South Africa women 239 for 6 (Brits 46) beat Netherlands women 140 for 9 (Rambaldo 34) by 99 runs ScorecardSouth Africa’s women eased to a comfortable 99-run win over their Dutch counterparts at the VRA Ground in Amstelveen, thanks to a solid batting performance from their top five, and a disciplined bowling effort in which Sunette Loubser, Lonell de Beer and Susan Benade were the pick with two wickets each.After winning the toss and batting first, South Africa never looked back. Having already got the measure of the Netherlands attack during their Test victory in Rotterdam earlier in the week, they racked up a comfortable 239 for 6, with Cri-Zelda Brits top-scoring with 46.In reply, the Netherlands top-order capitulated, with four of the top six making single-figures. Helmien Rambaldo held the innings together with 34 from 69 balls, but South Africa were never in danger of defeat.
English sport has been in a bit of a pickle lately. Don’t mention thefootball. Don’t mention the tennis. Don’t mention the cricket. Exceptwe have to. So – now that England’s senior side is in some seriousdisarray in all forms of the game, perhaps the A team can help.To this end the selectors have called in Matthew Hoggard, AlastairCook and Ian Bell to take on the mighty Pakistanis at Canterbury andhopefully give England a fillip. It will be no mean feat, though:Pakistan are unbeaten in Tests in 2006 and they easily beatLeicestershire in a warm-up last week.They tinkered around with their opening pairings, such is their wont,but both combinations paid off albeit to differing degrees. SalmanButt and Imran Farhat added 168 first up, then Shoaib Malik openedwith Farhat, and although they only put on 38, Malik went on to get acentury.Most ominously of all, though, was the form shown by Danish Kaneria inthe third innings. He bagged 4 for 32 and England will be casting concerned eyes on his form when he pitches up at Canterbury tomorrow. They will know, too, that the pitches are only going to turn more and more in his favour as the season wears on.But Rana Naved-ul-Hasan must wait on a fitness test for his injured groin and Pakistan’s coach Bob Woolmer has already said that he will miss the first Test which starts at Lord’s next Thursday.Back in the A camp, England first hinted they were beginning to take these games a little more seriously in May when they fielded a strong side against Sri Lanka, who they rolled over in three days. In that match, Liam Plunkett gained some vital practice ahead of the Testseries, and Chris Read got the chance to keep his name in the frame, as did Rob Key. It’s much the same story here, with Key continuing to lead the side. He’s still knocking on the door; in that match at Worcester he posted a solid fifty.”Our job is to put the touring side on the back foot – which is generally what seems to happen to us every time we go overseas and play A sides,” said Key. “It also gives us a chance to stake a claim for the full side. This might be a bit tougher than our first match. I don’t think this pitch will be anything like the Worcester one.”The A team also, of course, can act as a springboard for others. Jon Lewis took nine wickets against Sri Lanka and leapt into the Test side for his debut at Trent Bridge.Stuart Broad was a late entrant to the team for the last A outing (so late, in fact, that he had to have his kitbag redirected from Harrogate). He took three wickets then and so this time he is in the side by right. He’s gained great experience over the winter, for the Ateam in the West Indies, thanks to another last-minute call-up. Hehasn’t looked back, and he’s already being talked about in senior England circles.Ravi Bopara, another late call-up, has impressed too after joining Broad on the plane to the Caribbean. Both have been flying high ever since and both will now want to soar into contention for the future. Everyone loves it when a plan comes together; so fingers crossed for the A team.England A Robert Key (capt), Alastair Cook, Ian Bell, Owais Shah, Ravinder Bopara, Jamie Dalrymple, Alex Loudon, Chris Read (wk), Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Matthew HoggardPakistanis (probable) Salman Butt, Shoaib Malik, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Inzamam-ul-Haq (capt), Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Kamran Akmal (wk), Mohammad Sami, Mohammad Asif, Danish Kaneria
