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New Zealand have, in consultation with the Bangladesh Cricket Board, postponed their two-Test tour of Bangladesh scheduled for May-June this year to 2012, citing extremely hot and humid weather

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Mar-2011New Zealand have, in consultation with the Bangladesh Cricket Board, postponed their two-Test tour of Bangladesh scheduled for May-June this year to 2012, citing extremely hot and humid weather.The Test series had initially been planned for late 2010 and was meant to be part of a tour also comprising three ODIs. But, in preparation for the World Cup, the teams agreed to play five ODIs (which New Zealand lost 0-4) and push the Tests to May-June this year. Now, those Tests have again been rescheduled.”We welcome the decision and believe it is a sensible outcome,” Justin Vaughan, the CEO of New Zealand Cricket, said after the BCB had accept the request for postponement. “Bangladesh is extremely hot and humid in May and June with cricket rarely played during that time of year.”The option to postpone until 2012, where the cricket calendar is less cluttered, also gives our top players the option to freshen up after a long and intensive period of cricket.”

Pakistan’s players may wonder about the one that got away when they peer into the Australian dressing room during the series in England next month

Peter English22-Jun-2010Pakistan’s players may wonder about the one that got away when they peer into the Australian dressing room during the series in England next month. Sitting there will be Usman Khawaja, a 23-year-old batsman, who was born in Islamabad.Since Khawaja’s family moved to Sydney when he was three, he has developed into one of the most impressive young batsmen in the country, sworn his allegiance to the quest for a baggy green, and become a qualified pilot. If he plays at Lord’s or Leeds in July he will become Australia’s first Muslim Test cricketer by appearing against his country of birth.”When I first got told that I was going over to England that didn’t even cross my mind,” he said in Brisbane. “It [being a Muslim] doesn’t cross my mind until someone brings it up. I am around the boys all the time and I never once feel like I am different.”Khawaja is currently on tour in Queensland with Australia A and he tried to remain cool when told of his selection in the 14-man squad. “I was a bit shocked, I had a feeling I was close,” he said. Khawaja quickly told his excited father Tariq, who has increased his love of the Australian team as his boy became more accomplished.Usman last visited Pakistan four years ago and is unsure where the loyalties of his extended family, including his maternal grandmother, will lie. He hopes they will cheer for him if he gets a game.”I haven’t thought about it like that,” he said. “I am just very happy being in the squad.” In England he will be on standby for the top four batsmen, but will mostly be there to gain experience for what could be a barrier-breaking career.One of those left-handers who seem to see the ball in slow motion, Khawaja is rarely rushed at the crease and is treasured for his composed performances in the four-day format. (He has played only four domestic one-day games.) There has been a feeling around the state scene for the past two years that Khawaja’s rise to Australian colours was inevitable and the elevation has arrived despite him not completing a full Sheffield Shield campaign.New South Wales’ strong line-up of internationals has contributed to him appearing in only 18 first-class fixtures for his state but, despite a mid-season broken thumb, he still managed three centuries and 698 runs at 63.45 in seven games last summer. Two of the hundreds came in back-to-back matches, with 132 against Queensland on a testing pitch at the Gabba and 107 in more comfortable conditions in Newcastle.Like Michael Clarke, Khawaja went to Westfields Sport High School in Sydney and he has a similar build to Australia’s Test vice-captain, weighing in at around 77kg and standing 1.77m tall. He plays for Randwick Petersham, the club Nathan Hauritz captains and Simon Katich turns out for when time allows, and has been in the same state sides as Brad Haddin and Clarke a couple of times.He is as fresh as his young New South Wales team-mates Phillip Hughes and Steven Smith were on their first senior trips. “When I was a kid I dreamed of going on tour but I am not looking too far ahead,” he said. “If I just carry the drinks the whole time, it doesn’t really bother me. It’s just exciting to be around Punter [Ricky Ponting] – I have never met him.”

