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All the squads as they are announced for the women's soccer tournament at Tokyo's Olympic Games this summer

The women’s football tournament at this summer’s Olympic Games gets under way on July 21, with squads of 22 players to be selected by the 12 participating nations.

The rosters for the Games are usually of 18, but have been increased in size this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Unlike in the men’s tournament, the squads have no age restrictions, which means the Olympics are recognised as second only to the World Cup when it comes to major international tournaments in the women’s game.

Goal brings you all the confirmed squads as they are announced.

GettyCanada

Bev Priestman, who was named head coach of Canada in October 2020, announced her 22-player roster on June 23.

Thirteen players in the squad were involved in the team that won a bronze medal in Rio five years ago.

Midfielder Sophie Schmidt, who has over 200 caps, and 20-year-old starlet Jordyn Huitema, who ranked second in Goal's 2020 NXGN list, were initially among the surprise absentees, named among the reserves when the squads were still limited to 18 players. Both, however, are now part of the main squad.

Goalkeepers: Stephanie Labbe, Kailen Sheridan, Erin McLeod.

Defenders: Kadeisha Buchanan, Vanessa Gilles, Shelina Zadorski, Allysha Chapman, Ashley Lawrence, Jayde Riviere, Gabrielle Carle.

Midfielders: Jessie Fleming, Julia Grosso, Quinn, Desiree Scott, Sophie Schmidt.

Forwards: Janine Beckie, Adriana Leon, Nichelle Prince, Deanne Rose, Christine Sinclair, Evelyne Viens, Jordyn Huitema.

AdvertisementGettyChile

Chile head coach Jose Letelier announced his 22-player squad for this summer's tournament on July 2.

After guiding the nation to their first ever Women's World Cup in 2019, the 55-year-old will coach the team at their first ever Olympic Games this summer too.

Seven players on the roster play their football abroad, including Christiane Endler, who recently signed for seven-time European champions Lyon. Antonia Canales, Universidad Catolica's 18-year-old goalkeeper, is the only uncapped player in the team.

Goalkeepers: Christiane Endler, Natalia Campos, Antonia Canales.

Defenders: Carla Guerrero, Camila Saez, Daniela Pardo, Javiera Toro, Valentina Diaz, Fernanda Ramirez.

Midfielders: Francisca Lara, Yanara Aedo, Karen Araya, Yessenia Lopez, Francisca Mardones, Nayadet Lopez, Yastin Jimenez.

Forwards: Daniela Zamora, Maria Jose Urrutia, Fernanda Pinilla, Rosario Balmaceda, Javiera Grez, Yenny Acuna.

GettyGreat Britain

Great Britain's final squad for this summer's Olympic Games was announced on May 27.

Head coach Hege Riise has named 19 players from England, two from Scotland and one from Wales to her roster, with no one from Northern Ireland making the cut. Kim Little and Caroline Weir helped Scotland reach their first Women's World Cup in 2019, while Wales' Sophie Ingle was part of the Chelsea side that won the league, cup and reached the UEFA Women's Champions League final last season.

Karen Bardsley pulled out of the squad due to injury on June 12, with Carly Telford announced as her replacement six days later.

Goalkeepers: Ellie Roebuck, Carly Telford, Sandy MacIver.

Defenders: Steph Houghton, Millie Bright, Lucy Bronze, Rachel Daly, Demi Stokes, Leah Williamson, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Niamh Charles.

Midfielders: Kim Little, Jill Scott, Sophie Ingle, Keira Walsh, Caroline Weir, Ella Toone.

Forwards: Ellen White, Lauren Hemp, Fran Kirby, Nikita Parris, Georgia Stanway.

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GettyJapan

Hosts Japan named their final squad for this summer's Games on June 18.

Head coach Asako Takakura has called upon 16 players who play their club football at home, with Saki Kumagai, who recently swapped Lyon for Bayern Munich, and Mana Iwabuchi, who has also transferred from Aston Villa to Arsenal this summer, the only two players that remain from the team that won a silver medal at London 2012.

Goalkeepers: Sakiko Ikeda, Ayaka Yamashita, Chika Hirao.

Defenders: Saki Kumagai, Risa Shimizu, Asato Miyagawa, Moeka Minami, Nanami Kitamura, Saori Takarada, Shiori Miyake.

Midfielders: Emi Nakajima, Yui Hasegawa, Hina Sugita, Narumi Miura, Yuzuho Shiokoshi, Jun Endo, Honoka Hayashi, Momoka Kinoshita.

Forwards: Yuika Sugasawa, Mana Iwabuchi, Mina Tanaka, Yuka Momiki.

Lee Carsley's team held out under intense second-half pressure to seal a 1-0 win on Sunday and set up a game against Israel for a place in the final

England Under-21s booked their place in the semi-finals of the European Championship as they held on to secure a 1-0 quarter-final win over Portugal following Anthony Gordon's first-half strike.

Gordon fired home from just inside the penalty area after a fine low cross from Morgan Gibbs-White as England cut through the Portugal defence with some incisive passing and dribbling from midfield.

The goal was just reward for Lee Carsley's team, who dominated possession, though they did need James Trafford to make a fine near-post save to deny Pedro Neto at the start of the half, and an excellent block from Taylor Harwood-Bellis to keep Tiago Dantas from equalising shortly before half-time.

