Adam Gilchrist has entered record territory with a $2 million life-long contract with Puma, overtaking Michael Clarke’s recent $1.25 million deal with Dunlop-Slazenger and Steve Waugh’s million-dollar agreement with MRF.According to a report in , Gilchrist’s deal with Puma, and other sponsorships with Nestle, Travelex, Fox Sports and Castrol, as well as the $500,000 retainer with Cricket Australia – besides match fees – all combine to make him one of the top-earning sportsmen in Australia.Gilchrist attributed this to cricket’s reach, and said that it had helped the players. “You’d have to ask the companies, but I guess to a certain extent it shows that the game’s bigger, the exposure’s bigger and there’s generally greater marketability for players,” Gilchrist said. “This [The Puma deal] has been a work in progress for a little while and I’m looking forward to contributing to them wherever I can.”The contract more than made up for any loss of earnings Gilchrist may have suffered by opting not to play county cricket – a lucrative option for international cricketers in the off-season. Australia’s hectic schedule may have had something to do with it. After touring Zimbabwe, Australia play Sri Lanka at home, then tour Holland and India, before returning home for more Tests and the VB Series. But Gilchrist believed that as long as players could handle the amount of cricket played, there would be no need to restrict them from playing county cricket.”County cricket is an interesting debate. I just think so long as guys are honest and realistic about how they cope with the extra cricket, then I have no qualms with it. There shouldn’t be a blanket policy,” Gilchrist said. “For me, the break has been sensational and now it’s off to camp next week.”
India v Kenya:Virender Sehwag (IND) 106 runs to complete 2000 ODI runs Dinesh Mongia (IND) needs 96 runs to complete 1000 ODI runs Javagal Srinath (IND) needs 118 runs to complete 1000 ODI runs Anil Kumble (IND) needs 158 runs to complete 1000 ODI runs Ravindu Shah (KEN) needs 3 runs to complete 1000 ODI runs Thomas Odoyo (KEN) needs 51 runs to complete 1000 ODI runs Hitesh Modi (KEN) needs 147 runs to complete 1000 ODI runs Zaheer Khan (IND) needs 5 wickets to join the 100 ODI-wicket clubSteve Tikolo (KEN) needs 43 runs to complete 500 World Cup runs Maurice Odumbe (KEN) needs 139 runs to complete 500 World Cup runs Ravindu Shah (KEN) needs 176 runs to complete 500 World Cup runs Kennedy Otieno (KEN) needs 187 runs to complete 500 World Cup runs Maurice Odumbe (KEN) needs 7 wickets to join the 25 World Cup wicket-clubAustralia v Sri Lanka:Adam Gilchrist (AUS) needs 38 runs to complete 5000 ODI runs Andy Symonds (AUS) needs 36 runs to complete 1000 ODI runs Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) needs 86 runs to complete 9000 ODI runs Michael Bevan (AUS) needs 20 runs to complete 500 World Cup runs Adam Gilchrist (AUS) needs 131 runs to complete 500 World Cup runs Darren Lehmann (AUS) needs 192 runs to complete 500 World Cup runs Aravinda De Silva (SL) needs 64 runs to complete 1000 World Cup runs Marvan Atapattu (SL) needs 112 runs to complete 500 World Cup runs Hashan Tillakaratne (SL) needs 138 runs to complete 500 World Cup runs
A record-breaking fourth-wicket partnership, in which both Owais Shah and BenHutton scored centuries, saw Middlesex gain a commanding position by the endof the first day of their CricInfo Championship match against Derbyshire atSouthgate.Winning the toss and batting first in ideal conditions – an easy-paced pitchand a lightning-fast outfield – Middlesex did not get the best of starts,although the first wicket did put on 55 before Andy Strauss went for 33. ButMike Roseberry and Stephen Fleming soon followed, with all three wicketsfalling to Tom Lungley in a spell of 3-3 in 18 balls.At 62 for 3, Middlesex were hardly in a position of strength but Derbyshirehad to wait another 82 overs before their next success, while thefourth-wicket pair prospered against a less than taxing attack. Tim Munton,captaining Derbyshire in the absence on test duty of Dominic Cork, triedseven bowlers but not another wicket fell until Munton himself took the newball and had Hutton caught at first slip for a career-best 139.It was the young left-hander’s first Championship hundred and he reached itby pulling Richard Illingworth for six. It was one of three he hit in hisinnings, which also included 17 fours.Shah, scoring his second century in three matches, struck 23 fours and was141 not out at the close with Middlesex on 358 for four and no doubt hoping toadd many more runs on the second day.