Everton have been getting stuck into the winter transfer window after a disappointing start to the season that has left the club just six points away from the relegation zone, and are clearly using the January window as an opportunity to turn their struggles around and climb the table in the last five months of the league, but one target is apparently off the table.

What’s the word?

Daily Express Journalist, Ryan Taylor, has offered an insight on the potential transfer of Dwight McNeil from Burnley to Everton during this transfer window during his transfer round-up on YouTube.

Taylor said: “After losing Chris Wood, doesn’t look like Burnley would entertain losing McNeil,”

“Everton are interested and he remains a long-term target for the club. If Burnley were to go down, I’d expect them [Everton] to potentially move for him.”

McNeil has been linked with a move to the Merseyside club over the last month, and it’s not the first time Rafa Benitez has chased down the midfielder, as the Liverpool Echo reported back in July that the Spanish manager was keen to sign him, however in the current window there has been no official bid or talks opened up for the Burnley player so far.

Benitez will be gutted

If Taylor is right about Burnley’s stance on the player then we expect Benitez will be gutted, as he is a clearly a fan of the player after showing interest in the attacker back in the summer too.

The 22-year-old has clearly impressed the Toffees manager over the last few seasons, with the youngster scoring seven goals and bagging 17 assists in 126 appearances for the Lancashire club, making his debut in the Premier League when he was just 18 years old, back in 2018.

According to SofaScore, despite only offering one assist so far this season, the left-sided midfielder has been successful in completing the majority of his dribbles (64%), as well as winning the majority of both his ground and aerial duels (57%) in his 17 appearances so far for relegation battling Burnley.

As a result, it will be unfortunate for the Toffees manager that he cannot add a player so capable of performing consistently in the top-flight to his ranks this winter.

It is clear that Benitez is trying to add more youthful yet experienced players into his Everton side, with recent signings Nathan Patterson and Vitaliy Mykolenko perfectly matching that description, something that, again, McNeil could also offer to the squad.

Therefore, we expect this won’t be the last time we hear that Everton are interested in securing the player, and they could find that a much easier challenge to do so if Burnley get relegated at the end of the campaign.

In other news: Benitez should axe Holgate amid interest from other clubs

Makhaya Ntini, the South Africa fast bowler, has said the existing structure to identify black cricketers in the country’s rural areas is not yielding the desired results

Cricinfo staff06-Jun-2010Makhaya Ntini, the South Africa fast bowler, believes the existing structure to identify black cricketers in the country’s rural areas is not yielding the desired results. Ntini, among his country’s most renowned sporting personalities and himself a product of that structure, is raising funds to build an academy in the Eastern Cape and hopes it will help in the development of more black cricketers.”We do have a structure in South Africa where they are looking for black cricketers outside the usual areas, the cities. They go to the rural areas to try and find promising youngsters,” Ntini told . “But when you are talking about whether it’s developing, or it’s still going down a bit, it’s a very rare person who will answer in the first way. I would say cricket from the point of view of the black community is not the same as when Khaya Majola or Dr Ali Bacher were around, when it was booming, we had all the schools getting together to play some games.”Then it was easier to see who was a very good cricketer, who could go to the high schools and develop their cricket. Now it’s not so easy. I would like that to change.”Ntini is South Africa’s ambassador for the FIFA World Cup which begins in the country in less than a week. For a cricketer to represent his country in that capacity at a global event, Ntini said, was very special. “As a cricketer for me to be there, and part and parcel of what’s going on in our country, it’s a huge thing, something I’m proud of as a country, as a person and as an individual.”Ntini acknowledged cricket in South Africa was still a sport dominated by whites, and for black cricketers to compete and succeed, they had to work that much harder. “Cricket in South Africa is not exclusively white, but it is more white-dominant. The football is more black-dominant, so they are two different ball games in every respect,” Ntini said. “For those of us who don’t play football, we have to make sure we are 10% ahead of anything else, regarding fitness, regarding preparation, everything, for us to compete with the other players. In a white-dominant sport, to stay there for longer, those kind of things we have to go through.”Earlier in the year, in the Test series against England, Ntini became the fifth South African cricketer to play 100 Tests. His performance, however, had been on a decline and he was dropped after his 101st. He is currently representing Kent in the English domestic season but remains hopeful of a return to international cricket. “I have enjoyed my time [with Kent] and I would definitely love to come back, but first I must sort out my cricket life back home and see if I am still involved with the national team. If not, playing county cricket will be my second option,” he said.”I only need 10 [Test] wickets to get to 400, and I am crossing my fingers I will be given that opportunity. If it was not me, if it was anyone else, only 32 and still needing 10 wickets for 400, he would definitely [get the chance]. You know, ‘We’ll try and get him those wickets’.” Ntini had expressed his disappointment at not having heard from the selectors since being dropped. Andrew Hudson, Cricket South Africa’s chief selector, responded saying Ntini will be considered for selection for the national side’s upcoming series, following his encouraging stint with Kent.