The tables turned after the break, however, as Portugal dominated the ball and pushed the Young Lions back. Substitute Henrique Araujo went closest to equalising as he headed against crossbar, but Chelsea's Levi Colwill led a fine resistance from the England backline to secure a meeting with Israel on Wednesday in the final four.

GOAL rates England's players from the Ramez Shengelia Stadium in Kutaisi, Georgia…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

James Trafford (6/10):

Fine near post save denied Neto early on before a couple of more straightforward stops after the break. Confident with the ball at his feet. Still to concede in the tournament.

James Garner (5/10):

Struggled at times to deal with Neto in his unfamiliar right-back role. Better in possession than out of it.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis (7/10):

Dominant in the air and made a couple of crucial last-ditch blocks as Portugal eyed an equaliser. Some sloppy passes the only negative in his performance.

Levi Colwill (9/10):

Ensured England rarely lost composure as they came under pressure in the second half and increasingly dealt with more and more balls into the box. Carried the ball out of defence with the confidence of a seasoned professional.

Max Aarons (5/10):

Conceicao got the better of him on a number of occasions. Booked so will miss the semi-final.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Noni Madueke (6/10):

Lacked cutting edge despite some dangerous dribbles cutting inside from the right. Replaced for the final 20 minutes.

Angel Gomes (8/10):

Outstanding in the first half as England controlled possession. Game passed him by a little after the break, but continues to impress in this competition.

Curtis Jones (6/10):

Energetic in pressing high and tidy on the ball, but rarely incisive. Fired wide with an early effort when he maybe should have done better.

Jacob Ramsey (7/10):

An elite ball-carrier, as he showed in the build-up to Gordon's opener. Tried to get England up the pitch in the second half before being forced off with an ankle injury.

Getty ImagesAttack

Morgan Gibbs-White (7/10):

Linked up play well from his role as the second striker. Superb first-time cut-back provided the assist for Gordon to open the scoring.

Anthony Gordon (8/10):

The match-winner with a fine finish to round off a superb team move. Growing into the No.9 role, and tracked back well in the second half.

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Subs & Manager

Emile Smith Rowe (6/10):

Almost teed up Gordon for second goal to seal it after replacing Ramsey.

Ben Johnson (5/10):

Booked after coming on for Aarons for the final 20 minutes.

Cole Palmer (6/10):

Spent most of his time on the pitch tracking back, but did his best to drag England forward on the rare occasions he picked up possession.

Oliver Skipp (6/10):

Added a bit of robustness in midfield after replacing Gomes for the final 10 minutes.

Lee Carsley (7/10):

Might have been better off playing full-backs in their natural roles given Portugal's dangerous wingers, but otherwise set his team up well and identified the right players to replace so his team could hold on.

Birmingham City have opened the door for Wayne Rooney to join Tom Brady at St. Andrew’s, with manager John Eustace surprisingly sacked.

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Blues riding high in the second tierHave parted company with bossLinked with ex-England captainWHAT HAPPENED?

The Blues currently sit sixth in the Championship table, with an 18-point haul from 11 games enough to have them perched inside the play-off places. The Blues enjoyed a 3-1 derby win over West Midlands rivals West Brom last time out, but Eustace has now been axed as the club prepares to head in a different direction.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT THEY SAID

Birmingham have said in a statement on the club’s : “It is essential that the Board of Directors and the football management are fully aligned on the importance of implementing a winning mentality and a culture of ambition across the entire Football Club. With this in mind, Birmingham City has today parted company with Head Coach, John Eustace. Eustace departs after 15 months in charge, having helped to stabilise and strengthen the Club on the pitch following his appointment in July 2022.”

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The Blues have also said that “a new First Team Manager will be announced in the coming days who will be responsible for creating an identity and clear ‘no fear’ playing style that all Birmingham City teams will adopt and embrace". It may be that Manchester United legend Rooney is charged with the task of guiding the second tier club forward.

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GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Rooney has walked away from his role at MLS side D.C. United, with the ex-England captain and former Derby boss planning a return to his homeland. His profile would fit the bill at St. Andrew’s, with Birmingham drawing up ambitious plans after already seeing NFL icon Brady invest in the club alongside Knighthead Capital Management LLC.

Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes fired Portugal ahead against Iceland on Sunday with a beautiful strike from the far corner of the box.

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Portugal host Iceland in Euro 2024 qualifier Fernandes scores first-half openerPerfect response to Man Utd criticsWHAT HAPPENED?

Iceland were holding Portugal at 0-0 with half-time fast approaching in the Euro 2024 qualifying clash, only for Fernandes to pop up with a moment of brilliance to break the deadlock. He controlled a back-heel pass from Bernardo Silva out in front of him before unleashing a superb shot that flew into the far corner of the net, with Iceland goalkeeper Hakon Valdimarsson unable to get near the ball despite a full-stretch dive.

AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Portugal were already safely through to next summer's European Championship, having won all of their opening nine games in Group J. Fernandes is now up to six goals and seven assists in qualifying outings, and appears to be saving his best performances for the international stage. The 29-year-old midfielder has faced criticism for his performances at Manchester United this season, with Erik ten Hag's side having slipped way off the pace in the Premier League – but supporters will hope he can transfer his form for Portugal back to his club ahead of a busy festive period.

