All posts by h716a5.icu

At the press conference on the eve of his debut as South Africa captain, everything from AB de Villiers’ body language to the way he talked made it clear that he wants nothing more than to lead

Firdose Moonda in Cape Town10-Jan-2012A naughty boy. Those were the three words used to describe South Africa’s limited-overs captain AB de Villiers by his long-time team-mate and friend Albie Morkel. “But he has grown up now,” Morkel said.At the press conference on the eve of his debut as South Africa captain, de Villiers could well have been the excited, bouncing bundle Morkel was referring to. He bounded in, he beamed, he even bellowed out his answers. He didn’t have to say it but it was obvious that he was thrilled to be there.This has been a long time coming. de Villiers was named captain of the ODI and Twenty20 squads more than seven months ago in June 2011. He then had to wait a little over four months for a chance to lead the side for the first time, in a T20I against Australia. But the week before the match, he injured his hand during training with his IPL team Royal Challengers Bangalore and without having touched the captaincy reins himself, had to hand them over to Hashim Amla.For those two T20Is and three ODIs against Australia, de Villiers cut a lonely figure. He lurked around the stadiums with a look on his face that said he wished he could play. He will finally get his chance on Wednesday when he walks out ahead of his team in Paarl for the first ODI against Sri Lanka.”It’s taken a while to get here,” de Villiers said. “But I am really looking forward to it.” Unlike Amla, the reluctant captain who stood in for de Villiers and said almost exactly the same words, de Villiers can be believed. Everything from his body language to the way he talked made it clear that de Villiers wants nothing more than to lead.Remarkably, it is a job he has never held before. Not for a franchise, a domestic team or even at school. His main influence has been his former captain, Graeme Smith, and while de Villiers claimed to have taken pages out of Smith’s book, he also insisted that he will start writing his own chapters soon.”We are different people. I am younger and less experienced,” de Villiers said. “You can expect to make a couple more mistakes. I won’t be scared to try out new things and a bit of flair. I know he will be on my shoulder but he has told me that he will let me captain the way I want to.”de Villiers will also have another former captain, Johan Botha, and veteran all-rounder Jacques Kallis to lean on. The experienced hands could prove handy for him as his individual role is set to grow. Not only will de Villiers captain, he has also accepted full-time responsibility behind the stumps and may also bat at different positions in the line-up.”It’s something we have decided on for the future, it’s not a short term thing,” de Villiers said on his wicket-keeping role. “It opens up a spot or two in the team. Behind the stumps you have a very good view of the game, the angles and you get a very good feel about what the bowlers are trying to do.”Although de Villiers will start off batting at No. 4, he said it is a flexible position that could change at any moment. “We are going to be on our toes with that. We wouldn’t like two left-handers at the crease at the same time. I might be floating a little bit. I am looking to bat at four but we are not going to be one dimensional.”de Villiers’ multiple roles may seem back-breaking but apart from being fully fit after overcoming lower-back problems, de Villiers said he will relish the challenge. “Now I have a whole team to think about and I like it that way.”de Villiers wants to be at the helm of a unit who are willing to sacrifice individual goals for the good of the team and he said he had isolated one of the major improvements they need to make to be able to do that. “We have to be able to identify the situation and see when we have a situation where this is a game-breaker,” he said. “Against Australia, we missed a trick here or there and we didn’t attack at the right times.”The same probably applies to other instances where South Africa have tripped in the past, such as the 2011 World Cup. de Villiers acknowledged that the team had under-performed in key situations in that tournament but said they wanted to prevent that happening again. “At the World Cup, the balance of our side wasn’t bad. We just didn’t play well at the end.”de Villiers made that statement with none of the boyish charm and mischievous humour with which he held the rest of the press conference, confirming Morkel’s statement that this boy really has grown up.

