Marcelo Bielsa won’t be the Leeds United manager forever.

One journalist recently said on Twitter that the Argentine may only have a couple of seasons left in him at Elland Road, and with the Argentine turning 65 earlier this month, you have to say that the clock is ticking on his career.

Bielsa has already made himself a legend at Leeds, getting them back to the Premier League after 16 years out in the cold, and the city has shown it’s gratitude by naming a street after him, but in the not so distant future he will need replacing, and there are two men the higher-ups at Leeds must now keep an eye on for that eventuality.

The first name to mention that Victor Orta and Andrea Radrizzani need to keep tabs on is Lee Bowyer.

The Charlton Athletic boss was a gaffer the higher-ups were reportedly very keen on earlier this season, but with the Addicks getting relegated on the final day, he has a long way to go towards proving that he’s ready to take on a job the size of Leeds United, even if he was overperforming at The Valley, considering the ownership crisis happening at the London club.

Bowyer has since been linked with a move elsewhere, and if he gets another job, Leeds’ top brass must make sure they’re looking at him again as his history at Elland Road will make him a popular choice amongst fans, and if he has the managerial pedigree to go alongside that, it could be an inspired choice.

Another avenue they could explore is Carlos Corberan taking charge once Bielsa is done.

The former Leeds U23s boss is the new Huddersfield Town manager, and due to the close work he has done with Bielsa, he could easily take the reins at Elland Road in a few years and continue the project that his mentor started.

It’s previously been stated that experience could be something that puts the Whites off appointing Corberan, but now that he’s got his first job in management, that issue may fade away.

Phil Hay recently pointed out the similarities between Corberan and the 65-year-old, and if United want to build upon what Bielsa started, the Spaniard could be the answer.

“If you are wanting to tap into what Bielsa is doing at Leeds, Corberan, other than Bielsa himself is the only avenue to go down.” He said (The Phil Hay Show 24/6/20 26:30).

It’s unknown which direction Leeds will want to go in once the Bielsa era is over, or even where they’ll be when that time comes, but next season will be a huge test for two of his potential successors, and United need to keep an eye on those situations.