On whether he enjoyed his birthday Bowling 46 overs? [laughter] It’s been a tough day, [Damien] Martyn and [Jason] Gillespie played well, especially Martyn, and we had to do a lot of work to get them out.On the pitch today, and how it was different from the first day It was slower, and it did not offer so much bounce. I had to pitch it up more than I did in the first innings.On Martyn’s innings, and how it was different from the first innings He played mostly on the back foot, waited for the ball to come to him, and punished all the loose balls he got. He showed tremendous patience, and that is what is needed on such a pitch.On India’s chase tomorrow We need a good start. In this match the first session has been good for batting, and we need to capitalise on that. If we reach lunch in a comfortable position, we’ll be well placed to win the match.On Parthiv Patel’s wicketkeeping Look, a lot has been said about Parthiv, but it is a tough job that he does, especially on these kinds of wickets, where the pitch has these rough patches. It makes it worse that these decisions are shown on television again and again. He’ll get better as the series gets along.On how the Indian batsmen will fare against Shane Warne on the fifth day He’s a great bowler, but our batsmen play him well. I think 200 is a gettable score.On how he rates his performance in this Test Quite high. It came against the No. 1 team in the world. We were one down in the series and we needed to win this desperately. Had you told us before the match started that we would be in this situation, we would have taken it.On the bowling support he got I bowled the whole day. It’s not easy for two spinners to bowl through the day. Zak [Zaheer Khan] really bowled well, and Irfan [Pathan] didn’t get into his rhythm.On whether Pathan is fit, considering he bowled so little in the day YesOn whether, regarding Pathan not bowling today and Mohammad Kaif’s injury a day before, they were fasting for Ramadan No
If there was doubt beforehand, there can be none now. Lancashire have established themselves as the frontrunners for the County Championship, after a clinical and multi-faceted three-day demolition of Worcestershire at Old Trafford.Seventeen wickets tumbled in little more than two sessions, on a day that began beneath leaden Manchester skies and yet finished in shirt-sleeves and ice-cream conditions. But there was never the slightest suggestion that the pitch was at fault. Instead James Anderson and the left-arm spinner Gary Keedy each found an end of the ground to suit their individual desires, and Worcestershire lined up to be cut down. They were bowled out for 127 in just 42.3 overs, with Anderson confirming that, once box-office, always box-office, as he grabbed the final wicket to complete his maiden first-class ten-for.Anderson’s last Test came against Sri Lanka in Colombo last December, and on this evidence, Keedy should have been playing alongside him. Suspicions about Keedy’s batting ability have hindered his chances of international recognition, but class will always tell in the end – even in the era of the Duncan Fletcher multi-tasker. Once Anderson had decapitated the top-order in another of his golden-armed spells, Keedy’s beguiling flight and sharp turn was too good for the rest, as he grabbed five of the next six wickets to fall. Only Glen Chapple’s dismissal of Andrew Hall broke the Keedy-Anderson monopoly.For all the efforts of Lancashire’s bowlers, this match was won and lost on the second afternoon, when Carl Hooper and Iain Sutcliffe were adding 168 for the third wicket. With that in mind, the morning session was loaded with bad omens for Worcestershire, as they whipped out six cheap but all-too-late wickets. Gareth Batty struck early with a big ripping delivery to end Keedy’s nightwatchman duties, before returning only 15 overs into the new ball to remove a stiff-limbed Mal Loye. But it was Matt Mason’s snorting dismissal of Chapple from the Stretford End that really put the wind up Worcestershire. When Lancashire’s turn came to bowl again, Anderson switched from the Warwick Road after just two tame overs, and with instant effect.In four breakneck overs, Anderson sealed the game. Stephen Peters fended the sixth delivery of his spell to Mark Chilton in the gully, and Graeme Hick strode out to size up the situation. After watching from the non-striker’s end, Hick got off the mark with an imperious first-ball cut shot, but was hurried up and then comprehensively beaten by Anderson’s next two balls. The fourth of the over, however, was simply too good – short, fast and rising, and Hooper plucked a sizzling chance at second slip.Anderson’s fourth over followed a similar pattern. He set Ben Smith up with a long-hop, crashed for four, then two balls later offered yet more width but from a fuller