A solid performance from Bangladesh’s batsmen on a placid track marked the start of the Test series in Chittagong, leaving the bowlers potentially facing five days of hard work

The Report by Siddhartha Talya21-Oct-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Tamim Iqbal squandered a chance to reach three-figures•Associated PressA solid performance from Bangladesh’s batsmen on a placid track marked the start of the Test series in Chittagong, leaving the bowlers potentially facing more days of hard work. The morning was slightly overcast but the sun didn’t take long to break through the clouds, confining whatever assistance was available for the bowlers to the first hour of the day. Deciding to bat without hesitation, Bangladesh, led by half-centuries from Mushfiqur Rahim and Tamim Iqbal, built a platform for a formidable first-innings score but suffered a few jolts along the way, some self-inflicted.The lack of assistance from the pitch meant Darren Sammy had to shuffle his bowlers, get them to bowl from different angles, change ends and rely heavily on variations. The attacking instinct of a couple of well-set Bangladesh batsmen helped West Indies break through but they didn’t do themselves much good by employing defensive fields for far too long immediately after lunch and tea. The spread-out fields enabled the hosts, Mushfiqur and Raqibul Hasan especially, to rotate the strike comfortably – 136 runs came in singles (102) and twos, more than half the score.Once the sun was out, the swing didn’t last long, and movement off the pitch was limited. Tamim’s solidity was an obstacle for the West Indies bowlers at one end but Imrul Kayes’ occasional extravagance gave them a window of opportunity.Kayes was beaten a couple of times while trying to drive on the up and his first boundary was an uppish chip over Darren Sammy’s head. A change of angle from Rampaul gave West Indies their first breakthrough. He bowled from round the wicket, produced an outside edge from Kayes that went for four, followed by a failed drive. The next ball squared the batsman up, angled in and then nipped away just a hint to kiss the edge.Shahriar Nafees settled in quickly with a couple of confident shots against Sammy followed by a lovely drive off Fidel Edwards. Nafees survived a close shout for lbw against Edwards, though a good part of the ball appeared to have pitched outside leg, before his stay was cut short by a bloody blow to the nose. Edwards slung down a bouncer from round the wicket that forced its way between the peak of the helmet and the grille, forcing Nafees to retire hurt.Bishoo, who probed away in search of turn, doled out a few long-hops that Tamim duly dispatched through the off side. There were, however, some signs of encouragement for the spinners after lunch. The batsmen were unsettled by a few deliveries that kept low and experienced the odd moment of discomfort when the ball turned. West Indies made their next breach when Tamim attempted a slog-sweep against Marlon Samuels, and top-edged a catch to midwicket; a healthy dose of slow bowling with the fielders pushed back had allowed the pair to work singles and twos but a rush of blood cost the well-settled Tamim a century.Raqibul looked assured during his stay, solid in defence and punishing the bad balls, and built a promising stand with Mushfiqur, who was his usual busy self, creating opportunities to score by using his feet, making room against straight deliveries, and running well between the wickets. Bishoo almost had Mushfiqur when he edged one that turned but was let down by Sammy, who failed to get down in time for a low chance at slip. Sammy made amends somewhat when he trapped Raqibul in front with a ball that nipped back in but Bangladesh were still in a strong position.Despite the wickets, the momentum never swung West Indies’ way due to the easy access to runs. Even Shakib Al Hasan’s initial scratchiness was offset by Mushfiqur’s fluency at the other end. He stepped out of his crease to loft Bishoo and Samuels when mid-on was brought in and employed the sweep, paddle and his favoured cut to ensure there were no extended periods of silence. Shakib grew in confidence, slapping Bishoo through the covers and pulling Sammy for consecutive fours. Having added 79 with Mushfiqur, Shakib then chased a wide delivery from Samuels to be caught behind with stumps in sight.It wasn’t until the 90th over that Sammy took the second new-ball, after Edwards’ reverse-swing had been dealt with by Mushfiqur and Naeem Islam. The hosts lost more wickets than they should have in friendly conditions, but will back Mushfiqur to break the trend of well-set batsmen giving it away.