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Getty ImagesWHAT'S NEXT FOR FERNANDES

Fernandes will likely return to Ten Hag's starting XI when United take on Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday. The Red Devils will then turn their attention to the Champions League, with a must-win encounter against Galatasaray on the cards.

Ireland ought to play more often against the bigger teams because they’ve won their respect given how they’ve performed in this World Cup, coach Phil Simmons has said

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Mar-2011Ireland ought to play more often against the bigger teams because they’ve won their respect given how they’ve performed in this World Cup, coach Phil Simmons has said. Ireland failed to qualify for the quarter-finals, but beat England and challenged Bangladesh, India and West Indies in the run-up to their final game of the tournament, against Netherlands on Friday in Kolkata.”We need to play more games against big guys because they all have respect for us now,” Simmons said. “We can play against big guys. We now no longer play to compete only, but to win. I think the biggest improvement is that we come looking to win the game (against bigger sides) and planning how to win the game.”The disappointing feature of Ireland’s performance, Simmons said, was the fact that they didn’t finish off matches despite pushing some of the top teams close. Though they overcame England in a thrilling finish, they lost narrowly to Bangladesh in Mirpur and faltered in what was shaping up to be a fighting chase against West Indies. More experience of playing against the bigger teams was the key to improvement, according to Simmons.”It’s disappointing that we put ourselves in a position to win, but could not follow up. I think it shows that we need more games at this level to get us ready against big guys.”Simmons admitted his team still had a long way to go to achieve Test status, but deserved to compete more often in the limited-overs formats. “We have been asking the ICC that we need more games. We are nowhere near Tests, but we sure can play one-day internationals and Twenty20 matches.”Ireland captain William Porterfield said the team’s batsmen need to step up. “In some of the games we put ourselves into winning positions. It would have been wonderful if we had a couple of wins under our belts,” he said. “We need to improve on a couple of areas in our batting. We have lost wickets in clusters in some of the matches, something we can’t afford to do against big teams.”Porterfield’s Netherlands counterpart, Peter Borren, said the game was significant as his team is yet to register a win in the competition. “Motivation is not difficult for us because we obviously have not had a win and hope to end on a high note,” he said. “Ireland has done well in the tournament and has been competitive, but if we go out there and win tomorrow, we will be making a statement.”

Sri Lanka’s fast bowling coach Champaka Ramanayake is confident that his young and inexperienced charges can spring a surprise on England in the upcoming three-Test series

Sa'adi Thawfeeq15-May-2011Sri Lanka’s fast bowling coach Champaka Ramanayake is confident that his young and inexperienced charges can spring a surprise on England in the upcoming three-Test series. Ramanayake, who played 18 Tests and 62 one-day internationals from 1988 to 1995, will have to make the most of limited resources especially in the pace department.Without the retired Chaminda Vaas and Lasith Malinga the onus will be on Dilhara Fernando, who has played 35 Tests, to lead the attack. Fernando missed Sri Lanka’s first warm-up match against Middlesex, at Uxbridge, but will play against England Lions next week ahead of the opening Test in Cardiff. The total experience of Sri Lanka’s five seam options is limited to 105 wickets in 43 Tests with 90 of those coming from Fernando.None of the fast bowlers picked for Sri Lanka’s last tour to England in 2006 are around in the present squad namely, Vaas, Malinga, Nuwan Kulasekara, Nuwan Zoysa and Farveez Maharoof, although the latter was drafted in for the first week of the tour. Fernando toured England in 2002 and is the only bowler with some kind of experience in English conditions.”Yes, we have one of the most inexperienced fast bowling line ups taken to England. Except for Dilhara Fernando the others haven’t played much Test cricket at all,” Ramanayake said. “It’s an opportunity for the youngsters to take over and continue. We have the disadvantage of inexperience but looking at it the other way none of the English players have played against our fast bowlers before. It’s an unknown attack to them. I think with that we can unsettle them.”England will know plenty about Fernando and did have a brief taste of Chandaka Welegedara, the left-arm quick, when he made his Test debut at Galle in 2007 but their preparation for the rest will rely in video footage and some advice from Andrew Strauss who hit 151 against them at Uxbridge.”The Englishmen don’t know much about these bowlers and they have not faced them,” Ramanayake said. “It will take some time for them to gauge them and get to know what they are doing. They all bowl quite sharp. Nuwan Pradeep and Thisara Perera bowl in the 140s, Suranga Lakmal has already played two Tests against West Indies and bowled really well.”Perera is waiting on the wings to get into the Test team and has done well in the past year and a half in ODIs. We’ve got some good youngsters and I am quite happy to take this squad because we can really work something with these boys. They can improve and you’ll never know they’ll get wickets in English conditions. I have great belief in them that they can do well.”Pradeep, who had an IPL contract but left early along with captain Tillakaratne Dilshan, is one who comes in for particularly praise from Ramanayake. “You take Pradeep he hasn’t played any cricket at all in his younger days and at school,” he said. “He’s got raw pace, beautiful rhythm and consistency. Consistency comes from rhythm. If the rhythm pattern changes then you don’t bowl a consistently good line and length. You’ve got to be smart as well nowadays.”You got to expect what the batsman is going to do, assess conditions and adjust to the situations and bowl. All these young fast bowlers they haven’t got it yet, but they are getting it from the exposure we give them. They got the right ingredients and this is the best bowling unit we have right now.”Ramanayake also hopes that responsibility will help bring the best out of Fernando who has always been foil for the likes of Vaas and Muttiah Muralitharan but now has to be a spearhead on his own. “Dilhara hasn’t played much cricket in the last few months but still the selectors have faith in him,” he said. “He has to deliver the goods because he is the only experienced bowler and he has to show that he is good enough to play Test cricket. That will give him a little bit of responsibility to take up the challenge and do well in England.”Ramanayake thinks Sri Lanka will play three quick bowlers in the Test series, although there best chance could come if the dry weather continues and their spinners – Rangana Herath, Ajantha Mendis and Suraj Randiv – can play both an attacking and defensive role.”The two warm-up games are vital for us and whoever performs well will have a good chance of playing because you got to get used to the conditions,” he said. “Depending on the pitches three will definitely play or maybe four if there is a lot of grass on the wicket. We are expecting some seaming tracks, but you never know.”England has been quite warm. The weather pattern has changed and we might get warm weather but normally in early summer the wickets are expected to seam. We’ve also got three good spinners in our attack. Rangana very experienced, Suraj has been bowling really well and Ajantha has also got some experience.”

