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The 64-match tournament will be held across 11 cities and 12 stadiums from June 14 to July 15. Goal has the full lowdown on every location…

GettyLuzhniki Stadium – Moscow

Capacity: 80,000

The Luzhniki Stadium is home to the first game of the tournament on Thursday June 14 between host nation Russia and Saudi Arabia and will ultimately play host to the final on Sunday July 15. It has the largest capacity of all the World Cup 2018 stadia.

It first opened in 1956 and began refurbishment works to increase its capacity in 2013, with the athletics track removed, stands moved closer to the pitch, and two extra tiers added. The historical outer facade has been kept and incorporated into the new structure.

After the World Cup, the Luzhniki Stadium will continue to be the home ground for all Russia national team games. 

GettyWhat games are being played at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow?

Russia vs Saudi Arabia (June 14)

Germany vs Mexico (June 17)

Portugal vs Morocco (June 20)

Denmark vs France (June 26)

Round of 16 match 3 (July 1)

Semi-final 2 (July 11)

Final (July 15)

AdvertisementLaurence Griffiths Getty ImagesSpartak Stadium – Moscow

Capacity: 45,000

Built in 2014, the Spartak Stadium is home to Russian Premier League side Spartak Moscow and was one of four stadiums used in the 2017 Confederations Cup, which was won by Germany.

The stadium's facade is made up of hundreds of small diamonds representing the Spartak logo and can also be changed depending on whichever team is playing. After the 2018 World Cup, the stadium will be the centre of a new residential development that will be built around it. 

GettyWhat games are being played at Spartak Stadium in Moscow?

Argentina vs Iceland (June 16)

Poland vs Senegal(June 19)

Belgium vs Tunisia(June 23)

Serbia vs Brazil(June 27)

Round of 16 match 8 (July 3)

Getty ImagesSt Petersburg Stadium – St Petersburg

Capacity: 67,000

Built on the site of the former Kirov Stadium on Krestovsky Island, the St Petersburg Stadium hosted the opening match and final of the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup.

The seven-storey stadium is one of Russia's most modern arenas. It includes a retractable roof and sliding pitch to be able to host other sporting events.

Following the World Cup it will continue to be the home of Zenit St Petersburg, as well as hosting concerts and a variety of other sports events. It will also be one of the grounds used in the Euro 2020 finals.

GettyWhat games are being played at St Petersburg Stadium?

Morocco vs Iran (June 15)

Russia vs Egypt (June 19)

Brazil vs Costa Rica (June 22)

Nigeria vs Argentina (June 26)

Round of 16 match 7 (July 3)

Semi-final 1 (July 10)

Third-place play-off (July 14)

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Fisht Stadium – Sochi

Capacity: 48,000

The Fisht Stadium was originally built for the 2014 Winter Olympics as an indoor arena hosting both the opening and closing ceremonies, before being reconstructed specifically for this year's World Cup. 

Named after Mount Fisht, the exterior resembles a snow-capped peak and hosted matches during last summer's Confederations Cup.

During the 2018 World Cup, Sochi will be the Russia national team's training camp and where they've played some of their competitive and friendly matches. 

GettyWhat games are being played at Fisht Stadium in Sochi?

Portugal vs Spain (June 15)

Belgium vs Panama (June 18)

Germany vs Sweden (June 23)

Australia vs Peru (June 26)

Round of 16 match 2 (June 30)

Quarter-final 4 (July 7)

Axar Patel took four wickets in five balls, including the first hat-trick of the season, to pave the way for Kings XI Punjab’s -run win against table-toppers Gujarat Lions in Rajkot