Aston Villa are reportedly amongst the clubs monitoring Newcastle United winger Allan Saint-Maximin after it was reported that the Magpies would be prepared to sell the Frenchman for £50m.
What’s the story?
According to the Daily Mail, Newcastle are willing to cash in on their star player this summer with Villa monitoring the situation at St.James’ Park.
It is believed that the £50m asking price, if received, would be added to Newcastle manager Eddie Howe’s transfer kitty with the Tyneside club expected to make major additions to their squad following the takeover by PIF.
The 25-year-old signed a six-year contract in 2020 and is a majorly popular figure in the North-East, but could be sacrificed in order to raise funds for a squad overhaul.
Villa must swoop for Saint-Maximin
The idea of Saint-Maximin being available to purchase will undoubtedly prick up the ears of an array of clubs, particularly in the Premier League with the winger’s talents very much known of in England.
Since joining Newcastle from Nice in August 2019, the £28.8m-rated 25-year-old has scored 12 goals and registered 14 assists in 84 appearances for the Magpies and has been previously labelled as “breathtaking” by pundit Gary Neville.
Although that may not seem a tally that justifies a £50m price tag, the Frenchman has largely been playing in a drab, uninspiring Newcastle side since arriving from France.
In the two full seasons under Steve Bruce the Toon Army finished 13th and 12th respectively, with both campaigns seeing some dire football at times, with both seasons seeing the Magpies pick up 44 and 45 points respectively and score 38 and 46 goals whilst conceding 58 and 62.
This term in particular was looking set for disaster for a sustained period of time before Eddie Howe took over and steadied the ship, largely thanks to January arrivals.
Moreover, the Frenchman averages a 62% dribble success rate as well as a 75% passing accuracy and provides 1.5 key passes a game.
However, now that the Tyneside outfit are the richest club in the world following the Saudi-backed takeover, there are undoubtedly ambitious plans for the upcoming transfer window which could see fan-favourite Saint-Maximin sacrificed.
As well as Newcastle, Aston Villa are expected to spend as they enter Steven Gerrard’s first summer transfer window as Villa boss and have already been linked with big-money moves, such as paying £50m for Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma.
Currently, the Villans have the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Emi Buendia, Leon Bailey and Bertrand Traore on the flanks but only Coutinho can hold his head high for his efforts this campaign.
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The Brazilian joined on loan from Barcelona in January and has already become a fan favourite with four goals and three assists and could be set for a permanent move to Villa Park this summer.
Both Traore and Bailey have spent good portions of the season out injured whilst Buendia has scored just twice after becoming the West Midland’s club’s record transfer last summer, joining from Norwich City for £38m.
There is certainly room in the Villa squad to accommodate Saint-Maximin in the Villa ranks who, alongside Coutinho, could establish a cut-throat partnership that would undoubtedly terrorise defences.
Major boost: Aston Villa now handed big double injury lift, supporters will be buzzing
ScorecardMark Stoneman made his second consecutive hundred in the Championship•Getty Images
Depleted Warwickshire battled back at Chester-le-Street after Mark Stoneman’s second century in successive Championship innings for Durham. His stand of 153 with Scott Borthwick took the score to 184 for 1, but Durham were all out for 314 with Rikki Clarke taking 5 for 62.Durham’s decision to bat was probably helped by Chris Wright and Boyd Rankin joining Keith Barker and Richard Jones on the casualty list. Both had stiff backs and Jonathan Trott was on paternity leave. Chris Woakes impressed but was sparingly used in his first appearance of the season, while Tom Milnes recovered from conceding 48 in his first eight overs to take three wickets.Clarke led the attack well, although the lbw decision he gained against Paul Collingwood did not go down well with the Durham captain. He trudged off with extreme reluctance, clearly believing he had nicked the ball. Following his 131 against Yorkshire, Stoneman reached 112 before becoming Milnes’ first victim.Clarke found some movement in a testing opening spell, but Stoneman hit him for three fours in his fifth over, the third one gloved so fine down the leg side that it just evaded Tim Ambrose.Oliver Hannon-Dalby shared the new ball, but there was a bigger threat when Woakes came on for the 14th over. He found Stoneman’s edge twice in his first two overs and, after taking time to settle in, Borthwick became the dominant partner in the run-up to lunch.Stoneman took over on the resumption, scoring the first 22 runs to bring up the 100 stand as his second 50 came off 51 balls. Jeetan Patel had bowled seven overs for 11 runs until Stoneman hit him for four fours off the back foot through the off side in two overs to speed from 84 to his 127-ball hundred.Borthwick fell for 67 to Woakes, who initially looked to be appealing for lbw. But the ball had nicked the inside edge and flown off the pad to gully.Milnes moved a good-length ball away off the seam to hit Stoneman’s off stump, then Michael Richardson aimed across the line and was lbw to Clarke. Another good ball from Milnes had Gordon Muchall caught behind and John Hastings failed to capitalise on being dropped at mid-off. Two balls later he lofted Patel to deep midwicket.Warwickshire were convinced they had Ryan Pringle caught behind on 10 but he played some bold strokes in making 53 before he was last out, hoisting Clarke to deep midwicket. With four overs to bat, Warwickshire reached ten without loss.