There had been some grumbling from club stalwarts when Warwickshire signed Shiv Chanderpaul, but today he justified the investment with a masterful century

George Dobell at Edgbaston24-Aug-2011
Scorecard
There was some consternation at Edgbaston when Warwickshire signed Shivnarine Chanderpaul. What sort of message, some supporters asked, did bringing in a short-term overseas signing send out to the club’s own young players? Those grumbles only increased after Chanderpaul’s lacklustre debut against Hampshire last week.Here, however, the West Indian justified Warwickshire’s investment with a masterful century. With the match and the Championship title in the balance, Chanderpaul contributed a chanceless – and so far unbeaten – innings of 167 which may well prove to have lasting consequences for both sides.While Warwickshire’s hopes of winning the title remain alive, Yorkshire’s chances of avoiding relegation receded yet further. The scores drifting in from The Rose Bowl will have done nothing to lighten the mood.This game hasn’t gone yet, however. Warwickshire’s lead is only 43 and, if Yorkshire can strike early on the third day and then bat far better in their second innings, they could yet turn this match.As it is, however, Warwickshire have an opportunity to bat the hosts out of the game. The pitch is beginning to shows signs of variable bounce and is offering sharp turn out of the foot-holes. As Chanderpaul put it: “the bounce is a bit up and down and it’s only the end of day two; it’s not going to get any better.”Not that you’d notice from watching Chanderpaul. Coming to the crease with Warwickshire on 5 for 2, he barely played and missed in almost six hours at the crease and at times made Yorkshire’s attack look very ordinary indeed. He made it look easy,” Yorkshire captain Jacques Rudolph admitted afterwards. “He showed his class and his experience and he was very difficult to control.”This was a disappointing performance from the hosts, however. While Ryan Sidebottom and, to a lesser extent, Steve Patterson, at least gave their captain a measure of control, Chanderpaul was able to milk the others as if they were Friesians. Richard Pyrah, dropping short with mystifying regularity, was pulled repeatedly, while Adil Rashid, bereft of confidence, looks a shadow of the bowler that once promised so much. David Wainwright bowled some decent spells but simply found himself engaged in a battle with a superior opponent and conceded four an over at a time his captain desperately required someone to apply control.Chanderpaul wasn’t the only batsman to impress. Tim Ambrose again looked in fine touch in recording his sixth Championship half-century of the season. It says much for the bowling, however, that Ambrose, at one stage, hit boundaries from six consecutive deliveries: four off Pyrah – three drives and a pull – and two pulls off horrid Rashid long-hops.With Chanderpaul, Ambrose added 111 for Warwickshire’s fifth wicket and, while he may regret again failing to convert his fine form into a century – he hasn’t scored one since 2009 – he might also consider himself unfortunate to be adjudged caught at slip off a ball that seemed to have turned from a foot hole and missed the bat altogether.Laurie Evans also prospered for a while. Demonstrating excellent balance and timing the ball beautifully, he undid much of his good work, however, by perishing to Wainwright’s fourth delivery, attempting a cut to a ball too full for the shot.Keith Barker, so good with the ball on the first day, also looked good with the bat. While there’s little pretty about Barker’s batting – it’s effective rather than pleasing – he’s already helped Chanderpaul add 76 for Warwickshire’s seventh-wicket and, unless Yorkshire strike early on day three, could take the game away from the hosts on the third morning.Most of all, however, there was Chanderpaul. After a watchful start, he grew in confidence and, having swept Wainwright out of the attack, he unveiled some unusually elegant drives and pulled with power and precision. Less eye-catching but equally impressive was the way he nudged and guided the ball into gaps. It was his ninth century in just his 34th Championship game. He’s also made 14 half-centuries.While Chanderpaul insists that international cricket remains his priority – “I’m available for them in all formats” he said – there is now a growing chance that his future is in county cricket. If the West Indies don’t want him – and they must be a very fine side to leave out such a talent – Warwickshire surely will.This was a performance made all the more surprising for the contrast with his batting against Hampshire. Before that game, however, Chanderpaul says he felt short of practise and he responded to the early loss by reporting to Edgbaston for extra training. It seems to have done the trick.The rest of Warwickshire’s batting folded a little too easily. Ian Westwood shuffled in front of one that went straight on, Varun Chopra missed one that nipped back and Jim Troughton again squandered a decent start by edging a flashing cut stroke. Later Darren Maddy was adjudged leg before despite there being a hint of bat involved.Still, with Chanderpaul there to provide backbone, such issues could be overlooked. Just as Mohammad Yousuf provided a telling contribution in the home game against Worcestershire, Chanderpaul may well have made the telling contribution here. It’s exactly what the overseas player is required to do.Off the pitch the news was less good for Warwickshire. It is understood that Rikki Clarke is almost certain to leave the club at the end of the season and is expected to sign for Sussex within days. While Warwickshire have offered him a new, two-year deal, Sussex have offered three years and the opportunity to bat a little higher up the order in limited-overs cricket. Sussex will be his fourth county side.He’ll be quite an addition. While the runs haven’t flowed in the quantity they might have done this season, Clarke has developed into a high-quality fast bowler. He also remains one of the best fielders in the country.Meanwhile the future of Lancashire’s Gary Keedy remains uncertain. While Warwickshire have offered a three-year deal, Lancashire have offered two years. Whatever he decides – and with the T20 and Championship title to be decided in the days ahead, he’s not going to decide this week – Keedy’s heart, you suspect, remains very much at Old Trafford.