length. Keedy at point gobbled the botched square-drive, just moments after the sun had burst through the clouds to bathe Old Trafford in the most glorious of conditions. At 40 for 3 with nearly five sessions remaining, Lancashire could have been forgiven for hopping onto the sun loungers there and then.Instead Keedy took his cue – and centre stage – all in one go. Kadeer Ali fell victim to the classic slow-left-armer’s dismissal – caught by Dominic Cork at slip as he propped forward to a sharply-tweaked middle-stump delivery, and when Hall fell to Chapple, even the resolute Stephen Moore gave up the ghost. Almost unnoticed, he had moved to within five runs of his half-century, but in a unexpected rush of blood, he hared down the wicket and was stumped by a merry mile. (90 for 6).The tail folded without a whimper. Andy Bichel snicked another beauty on the stroke of tea (112 for 7), Steve Rhodes was trapped in front (120 for 8), and Mason had an almighty heave-ho for Stuart Law to hold a steepler at square-leg (126 for 9). Keedy’s late surge for a ten-wicket haul was now in full flow, but Anderson the showman returned at the Stretford End to reclaim the limelight – Nadeem Malik had no chance with a brisk wicket-to-wicket delivery that crashed into his pads.Anderson returned figures of 10 for 81; Keedy shared top billing with 9 for 82, and Lancashire had moved 13 points clear at the top of the County Championship. It was a triple whammy of impressive proportions, and one that may yet be further recognised when England’s squad for the Lord’s Test is announced on Sunday morning.
Pakistan skipper Waqar Younis admitted that rapid improvements were necessary before their high-profile showdown with India at the weekend.Pakistan completed a comfortable 97 run victory over the Netherlands but a lacklustre performance by the middle order and an unacceptable 40 sundries took the gloss off their win.”We should have got 300 on that wicket,” Waqar said. “And then we didn’t bowl that well – giving away so many easy runs was a worry.”Perhaps we were a little lethargic playing against a weaker side but there are a few things we’ve got to improve on and talk about in the next few days.”The form of star batsman Inzamam-ul-Haq, who has scored just 10 runs in four innings, is a serious concern.”He is one our best players and has performed brilliantly for Pakistan in the past,” said Waqar.”Hopefully, he will get some more runs in the next game against India.”But Waqar paid tribute to Wasim Akram who became the first bowler to take 500 ODI wickets.”I just want to salute him. It is an outstanding achievement for him and for Pakistani cricket. I don’t see anybody else bettering his achievement,” said Waqar.
Somerset cruised to victory by eight wickets after wet conditions before the start of play, and periodic showers through the afternoon, had delayed the start of this Norwich Union league match at The Oval.The game could not get underway until 5.45pm and, as a consequence, it was reduced to ten overs a side. Surrey, having decided to bat first reshuffled their usual batting order to go for quick runs.Mark Ramprakash, in such brilliant form after his knocks of 143 and 90 this week in the CricInfo Championship game, went one position up the order to open with Ian Ward, but with 22 on the board, 11 to each batsman, he was caught behind off Jason Grove in the fourth over.The next over brought the dismissal of Adam Hollioake, bowled by Peter Trego and just three runs later on 34, the third wicket fell with Ian Jones, who eventually finished with three for 14 from his two overs, picking up his first as he bowled Mark Butcher for two.Some free-hitting from Nadeem Shahid brought 19 quick runs with the help of three boundaries from only nine balls as Surrey progressed to 58, but Shahid was bowled by Jones and a run later the fifth wicket went with top scorer Ian Ward bowled for 22 from 23 balls.Set a target of 69, Jamie Cox and the left-handed Ian Blackwell got Somerset off to a flying start. But Carl Greenidge, replacing Ed Giddins, took two wickets in three balls, bowling Cox for 22 and having Michael Burns caught at backward short leg for four. Somerset were 41 for two.Blackwell, continuing to attack the Surrey bowling went for the boundaries. He reached 20 with a four to mid-wicket, then to 26 with another four, to long off and to 32 with a lofted shot to square leg. He was on 33 from just eighteen balls, six of which were hit to the boundary, when Keith Dutch pushed the match-winning single to mid-wicket with as many as 3.3 overs remaining. It was all so easy for Somerset.