Cricinfo has found no evidence to support comments made by Dinanath Ramnarine, the president of the West Indies Players’ Association, that players have been threatened and intimidated during the current sponsorship dispute.Ramnarine, whose role in the row is coming under increasing scrutiny, claimed that players had faced “overwhelming pressure including death threats, and threats from the WICB never to play again … threats and intimidation from sponsors, and pressure from the highest political levels within the length and breadth of the Caribbean community.”The West Indies board dismissed the comments as “highly emotional and totally inaccurate,” adding that they were “most unbecoming and unworthy of an organisation representing professional sportsmen.” A source at Digicel said the claims were “utter nonsense”.And Michael Holding was equally forthright. “It’s absolute rubbish,” he told Sky SPorts. “No player has even mentioned it. They have been under pressure from many parties – WIPA, Cable & Wireless, the public – but no death threats.”And Cricinfo spoke to representatives of some of the players involved who denied any knowledge of the allegations purporting to involve their clients. One said there had been pressure, but pointed out it had come from representatives of Cable & Wireless and WIPA.Ramnarine’s outburst came following the announcement that Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan had decided to terminate their personal contracts with C&W. But it now seems that both players had been trying to withdraw for more than a fortnight but they had been stalled by C&W and WIPA officials.The conduct of Ramnarine in recent weeks has been increasingly volatile, and his latest outburst hardly seems to be in the best interests of the bulk of players who he should be representing.
Ashantha de Mel, the former Sri Lanka fast bowler, has been appointed chairman of the national selection committee. The new-look panel, appointed by the government, also includes Amal Silva, Don Anurasiri and Shabbir Asgerally.de Mel, 46, replaced Lalith Kaluperuma, a former spinner, who chaired a controversial four-man panel that faced mounting criticism from the local media in recent weeks. de Mel previously served as chairman for a year, a tenure that included a public fall-out with Marvan Atapattu after the captain was dropped for a two-Test series against Pakistan. At that time, de Mel vowed not to return unless given his own team.On his secont appointment, de Mel said he would change Sri Lankan cricket for the better if changes were made to the domestic cricket structure. “I have always said I was willing to take on the job again only if there is a decent selection committee,” he told reporters. “We are appointed for a year and within that confined space of time we need to put into place strategies to improve our local tournaments. Standards are deteriorating because there is some problem with the system in place. We need to sit and bring out some good ideas to put Sri Lanka’s cricket back on track.”The new committee’s first task will be the selection of Sri Lanka’s one-day squad for a five-match series in England in June and July.