A round-up of the fourth day’s play from the Ranji Trophy Plate semi-finals

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Dec-2011On a closely-fought and tense final day in Nagpur, Hyderabad qualified for the knockouts based on a better run-rate against hosts Vidarbha. Hyderabad began the day in a good position, at 216 for 3, but both teams would have entertained hopes of going through. The determination of Hyderabad’s batsmen won out in the end, and they batted out the day. Though they didn’t gain a first-innings lead, they also didn’t get bowled out and their score of 486 for 8 in 166 overs came at a rate of 2.92 an over, marginally more than Vidarbha’s 2.77 for their 531 in 191.1 overs.The stars for Hyderabad on the final day came from their middle and lower order. Arjun Yadav, unbeaten on 91 overnight, progressed to make 128 and his partner Bavanaka Sandeep finished with 78. The pair fell within 47 runs of each other, and at 297 for 5, Vidarbha had the upper hand and were in with a chance of bowling out Hyderabad. But the batsmen fought on.Syed Qadri contributed 99 and was run out, agonisingly, short of a century. In the company of wicketkeeper Ibrahim Khaleel, he added 130 for the sixth wicket and played a critical role in steering Hyderabad towards safety. The pair went about their work slowly, however, and things got difficult for Hyderabad when they lost Qadri, Khaleel and Mohammed Khader in quick succession. 427 for 5 became 449 for 8, and with more than five overs still left in the day, Vidarbha had regained control. But, on a day of twists and turns, Hyderabad prevailed. Batting at No.8, Pagadala Naidu made a quickfire, unbeaten 29, off 28 balls, and added an unbeaten 37 off 32 balls with No.10 Lalith Mohan, who made 17 in 19. The duo took Hyderabad to the close, at a rate superior to that of their opponents, and in to the knockouts.Maharashtra booked their place in the Ranji Trophy quarter-finals, qualifying to the knockout phase based on a first-innings lead against Himachal Pradesh in Pune. Having bowled out HP for 236 on the third day and stretched the lead to 215, Maharashtra went about continuing their dominance in the contest and batted out the final day.HP’s only hope would have been to trigger a dramatic collapse that would give them an outside chance of a win, but that didn’t happen. The opening combination of Harshad Khadiwale and Chirag Khurana led the way for Maharashtra, adding 166. Khadiwale’s had a quiet season thus far and his first century this Ranji Trophy should give him plenty of confidence heading into the knockouts. The only consolation for HP on the final day was a four-wicket haul for offspinner Gurvinder Singh. Maharashtra finished with 288 for 5 and sealed their place in the top eight.

Lalit Modi, the former IPL chairman, has revealed details of what he claims was the BCCI’s sustained and widespread campaign against the privately-owned ‘rebel’ Indian Cricket League

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Jun-2011Lalit Modi, the former IPL chairman, has in a remarkable outburst on Twitter revealed details of what he claims was the BCCI’s sustained and widespread campaign against the privately-owned ‘rebel’ Indian Cricket League (ICL) that eventually led to its closure. Ironically, by his own earlier admission, Modi played the most high-profile and strident role in crushing the ICL.Modi’s 12-month turnaround

Lalit Modi’s tweets playing down his role in the banning and subsequent closure of the ICL are at odds with his official response in June last year to the BCCI’s May 6 show-cause notice issued to him. One part of his 12,000-page response related to the charge that he was involved in creating an unauthorised league; here’s what Modi said about the ICL just over 12 months ago:
My effort to curb ICL, which was a rebel league, is well known and well documented and needs no repetition…I always held that Governing Bodies in cricket cannot grant permission to private parties to operate other than within the official fold.
I have always stood for supremacy of ICC and domestic cricket boards and it was for this reason that I had always opposed any recognition for ICL and other unofficial cricket events.
I have consistently taken an unambiguous, unqualified and tough stand, when it came to unauthorised cricket. In fact, all through-out, I am the one who has taken an unambiguous and unqualified stand in respect of unauthorised cricket.
The same are well documented and minuted and notes from the participants who attended such meetings in the year 2008-09 with the Honorary President along with me were sent to various cricket administrators worldwide.