They might be taking turns on the injury table, but Arsenal have built a squad bursting with incredible players in recent years.
Whether it’s at the back, in the middle of the park or up top, fitness permitting, Mikel Arteta has an embarrassment of riches to pick from.
In other words, if someone is underperforming, the Spaniard should have a few options at his disposal to replace them, and if they continue to underperform, the player in question could fall further down the pecking order.
This could be what eventually happens with Martin Odegaard, as while his talent is undeniable, the feeling among much of the fanbase is that he’s slowly becoming less integral to the team.
Therefore, it’s less than ideal for him that Arteta has an incredible prospect who is something of a Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze hybrid who could one day end his Arsenal career.
Odegaard's Arsenal regression
During his first two and a half years at Arsenal, Odegaard showed consistent improvement.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
For example, during his loan spell, the Norwegian international racked up two goals and two assists in 20 appearances.
That increased to seven goals and five assists in 40 appearances the following season, and then, in 22/23, he racked up an astounding haul of 15 goals and seven assists in 45 games.
In fact, all 15 of his goals came in the league, which saw him join Cesc Fàbregas as the only Arsenal midfielders to score so many in a single campaign.
Unfortunately, in the two and a bit seasons since, the former Real Madrid wonderkid has become less influential.
For example, while he actually produced more assists in the 23/24 season, 11, he scored significantly fewer goals, just eight.
Then, partly down to the ankle injury he suffered on international duty, and a general dip in form, the 26-year-old was only able to amass a tally of six goals and 12 assists last season.
Odegaard’s Arsenal Record
Season
Games
Goals
Assists
20/21
20
2
2
21/22
40
7
5
22/23
45
15
7
23/24
48
11
12
24/25
45
6
12
25/26
13
0
2
All Stats via Transfermarkt
It was likely this dip in productivity that, at least in part, influenced the club’s decision to sign Eze in the summer.
Injuries for the captain have once again blighted the start of this season, but even so, his return of two assists in 13 appearances is more than a little worrying.
In all, there is undoubtedly every chance that Odegaard gets back to his mercurial best this year, but if he continues to be less influential, he could see his place taken by someone who’s something of a hybrid between Saka & Eze.
The Arsenal gem who could replace Odegaard
Odegaard likely has a couple of years left to get back to his best, but if he doesn’t, Ethan Nwaneri could eventually take his place.
The Hale End dynamo might not be getting the game time he deserves, but his immense talent is practically undeniable, and last season proved as much.
For example, in what was his first consistent taste of senior football, the “unplayable” dynamo, as dubbed by Jack Wilshere, scored nine goals and provided two assists in 37 appearances, totalling 1378 minutes.
Nwaneri in 25/26
Appearances
10
Minutes
427′
Goals
1
Assists
0
Goal Involvements per Match
0.1
Minutes per Goal Involvement
427′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
In other words, the superstar in the making averaged a goal involvement every 3.36 games, or, more crucially, one every 125.27 minutes.
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Moreover, he did it playing off the right, covering for the talismanic Saka, and showing some of the same qualities his compatriot has demonstrated over the years, such as his eye for goal.
However, the 18-year-old also shares a lot in common with Eze, including a desire to play in attacking midfield, the ability to carry the ball in tight spaces, and a knack for making something from nothing.
In addition to being comparable to the two England internationals, the youngster is also a fair bit more direct than his captain and competitor for game time.
For example, while Odegaard likes to take plenty of touches and wait for an opening, the Enfield-born gem clearly prefers to drive at defences and either take the shot on himself, as he did in his cameo against Club Brugge, or quickly play a pass to a teammate.
Ultimately, Odegaard is still going to be Arteta’s first choice this season, and probably next year as well.
However, if the Norwegian can’t get his output back to the levels it was a couple of seasons ago, and Nwaneri continues to impress, there is every chance the youngster could one day take his place in the team.
