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Ravi Bopara failed with the bat in his guest appearance for Gloucestershire but contributed three wickets as they ran the South Africans close

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Aug-2012
ScorecardRavi Bopara managed only 3 with the bat but claimed the same number of wickets in the South African innings•Getty ImagesRavi Bopara failed with the bat in his guest appearance for Gloucestershire but contributed three wickets with his medium pace as they ran the South Africans close in their one-day warm-up match. No one reached fifty in a South African side that was markedly different to the one that beat England 2-0 in the Tests but they reached their target with an over to spare, when No. 8 Robin Peterson hit David Payne for four.Bopara, who is part of England’s squad for the ODI series against South Africa, which starts on Friday, was drafted in after Gloucestershire’s request to the ECB for a guest player to drum up interest. The ECB may have been tempted to try and exile Kevin Pietersen to Bristol but while Bopara is not be such a marquee name, he has become a mainstay of England’s one-day plans and was in need of practice after missing a month of cricket due to personal problems.He lasted only four overs at the crease in scoring 3, however, and Gloucestershire were reliant on the talents of 23-year-old Dan Housego to set a competitive total. Housego, who joined Gloucestershire from Middlesex over the winter, has made an encouraging start to life in the west of England despite an injury earlier in the season, and reached his maiden one-day hundred from 123 balls.It looked like he might run out of partners when Lonwabo Tsotsobe removed Will Gidman at the end of the 36th over, to leave Gloucestershire 156 for 6, but James Fuller joined Housego to second-top score with a merry 39 at a run-a-ball, the pair adding 94 in 11.2 overs. After recording his century, Housego lashed 32 from 13 balls before becoming Ryan McLaren’s third wicket. Albie Morkel, recovered from an ankle injury, and Wayne Parnell also picked up two wickets apiece, though Imran Tahir had a less successful day, going for 32 off 4.5 overs, including being hit for consecutive sixes by Fuller.In response, the South Africans were indebted to partnerships of 69 between Dean Elgar and Justin Ontong and 67 from Morkel and McLaren, as well as a rapid 41 down the order from Parnell. Hashim Amla, after scoring 482 Tests runs against England at a stately strike-rate of 58.85, switched smoothly into one-day mode with a 30-ball 32 out of a stand with Elgar worth 39, before the No. 1-ranked ODI batsman was caught by Bopara off the bowling of Payne.Bopara then broke the South Africans’ second-wicket association by bowling Ontong, as three wickets fell for ten runs, but contributions from Morkel, McLaren and Parnell kept the tourists in the game. With the required rate rising above six, Ed Young’s final over – the 46th – went for 14 and despite Bopara returning to dismiss Parnell, the South Africans had done enough to maintain their unbeaten record since arriving in the country. If England are left to rely on Bopara with the ball on Friday, that run may well continue.

The New South Wales captain Steve O’Keefe did his India tour cause no harm by nabbing three wickets against Western Australia on day one at Blacktown Oval

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Jan-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Steve O’Keefe took three wickets to peg Western Australia back in Sydney•Getty ImagesGranted a glimmer of hope for the tour of India when Michael Beer suffered a shoulder injury at training this week, the New South Wales captain Steve O’Keefe did his cause no harm by nabbing three wickets as Western Australia struggled on day one of the Sheffield Shield match at Blacktown Oval.Sending Michael Hussey’s Warriors in to bat appeared a curious call at first, but O’Keefe winkled out the first wicket, that of Marcus Harris, and added two more to ensure the hosts ended the day in control of proceedings.As significantly, O’Keefe impressed observers with his control and subtle variations, in what was perhaps his most convincing spell at the bowling crease all season. Given the circumstances, this was a strong sign for the national selectors.It was a well-rounded display by the Blues, for all five bowlers picked up wickets, including Moises Henriques, who arrived after the game had commenced due to his early flight from Hobart where on Wednesday night he had helped Australia to an ODI series tying victory over Sri Lanka.WA’s batsmen struggled for rhythm and occupation in the first match since the end of the BBL, no-one passing 50 despite a quintet of starts. Hussey managed 29 before becoming a victim of Chris Tremain, playing his second first-class match after a debut late last season.

Neither Alan Richardson nor Glen Chapple were ever capped at Test level. But, even aged 37 and 39 respectively, England’s loss remains county cricket’s gain.