Antonio Conte’s Tottenham Hotspur side will be looking to bounce back from their disappointing 1-0 defeat to Brighton as they take on Brentford today.

Spurs take on the Bees in the evening kick-off in the Premier League as they continue their march towards sealing a top-four finish in the division.

They are currently above their rivals Arsenal on goal difference and three points clear of sixth-placed Manchester United, as Conte has his team sitting in fourth in the table as it stands.

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The Italian head coach may look to freshen his side up after their loss to Graham Potter’s men and one player he must finally unleash from the start is Ryan Sessegnon at wing-back.

Sergio Reguilon endured a rough afternoon against Brighton and could do with a match on the sidelines. As per SofaScore, he only completed 63% of his attempted passes, failed with 100% of his dribbles and only made one tackle throughout the match – failing to make a single interception or clearance.

This suggests that it could be time for Conte to switch it up at the back and unleash Sessegnon after over a month out through injury.

Prior to his setback against Everton, the 21-year-old was starting to shine on the left. Against Burnley, he recorded a SofaScore rating of 6.9 as he completed 100% of his dribbles, 91% of his passes and created one chance. He also made two tackles, two clearances and one interception as he showed that he can impress at both ends of the pitch.

Sessegnon carried that form over into his next game as he started against Leeds. As per SofaScore, he completed 81% of his passes and created two chances, with one resulting in him recording an assist, whilst he also made two interceptions and one tackle.

The dynamo was once dubbed a “big talent” by former Fulham teammate Stefan Johansen and Jose Mourinho previously called him “absolutely fantastic” as he compared him with Ashley Cole. This shows how highly he has been rated in the past and that is why Spurs must throw him another bone in the Premier League this week.

Therefore, he must be unleashed from the start at wing-back in order to give him the chance to show that he can be an important player for the team, as he did against Burnley and Leeds. It will allow Conte to rest Reguilon and avoid overplaying the Spaniard, whilst also keeping Sessegnon fresh and match fit.

AND in other news: Huge boost: Spurs handed “fresh” injury lift ahead of Bees, supporters will be buzzing

ESPNcricinfo previews the first Twenty20 between New Zealand and Pakistan in Auckland

