Sanath Jayasuriya, close on Sourav Ganguly’s heels, has become the fourth batsman to amass 10,000 runs in one-day cricket. Had a dislocated shoulder not forced him out of the fourth match of the Indian Oil Cup when Ganguly (10,020 runs) scored his 10,000th run, we might have been witness to the unique event of two great contemporary batsmen reaching the 10,000 run milestone in the same match.Jayasuriya, nicknamed the Matara Marauder for his ruthless hitting, may not bat with the elegance and class of a Sachin Tendulkar (13,642 runs) or an Inzamam-ul-Haq (10,933 runs), the other two batsmen to have achieved the milestone, but in terms of sheer effectiveness in one-day cricket, Jayasuriya has few peers.After making his ODI debut in 1989, Jayasuriya’s career seemed to be going nowhere for many years. He managed just 1669 runs in 87 innings at a measly average of 19.64 up to 1996. We were given a warning of what was to come in the Benson & Hedges World Series in Australia in 1995-96, when Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana changed the way the first 15 overs of an ODI are played with their frenzied hitting. Jayasuriya could not have chosen a more fitting stage than the World Cup in 1996 to announce his arrival. Adjudged Man of the Tournament, Jayasuriya put bowling attacks to the sword and raised the bar from 250 being a winning score to 280 being a defendable one. Since 1996 he has been rampant in his run-making with 8331 runs in 241 innings at 36.65. It was this accelerated scoring that gave added importance to the batsman’s strike rate. Jayasuriya’s is very impressive at 88.54.An argument about one-day cricket’s best batsmen may not include Jayasuriya. But not many will find reason to omit him from the list of one-day cricket’s most valuable players. Leave aside that mammoth total of 10,000 runs. Jayasuriya also has a commendable haul of 267 ODI wickets. A ranking of fourth in the list of highest run-scorers in ODIs and 12th among highest wicket-takers, Jayasuriya, one would argue, is easily one the game’s most valuable gems.Allrounders with more than 3000 runs and at least 150 wickets
The ICC has stated that it is open to the idea of having a two-tier format for Tests. Reacting to Sourav Ganguly’s suggestion that all Test teams be grouped into two levels, Ehsan Mani, the ICC president, said in a chat with BBC Hindi: “The ICC is considering suggestions like that of Ganguly’s with an open mind. We have received many suggestions like these. A decision on having a two-tier Test format can be taken by June next year.”Mani clarified that the ICC was currently in the process of studying various aspects of the game. “The ICC is having a strategic review of international cricket these days where we will definitely review and analyse all these things. We are trying to find out a better way of running cricket competitions in the world. We shall probably make a decision on this by June 2005 when the final document should be ready. You should understand that this would have far-reaching implications.”The ICC had earlier indicated that it was hoping to offer full membership to six more countries in the medium-term, prompting Ganguly to suggest that a two-tier system was the only way to preserve the standards of Test cricket. The clamour for the new format has also gained ground after Zimbabwe’s second string was thrashed in the Tests and the one-dayers by Sri Lanka. Australia are already in Zimbabwe for a series that many fear will be the most one-sided in the history of Test cricket.