Tim Wigmore at Old Trafford11-Apr-2013
ScorecardGlen Chapple, like his opposite number Alan Richardson, still counting the wickets not the years•Getty ImagesNeither Alan Richardson nor Glen Chapple were ever capped at Test level. But, even aged 37 and 39 respectively, England’s loss remains county cricket’s gain.There is much linking the two. They are euphemistically described as elder statesman. Let’s face it: that means by the standards of professional cricket, and especially fast bowlers, they are rather old.They are two seam bowlers destined to be labelled ‘workmanlike’ by those who rarely see them. And, on a day in which rain, gloom and sheer cold might have put off many, both Richardson and Chapple were typically exemplary, mixing accuracy with enough late-career nip to induce OCD in batsmen constantly having to check the safety of their off-stumps.Yet the differences between the two are, perhaps, even more significant. Chapple is a one-club man of the sort 21st Century sport is meant to have eradicated while Richardson is onto his fourth county. Chapple enjoyed early stardom in his career – he almost played for England as a 21-year-old in 1995, and was a regular on A tours in the mid-to-late 1990s – but Richardson has undergone a more circuitous route to success.After a solitary game for Derbyshire in 1995, Richardson spent a few years playing Minor Counties cricket and could easily have drifted out of the game. It was only in 1999, at the age of 24, that Richardson enjoyed success at first-class level. He has continued his trajectory of improvement ever since: averaging 33 for Warwickshire, for whom he played until 2004, then 27 for his next county Middlesex, who he represented until 2009. But that season, he took only 11 wickets at 56: nearing 35, would anyone give him another?Happily the answer was yes, and Worcestershire have been spectacularly vindicated ever since: 185 wickets, and counting, at an average of 23. Last year, Richardson even had the honour of being named one of Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year. Fittingly, Chapple was rewarded in the same year, after leading Lancashire to their first Championship in 77 years.Not only because he plays at Old Trafford and is in his 40th year, Chapple could be described as the Ryan Giggs of county cricket. And – like Giggs and indeed Richardson – he probably now needs an element of protection to ensure readiness for the biggest challenges. Lancashire and Worcestershire will be reluctant to do so but surely need to rest the duo from limited overs games to maximise their chances of immediate Championship promotion in 2013.Although descriptions of their bowling styles inspires many of the same adjectives, Chapple and Richardson have subtly different virtues. Chapple has a smooth, rhythmical action and generates just enough seam movement to worry batsmen. Equally reliable, Richardson’s action could hardly be described as smooth – just before his delivery stride, he shapes as if like a windwill. It is slightly ungainly, but what comes next isn’t: able to extract more bounce than Chapple, Richardson can shape the ball both ways.As they have edged towards middle age, Chapple and Richardson have lost a little pace but have acquired new skills – they are both adept at bowling either over or around the wicket. Richardson used this variation to trouble Lancashire’s openers in a typically testing spell (8-2-13-0) towards the end of the day.Chapple, after a first day in which his wicket-taken impact was limited to an athletic catch, claimed two wickets, including opposite number Daryl Mitchell for an attractive 74, to restrict Worcestershire to 334. They had earlier reached 315-6, thanks to a 96-run stand between Mitchell and Gareth Andrew, who smashed Simon Kerrigan for a six over mid-wicket en route to his 52.The washout of the entire afternoon session, and the threat of further interruptions in the game – notwithstanding the use of floodlights – makes it likely that Chapple and Richardson’s efforts will soon be forgotten as mere features of an uneventful drawn game. That may be true, but their career-long exploits certainly will not.

West Indies captain Darren Sammy’s emotional speech at the presentation ceremony after his team won the World T20 final against England at Eden Gardens