Paul Collingwood has been described as many things in his time as an international cricketer – the best drinks waiter in the country, the finest point fielder since Jonty Rhodes, England’s best one-day finisher since Graham Thorpe. But comparisons with the great Viv Richards have been few and far between … until today, that is. Because, by clubbing an unbeaten 112 from 86 balls and following up with 6 for 31 from 10 probing overs, Collingwood became the first one-day cricketer to do the double since Sir Viv himself, at Dunedin in 1986-87.His efforts ensured that Bangladesh were brought back to earth with a mighty thud after their heady triumph against Australia on Saturday, although an extraordinary onslaught from Bangladesh’s pocket battleship, Mohammad Ashraful, ensured that the margin of victory was less emphatic than it perhaps ought to have been.It was Ashraful’s century that sealed that famous victory at Cardiff. Today, however, he survived his first delivery in freakish circumstances, when a hat-trick delivery from England’s debutant, Chris Tremlett, landed on the top of his stumps and bounced away to safety. Understandably convinced that his luck was in, Ashraful proceeded to smear all of England’s seamers, not least a bewildered Steve Harmison, to all parts of the ground in a brilliant cameo of 94 from 52 balls.For a while, Michael Vaughan wore the same furrowed brow that had been Ricky Ponting’s preserve in the latter stages of Ashraful’s last innings. But there was one subtle difference. England, through the efforts of Collingwood, Marcus Trescothick and, especially, Andrew Strauss, had rattled along to a massive total of 391 for 4 – the second-highest score in one-day history. Glorious though Ashraful’s efforts were, they were every bit as futile as his brilliant Test hundreds against Sri Lanka in 2001 and India last winter.It wasn’t until Collingwood and his reduced pace entered the attack that England re-established their stranglehold. He bowled Ashraful with a slower ball in his third over and followed up with the wickets of Habibul Bashar and Aftab Ahmed from consecutive deliveries. Javed Omar chopped onto his stumps for a dogged 59 and Khaled Mashud was well caught down the leg-side by Geraint Jones, before Collingwood capped his day by bowling Mohammad Rafique with the final ball of his spell. That completed the best figures by an England bowler in one-day history, and the best allround performance by anyone, ever. Tremlett, who impressed throughout with his pace, bounce and accuracy, swept up the tail for the fine figures of 4 for 32.Ashraful’s intercession aside, it was another emphatic statement of intent from a ruthlessly focused England side. Vaughan produced his fifth correct call out of six to guard against an awkward run-chase in the twilight, but from the moment Trescothick strode out to resume his love-in with Bangladesh’s seam attack, a second upset in four days was never remotely on the cards.
Trescothick came into this match with the small matter of 445 runs to his name in three innings against Bangladesh; by the time he was dismissed, heaving Nazmul Hossain high into the covers, he had added a further 85 from 65 balls. He treated all bowlers with equal disdain, but it was the hapless Tapash Baisya who came in for the greatest abuse. His seven overs were smeared for a whopping 87 runs – the worst economy-rate for any spell of five or more overs in one-day history.It was something of a surprise when Trescothick failed to reach his fourth hundred in as many innings, but once he fell with the score already on 141, there was no pussyfooting around from England. Vaughan fell for an eighth-ball duck and Andrew Flintoff holed out to long-off for 17, but Collingwood’s arrival ensured that the early momentum was not lost.Collingwood instantly set about reproducing the sort of scampering, chivvying innings that had rescued England in their Twenty20 victory over Australia last week. In all he clobbered five sixes and ten fours from 86 balls, and by the latter stages of the performance, the big question was whether England could become the first side to top 400. In the event they failed by nine runs, but no-one will be counting the small change after entertainment of this quality.The biggest revelation of the innings, however, was Strauss, who raced along to his highest one-day score of 152 from 128 balls. While Trescothick was blazing away, he seemed utterly pedestrian by comparison but towards the end of the innings, he unveiled an audacious improvisatory streak with a series of superb inside-out clips that flew away for four through fine leg. He was eventually trapped lbw with one ball of the innings remaining, but by then England had laid down an emphatic gauntlet, both to Bangladesh, but more pertinently, to the chastened Australians, whom they now face in a tasty encounter at Durham on Thursday.
ScorecardAustralia ensured their place in the Plate Championship semi-final with a six-wicket victory against Nepal at Chittagong. After restricting Nepal to 154 for 9, Adam Crosthwaite and Ahilen Beadle guided Australia home with a steady partnership of 96. They will now play the loser of Bangladesh v Ireland, to be played tomorrow.Nepal won the toss and elected to bat, and they fared much better against the Australia pace attack compared to the other teams in their group. They managed to bat out the 50 overs with survival, rather than scoring, their objective. Paras Khadka top-scored with 33 as Nepal crawled to 154 for 9.Australia set about their reply in their usual positive manner, but then had a slight scare after Manjeet Shrestha removed both openers with 30 on the board. And by the 14th over, Australia were wobbling at 62 for 4, and Nepal’s army of fans were sensing a final twist in their enthralling tale. But it was not to be, as Crosthwaite and Beadle regrouped and led Australia to what was in the end a comfortable win.The result brings to an end Nepal’s World Cup adventure. They missed out on a place in the Super League by the narrowest of margins after causing the shock of the tournament in beating South Africa. They also won three of their six matches at Chittagong in front of considerable support from local-based Nepalese students. But defeat to Scotland in their previous match meant that they needed to win against Australia to progress any further.Shakti Gauchan, Nepal’s captain, scored over 170 runs in the tournament and he said he would take home fond memories of his time in Bangladesh. “It has been an enjoyable tournament,” he said. “I’ve learnt a lot on the pitch and everyone has been really nice to us.”Roy Dias, Nepal’s coach, blamed his side’s elimination on the defeat to Scotland. “It was disappointing not to get through, but the Scotland game really cost us,” said Dias. “We’ve done well in this tournament and the boys should be proud of the way that they have played.”