“Taj President. Call me anytime”, came the text message, minutes after I asked Hemang Badani if we could have a word before the Ranji Trophy Final. With the big game starting only on May 4, Badani could have been at his Chennai home, putting his feet up, playing with his 10-month-old son Hrishit and enjoying a lazy May-day lunch. Instead, he was in Mumbai, impatient for the game to begin.You would expect Badani to be keen. The Wankhede Stadium has done more for him than for most Mumbai cricketers. It was here in 2000 that Badani first exhibited his hunger, and ability, to bat at the highest level. In a tense match that Tamil Nadu eventually lost, Badani drove, threaded and whipped his way to a career-best 162 in the Ranji Trophy semi-final. His captain, Robin Singh, made 183 and Tamil Nadu threatened to walk away with the game. Threats, however, don’t work when Sachin Tendulkar is around. Tendulkar played with passion and verve to carve out 233, and Tamil Nadu were beaten – by one man.This time around, though, there’s no Tendulkar to worry about – he’s away getting medical attention in America.”Even the last time,” says Badani, “we were so close to winning. It was always touch and go, even with Sachin [Tendulkar] batting so well. He stole the game away from us, but we did ourselves no favours with our fielding. He was dropped in the slips – a sitter – when he was just 34 and we also missed a few run-out chances late in the innings.””Even after all that, we were never too far away from winning. You know as well as I do that a few decisions went against us,” adds Badani with a rueful chuckle. Perhaps he is speaking of the time S Mahesh had Santosh Saxena trapped plumb in front, only to be denied by the umpire, when Mumbai still needed a run to take the all-important first-innings lead.But despite Tendulkar’s absence, there’s still plenty for this Tamil Nadu team to mull over. The brisk medium-pace of Ajit Agarkar and Avishkar Salvi, on a wicket that has been relaid recently, could ask a few questions of Badani and his team.”I’ve played with Ajit [Agarkar] since the Under-16 level and I know his game really well,” said Badani. “We first toured England together as teenagers for Star Cricket Club and we go back a long way. Salvi is another one to watch out for, with his height and the bounce he generates.””They’ll prepare a wicket that has something in it for the mediumpacers. Their best spinner is Sairaj [Bahutule] and he’ll be wondering how to bowl to all the left-handers in our side. So you would have to say that Agarkar and Salvi are the biggest threats. But we’re not scared, or worried about them,” a confident Badani says.You have to believe Badani when he says so. Despite being out of the Indian team in recent months, he has been discussed at every selection meeting. “The frustrating part about playing for India and then being dropped is the fact that you know you can perform at that level, and you still have to sit out. Whatever anyone might say, there’s a huge gap between playing domestic cricket and playing at the international level. You can make all the runs you want in domestic games but only when you make them at the highest level do you really know that you have it in you,” says Badani.Tendulkar certainly thought Badani had it in him. It was after that memorable 1999 Ranji semi-final that he marked Badani out for higher honours. “Sachin spoke to me after the game and told me one thing. You have a fantastic downswing and follow-through, he said. Whether you’re going through a bad patch or not, never change that. This will make all the difference at the highest level.”Badani will walk out to the middle on the fourth of May with those words in mind. “It could be a very big match for me. I feel this could be the best thing that happened to me – something that needed to happen. If I can make a hundred, and help Tamil Nadu win … ” he trails off. He doesn’t have to say more. You know what he means: this match could be the one that propels him back into the Indian team.
Graeme Hick’s 200 not out against Durham at Chester-le-Street saw him become the first batsman to score Championship centuries home and away against all other 17 first-class counties.He also equalled the highest score made at the six-year-old Riverside ground, Darryl Cullinan having made 200 not out for South Africa against Durham in 1998.The 117th century of his career also took Hick level with Don Bradman as he held the Worcestershire innings together before declaring at 356 for nine, 13 behind.Play began half an hour late and a further 17 overs were lost with Durham on 69 for two in their second innings. They returned at 5.30 for nine overs and finished on 99 for two with Martin Love on 45.Hick saw two partners run out when he was on 99 and was then almost out himself as he edged Nicky Hatch via the oustretched fingertips of Love, the only slip, for the two runs which took him to 101 off 157 balls.Matt Rawnsley survived 23 overs and contributed 17 to a ninth-wicket stand of 99 before he was also run out.Hick drove his only six off Graeme Bridge to reach 200 off 238 balls. He also hit 26 fours, many of them pulled disdainfully through mid-wicket and his fourth 50 came off only 23 deliveries.On 68 overnight, his only real mistake came on 88 when he miscued a drive off Bridge and Jimmy Daley ran back 15 yards from mid-off to get under the ball, only to let it slip through his hands.Gary Pratt was responsible for two of the run-outs, but with Danny Law suffering from a sore toe the already depleted Durham attack posed few problems for Hick on a flat pitch.
It didn’t take long for news to surface over a possible Parkhead return, with The Scottish Sun claiming the Hoops would be willing to create a coaching pathway for their former captain.
There could be a role in the senior academy and B-team for Brown, while Celtic are also on the lookout for a new coach for their Under-18 side.
The Latest: McLeish reacts
McLeish, who contributes for BBC Radio 5 Live, was asked by Football Insider for his thoughts on the links regarding Brown.
This is what he had to say in reply, labelling it as a ‘great idea’ by the Hoops.