ESPNcricinfo profiles the Super League teams in the Ranji Trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Nov-2011MumbaiRohit Sharma is bound to be hungry for runs that will put him back in the national side•ESPNcricinfo LtdWasim Jaffer, Mumbai’s spirit, voice and captain for many years now, put it succinctly after crashing out of the quarter-finals last season when he said his team had taken Rajasthan – a team that had qualified from the Plate group – lightly and were a bit arrogant for doing that. Mumbai, one short of lifting the crown forty times, are no more the elite, no more the clear favourites.In a way it is a completely new path Mumbai will walk this season. Praveen Amre, a hardworking simple man who coached Mumbai over the last five years – three times to victory – has decided to take a break for a year; Ajinkya Rahane, Mumbai’s best batsman of the last three years is busy learning the ropes in the India dressing room. Ajit Agarkar and Abhishek Nayar are injured.So it is time for change. A time for Mumbai to discover new talent. A lot will depend on their captain Jaffer’s success in the middle order, a position he exchanged his opener’s slot for last year somewhat erroneously – he harbours hopes of a national call-up once the Big Three of India’s Test team make way. It might sound a tad selfish, but Mumbai’s inexperienced batting line-up can learn a lot from Jaffer’s fighting spirit.It is the bowling that would be a constant worry for Mumbai. Aavishkar Salvi and Dhawal Kulkarni are not outright fast bowlers, and both have been susceptible to injury in the past. The bench-strength is thin. The spin pair of Ramesh Powar and Iqbal Abdulla would be key if Mumbai are to go the whole hog.The selectors, too, need to have the right strategies. Last year Mumbai tried out 23 players. They tried three openers, one of which Sahil Kukreja has retired. Sulakshan Kulkarni, their new coach, once a wicketkeeper for Mumbai, is known for his sound tactics. Last year he was the brain behind Vidarbha, a Plate team, reaching the semi-finals of the Ranji one-day competition as well as the knockouts in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Mumbai can do with fresh ideas.What they did last year
Till the first day of their quarter-final contest against the eventual champions Rajasthan, reigning champions Mumbai were well on course to defend their crown. They had endured a tough ride through a difficult group with four out of their seven matches being away, including trips to Tamil Nadu and Delhi. Two victories and five draws ensured Mumbai would finish at the top of Group A. Despite possessing an inconsistent bowling unit, Mumbai’s top three batsmen – Wasim Jaffer, Rohit Sharma, and Ajinkya Rahane – looked in good shape, supported by sound numbers.So a clash with rank outsiders Rajasthan seemed to be just another stepping stone in Mumbai’s march to the summit. But the problem was, Mumbai had assumed their opponent was a lightweight. Jaffer elected to bat on what turned out to be good pitch for the new-ball bowlers. Medium-pacer Pankaj Singh stunned Mumbai with a six-for on the first day that restricted them to a modest total, which Rajasthan overhauled patiently over the following three days. By the end Mumbai were left deflated.Men to watch
Last season Rohit Sharma finished as the second-highest run-getter. He followed it with an equally strong performance in the IPL. Then a freak injury in England, at the start of the ODI series, dashed his hopes of a possible Test call-up. So Rohit now finds himself back where he started last year, and is bound to be hungry for runs.Iqbal Abdulla was named the Under-23 player of the 2011 IPL. Abdulla bowled aggressively, even with the new ball, for Kolkata Knight Riders and played a crucial role in his team finishing in the top-four. Last year, Abdulla was Mumbai’s best bowler with 27 wickets. Given their current line-up of bowlers, Mumbai need him to click like never before.RajasthanCan Pankaj Singh replicate last season’s form?•ESPNcricinfo LtdHow do you top a fairytale? Not only did Rajasthan win the Ranji Trophy for the first time in their history last season, they did it after starting in the Plate League. They were the underdog’s underdog, yet the team, led by their professional captain, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, had been carefully crafted to maximise their chances of success.Getting to the top of the mountain, though, is always easier than staying there. As the defending champions, Rajasthan won’t be able to sneak up on anyone and the other teams will all want to knock them off their perch. But that’s exactly the position they want to be in. “Everyone likes to be an underdog,” Aakash Chopra, their veteran opener, told ESPNcricinfo. “But you don’t want to be an underdog for too long. This is a rare opportunity. You get to see the world from a different side.”Rajasthan have retained the same core of players who took them to the title last year. The three professionals – Kanitkar, Chopra and Rashmi Parida – return and they will have the use of Ashok Menaria, who scored a century in each of the knockout games last year, for the entire season. Add Robin Bist to the mix and the batting has a very formidable look to it.They will also be boosted by the belief that comes from winning. “You start believing you are as good as or better than your opponents,” Chopra said. “You back yourself to perform and win games.” That self-confidence will be crucial as there will be no easy games in the Super League. With Rajasthan drawn in the same group as heavyweights Mumbai and Karnataka, even a spot in the quarter-finals is not guaranteed.The team does have a couple of injury problems, most notably to legspinner Vivek Yadav who took 22 wickets last season. They will look to offpsinner Madhu Katri to fill the void. They are a pace-dominated bowling attack though and Pankaj Singh and Deepak Chahar, who picked up 83 wickets between them, are both fit. They also have 21-year-old Aniket Choudhary, a left-arm seamer who is six feet, five inches tall, and could surprise a few people. “It [the season] is about putting runs on the board,” Chopra said. “We have the bowling attack to bowl people out.”What they did last season
Rajasthan began the season in spectacular style with a rout of Hyderabad, bowling them out for 21 as then debutant Chahar took 8 for 10. They followed that up with draws against Goa and Madhya Pradesh before trouncing Tripura. One more draw against Jharkhand ensured they topped their group and progressed to the quarter-finals. Drawn against defending champions and perennial nemesis, Mumbai, nobody expected them to go any further. But Pankaj Singh took 6 for 64 to bowl Mumbai out for 252 and centuries from Kanitkar, Saxena and Menaria gave them an insurmountable advantage. A first-innings lead saw off Tamil Nadu, this time Chopra, Kanitkar and Menaria made the hundreds. Menaria delivered again in the final, hitting a crucial second-innings 101 to see off Baroda’s challenge and give Rajasthan’s fairytale journey the perfect ending.Men to watch