Arteta must bin £40m star who was "Pires-like" in his first years at Arsenal
It’s time for Arteta to take the frustrating Arsenal star out of the team.
Cricket Australia will honour a commitment for its Australia A and under-19 sides to tour Pakistan despite Hockey Australia’s decision to pull out of December’s Champions Trophy for security reasons. The trips are scheduled for September and October, and a five-man delegation from Australia completed a security inspection of Pakistan last week.”It’s our intention to fulfil our tour obligations,” a Cricket Australia spokesman told . “We will continue to monitor with the relevant security agencies both in Australia and overseas on the day-to-day developments in Pakistan.”The commitment was only for this year’s series, however the Australian board said at this stage it was still planning for Australia’s three-Test tour of Pakistan next March to go ahead. There have been security concerns in Pakistan lately, after a wave of suicide bombings and other attacks by militants following an army raid on the pro-Taliban Red Mosque in Islamabad in early July.Last week’s inspection was led by Cricket Australia’s operations manager Michael Brown and Paul Marsh, the chief executive of the Australian Cricketers’ Association. “The group received some first-class presentations from the PCB and Pakistani authorities on a wide range of issues including security,” the Cricket Australia spokesman said. “We feel we are in possession of good and the most up-to-date information.”
Sometimes a single innings stands out above anything else in a match. Not for the first time in a run-filled career, Stuart Law reached that level at Edgbaston as Lancashire built a match-winning lead of 144 in conditions that were still far from cakewalk for the batsmen. He and Iain Sutcliffe added almost as many as the whole Warwickshire line-up managed together – their stand of 165 could be the defining period of this match.There was less help for the seamers than on the opening day; when the sun shines at Edgbaston batsmen tend to prosper. However, it had by no means turned into a featherbed and an early wicket apiece for Dougie Brown and Heath Streak threatened another batting collapse. The ball that scooted through low to trap Brad Hodge would certainly have raised the odd eyebrow.But Law belied the conditions and whenever he was on strike it was as though an entirely different game was being played. He stamped his authority early with a succession of sweetly timed straight drives, but the sign of his class came with a delicate late cut off Lee Daggett that raced down to third man. The shot was played with complete confidence and control and Law was on his way.With the ball still offering to seam Law ensured he got a large stride down the pitch to cover any movement while still being in a position to rock back if the bowler dropped short. The Warwickshire attack offered plenty of both lengths, although erred on the side off too full, especially the young pair of Daggett and James Anyon. Daggett had found the perfect length on Saturday when Warwickshire bowled out Durham, but here he strived too hard rather than letting the pitch help him.The pace of scoring in this match has never threatened to beyond near three-an-over, so the fact Law’s century came off 151 balls showed how dominant he was. In contrast Sutcliffe crept along but that should not detract at all from an innings that was equally vital to Lancashire’s cause. He performed the anchor role that none of the Warwickshire top order could manage. What will have frustrated him, however, would be the manner of his dismissal when he edged a drive off Jim Troughton’s first ball, which was sharplytaken to slip’s right.Sutcliffe’s wicket sparked a mini-collapse as Warwickshire hauled themselves back into contention through Troughton and Moeen Ali, who ended Law’s outstanding innings with a delivery that turned behind his legs and hit legstump. It was due reward for Ali, and a memorable maiden first-class wicket, who bowled with encouraging flight and he soon added Dominic Cork via a soft edge to slip.However, Lancashire have always prided themselves on a long batting line-up. This match it is not quite as strong without Glen Chapple, but Kyle Hogg took the chance to display his prowess. Since being tipped for higher honours at the same time that James Anderson was selected in 2003, Hogg has regressed rather alarmingly and hasn’t been able to gain a regular spot in the first team. Dougie Brown will be wishing he wasn’t in this side.In the first over with the second new ball, Hogg launched Brown straight into the pavilion, then in his next over dispatched three fours in four balls in a calculated assault that significantly changed the balance of power. The spinners had given Heath Streak a modicum of control so taking the new ball was a risky decision and the first 10 overs with it brought 56 runs.When Hogg held out to deep square-leg, Tom Smith contributed more useful runs with the last three wickets putting on 100. The Warwickshire attack stuck to their task all day, but couldn’t quite find the talisman that Lancashire had in Cork yesterday. The tail-end efforts have shown that batting certainly is possible and the home side can take heart from that. But they’ll need more than some lower-order defiance to turn this match around; someone will have to play an innings out of Law book.