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Apr-2016I want to thank the almighty, because without him nothing is possible. We have a pastor in the team in Andre Fletcher, he keeps on praying. We are a praying team. I’m really happy for this win and it’s something we are going to cherish for a long time.I’ve said we have 15 match-winners. Nobody gave us a chance but every game somebody stepped up and took responsibility. To see Carlos [Brathwaite] play like that in his debut World Cup, it’s just tremendous. It shows the depth we have in the Caribbean in T20 cricket and hopefully with the right structure and development our cricket will continue to improve in one-day and Test cricket.We started this journey … we all know we had … people were wondering whether we would play this tournament. We had a lot of issues, we felt disrespected by our board, Mark Nicholas described our team as a team with no brains. All these things before the tournament just brought this team together. I really want to thank these 15 men, the ability to just put all those adversities aside and to come out and play this type of cricket in front of such passionate fans, it’s just tremendous.I personally also want to thank the coaching staff, coach Phil, he’s been through a lot, and to come here and the way he’s coached the team, he’s just brilliant. All the other coaching staff, who have done their part. We had a new manager in this tournament in Rawl Lewis, he had never managed any team before. He came here, we were at a camp in Dubai, but we had no uniforms, no printed … he left Dubai, went to Kolkata, that’s where he started. The trouble he went to, to get us in this uniform … I got to give credit to the entire team here, it was us in our own little circle, this win we dedicate it to all our fans in the Caribbean.Lastly I really want to thank the heads of CARICOM, throughout this tournament they have been supporting the team, we’ve got emails, we’ve got phone calls, Prime Minister [Keith] Mitchell [from Grenada]. He sent a very inspiring email for the team this morning … and I’m yet to hear from our own cricket board. That is very disappointing.For today, I’m going to celebrate with these 15 men and coaching staff. I don’t know when I’m going to be playing with these guys again because we don’t get selected for one-day cricket. We don’t know when we’re going to be playing T20. So this win, I want to thank you my team, I want to thank you coaching staff … everybody know West Indies are champion!

Hyderabad will not host any matches in the upcoming Champions League T20, due to security reasons

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Sep-2013Hyderabad will not host any matches in the upcoming Champions League T20, due to security reasons. The 12 qualifiers and group matches scheduled to be held in Hyderabad will be shared by Mohali, Ranchi and Ahmedabad.The qualifying matches on September 17, 18, 20 and a Group B double-header on September 24 will now be played in Mohali. Ranchi will host a double-header on September 28 while Ahmedabad will host a double-header on September 30.Last week, Andhra Pradesh state police said that they would not be able to provide adequate security for the matches as they clash with the Ganesh immersion festival. The Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) had stated that the question mark over security was only restricted to the qualifiers and they were confident the police would provide adequate security for the group games.Altered schedule

September 17 – Faisalabad Wolves v Otago/ Kandurata Maroons v Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mohali

September 18 – Kandurata Maroons v Otago/Faisalabad Wolves v Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mohali

September 20 – Faisalabad Wolves v Kandurata Maroons/ Otago v Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mohali

September 24 – Brisbane Heat v Titans/Trinidad & Tobago v Qualifier 2, Mohali

September 28 – Titans v Qualifier 2/ Brisbane Heat v Chennai Super Kings, Ranchi

September 30 – Titans v Trinidad & Tobago/ Brisbane Heat v Qualifier 2, Ahmedabad

However, the decision to shift all the games may have been taken due to the Hyderabad police being non-committal.”Police had said that they will not be able to provide security for the qualifiers due to Ganapati immersions. And for the league games, they would take a call based on the prevalent situation,” MV Sridhar, the HCA secretary, told ESPNcricinfo.”So it was up to the CLT20 governing council to take a call.”This isn’t the first time Hyderabad has been stripped of matches in recent years. In the 2010 IPL, all of Deccan Chargers’ home games were played at Nagpur, Cuttack and Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium due to political agitations in the state.

Cape Cobras drew with Warriors to move to the top of the table in the Sunfoil Series. However, the draw helped them gain only a marginal lead of 0.12 points over the second-placed Lions who were defeated by Knights on Saturday

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Dec-2013
ScorecardFile photo: Andrew Puttick’s 241 included 39 fours and a six•Getty ImagesCape Cobras drew with Warriors to move to the top of the table in the Sunfoil Series. However, the draw helped them gain only a marginal lead of 0.12 points over the second-placed Lions who were defeated by Knights on Saturday.The Cape Cobras openers, Andrew Puttick and Omphile Ramela, vindicated the team’s decision to bat first, putting up a first-wicket stand of 79. Ramela and No. 3 Stiaan van Zyl, who hit two successive hundreds earlier in the series, were dismissed quickly by Simon Harmer, but the wickets didn’t affect Puttick who found support in captain Justin Ontong. The pair added 167 for the third wicket, a platform that was enhanced by Puttick and Yaseen Vallie once Onton was out for 87. Puttick and Vallie put together a partnership of 178 for the fourth wicket as the former brought up his first double-hundred for Cape Cobras in 370 balls. Puttick, however, missed setting a new personal best in first-class cricket by nine runs as he was bowled by JJ Smuts for 241, his 20th first-class ton. Cape Cobras declared for a mammoth 526 for 4 soon after Vallie reached his eighth first-class ton off 145 balls.The Warriors reply was powered by Ashwell Prince’s 198 and fifties from David White, Ryan Bailey and Davy Jacobs. Bailey and Prince were involved in a 140-run fourth-wicket stand, while Prince added another 107 with Jacobs before falling for 198. Fast bowler Dane Paterson picked up five of the eight Warriors wickets that fell, to finish with figures of 5 for 101. Beuran Hendricks picked up two wickets while Robin Peterson took one wicket.Cape Cobras’ second innings was jolted by Basheeru-Deen Walters, who picked up four wickets to leave them reeling at 42 for 4 before play was called off at tea.