The Report by Nikhil Kalro01-May-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAxar Patel took four wickets in five balls to propel Kings XI Punjab to their second win of the season•AFPAxar Patel took four wickets in five balls, including the first hat-trick of the season, to pave the way for Kings XI Punjab’s 23-run win against table-toppers Gujarat Lions in Rajkot. Axar’s burst reduced Lions to 57 for 6 in their chase of 155, setting up the side’s second win of the season. Both sides suffered batting collapses but Lions were poorer as they stuttered to their second loss of the season.Kings XI’s defence of 154 got off to an ideal start with the early wickets of Brendon McCullum and Suresh Raina, as both batsmen missed straight balls from Mohit Sharma. After a slow Powerplay, Axar was brought on in the seventh over, his second of the innings. Off the third ball, Dwayne Smith muscled a lofted drive and found Gurkeerat Singh at long-off. Two balls later, the left-arm spinner got one to skid through and Dinesh Karthik’s inside edge clattered into leg stump. Dwayne Bravo chopped the first ball he faced onto his stumps and the over ended with Lions at a shaky 39 for 5.Brought back in the 11th over, Axar then got his first ball to dart past Ravindra Jadeja’s outside edge. It seemed like bat had hit pad, but the umpire raised his finger. This was Axar’s first T20 hat-trick, and the 14th of the tournament.Thereafter, Lions were always behind the climbing asking rate. Kings XI’s new captain M Vijay rotated his bowlers continuously. Ishan Kishan and James Faulkner added to Lions’ score but the slide had taken much of the game out of their hands.At the halfway stage, however, it did not seem like Kings XI had enough. Despite a flying start from Vijay and Marcus Stoinis, Kings XI collapsed to 154. Vijay’s sweetly timed drives and flicks off Lions’ seamers, Dhawal Kulkarni and Praveen Kumar, helped the side score 34 off the first four overs. Vijay contributed 31 of those. Stoinis, then, cut loose and Kings XI plundered 59 off the Powerplay, their highest this season.In the seventh over, Stoinis ran past a slider from Jadeja and the wicket sparked another Kings XI collapse. Chinaman bowler Shivil Kaushik’s whippy action forced Kings XI to look for pushes and nudges. Shaun Marsh could not keep one of those flicks down and found midwicket. On a pitch with a bit of grass, Kaushik found no turn, but his quick-arm action caused the ball to skid off the surface. One ball after Marsh was dismissed, Glenn Maxwell missed an attempted a cut off Kaushik and the ball snuck under his bat. Dinesh Karthik belted out an appeal and the umpire raised his finger, much to Maxwell’s bewilderment.Kings XI’s situation worsened when Gurkeerat Singh, one of four changes for Kings XI, was run out after an acrobatic effort from James Faulkner at point. Kings XI stuttered from 65 for 0 in the seventh over to 73 for 4 in the ninth.David Miller and Wriddhiman Saha, though, found the boundary regularly in their 39-run stand for the sixth wicket. They tried to build a platform for a late surge but that did not come as Dwayne Bravo and Praveen Kumar brought out their slower balls to flummox Kings XI’s lower order. Lions conceded one four off the last three overs and picked up five wickets to bowl Kings XI out.

Megan Rapinoe will not be heading into retirement just yet, with the USWNT icon helping to fire OL Reign into the NWSL play-offs.

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All-time great preparing to hang up her bootsNot ready to call it a day just yetWill face Angel City FC in the post-seasonWHAT HAPPENED?

The 38-year-old forward, who earned 203 caps and scored 63 goals for her country, will be hanging up her boots when the 2023 season comes to a close. She has not reached that point just yet, with a well-taken brace against the Chicago Red Stars ensuring that OL Reign are heading into the post-season.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Two-time World Cup winner Rapinoe was never going to bring the curtain down on her remarkable career without making a few more headlines, and a fitting finale remains on the cards after delivering more moments of magic against the Red Stars.

DID YOU KNOW?

Rapinoe’s first goal in a 3-0 win for OL Reign saw her drift inside from the left before curling a dipping strike into the bottom corner. She repeated that trick a matter of minutes later when whipping another effort into the back of the net via the inside of the post.

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WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

A comfortable victory on the final day of the NWSL regular season has seen OL Reign wrap up a fifth-place finish. Rapinoe will now take in at least one more game before calling it a day, with Angel City FC next on the agenda for her.