Menaria returned after back surgery and eight months on the sidelines last season to score 373 runs in three knock-out games at an average of 93.25. His contributions were vital to Rajasthan’s success and whether he can duplicate that kind of consistency will play a large part in how far Rajasthan go this year. The new-ball pair of Singh and Chahar was the best in show, with only Baroda spinner Bhargav Bhatt taking more wickets. Chahar, especially, will be hard pressed to replicate his brilliant debut season, where he took 30 wickets at 19.63 in the Plate League and 10 wickets at 25.80 in the Super League. If these bowlers can produce the same sort of incisiveness against higher quality opponents, Rajasthan will be hard to beat.DelhiUnmukt Chand finds himself in the spotlight after his showing for the India Under-19s•ICC/Bhaskar Rao KamanaDelhi’s Ranji Trophy campaign began with a spectacular display of fireworks – appropriate given that the Diwali season is just winding down and not surprising because it is after all, Delhi. Two days before their first match against Haryana, coach Manoj Prakbhakar was given the sack, after he criticised his players in the press. The chance of Prabhakar having had a civilised discussion before leaving are far less than that of the DDCA winning a governance award.Outside this routine chaos, though, Delhi’s cricket could be a reason for delight. Despite everything, they continue to generate a stream of talent: four Delhi players were on India’s World Cup winning team, more than any other state. At the moment, though, with its headline-generating administration and a drama-generating dressing room, Delhi’s cricketers can only wait for the simple business of play to begin.Delhi begin the season with injuries to two key players: Sumit Narwal, who is not just an opening bowler but all-round performer, and left-arm quick Pawan Suyal, who was picked for the Irani Cup despite having undergone a knee surgery in the summer.Captain Mithun Manhas believes it will be a tough season for his team; the India players are tied up with higher duties and the experienced Ashish Nehra is out of the four-day game. So, the burden lies with the younger men – batsman Unmukt Chand is suddenly in the spotlight after his showing with the India Under-19 side and the bowling will rely heavily on Pradeep Sangwan and Parvinder Awana. Narwal is expected to be up and running half way through the league phase.What they did last season
Underachieve. Manhas believes that Delhi suffered a combination of misfortune and cricket’s cruelty to miss out on the knockout round completely. Early on, Delhi lost first-innings’ lead points to Bengal and then struggled to make the most of their matches against the weakest teams in their group, Gujarat and Saurashtra, after play was curtailed – two days against Saurashtra and 140 overs against Gujarat. In their last league match, Delhi needed just a single point from a draw to make it through to the last eight. With the northern winter closing in and Manhas indisposed, Railways drove Delhi into the ground with a fiercely determined defence of 135.Men to watch
Unmukt Chand, 19, will be put through his second-season examination, to see if he is the next big thing from the Delhi batting battery. Manhas describes him as a ‘flashy, hard-hitting 21st century prototype’. “It will be a good season for him to learn, and we will know in another two-three first-class seasons as to how far he can go,” Manhas said. Newcomer Rishit Saini’s medium-pace for the Under-22s has raised hopes in Delhi’s pace department. Manhas and Rajat Bhatia are the only two players above 26, in a team that has an average age of 22. So, even away from the familiar names, Delhi are loaded with plenty of possibility.Tamil NaduL Balaji will shoulder the extra responsibility of captaining Tamil Nadu•AFPEvery year, Tamil Nadu enters the Ranji Trophy as one of the favourites on paper. Their talented line-up lives up to the billing through the league phase, before inevitably failing in the knockout stages. The theme occurs with remarkable consistency every year – in the last 11 years, they have made the knockouts eight times, including two finals, without going all the way. The pressure to break their big-match jinx will weigh heavy on Tamil Nadu this year, and to make matters worse they will be without some of their big players, while some others are not in the best of form.S Badrinath is out for at least two weeks with a rotator-cuff injury, while R Ashwin will miss out for extended periods, having made it to the national side. Dinesh Karthik and M Vijay come into the season low on confidence, having lost favour with the India selectors. L Balaji, who has carried the attack on his shoulders for many years, will be saddled with the added burden of captaincy, and will have to work with an inexperienced attack, with C Ganapathy being axed. The absence of regular names like R Sathish and S Anirudha means TN will be fielding more than their share of new names.While the bowlers will ease their way into the season, batting will form the key for Tamil Nadu’s progress. Vijay and Abhinav Mukund form a formidable opening combination, while the Karthiks – Dinesh and Arun – have the pedigree to fill the void left by Badrinath in the middle order. Ashwin’s absence is an opportunity for left-arm spinner Aushik Srinivas, who topped Tamil Nadu’s wicket-charts in the 2010-11 Ranji season. Will the new-look combination click for Tamil Nadu as they resume their hunt for the trophy that has eluded them since 1987-88?What they did last season
Tamil Nadu made the knockouts despite winning only one of their seven league games. The victory came in their season opener, when L Balaji and Sunil Sam starred with the ball against lowly-ranked Assam. Ashwin snared 10 wickets against Delhi, but a batting implosion meant Tamil Nadu lost first-innings points despite a Badrinath century. A double-ton from Abhinav and 195 from Badrinath ensured Tamil Nadu got the decisive lead against Saurashtra, and the pair was among the runs again in the rain-marred encounter with Railways. Rain at home continued to spoil their fixtures, as points were shared against Bengal, but they managed to get the lead against Mumbai and Gujarat. They held off Haryana in a rain-marred quarter-final in Rohtak to set up a semi-final showdown against Rajasthan.The bowlers, who had been lulled into a comfort-zone by now, struggled to dislodge Rajasthan’s stubborn line-up in Jaipur. Aakash Chopra, Hrishikesh Kanitkar and Ashok Menaria made tons to lift the score to an imposing 552 for 7, and despite a fighting 175 from Badrinath, Tamil Nadu fell well short.Men to watch
Abhinav Mukund’s first tour with the national team, to the West Indies, suggested he was overawed by the quality of the opposition and the big stage. By the time he came to grips with that challenge, he was facing an attack of far greater pedigree at the most-anticipated match of the year – the 2000th Test at Lord’s. There he showed superb composure to overcome the gravity of the moment and work his way to a start. Despite the promise, Abhinav is back on the fringes after failing to display his ability to bat on and on at the highest level. The break can only do Abhinav good, as it gives him another chance to return to the familiar grind of domestic cricket, and revive his confidence and appetite. A good start to the season could see him regain the third opener’s slot in time for the tour of Australia.