Andrew Strauss filled his boots against the Bangladesh attack for the third time in the NatWest Series as England comfortably sealed their place in the final with a five-wicket win at Headingley. Strauss was out with just one run needed, for 98, following Andrew Flintoff’s 4 for 29 which restricted Bangladesh after they made a promising start.Strauss attempted to finish the match in the grand manner, by reaching his century, but was bowled by Manjural Islam, the ball after hitting a six to get within two runs of his milestone (208 for 5). It was another impressive innings from Strauss and it is important that he now starts to take this form into the remaining matches against Australia – starting at Edgbaston on Tuesday.A target of 209 was never going to be enough to trouble England, especially when Strauss and Marcus Trescothick continued to gorge themselves on the Bangladesh bowling. Trescothick was in great touch again and it was a surprise when he got a feathered edge against Manjural for 43 – a relative failure against after his previous scores of 100* and 85 against Bangladesh in the tournament.Habibul Bashar was forced to turn to his spinners – Manjural and Mohammad Rafique – within the 15 overs and Trescothick took advantage and slog-swept into the Western Terrace (or Stand as it now prefers to be known). However, Manjural got his revenge when Trescothick tried another dab to third-man and got the thinnest of edges to Khaled Mashud (99 for 1).Flintoff was promoted to No. 3 but he again failed to make the most of his opportunity when he fell lbw sweeping at Rafique (134 for 2). Kevin Pietersen gave the Headingley crowd a brief glimpse of his power, clearing the midwicket boundary once during his 23, before finding long-on as he attempted to win the match quickly (182 for 4).
Bangladesh stuttered to 208 for 7 as England’s bowling improved after a poor start with Flintoff leading the resurgence with another menacing spell. Javed Omar provided the backbone to the innings with 81 from 150 balls and Mashud brought some much needed late acceleration with 42 off 43.Omar’s innings was a model of concentration and he largely managed to eradicated the cross-batted shots that have been is downfall in this series. But at times it was questionable whether he was doing more harm than good to the innings. However, after their rapid collapse against Australia yesterday they can be forgiven for ensuring they batted out their 50 overs.Simon Jones gained a useful workout. He grabbed the first wicket to fall, when Shahriar Nafees edged a expansive cut to first slip, where Trescothick took a well-judged low catch (22 for 1).But Flintoff was easily the pick of England’s seam attack after they generally wasted the new ball in a lazy display of bowling and fielding. As Tushar Imran attempted to increase the scoring rate he chopped into his stumps after comfortably scoring at a run-a-ball (92 for 2). It was typical of so many Bangladesh dismissals on this tour, with a batsman doing all the hardwork then losing concentration at the vital time.Mohammad Ashraful had a perfect base to continue his scintillating form, but picked out Trescothick at midwicket from his first ball (92 for 3). Flintoff was then within a whisker of a hat-trick – although not as close as Tremlett last week – when Habibul Bashar just managed to get his pad outside off stump.But Bashar did not last much longer and became another victim of Paul Collingwood’s sharp fielding in the covers. Omar dropped the ball and set off for a single but Bashar’s dive was not quite enough to get him home as Collingwood’s underarm flick just clipped the stumps (112 for 4). When Aftab Ahmed was bowled by Ashley Giles, Bangladesh had lost all their momentum (138 for 5) but Mashud used his experience to ensure they at least passed 200 and gave England a decent chase.Although not the most convincing of England’s performances against Bangladesh, they still got the job done with plenty of time to spare. Now the attention turns firmly to Australia for the rest of the summer. Although Tuesday’s game has no bearing on the final, some important psychological points can be scored ahead of the Lord’s showdown.