Kolkata Knight Riders’ Sunil Narine cannot bowl in the Champions League T20 final on Saturday, after he was reported for a second time in two matches for a suspect action

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Oct-20141:38

Kalra: Narine will be under intense scrutiny

Sunil Narine has been barred from bowling for Kolkata Knight Riders in the Champions League T20 final on Saturday after being reported for a second time in two matches for a suspect action. He was reported by the umpires after Thursday’s semi-final against Hobart Hurricanes, which Knight Riders won by seven wickets. He had also been reported following their final group match, against Dolphins, when the umpires questioned his quicker delivery.ESPNcricinfo understands that this time the umpires, Rod Tucker, S Ravi and Vineet Kulkarni, had noted in their written complaint that several of the 24 deliveries Narine bowled against Hurricanes were suspect. “It was three deliveries in the last match. But this time all his four overs were reported,” an official privy to the complaint said.No official from Knight Riders’ management responded to queries, so it is not yet known whether the franchise might appeal against the penalty.According to a Champions League T20 release, the umpires reviewed footage of the semi-final and “felt that there was a flex action in Narine’s elbow beyond the acceptable limit when bowling during the match”. He had already been on the tournament’s warning list and, since he had not subsequently had his action cleared, is now automatically banned from bowling further in the tournament.Knight Riders will now be “advised” to send Narine to the Sri Ramachandra University in Chennai – which has been accredited by the ICC as a testing centre for suspect bowling actions – to have his action tested.The bowling ban will not affect his West Indies duties, though – it is confined only to the Champions League T20 and other BCCI-organised tournaments, including the IPL.Darren Sammy, Narine’s West Indies team-mate, came out in support of him on Thursday, prior to him being reported a second time. “I am not worried. Narine is a champion. Whether they stop him from bowling the faster ball, he is still the most dangerous spinner in the world,” Sammy had said. “I believe that he will still be a great asset to us. He will do whatever he has to do and have all his different tricks up his sleeves by the time the World Cup is here. I still feel he will be our a champion spinner.”Narine is the fourth bowler to be reported in the Champions League – the others are Lahore Lions’ Adnan Rasool and Mohammad Hafeez, and Dolphins’ Prenelan Subrayen. However, he is the first bowler to be reported a second time. This comes at a time when the ICC has been stepping up its action against suspect bowling actions, with several spinners being called and suspended from bowling in international cricket.It comes as a big blow to Knight Riders, as they look to extend their T20 winning streak to 15 and secure the double of winning the IPL and the Champions League T20 in the same year.

Boos rang out around Old Trafford on the second afternoon after a sharp but relatively short shower caused an abandonment