Ricky Ponting is not afraid of failing in his attempt to go to England for a final tilt at the Ashes in 2013, and has made it clear that he will go on playing Test cricket for Australia for as long as he possibly can

Daniel Brettig21-Feb-2012Ricky Ponting is not afraid of failing in his attempt to go to England for a final tilt at the Ashes in 2013, and has made it clear that he will go on playing Test cricket for Australia for as long as he possibly can.A summary dismissal from the ODI team has provided Ponting, 37, with the sharp reminder that he will have to perform or perish. But he gave every indication he would go on in Test cricket for as long as possible, even if it meant the end may come in similar circumstances to those Ponting found himself in at the SCG, answering questions the day after the national selector John Inverarity’s phone call.”I’ve always been of the belief that I don’t mind people trying things and failing. That’s the way I’m looking at it as well,” Ponting said. “I tried my best over the last five games to be the best player I could be and to win games of cricket for Australia, unfortunately I couldn’t do that and I failed, and I’ve been dropped from the one-day side.”To tell the honest truth I didn’t really see this coming either, I had no communication from the selectors that it might’ve happened through this series, but it’s my job as an international batsman to score runs and I haven’t done that in the last few games.”Only if it ends badly [can I be too proud], but I’m backing myself to finish the game and finish my career on a high, I don’t want to finish on a low, and I’ll make the right decision at the right time, there’s no doubt about that.”It’d be great to get back to the Ashes. If I’m a good enough player to do that then it’d be great to go back there one more time and hopefully have a few better memories of England than what I’ve had the last couple of tours. Everybody is [after redemption], as far as Ashes cricket is concerned.”Ponting faced his first day as a Test-match-only concern with typical frankness and a level outlook. He said he had not considered retirement from the game upon losing his ODI place, but had pondered how he might manage his time now that he will not have the benefit of limited-overs series to keep him sharp between Test assignments.There is the chance that fewer international matches will keep Ponting fresher and more focused for those he does play, leaving him more time to spend with a young family, while also helping to mentor the next generation in the Sheffield Shield.”It could do that [prolong my Test career], there’s two ways you can look at that,” Ponting said. “Am I better off having momentum behind me with playing more cricket, and scoring runs on a consistent basis, or am I better off getting away for a long period of time, freshening up, training hard, getting my game in good shape and playing.”I won’t know that until the start of next summer if I make it that far. I won’t have a long break now as I have a couple of Shield games to play, there’ll be a week after the Shield final, hopefully Tasmania can make the Shield final then I’ll have a week at home, then the West Indies and we’re straight into a tour game and Test matches there. Post-West Indies when there’s a big break between then and November, that’ll be a test of how I manage my time.”The thing I thought about most yesterday was how I was going to manage my time and to be well prepared to play every Test match that I play for the remainder of my career. Obviously now with no more one day international cricket that becomes a little bit more difficult for me, but there are other players around Australia at the moment that play Test match cricket only. I’ve seen it in the past with Steve Waugh, Mark Taylor, David Boon and those guys when they retired from one day cricket, they managed to play Test match cricket only and play it well.”Though he had not been told explicitly by Inverarity that he was close to being dropped ahead of the event, Ponting said he bore no ill will towards the selectors for how they had handled his ODI exit, and praised the panel for its approach this summer.”I think the selectors are doing a great job around the team at the moment,” Ponting said. “They’ve brought in some younger, fresher faces which I think was needed. They’ve had the courage I guess to try some of those guys who might not necessarily have been the best performed players around state cricket as well. As far as selection is concerned, the players are always their only selector. If you’re a batsman and you’re scoring runs you’re going to be in the side, if you’re not scoring runs then you’re a chance to be left out.”As the only man to have played in more than 100 Test match victories, Ponting’s thirst for such moments is unrivalled. He will now spend time in Shield cricket before the West Indies tour, adding to the Tasmanian dressing room what has just been lost to Australia’s.”I’ve done my best to make sure that every young player that comes into the team has a great understanding of what it means to play cricket for Australia and what levels they have to get to physically and mentally to be good international players,” Ponting said. “I think a few of the guys we had come into the set-up in the one day series this year were quite shocked and surprised about how hard we work around the team and how fit you need to be to be a part of the Australian side. Now I’m not there, some of the more experienced guys have got to start passing those traditions down to the younger blokes.”I’ve always been a traditionalist, I’ve loved every opportunity I’ve had to play cricket for Australia, whether it be one day cricket, Twenty20 or Test cricket. All I’ve got left is Test cricket and I want to make every post a winner with that, and make sure that every time I have a chance to play for Australia I’m the best prepared I can be and I enjoy every moment.”