“If he feels the urge to hang up his boots, then it kind of smacks of common sense, Celtic giving him an opening.
“I think his desire is to become a coach and possibly a manager in the future. First, Scott has to retire.
“For Celtic, I’m sure it’s a great idea to bring one of the legends back to the club in a coaching capacity. If they’ve got the space, then why not?”
The Verdict: Hoops need to act fast
If Celtic want to bring Brown back to Glasgow, they may have to act fast, with Leicester City and former Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers already offering him a quick return to coaching in the Midlands.
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Ange Postecoglou seemed open to the idea of the 36-year-old returning to Lennoxtown when talking on Thursday, however, it doesn’t look like Brown will be short of options. It could be one to keep an eye on over the coming weeks, as Brown looks “to focus on his coaching development”.
In other news: ‘Seems that’ – Journo now drops more Parkhead exit news on ‘horrendous’ Celtic ‘waste of money’.
Newcastle recorded an excellent 3-1 away victory over West Brom on Sunday at the Hawthorns.
Hatem Ben Arfa and Papiss Cisse scored in the first 12 minutes to give the Tyneside club a stranglehold on the fixture, before the Senegal international scored his second and Newcastle’s third just after the half-hour mark.
Shane Long pulled one back for the Baggies after the break, but the game finished in favour of the Geordies, who are now level on points with Chelsea.
Alan Pardew was quick to praise his squad after the victory.
“I just thought we had a real good control of our passing today and our movement was terrific,” he told Sky Sports after the game.
“We tried to work down the sides of (Youssouf) Mulumbu because he protects the centre of the pitch really well and that worked well for us.
“But you need outstanding players to win games here and our best player stepped forward today – Hatem Ben Arfa was really, really difficult to play against, some of his runs were incredible.
“And Demba (Ba) and Papiss are going to score goals and I kept saying to the staff, ‘we’re going to get three goals in a game shortly because we’ve got so many goalscorers’, and today it came.
“We’ve just got a really good bunch who are trying so hard. To have the same points as Chelsea at this stage is phenomenal, really.
“And you have to take your hats off to the players – they’ve worked really, really hard,” he concluded.
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Newcastle host Liverpool next Sunday at the Sports Direct Arena.
Sacked manager Avram Grant has accused West Ham of offering his job to six other coaches during the team’s unsuccessful relegation battle.Grant, 56, joined West Ham on a four-year deal in June 2010.
After a poor start to the season, the Israeli’s future became the subject of frequent speculation.
In January he was reportedly close to being replaced by former Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill.
Grant was ultimately unsuccessful in his battle to keep West Ham in the English Premier League.
They were relegated on Sunday after losing 3-2 away to Wigan, with the club’s owners apparently relieving Grant of his duties just minutes after the final whistle.
And now a close friend of the former Chelsea and Portsmouth boss has revealed Grant’s dissatisfaction with the state of affairs at the club under owners David Sullivan and David Gold.
“Avram points to January when Martin O’Neill was offered his job,” a source close to Grant was quoted as telling the Guardian.
“He says six managers were asked by the club to take over, including Steve McClaren and Sam Allardyce, but they would not do it because they knew the situation there.”
Grant also presided over financially-stricken Portsmouth’s relegation from the Premier League last season.
“He actually said that despite all the financial difficulties at Portsmouth, where players were not being paid and the club faced liquidation, that job was far easier than the West Ham one because he could concentrate on the on-field job,” the source said.
Grant was reportedly warned not to accept the West Ham job due to problems under the regime of Gold, Sullivan and chief executive Karen Brady.
The trio dismissed Gianfranco Zola at the end of the 2009/10 season, despite the Italian managing to keep West Ham in the top flight.
“Avram was advised not to take the job by several people in football but he wanted the challenge,” the source said.
“He feels almost from the moment he took over the situation was virtually impossible.”
“He regrets not checking out the club properly to find out the true situation about the budget. His vision was for the club to be a mini-Arsenal, developing their own players and style.”
“He knew it would be difficult in the first season, fighting relegation at the same time. But if he knew then what he knows now he probably would not have accepted the job.”