George Dobell at Old Trafford08-Aug-2014Just a day after the Old Trafford authorities were being praised for producing the best pitch of the international summer in England, boos rang out around the ground.The source of the crowd’s frustration was understandable: a sharp but relatively short shower had not just interrupted play, but caused an abandonment. What promised to be another exciting afternoon of cricket instead became an ever more farcical succession of inspections and further delays.With the benefit of hindsight, we can probably conclude now that play should have been abandoned as early as 4pm. By then, a ground that had taken some heavy rain over the previous weekend had experienced an unusually brutal downpour that left standing water all over the outfield. It started at around 2.15pm and ended, after flirting with spectators for a while, at about 3.40pm.But, with the best of intentions, the groundstaff and the umpires decided to do what they could to restart play. A few years ago, such a deluge would have ended play for the day without anyone batting an eyelid, but expectations have changed significantly. New sand-based outfields and drainage systems have vastly reduced delays after rain and there is, however it may seem, more respect for spectators than was once the case.More than that, the desperation to make a success of hosting such major games, results in grounds taking risks and short-term decisions.Excess water at the Brian Statham End meant play could not be resumed despite the groundstaff’s efforts•PA PhotosAgain, with the benefit of hindsight, the groundstaff might have been well advised to simply allow the drainage the time to do its work. But, understandably, they felt a need not just to help nature on its way, but to be seen to be helping nature on its way.So out came the super-soppers – the tractor-like devices that soak up water from the outfield – and they went to work at the Brian Statham End, in particular, which is the lowest part of the ground and where the puddles were at their deepest.That was probably a mistake. For, after a weekend when Lancashire were forced to take similar action to ensure a NatWest Blast T20 quarter-final was able to take place on the ground – the match was scheduled for Friday, but eventually took place on Saturday evening – the area was already boggy and damaged. The further usage of relatively heavy machinery may have removed some excess water, but it also churned up the area to such an extent that it began to resemble a field of cabbages more than a cricket outfield.In truth, the soppers are largely cosmetic devices and are used as much as public-relations ploys as they are for practical purposes. Certainly in circumstances like this, they tend to present as many problems as they do solutions. The outfield just became worse and worse and an area stretching around five metres into the playing surface at that entire end of the ground became genuinely unplayable. While cricket remains a little indulgent of such matters – talk that such conditions are “dangerous” is not helpful – it would have been farcical to try and play international sport in such circumstances. Eventually, play was abandoned at 5.40pm.It does not mean the ground’s drainage is inadequate for the longer term. Lancashire installed a similar drainage scheme to most of the major grounds in England in 2008. Only Lord’s, with its greater income and incomparable business model, was able to afford a more effective system.But, at the end of last year, the club was obliged to pull down two new stands – the stands either side of the media centre at the Brian Statham End – and rebuild them, which appears to have created a temporary area of weakness.While the stands were being built, in 2012, one of the contractors, Sabre Structures Ltd, went into administration. That caused a delay that could have rendered the stands unfinished ahead of the 2013 season and the lucrative Ashes Test, so the club installed support columns as an intermediate measure to allow the stands to be used and enable the ground to host the international cricket that is so vital to its future.These support columns resulted in an obstructed view for some spectators, however, and were always viewed as a temporary solution. So, after the Ashes Test, the club strengthen the tiers with the installation of additional structural steel which allowed the removal of the support columns.The problem with that, though, was that it resulted in a significant amount of heavy machinery on the outfield at that end of the ground. As a result, the grass had to be re-laid at the start of this summer and it has not knitted as well as it has done in other areas of the ground. That weakness was exploited by the ferocity of the recent rain.Talk that the incident could jeopardise the ground’s future as a venue for major matches is hyperbole, though. The pitch at Old Trafford has actually put some of those at other venues to shame and, while the episode is not ideal, talk of denying them future games seems harsh in the extreme.There is a fear, however, that the boggy areas – and they really are in very poor condition – might render play difficult on day three, even if Manchester enjoys a dry night.Afterwards Mike Watkinson, the Lancashire director of cricket, apologised, but insisted the circumstances were extreme. “We apologise if people feel let down, but these are extreme circumstances,” Watkinson told the BBC. “It was an extremely heavy downpour and most grounds would have struggled.”We’ve had a massive downpour and water has congregated in the low point of the ground. It’s an area that we have used for construction purposes. It has high-performing drains. What it hasn’t got is turf that has knitted together over seasons like the rest of the field. It’s quite a new area.”If we have got anything wrong, it was to go with the water hog instead of letting it drain naturally. You can understand our groundstaff being as proactive as possible. It looks a bit of a mess. We accept that. Last Friday evening we were under water for a Twenty20 game. But there is no reason at all it won’t dry out over night.”You would hope it is not held against us [when allocating future major matches].You hope that people look at the cricket has been played so far in this game, the quality of the pitch, the way its produced some great bowling and good batting.”There has been entertaining cricket with a real momentum and better players have prospered. I hope they have not been bothered about five metres of a sandy puddle that has affected an hour’s cricket.”In a perfect world, grounds might not host international cricket until they are finished and tested and perfect. But in the real world, the club’s need to finance their redevelopment schemes and they need to host regular international cricket to do so. While that is the case – and the ECB could implement a better system with a little thought – teething problems like this are probably inevitable.It is not a scandal. There is nobody deserving of blame or shame. It does not merit the sobriquet “watergate” however tempting it might be to use it. It was just bad luck. Lancashire experienced a perfect storm: it rained very hard on an area of weak ground and, for all the goodwill in the world – perhaps partly because of all that goodwill – it wasn’t possible to restart play. It’s frustrating, but it happens.

Barcelona's Inigo Martinez feels that Ilkay Gundogan did not intend for his criticism of the team to spark controversy after the Clasico defeat.

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Gundogan spoke out against team-matesReceived criticism for commentsInigo Martinez defends Germany internationalGetty WHAT HAPPENED?

Last month, the Catalan side lost 2-1 to Real Madrid after blowing a lead, which prompted a heated comment from Gundogan following the match in which he criticised the Barcelona team's response to the setback. Gundogan's remarks have caused some uproar as he called for greater fervour and cautioned his team that they were losing ground. Martinez has now claimed that Gundogan was just overcome by the passion of his first Clasico in an attempt to defuse the situation.

AdvertisementWHAT MARTINEZ SAID

"It was just after the game, in the heat of the moment, we had just lost against Real Madrid and when you are in the heat of the moment, you say things you don't mean," he told Sport. "Whenever you're like this, things usually don't come out well and often contribute little.