Nitin Sundar25-Dec-2010Match FactsWith Shahid Afridi, a truly spectacular innings is always around the corner•AFPDecember 26, Auckland
Start time 14:00 (01:00 GMT)The Big PicturePakistan run into another team that is dealing with problems. Compared to the murkiness surrounding Pakistan’s cricket – spot-fixing investigations, an inefficient and politically incorrect board, a disappearing wicketkeeper – New Zealand’s winless woefulness may seem like a trifle.Yet, their recent travails in the subcontinent – where they failed to win any of their last 11 one-dayers and three Tests, spread across each of the three World Cup hosting countries – have left their tournament preparations in disarray, with very little time for new coach John Wright to turn things around.This series – on spongy, seaming tracks and small grounds – against a Pakistan team in its current state, presents New Zealand with less than ideal preparation for the big event, but it gives them a good shot at ending the slump.Pakistan don’t have the luxury of picking and choosing their venues anymore. Security concerns have prevented them from playing at home. This is Pakistan’s second visit to New Zealand in a year, a frequency rarely seen from Asian teams.They begin this tour at the Eden Park in Auckland, the venue that hosted the first ever Twenty20 international, almost six years ago. A lot has changed since that hit-and-giggle encounter, in which Australia and New Zealand sported retro costumes and outmoded facial hair. Three World Twenty20s have come and gone since, with Pakistan making the semi-finals on each occasion and winning the tournament once. This is the format they have always threatened to make their own; so despite their current four-match losing streak and all the other distractions, they come into the series with a dangerous reputation.Form guide(most recent first)
New Zealand: LWLWL
Pakistan: LLLLWWatch out for…It’s tough to leave Shahid Afridi out of this section, especially at the start of a series. There is a good chance he will succumb to a rush of blood and leave his backers infuriated, but with Afridi, truly explosive innings is always around the corner. He failed as an opener in Pakistan’s warm-up defeat, but his best innings in the format – the memorable half-centuries in the semi-final and final of the 2009 World Twenty20 – came at No. 3. Where is he going to take guard on Sunday?Daniel Vettori’s absence means Nathan McCullum will be New Zealand’s main spinner. His Twenty20 stats are impressive: a bowling average of 17.61 at an economy-rate of 6.45, to go with a batting average of 26.66. Pakistan have their share of aggressors in the middle order, and some of them – Umar Akmal in particular – are likely to target his offspin.Team newsBrendon McCullum’s absence gives Peter McGlashan another chance behind the stumps. McCullum will, however, be tougher to replace at the crease. Jesse Ryder should return to the opening spot after recovering from the injury he picked up in India, and he could have new-face Dean Brownlie for company. Adam Milne, the 18-year-old Central Districts seamer, could also get a game.New Zealand (probable): 1 Jesse Ryder, 2 Dean Brownlie, 3 Martin Guptill, 4 Ross Taylor (capt), 5 James Franklin, 6 Scott Styris, 7 Nathan McCullum, 8 Peter McGlashan (wk), 9 Kyle Mills, 10 Ian Butler / Adam Milne, 11 Tim SoutheeUmar Akmal kept wickets for Pakistan in the warm-up match, and could continue to keep his brother Adnan, the specialist keeper, on the bench. Ahmed Shehzad made a duck in that match, and could make way for Asad Shafiq.Pakistan (probable): 1 Asad Shafiq / Ahmed Shehzad, 2 Mohammad Hafeez, 3 Shahid Afridi (capt), 4 Younis Khan, 5 Umar Akmal (wk), 6 Fawad Alam, 7 Abdul Razzaq, 8 Umar Gul, 9 Wahab Riaz, 10 Saeed Ajmal, 11 Shoaib AkhtarPitch and conditionsThe match will be played at a reoriented Eden Park stadium, with a newly installed pitch running from north to south, with some of the lower tier seats retracted in order to fit the new boundary. Traditionally, the average 20-over score on this ground works out to 154 for 9, but things could be different on the new track.Stats and trivia Pakistan won the first four T20s between these sides, before losing by one run in a close encounter in the 2010 World Twenty20 Shahid Afridi, Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal are the top three wicket-takers in the format. Fourth in the list is a man New Zealand would have loved to have for this series – Daniel Vettori The hosts will miss another player dearly – Brendon McCullum is the only player with over 1000 Twenty20 runs (1100 in all), and is the leading six-hitter in the format. Pakistan are without their top three run-getters – Kamran Akmal, Misbah-ul-Haq and Shoaib Malik Two of the five Twenty20 games played at Eden Park have resulted in ties.Quotes”Coaching is not about telling or ordering. It’s more about helping create an environment where good players who want to learn can get on.”
John Wright explains his coaching philosophy

Cricket Australia are set to appoint their first full-time national selector in a move to professionalise the four-man panel