The BCCI’s opposition to the ICL, owned by Zee Telefilms, has been well-known but Modi’s accusations – spread over 25 tweets in a four-hour span – would, if true, confirm the part it played, along with the ICC and cricket boards around the world, to isolate the ICL from international cricket.Modi claimed that the BCCI had a “mandate to scuttle ICL” and, in order to do so, “arm-twisted every cricket board and the ICC” to change their constitutions. The ICL, he said, was made redundant by being deemed unauthorised.BCCI president Shashank Manohar would not comment on Modi’s allegations, telling ESPNcricinfo, “He sits somewhere and writes something … it is not of concern to us. The media is fascinated by his comments, not us.”The ICL was born in April 2007 out of the debris of India’s disastrous World Cup campaign. However, it seemed to have usurped a plan by the BCCI for a similar league, and that set off a series of events, court cases, failed negotiations and bans on players and officials that led to the ICL’s closure; the league’s last competitive match was in November 2008.Modi’s comments included an attempt to abdicate his own responsibility in those events but he was one of the most powerful men in Indian cricket, if not the global game, and has admitted (see sidebar) to playing a major role in the campaign. His tweets explained his role in the exercise by saying the anti-ICL drive was not his personal agenda and that his actions were only a reflection of his doing a job. “I have always done what’s required by any organization I have worked with. Well, I guess I do my job well. That’s why I give results.” He admitted, though, that it was “a mistake to have systematically used everything in the BCCI’s arsenal to finish the ICL.”Even as the head of the BCCI’s marketing committee at the time, Modi said, he had “no personal issues with ICL” and that his “personal opinion that more competition in the game is good for the game and its Players.”Later, speaking to the TV channel , Modi said the timing of his relevations was prompted by the BCCI’s attitude towards the fledgling Sri Lankan Premier League. The BCCI has barred Indian players from taking part in that tournament on the grounds – flawed, as ESPNcricinfo has revealed – that it was run by a private organisation and not the national board. “The ICL as an issue was dead and buried but now there is a related case of an authorised league being stopped,” Modi said, while clarifying that he had no links with the SLPL.If Modi’s version of the anti-ICL campaign is true, it paints an unflattering picture of how world cricket toed the BCCI’s line. His allegations on Twitter: The Indian board “called every member of the ICC to ensure that they all help in changing the ICC constitution to outlaw the ICL”; the ICC formed a three-member committee, including Modi, to draft the new constitution (though it is understood that the ICC’s constitution itself has not been changed). There were, in fact, alterations to section 32 of the ICC’s Operating Manual with the section on “unofficial cricket events” being replaced by that concerning “disapproved cricket” on June 1, 2009. The changes were made after member boards asked for clarity on the issue.How did the BCCI exert pressure or “induce” other member boards to outlaw the ICL? By offering them a share of the earnings of the Champions League Twenty20. The ECB, he said, had lost out on “the right to be a shareholder” of the Champions League at the initial stage itself.At home, the BCCI allegedly “called all and sundry to oppose the ICL.” Domestic players were told they would be blacklisted if they played in the ICL, state associations were asked not to make their grounds available for ICL matches or “fear loosing (sic) matches”, advertisers “were called and told if you advertise on ICL, then you will be barred from all BCCI cricket”. Umpires and commentators were also pressured.Modi, currently in near-exile in the UK, was suspended by the BCCI over financial irregularities relating to the IPL as well as charged with colluding to set up a rebel league in England. To which Modi said, “To even suggest that I would hold out a plan which seems to destroy the world cricket structure or impinge upon the control of various Governing Bodies in their respective countries is not only farfetched but is clearly false to the knowledge of all concerned.”