"We all knew what he wanted to say and none of us felt singled out. The next day, we talked about it. It was in the heat of the moment because you lose against Madrid and you say things that you don't really mean and you don't want to say. Everything is solved, there are good vibes. There is no problem between us."

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The midfielder's future in Barcelona has already come under scrutiny. His wife Sara has previously refuted reports that Gundogan was unhappy with Barcelona's attempts to help the family settle into life at the club, while his agent has hit back at claims the midfielder wants to move to Galatasaray.

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WHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?

Barcelona are third in the league, four points behind surprise leaders Girona, and will be in action when they take on Rayo Vallecano on November 25.

After months of squabbling between the boards, during which the itinerary was rejigged and clipped, the Test series between the first and second ranked teams is finally here

The Preview by Firdose Moonda in Johannesburg17-Dec-20130:00

Dravid: What India’s batsmen must do at Wanderers

Match factsDecember 18-22, 2013, Johannesburg
Start time 1030 local (0830GMT)Big pictureAfter months of squabbling between the boards, during which the itinerary was rejigged and clipped, the Test series between the first and second ranked teams is finally here. It is not of the ideal length – with only two matches – and it is not at the ideal venues – Cape Town doesn’t have a match – but it is happening and hopes are for a hard-fought tussle.The last time these two teams met in South Africa, in 2010-11, India were No. 1 under Gary Kirsten, and played their best series away from home in the last three years. Since then their away record is abysmal, with 0-4 whitewashes in England and Australia, and their high ranking is a result of strong performances in India.The conditions in South Africa will be India’s biggest challenge. Their new batting line-up will be desperate to prove their ability on fast and bouncy pitches against a bowling attack that is regarded the best in the world. They are, however, going into the Test series cold, having had no long-form match practice in South Africa because their solitary practice game was washed out. If they don’t hit the ground running, the series could be lost quickly.For South Africa, it is a rich end to a year largely devoid of Test cricket. They have played only seven matches and had a seven-month gap between their 2012-13 home season and a tour of the UAE. They have lost only one of those games. Last summer, South Africa won all five Tests at home, and with a lean schedule again next year, they will want a similar result to extend their lead at the top of the rankings.Form guide (last five completed games most recent first)South Africa WLWWW
India WWWWWIn the spotlightThe series against Pakistan in the UAE this year was Jacques Kallis’ poorest since his debut in 1995. He failed to get into double figures and did not take a wicket. Kallis’ last century was in Brisbane in November 2012, and though he is not under pressure to retain his place, he will want to perform. Apart from scoring runs, Kallis will have an important role to play with the ball on a pitch that should have some assistance for the fast bowlers.Virat Kohli will try and make the No. 4 spot his own•BCCIThere are few bigger mantles in cricket to take on than being Sachin Tendulkar’s successor at No. 4 in India’s batting order, and that responsibility belongs to Virat Kohli. South Africa’s bowlers have identified him as one of the most dangerous batsmen in India’s line-up and he is also their most experienced, in terms of Test caps, in the top six. Kohli has had tremendous success in limited-overs matches this year and the time has come for him to have a similar impact in the longer format.Team newsSouth Africa announced their XI on the eve of the match and there were no surprises. They picked three specialist quicks and Imran Tahir as the spinner ahead of Robin Peterson. Hashim Amla returned after missing the Dubai Test on paternity leave in place of Dean Elgar, while AB de Villiers will keep wicket and bat at No.5.South Africa: 1 Graeme Smith (capt) 2 Alviro Petersen, 3 Hashim Amla 4 Jacques Kallis, 5 AB de Villiers (wk), 6 Faf du Plessis, 7 JP Duminy 8 Vernon Philander, 9 Dale Steyn, 10 Morne Morkel, 11 Imran TahirThis is India’s first Test since Tendulkar retired and their line-up has a vastly inexperienced look. Kohli is likely to move up the order to No. 4, making space for Ajinkya Rahane at No. 6. They will probably opt for three quicks too, with Ishant Sharma preferred over Bhuvneshwar Kumar because of his pace.India: (likely) 1 M Vijay, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Rohit Sharma, 6 Ajinkya Rahane, 7 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 8 R Ashwin, 9 Ishant Sharma, 10 Zaheer Khan, 11 Mohammed ShamiPitch and conditionsThe Wanderers groundsman has promised a typical Johannesburg surface, which will facilitate bounce and carry but also have plenty of runs. Graeme Smith was happy with what he saw the day before the Test. “There’s moisture in this wicket and cracks are looking good,” he said. The persistent rain that fell over the Highveld throughout last week has mostly dried up but thundershowers are expected every day of the game. Thursday looks like it could be the wettest.Stats and trivia The last time South Africa lost a Test at home was in December 2011, against Sri Lanka. They have won all six Tests since. There has not been a drawn Test in Johannesburg since December 2000, when the New Zealand – South Africa Test was ruined by rain. The last 12 matches at the Wanderers have had results. Vernon Philander is five wickets away from 100 Test wickets. If he gets there at the Wanderers, he will be the joint sixth fastest bowler to do so. For India, Zaheer Khan is five away from 300 wickets. MS Dhoni is the only member of the India’s top seven to have played more than 20 Tests. The Johannesburg Test will be his 50th as captain.Quotes”Jo’burg people are very vocal and intense. The Bullring is a place we enjoy playing at. At the Wanderers, if you can post decent totals you give yourself the best chance of winning the game.”
“One of the most crucial things will be to bowl well. It will be very important to hit the right areas and try to hit the top of off stump.”