Zimbabwe’s cricketers have been assured they will be paid in full in the next 10 days, according to a senior player

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Jan-2014Zimbabwe’s cricketers have been assured they will be paid in full in the next 10 days, according to a senior player. Should the salaries come through, resumption of the domestic competition will take place as soon as February 10, with a twenty-over tournament in preparation for the World Twenty20 later this month.A meeting was held between players, technical staff and Zimbabwe Cricket officials at Harare Sports Club to resolve the strike which has put Zimbabwe’s domestic season on hold for more than a month. According to a ZC press release, ZC chairman Peter Chingoka said that arrangements had been made to “pay all the outstanding salaries and match fees”. A meeting on Monday will decide details of a training camp ahead of the World Twenty20 which starts in March.ZC could have the money to pay players thanks to an ICC loan they had applied for, which was discussed at this week’s ICC meeting in Dubai. The money, along with a sponsorship deal from potato chip company Lay’s, will not cover ZC’s entire debt of up to US$18 million, but it should allow the board to compensate players and coaches, and conduct matches.Zimbabwe have not played international cricket since September, when they were visited by Pakistan and then had three series put on the backburner. Sri Lanka’s tour to Zimbabwe, scheduled for last October, was postponed due to lack of funds, while a limited-overs series against Afghanistan that was due to take place in January and an offer to play off a one-off Test against South Africa next week were both cancelled because of the player boycott.No domestic cricket tournaments have been played in Zimbabwe since mid-December when the players decided to go on strike over non-payment of dues. The boycott has left Zimbabwe woefully short of match practice ahead of a major tournament.

Evin Lewis, the Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel opener, has hopes that his performances in CPL 2014 will help him make a case for his selection in the West Indies side

Renaldo Matadeen28-Jul-2014Evin Lewis, the Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel opener, has hopes that his performances in CPL 2014 will help him make a case for his selection in the West Indies side. With West Indies scheduled to play Bangladesh, India and South Africa in the coming months, Lewis has stated he wants to display his talent on the international stage. The left-handed batsman has scored 192 runs in four games with two fifties in CPL 2014 and hit his second successive fifty in the game against St Lucia Zouks.”I definitely have West Indies aspirations. Always had,” Lewis said. “That never changed. Luckily for me, the last couple games, the bowlers have been putting it [the ball] in my scoring spots so that’s made it easier for me but I just want to keep going out there and keep doing my best. Yesterday we batted first and today we chased, so when we bat doesn’t matter because I just want to go out there and keep giving it my best. Not just for T20s but also hopefully, in Tests.”Lewis was also impressive in the Champions League T20 last year, where he topped scoring charts for with 211 runs at 42.20. Dwayne Bravo, the Red Steel captain, also backed the opener: “Evin came out today and played a big knock. We know he can hit the ball and he’s shown that at the [Queen’s Park] Oval time and time again.”Lewis’ 77 against the Zouks on Sunday and his 129-run opening partnership with Kevin O’Brien set up Red Steel’s nine-wicket win and helped them open up a two-point lead at the top of the table. While Bravo commended O’Brien’s good run of form, he also praised legspinner Samuel Badree, who took two wickets and held on to catches in the field.”Kevin continued to show his form with the bat and Badree stepped up not only with the ball but in the field as well taking a couple catches,” Bravo said. “We were great and had an all-round day so it’s up to us to keep that momentum going.”Darren Sammy, the Zouks captain, bemoaned his team’s lack of consistency following their fourth consecutive loss.”I think the other teams’ advantage is that they have several players stepping up. With us, it’s just Sohail Tanvir, who’s performing well with the bat and the ball,” Sammy said. “We’re too inconsistent. Hopefully, when we take the field in the next few games at home, we can turn things around.”According to Sammy, Brad Hodge’s withdrawal due to injury and Kevin Pietersen’s delayed arrival had affected the team but the allrounder was hopeful of a turnaround in form over the next three games, which are scheduled to be held in St Lucia.”Brad was integral to our plans and it was a blow when he went down. With the team remaining, I don’t think it’s a matter of talent but it’s just getting it to click on the field,” Sammy said. “We need to get a win and I think St. Lucia is where we’ll turn it around. KP should be in by then so I think we’ll be stronger and we’ll give the crowd what they want.”