Jonathan Trott will not make it back in time for the fourth Test, so Ravi Bopara will have another opportunity in the England side at The Oval

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Aug-2011Jonathan Trott will not make it back in time for the fourth Test against India, so Ravi Bopara will have another opportunity in the England side at The Oval. England have named the same 13-man squad as they did for the Edgbaston Test, and Chris Tremlett is available for selection, leaving England with the dilemma of whether to replace the impressive Tim Bresnan.”Jonathan Trott is making steady progress in his rehabilitation from his ongoing shoulder injury but he requires further treatment and won’t be fit for the fourth and final Test match,” Geoff Miller, the England national selector, said. “As such Ravi Bopara retains his place in the squad.”Chris Tremlett is available for selection following continued treatment for his back injury and he and Steven Finn are included in a broader 13-man squad for the last Test match of the summer.”Trott sustained a shoulder injury while fielding on the second day of the Trent Bridge Test, and, though he batted at No. 7 in England’s second innings there, missed the third Test. Bopara was hopeful of securing the No. 6 spot for England this summer after choosing county cricket over the IPL, but the selectors favoured Eoin Morgan for the series against Sri Lanka and India. Bopara was handed a chance through Trott’s injury but did not make the most of it at Edgbaston, where Morgan scored a century.There is little at stake for England in the final Test as they have already sewn up both the series and the No. 1 ranking.England squad Andrew Strauss (capt), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Steven Finn, Eoin Morgan, Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior, Graeme Swann, Chris Tremlett

The new president of the Australian Cricketers’ Association, Greg Dyer, believes the governance of Australian cricket must be overhauled and the game’s administrators held accountable for the state of cricket in the country

Brydon Coverdale23-Sep-2011The new president of the Australian Cricketers’ Association, Greg Dyer, believes the governance of Australian cricket must be overhauled and the game’s administrators held accountable for the state of cricket in the country. Dyer, 52, has been elected to head the player union after the previous president, Michael Kasprowicz, stood down in August.Kasprowicz took up a position on the Cricket Australia board, and the ACA sought out Dyer, the former wicketkeeper who played six Tests for Australia during the 1980s, for the role. He will bring a strong business background to the organisation, holding economics and law degrees and having been a corporate director in Australia, Asia, New Zealand and the United States.Dyer said he was happy to be re-entering cricket circles at a time of great change, with the Argus review into the team performance now complete, and a review into Cricket Australia’s governance also being finalised. Dyer believes an independent commission would be the best way for cricket in Australia to be run, to bring it into the modern business age.”I think it [an independent commission] is ideal,” Dyer told ESPNcricinfo. “I think cricket needs to be run by people who are in the majority independent of the state associations.”Dyer also said it was important it was not just players who were made accountable for the team’s slide down the rankings.”My view is that players are always held immediately to account for their performance on the field and increasingly, for good reason, off the field as well,” he said. “I’m not sure that the same level of accountability has been in place with relation to those who administer the game. There’s been a decline in standards and a decline in the way in which the game is viewed.”If you look at where Australian cricket is in the broader sense, we’ve slipped in the rankings and so clearly that should have had some ramifications, not just for players, but for those who have been in charge during that process. There’s also responses to T20, there’s lots of areas of the administration of cricket that have not necessarily moved with the times in the way that they should have.”This corporate governance review and the Argus review before it are very important processes, and all power to Cricket Australia, they’ve brought them on and had them done. Now it’s time to get the recommendations out and treat them seriously.”A qualified chartered accountant who has among other roles worked as chief financial officer for APN News and Media Ltd, and for ACP and Murdoch Magazines, Dyer also wants to bring a commercial frame of mind to the ACA. He said that while looking after the needs of current players would always remain the organisation’s primary objective, he would be keen to look at expanding the ACA’s commercial presence.”I’ll be looking to increase the commercial strength of the organisation over time and thereby hopefully increase its financial capabilities and therefore its ability to provide services to members,” he said. “It’s not like I’m going to turn it into the Meat-Packers’ Union overnight. But I think increasingly it does need to look for commercial opportunity and increase its financial stability and strength. There’s no reason that can’t happen over time.”One of the major pieces of business for the ACA over the next year will be the negotiation of a new Memorandum of Understanding with Cricket Australia, after the two parties struggled to reach an agreement this year. That resulted in a one-year extension of the existing MoU, so the two groups will return to the negotiating table in 2012.The ACA wants to ensure players retain their existing 26% share of Australian cricket revenue, while there was also disagreement over the distribution of money from private investment in Big Bash League franchises. Dyer said it was important the core principles of the existing MoU were not lost.”The MoU is really important,” he said. “It needs to be negotiated across the background of these two reviews that are being done, the governance review and the Argus review, and it needs to take into account the outcomes of those. What is important is that where we’ve gotten to in previous MOUs, those outcomes can’t be replaced.”I think they balance pretty well the interests of cricket and the players. There’s a revenue sharing model that I think has been very successful. As a core principle, that needs to be maintained. The next 12 months is a very important period in Australian cricket so it’s a very interesting time to get involved.”Dyer was confirmed as the ACA president at a meeting in Melbourne on Friday, where the Western Australia captain Marcus North and the Australia women’s allrounder Lisa Sthalekar joined the executive, replacing Stuart Clark and Damien Fleming. Sthalekar became the first female member of the players’ association executive.ACA executive Greg Dyer (president), George Bailey, Michael Hussey, Simon Katich, Darren Lehmann, Marcus North, Lisa Sthalekar.