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Championship leaders Leeds United host second-placed Norwich City at Elland Road on Saturday evening, and Whites fans on Twitter are expecting manager Marcelo Bielsa to leave Jack Clarke out of the starting XI.

The 18-year-old only made his league debut for the Yorkshire outfit back at the start of October against Brentford, but he has come on leaps and bounds since then and having made a significant impact from the substitutes’ bench, has even been included in the team from the start on occasions in recent weeks.

That included last weekend’s 2-1 win over local rivals Rotherham United at the New York Stadium, although the in-form teenager, who has two goals and one assist in his previous seven Championship outings, as per Transfermarkt, was taken off at half-time against the Millers.

In addition, with Pontus Jansson back from suspension and Barry Douglas set to be available, as per the Yorkshire Post, after injury having featured for the U23s earlier this week, Bielsa has some big selection decisions to make, with the potential return of the latter potentially leading to Ezgjan Alioski moving back to his preferred role on the wing.

With Tyler Roberts and Jack Harrison also impressing recently, not to mention Pablo Hernandez, there is certainly fierce competition for places in the attacking positions right now.

Leeds supporters have taken to social media to have their say on who they think could drop out of the side, and these individuals think it will be the youngster with one saying they “think Clarke will get dropped”.

Thogden has ranked his top 5 sets of Championship away fans for Pl>ymaker FC. Did your club make the list? Find out in the video below…

In a home season that will feature high profile opponents in India and Australia, the Boxing Day Test returned to South Africa’s cricket calendar

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jul-2013India tour of South Africa