Barcelona will not be dropping their asking price for Sergino Dest, with PSV in danger of missing out on a permanent transfer for the USMNT star.

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Productive loan spell being enjoyedLa Liga giants eager to agree sale in 2024Expect interest to build in upcoming windowsWHAT HAPPENED?

The United States international defender has rebuilt his reputation at club level since returning to the Netherlands on a season-long loan. Having struggled to make an impact at Camp Nou, while also flopping during a loan spell at AC Milan, the 23-year-old former Ajax full-back is seeing his stock rise once more.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Barca are eager to put a deal in place for 2024, with it initially suggested that PSV would look to put a purchase option in place. The Eredivisie giants are, however, said to be stalling on Dest’s €10 million (£9m/$11m) fee – with efforts being made to bring that price down.

DID YOU KNOW?

According to, Barcelona will not be budging. They believe that Dest is justifying that figure with the regular game that he is enjoying in Eindhoven. The Liga outfit are confident that interest will be shown next summer regardless of whether PSV enter into negotiations or not.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR DEST?

Dest has taken in 15 appearances for PSV this season – with his versatility being put to good use at left-back. He has also remained a key part of the USMNT squad, although he did pick up a reckless red card on his latest international outing against Trinidad & Tobago in the CONCACAF Nations League quarter-finals.

Though their Blaugrana home kits are iconic, Barca have also delivered some tasty alternative strips over the years

Barcelona's red and blue stripes may be famous, but the Catalan club has shown throughout its history that it can still put together an impressive away shirt. Indeed, the Blaugrana have been toying with creative and colorful designs for nearly 50 years, coming up with some absolute beauties at various points.

From the bright yellow donned by the famous "MSN" attacking trio, to the classic Cruyff diagonal stripe shirt of the 1970s, Barca have donned some classics.

And so following the release of Barcelona's new away kit for the 2023-24 season, GOAL takes a look at some of the best away and third kits to have ever been worn by the Spanish giants…

Getty Images10Ronaldinho's toe poke genius (2003-05)

Ronaldinho loved a long-sleeved Barcelona kit. He had plenty of memorable moments in them, highlighted by a now-famous Man-of-the-Match performance at Santiago Bernabeu that brought Real Madrid fans to their feet.

This shirt, meanwhile, was associated with another iconic moment, the Brazilian's toe-poke finish from outside the box against Chelsea in the 2005 Champions League last 16. Although Jose Mourinho's Blues would go on to win, this kit is associated with one of great European goals.

Advertisement9Catalan stripes (2013-14)

This strip was a special one for local Barca fans. For the first time in the club's history, Barcelona donned a kit based on the Catalan flag. There were other details that connected it to the club's local roots, too, including the "Mes que un club" motto stitched onto the back of the neck lining.

Outside of the local area, the kit split opinion. And as some publications pointed out, the Blaugrana enjoyed limited success in the shirt, going winless in their first five contests wearing it.

Still, its homage to Barcelona's Catalan heritage made the kit important in its own right.

Getty Images8Soon to be a classic? (2022-23)

Can a kit released so recently be considered among the best ever? This gold strip from the most recent season certainly makes a case.

It's one of the best shirts Nike has designed for Barca for some time, with its bold colourway paying homage to some of Barcelona's memorable kits of the early 2000s (more on that later), as well as the 30th anniversary of the 1992 Olympic Games that were held in the city.

And it will be associated with success, too. The Blaugrana won back the Liga title in 2023, an achievement that will forever immortalise this kit.

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Getty Images7R9 in a Kappa classic (1996-97)

Ronaldo only played for Barcelona for one year. And in those 12 glorious months, he donned some memorable kits. The home shirt, an effortlessly cool reimagination of the classic 80s strip, is one of the best ever. And the away one wasn't bad, either.

The Brazilian wore it while playing out one of the best individual seasons in Barcelona's history. Ronaldo scored 47 times in 49 appearances, including 34 in the league. And although his time in Catalunya ended after one year, he will forever be associated with breathtaking goals and classic kits.