If it is a World Cup, it seems only right that each game should be treated as a cup-tie. That certainly is the way that England are having to approach every match they play in the tournament after forfeiting the points against Zimbabwe.Their next hurdle in the do-or-die campaign is against Pakistan at the scenic Newlands ground in Cape Town under lights, but England will have little opportunity to admire the setting. They would much prefer to maintain their current position in Group A so they can return to play a Super Six match at the same venue in two week’s time.Even before all the political wrangling began and they lost those four points to Zimbabwe in a court room rather than on the field, England knew that this match was going to be a defining moment in their World Cup. A look at the draw suggested that Australia would head the group to leave England, India and Pakistan fighting for the last two qualifying spots. Now Zimbabwe have been thrown into that equation and England are playing catch-up.They started well with a pretty ruthless defeat of the Netherlands, but then had a somewhat pedestrian win against Namibia. From an English point of view, not too much should be read into that, for there was not the intensity associated with a major match and England missed the driving presence of their captain, Nasser Hussain.Hussain was suffering from a stiff neck, which had eased enough for him to take part in today’s practice session. That has got to be a good sign, for while his deputy, Alec Stewart, did a sound job in his place it was no more than that.It was only on the morning of the match that Stewart was asked to do the job, despite the fact that Marcus Trescothick is officially vice-captain. The management’s decision to opt for the tried and trusted Stewart rather than an inexperienced Trescothick initiated some feverish writing among those members of the press who specialise in such stories.Trescothick himself was expecting to get the call if his captain was unfit, but he has not enjoyed a happy time with his batting this winter and it appears that this fact weighed heavily in the debate. Leave the Somerset man to get his own game in order before adding to his workload was the theory. Of course, there is always the view that if he had something else about which to think he might have just gone out and smashed the thing rather than worrying how he was going to do so. That was not the chosen option.If Hussain is fit, it would make sense for his replacement in the side, Ronnie Irani, to drop out. However, England selection is never straightforward. Left-arm spinning all-rounder Ian Blackwell tweaked his back in the Namibia match and while he took part in practice, he did not appear to enjoy total freedom of movement and scans have proved to be inconclusive.If Blackwell is unfit, a like-for-like replacement would be Ashley Giles. He is just recovering from tonsillitis and does not offer the same potential for the valuable runs down the order as either Blackwell or Irani. Having said that, Giles has established himself as England’s first-choice spinner and can be relied upon to offer ten overs of control for his captain.As far as Pakistan are concerned, the match takes on scarcely less importance than it does for England. They would have been disappointed to have had Australia in trouble in the opening match of their campaign and then losing by 82 runs in Johannesburg. They then demolished Namibia in a way that England failed to.In both cases it was their fast bowling pair of Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar that did the damage and this looks to be the key to this match. England enjoy steady rather than destructive bowlers while Pakistan have potential match-winners in Wasim, Shoaib, Waqar Younis and Saqlain Mushtaq.Pakistan’s batsmen have yet to convince in the tournament but, like the team as a whole, they ooze talent. The team has the potential to beat any other side in the world. It also has the ability to under-perform woefully.So much could depend on the toss. Unless there is undue moisture in the pitch at the start, the captain favoured by the coin will bat first and leave the opposition to chase a total under the Cape Town lights. That is never an easy proposition.As for history, that is all in favour of Pakistan. They have not lost to England in the World Cup since 1983 – a record that encompasses five matches including the 1992 final in Melbourne. England would certainly have broken that sequence in a group match in 1992 had not the weather intervened, but that is scant consolation. On the other hand, in 49 one-day international meetings in total, England have won 28 to Pakistan’s 20 victories.It all adds up to a fascinating encounter between two evenly matched sides. It must be hoped that conditions allow for both sides to play to potential. If they do, it is likely to be a desperately close-run thing.