18 November: T20 Tour match, India v SA Invitation XI, Potchefstroom (Day/Night)

21 November: 1st T20 International, Johannesburg (Day/Night)

24 November: 2nd T20 International, Cape Town (Day)

27 November: 1st ODI, Durban (Day/Night)

30 November: 2nd ODI, Port Elizabeth (Day)

3 December: 3rd ODI, East London (Day/Night)

6 December: 4th ODI, Centurion (Day/Night)

8 December: 5th ODI, Johannesburg (Day)

12 December: 6th ODI, Bloemfontein (Day/Night)

15 December: 7th ODI, Cape Town (Day)

18-19 December: India v SA Invitation XI, Paarl

22-23 December: India v SA Invitation XI, Pietermaritzburg

26-30 December: 1st Test, Durban

2-6 January: 2nd Test, Cape Town

15-19 January: 3rd Test, Johannesburg

Australia tour of South Africa

5-8 February: Australia v SA Invitation XI, Potchefstroom

12-16 February: 1st Test, Centurion

20-24 February: 2nd Test, Port Elizabeth

1-5 March: 3rd Test, Cape Town

9 March: 1st T20 International, Port Elizabeth (Day)

12 March: 2nd T20 International, Durban (Day/Night)

14 March: 3rd T20 International, Centurion (Day/Night)

The traditional Boxing Day Test returns to South African shores for the 2013-14 season with India scheduled to play the first of three Tests in the home summer. CSA cancelled the fixture last season and opted to play three T20s against New Zealand over the festive period instead in the hope of attracting bigger in-stadium audiences. Although the matches were sell-outs, there was a public outcry about the lack of a Test match and with India visiting this season, the administrators have reinstalled the fixture and handed it back to its usual home, Kingsmead in Durban.But before they can get to that, India will play two T20s and seven ODIs between November 18 and December 15. The matches have been spread around the country with so-called smaller venues like East London and Bloemfontein playing host to ODIs. Newlands Stadium will also host a fifty-over match after not having one last season.After two warm-up matches, India will play three Tests, which are to be held in Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg and will conclude the tour. Administrators are hopeful Sachin Tendulkar will bring up another milestone during the second of those games. “The Indian players have always been very popular in South Africa and their maestro, Sachin Tendulkar, has currently played 198 Test matches,” Naasei Appiah, CSA acting CEO said. “It would be wonderful for his 200th Test match to be in front of a packed New Year’s crowd at Newlands. The last time he played a Test match there his battle with Dale Steyn thrilled a global audience.”South Africa’s busy period continues with Australia visiting for three more Tests that take place between mid-February and early March. “Any series between Australia and South Africa in any sporting code always promises a spectacle of note and a contest worthy of some of sport’s most famous moments,” Appiah said. “Australia will be battle-hardened after successive home and away Ashes series against England.”The Australians will kick off their tour with a warm-up fixture in Potchefstroom before Test matches in Centurion, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town. St Georges’ Park keeps their Test fixture after successfully hosting New Zealand last year. The venue had not seen the longest format match for five years prior to that. Newlands, by virtue of its significant Test crowds, is the only venue that will host two Tests. Australia’s tour has no ODIs but three T20s, which South Africa hope to use as preparation for the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh.South Africa’s season begins before these two major tours though. Their limited-overs sides embark on a five ODI and three T20 visit to Sri Lanka at the end of this month for Russell Domingo’s first assignment as head coach. They also visit the UAE to play Pakistan for fixtures that are yet to be decided in October.The main talking point ahead of the series is the fitness of Test captain Graeme Smith, who is recovering from ankle surgery. Smith returned home from Surrey in May when the recurring problem with his ankle flared up again. At the time, he was said to need four to five months of rest. Team manager and doctor Mohammed Moosajee said Smith’s rehabilitation is “progressing well,” and they are hopeful he will be available to play against Pakistan and are determined to have him ready for the home summer.

Angus Fraser has emerged as a contender to become an England selector following the retirement of Geoff Miller

George Dobell16-Jan-2014Angus Fraser has emerged as a contender to become an England selector following the retirement of Geoff Miller.Fraser, the former England seamer, would continue in his role as director of cricket at Middlesex if appointed. “I will be applying for the part-time selector position and would combine it with my current job,” Fraser told ESPNcricinfo.Fraser’s desire to combine both roles might count against him. While Ashley Giles held the role of selector and director of cricket at Warwickshire at the same time, it was a controversial situation and was the cause of regular complaints over a potential conflict of interest.Miller, who retired as England’s chief selector with James Whitaker stepping up to take the senior role, has stated that, in an ideal world, selectors should have neither a direct and current association with a county or a role within the media.Other candidates for the position are believed to include former Somerset and England batsman Brian Rose, who has held off-field roles at Somerset and is currently with Glamorgan, and former England and Middlesex off-spinner John Emburey. Chris Adams, the former Surrey director of cricket, has also confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that he has applied for the role.Consideration has also been given to inviting Marcus Trescothick to apply for the role. Trescothick has been reappointed as Somerset’s captain in 2014 and has no immediate plans for retirement.Geoff Cook is another appealing possibility. Cook, Durham’s director of cricket, suffered a heart attack midway through last season and, although he was restored to his old self by the time Durham won their third Championship in five years, he was stripped of his first-team responsibilities in November and given a broader role supervising the county’s development of young players. Cook, despite his health scare, has not lost his appetite to be involved at the highest level and it remains to be seen whether that role can be designed to his satisfaction.Certainly, Cook’s ability to create a winning, yet relaxed, environment has been proven over the past decade and, if the ECB decided to pursue their interest and offer him a selector’s role, he would be highly respected by the counties.