Very rarely does Wembley host such exciting, closely fought cup finals these days. But in 2006 we were treated to one which we stick in the mind of football fans for years to come. Steven Gerrard, not for the first or last time, came to Liverpool’s rescue as West Ham looked certain to upset the odds and win their first FA Cup in 26 years.
Twice the Liverpool skipper scored to bring his side level, with the second being an absolute screamer inside injury time. The game looked over as a contest as early as the 28th minute when Dean Ashton added to Jamie Carragher’s own goal to put the Hammers 2-0 up.
But Gerrard did what he does best and carried his side from the brink of defeat. The game went to penalties which Liverpool went on to win (no surprise Gerrard found the net from the spot) but only after Marlon Harewood missed a sitter with seconds remaining.
Whoever thinks the excitement has gone out of the FA Cup need only to watch this clip…
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Click on Giorgia Palmas below to see her in all her glory
Sports minister Hugh Robertson has come to the defence of the FA, after the governing body’s decision to strip John Terry of the England captaincy came under scrutiny from Fabio Capello.
With the Chelsea defender set to appear in court in July in regards to Anton Ferdinand’s claims that Terry racially abused him, the FA took the nation’s captain’s armband away from the centre back, much to the distain of Capello.
However Robertson has made a public statement of support for the FA.
“It’s a difficult situation and emotions are running high, but I think up to now the FA have acted very sensibly, very reasonably and come to the right decision,” Robertson told Sky Sports News.
“There were two things they had to tackle at the end of last week. The moral case, which is very, very difficult one, because in this country you are innocent until proved guilty.
“It would have been very tough to take action on that front, but then there was also the practical side of it which is that it was going to make it extraordinarily difficult for John Terry, fabulous footballer and great captain that he is, to discharge that responsibility in the white heat of this sort of publicity during the European Championship so I believe they entirely made the right decision.
“I don’t think there’s any, any way that John Terry could have carried out the very considerable duties that are required of the national captain with this sort of thing going on in the background. Every single press conference, every single appearance, everything the England team had done during those Euros if he would have been captain would have had that as a backdrop.
“Whatever you think of John Terry the person, what you think about the case that is bound to of had a very poor effect on the team. So it was the only practical and sensible thing the FA could do,” he concluded.
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Despite having already played 54 times this season, Arsenal youngster Jack Wilshere looks set to be named in Stuart Pearce’s squad for the Under-21 European Championships next month. A stout protector of his own players, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been campaigning for Wilshere to be rested for the summer for the sake of his own health and future after a long season for both club and country. Having also broken into the senior England side, Wenger has questioned why Wilshere is still involved with the Under-21s.
Wenger’s complaints look to have fallen on death ears so far. But, another player to have broken into the Senior side and originally earmarked for the Under-21 squad looks set to be rested following concerns from his club. Since his £30 million switch to Liverpool, Andy Carroll has struggled for fitness with an injury first sustained at Newcastle.
With the FA seemingly willing to rest Carroll but not Wilshere, expect a tirade of criticism from Wenger. But does the Frenchmen have a valid arguement?
Wilshere has played a great deal more games than Carroll. And, with the Championship set to take place in under two weeks and run until the end of June, Wilshere would only have around six weeks until the start of the new Premier League campaign. With Wenger stating the midfielder needs four weeks of complete rest, he would struggle to be match-fit and ready for the new season.
Carroll, meanwhile, would be allowed a full two and half months before the start of next season. But the player has struggled to play regularly since his January switch to Liverpool and would represent a gamble anyway. More importantly, were Carroll to seriously aggravate his knee injury and face a lengthy spell on the sidelines, the FA would run the risk of serious action from Liverpool over their club record signing.
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Wenger seems to undermine the importance of the Under-21 tournament itself. Whilst not as high-profile as last year’s World Cup, it would be of definite importance to the future of English football. With the likes of Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and John Terry all the wrong side of 30, it would give the next generation a great opportunity to play in a tournament together. Likewise, it would be a great experience for the likes of Wilshere and Carroll.
The FA cannot be seen to favour Liverpool’s wishes over Arsenal’s. But, Wenger must remember that Carroll has had a completely different season to Wilshere. Wenger has never been a great believer in the importance of internationals at the expense of club football, but Wilshere would be a key player for the Under-21s and the Wenger must see the influence it could have on his development.