Cricinfo staff17-Jun-2010Cricket Australia are set to appoint their first full-time national selector in a move to professionalise the four-man panel. The successful applicant will double as a national talent manger, while the role will also include being a spokesman and a touring selector.The structure of Australia’s selection panel has been debated for some time with a feeling that it demands a full-time role, although this latest development doesn’t go as far as to impact the chairman’s position. Andrew Hilditch, the current chairman, has faced some difficult situations when trying to perform his cricket role along with his career as a lawyer.The selection panel will remain at four so if one of the current members – Hilditch, Jamie Cox, Merv Hughes or David Boon – doesn’t get the new job then someone will have to move aside. Michael Brown, CA’s general manager, said the change would help the relationship between state sides and the international set-up”The creation of the position is a wonderful step for the professionalism of Australian cricket,” Brown said. “[He] will lead the national talent management system and ensure efficient and effective talent identification systems that also embrace national selection philosophies.”History shows the tremendous job all states have done in identifying cricket talent. This position allows a strengthening of these relationships while at the same time helping player progression plans in conjunction with national and state high performance staff. We expect this person to play a key role in managing senior Australian teams and being available to communicate with current players and those who have been identified as potential Australian players.”

David Warner says Australia are fully focussed on ending their poor record in Twenty20 cricket, and believes they have the strength in depth to cope with all conditions they will face in the coming fortnight in the Caribbean

Andrew Miller30-Apr-2010David Warner says Australia are fully focused on ending their poor record in Twenty20 cricket, and believes they have the strength in depth to cope with all conditions they will face in the coming fortnight in the Caribbean.Despite ruling the roost in 50-over cricket for the past decade, with three consecutive World Cup victories – including the last tournament in the West Indies in 2007 – Australia’s fortunes have not been so great in the shortest format. They were knocked out in the group stages in England last summer, and although they reached the semi-finals in the inaugural tournament in South Africa, they suffered an embarrassment along the way when they were defeated by minnows Zimbabwe.That result was revisited earlier this week, when Zimbabwe inched to a thrilling one-run victory in the teams’ opening warm-up match in St Lucia, but Warner demonstrated the extent of his own form with a rollicking 72 from 49 balls, including five sixes. He followed that up with 51 from 41 balls in a 101-run win against the Windward Islands on Thursday, and is ready to carry that momentum into their first fixture of the tournament, against Pakistan on Sunday.”It’s been a good lead-up for myself with a couple of half-centuries in the games just gone,” Warner told Cricinfo. “I don’t want to waste my runs in the warm-ups, but it’s always good to get them under the belt, and I hope to put in a good performance on Sunday. As a team, we are aware of our shortcomings in Twenty20 cricket, but we’ve played a lot in Australian cricket in the last couple of years, and we know we’ve got the resources to take it on this year and win.”Despite the setback against Zimbabwe, Warner believed that the experience would serve as a timely wake-up call, and felt that Australia would be better prepared for future contests now that they had had a chance to gauge the West Indian conditions. “Twenty20 is a funny game,” he said. “Anyone on their day can come out on song and roll a few teams over, or be a superstar with the bat. We’re looking forward to the contest, we’ve got the depth in bowling and batting to take on any side in this tournament, and we hope to do that.”We didn’t bowl too well that day and they got away from us, but we played positive cricket right up to the end,” he added. “The pitches so far have been pretty slow and low, and we’ve been playing on big grounds with a lot of wind around, so we’ve been running a lot of twos and threes which is a bit different for Twenty20 cricket. But the boundaries will come in a bit on Sunday, so our hopes are high and we’re a positive bunch. We’re looking to put the disappointments of last year behind us, and have a good tournament.”Warner had little opportunity to show what he can do in England last summer, scoring 63 and 0 in his two innings before Australia’s elimination, but since then he has expanded his Twenty20 experience with successful stints in the IPL, where he opened the batting for Delhi Daredevils, and with New South Wales, whom he helped to win the inaugural Champions League in India last year.”Personally, I’ve learned that time at the crease is vital,” he said. “With wickets in hand at the end, you can have an onslaught for the last five or six overs. My game is not just to bat in the top six overs, it’s to bat through and maintain my momentum through the innings. If there’s a batsman in, we can keep firing and keep wickets in hand, to post a good total or chase a big total. If I can keep up the onslaught, it stands us in good stead.”