A round-up of the third match day of the Women’s Quadrangular Series in Sri Lanka

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Apr-2011Pakistan women finished top of the table in the Quadrangular series, with a nine-wicket victory against Ireland women at the Thurstan College Ground in Colombo. The entire tournament has been affected by the weather, and Friday’s match was reduced to 23 overs a side. Ireland were put in and were all out for 28 in 22.1 overs. Legspinner Bismah Maroof did the most damage, taking 4 for 7. Pakistan chased the total in 13.3 overs, with Javeria Khan scoring 47 not out.Sri Lanka women finished second in the table after registering an emphatic eight-wicket win over Netherlands women at the Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground. Sri Lanka chased down a paltry target of 67 in 8.4 overs after bowling the visitors out for 72 in Colombo.Being asked to bat, the Netherlands line-up managed just two double-digit scores. They were troubled by the spin of Maduri Samuddika and Sandamali Dolawatta, the pair picking up two wickets apiece, but their wrecker-in-chief was left-armer Sherina Ravikumar who finished with 4 for 14 off her 10 overs. The Sri Lanka batsmen then made short work of the chase, stroking 14 boundaries to win with all of 248 balls to spare.

West Ham United insider Claret & Hugh have shared a promising transfer update out of Rush Green involving Leeds United and Premier League star Raphinha.

The Lowdown: Hammers make move…

Hammers boss David Moyes, according to reports, was heavily interested in signing the Brazilian playmaker over winter.

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West Ham apparently made a move for Raphinha in January but to no avail with the South American coming as yet another marquee target GSB couldn’t bring in for the club.

Their bad luck in the last transfer window has even lead to doubts surrounding head of recruitment Rob Newman, according to Claret & Hugh again, with the Irons chief now facing a pivotal summer window.

As Newman aims to take his next set of opportunities to land key targets, C&H have shared an update on Raphinha and West Ham’s interest.

The Latest: Newman could launch ‘cut-price’ move…

According to their information, West Ham, and by extension their transfer chief Newman, are keeping a ‘close eye’ on Leeds’ situation in case they’re relegated.

The club insider goes on to say that the Whites’ drop down to the Championship could allow West Ham to ‘launch cut-price moves’ for Raphinha and another target in Kalvin Phillips.

C&H add that ‘deals will surely be there to be done’ if Jesse Marsch’s side go down.

The Verdict: Promising update…

Signing a player of Raphinha’s calibre for a bargain fee would be pretty special, especially given his serious links to La Liga giants and footballing heavyweights Barcelona.

The 25-year-old has been a revelation at Elland Road and one of their most pivotal figures, with ex-top flight goalkeeper and pundit Paddy Kenny claiming he has been ‘unbelievable’.