Ian Bell returns to county duty on Thursday looking to put a testing winter behind him and re-establish his credentials as one of the world’s leading middle-order batsmen

George Dobell18-Apr-2012Ian Bell returns to county duty on Thursday looking to put a testing winter behind him and re-establish his credentials as one of the world’s leading middle-order batsmen.Bell enjoyed a prolific 2011, registering five Test centuries and averaging 118.75 in the calendar year. That all changed over the winter as Bell, struggling against the spin of Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal in particular, averaged 8.50 in three Tests in the UAE and 27.66 in the two on England’s tour of Sri Lanka. He was also omitted from the limited-overs squads that played against Pakistan.Bell, who turned 30 earlier this month, retains a hunger to reclaim a place in all formats and was keen to return to county duty as early as possible. He takes his place in the Warwickshire team that finished second in last year’s Championship and which travels to Liverpool to take on the current champions, Lancashire. Tom Smith remains unavailable for the hosts with a hamstring injury.Andrew Strauss, another man looking to recover his form after a testing winter, also returns to county duty. The England Test captain will be joined in the Middlesex side by Steven Finn – who is pushing for inclusion as the third seamer in England’s Test team – for their Division One match against Durham at Lord’s. Chris Rogers will captain Middlesex as Neil Dexter has temporarily stood down in order to concentrate on finding his form with the bat.Paul Collingwood, who missed the defeat against Nottinghamshire due to a virus, has recovered sufficiently to be named in a Durham squad containing eight players with international experience. There is still no place for Steve Harmison, however. England’s former spearhead is currently playing second-XI cricket as he seeks full match fitness.Somerset will be without the injured pair of Gemaal Hussain and Adam Dibble for their game against Nottinghamshire, who have won both their first two games, at Trent Bridge. Surrey are without Jacques Rudolph, who misses the game against Worcestershire for family reasons.In Division Two, Ravi Bopara will replace Mark Pettini in the Essex side to take on Yorkshire at Headingley, with Charl Willoughby also included in the squad for the first time following his move from Somerset.Edited by Alan Gardner