Raphinha’s sensational numbers back his obvious quality with the Whites superstar averaging more shots at goal, key passes and successful take-ons per 90 than anyone in Marsch’s squad this season (WhoScored).

If Leeds do indeed drop a division, we believe West Ham shouldn’t hesitate in making a bargain move for the attacker.

In other news: As of now: ExWHUemployee shares West Ham player update after agreement reached…find out more here.

Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson, now a pundit with Sky Sports News, has backed Liverpool legend James Milner to sign a new deal at the club this summer.

The Lowdown: Milner out of contract

The 36-year-old has been a magnificent signing for the Reds after joining on a free transfer from Manchester City back in 2015.

Milner has brought all the professionalism, versatility and consistency that you expect from him, and his influence has undoubtedly played a part in Liverpool winning the Champions League and Premier League, among other trophies.

The veteran midfielder’s current deal expires at the end of the season, however, and he is yet to decide whether or not he will remain at Anfield moving forward.

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The Latest: Robinson backs new deal

Speaking to Football Insider, Robinson talked up the idea of his former Leeds United teammate extending his stay at Liverpool:

“Milner is an example to all young, aspiring footballers. He shows you how to look after yourself, keep fit and play at the top level for your entire career.

“I think he will sign another contract. I think he is capable of playing for at least another year.

“He is not just there for his leadership and experience. He showed against Newcastle that he still has a lot to give on the pitch as well. I don’t think he’s covering any less ground than he did in the past. He is still making tackles and spotting key passes. Everything is what you would expect.

“I would be surprised if he doesn’t play more than one more season for Liverpool.”

The Verdict: One more year?

At 36, some could be forgiven for wanting Milner to move on, but he is still such an effective squad member for Liverpool, both on and off the pitch – Gary Lineker rightfully hailed the player as a ‘remarkable professional’ earlier this season.

The leadership that he possesses in the dressing room is priceless, ensuring everyone around him raises their level, and his fitness levels mean he has the body of a younger player.

For that reason, it makes complete sense for Milner to sign a one-year extension until the end of next season, at which point he could arguably retire and join Klopp’s coaching team.

In other news, Liverpool have been boosted by a fresh transfer update. Read more here.

The BCCI has categorically ruled out the possibility of India using the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS) for the foreseeable future

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jan-2011The Indian board has categorically ruled out the possibility of India using the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS) for the foreseeable future, saying they just don’t trust the technology. The board also turned down an offer to travel to Australia to watch how the system is being used during the Ashes series.”We don’t accept this technology. We are not going to use it in any bilateral series,” the BCCI’s secretary and president-elect, N Srinivasan, told . “They were supposed to take us to see its use in the Ashes series but I did not go. We have made our presentation to the ICC, saying we are just not convinced about the technology.”When asked if the cost of the technology was an impediment, Srinivasan said, “That’s another issue but we have got serious doubts about its accuracy.”India’s insistence on avoiding the UDRS is at odds with the trend elsewhere in the cricket world; the technology will also be used in the upcoming World Cup on the subcontinent. “Well, the World Cup is an ICC event and if the ICC decide to use it, they obviously can,” Srinivasan said.India has refused to use the UDRS in any of their bilateral series since becoming the first team to use the technology in 2008. They struggled with their referrals on that tour, getting only one review right, while Sri Lanka successfully challenged 11 decisions. The country’s stand has frustrated some of the other teams, who have called on the ICC to step in and ensure that the system is used uniformly throughout the game.”The ICC needs to take responsibility and lead the way when it comes to the review system,” Graeme Smith, the South Africa captain said after losing the Durban test against India during which a couple of decisions went against his team. Cricket South Africa had pushed hard for the system prior to the three-Test series between the two sides, but the BCCI did not budge.Michael Clarke, who is captaining Australia in the fifth and final Ashes Test in Ricky Ponting’s absence, echoed Smith’s comments, saying, ” I think it should be 100% used or not used at all.”