Personally, I’ve learned that time at the crease is vital. With wickets in hand at the end, you can have an onslaught for the last five or six overs. My game is not just to bat in the top six overs

One slight disappointment for Warner is the lack of recognition from Cricket Australia, who left him off their list of centrally contracted players for 2010-11, despite his integral presence in the shortest form of the game. Earlier this week, Michael Clarke voiced his concerns on the subject, pointing out that playing Twenty20 cricket was the ultimate for players such as Warner who haven’t cemented their places in the more established forms of the game.”You go away on all these trips playing Twenty20 cricket, but the only way to get a contract is by being upgraded to Test or ODIs,” Warner said. “I believe that if you play one form of the game for Australia, you should be rewarded with one of those central contracts, but I reckon that’s going to come in the next year or so. Meanwhile, any opportunity I get to play for Australia, I’m going to grab with all I can and try to do my best.”Once the World Twenty20 is out of the way, Warner’s next international ambition is to earn a place in the Australian 50-over squad for the tour of England in July, and to that end, his forthcoming stint with Middlesex in the Friends Provident T20 could prove invaluable. When he arrives at Lord’s next month, he will team up at the top of the order with Adam Gilchrist, and the prospect already has him extremely excited.”I can’t wait,” he said. “My aim is to win this tournament, then get over to England to open with an idol of mine, who I’ve looked up to for many years. In the IPL, I had Virender Sehwag at the other end, another guy who I looked up to, but Gilchrist was my childhood hero so it’s going to be amazing and surreal for me. It might feel like a dream at first, but we’re both going to be there for business so our aim is to get Middlesex to the final, and win it.”Before that, however, there’s the serious business of international cricket to contend with, and Warner can already feel an upsurge of intensity as the competition draws closer. “The word round the camp is we really want to win this,” he said. “We’re not here for a holiday, we’re here to actually win and we’re not going home until we’ve achieved that. Everyone is 100% focused on winning this tournament and hopefully we can this time.”To see Warner and Gilchrist in action this summer, call 0207 432 1000 or visit www.lords.org for Lord’s match tickets, or for matches at Richmond & Uxbridge visit www.middlesexccc.com.

Alex Crook has now revealed a big Newcastle United transfer twist involving both Jesse Lingard and Diego Carlos.

The Lowdown: Looked unlikely

Both Lingard and Carlos have been heavily linked with moves to St. James’ Park throughout the January transfer window so far, but have begun to look increasingly unlikely as the window progresses.

Sky Sports journalist Pete Graves has recently doubted the likelihood of Lingard moving to the North East, while Sevilla club chief Monchi believes that Carlos will now stay at the La Liga club.

However, anything can happen in the next couple of days, and deals should not be completely ruled out at this stage.

The Latest: Twist

As per talkSPORT journalist Crook, the Tyneside outfit are now ‘back in talks’ to sign Lingard, while a deal for Carlos ‘might not be totally off the table’ either:

“As just discussed with @JimWhite @talkSPORT are hearing #NUFC are back in talks with #MUFC over Jesse Lingard and Diego Carlos might not be totally off the table either.

“Gonna be an interesting end to the window at SJP.”

The Verdict: Get them in!

If there is any hope remaining that both Lingard and Carlos can still be signed, then the Magpies need to get them in as soon as possible.

Described as ‘sensational‘ while on loan at West Ham last season by Arsenal and Premier League legend Nigel Winterburn, Lingard has already shown what a difference he can make to a team, with his nine goals and five assists a major factor in the Hammers securing UEFA Europa League football for this term.

Meanwhile, Carlos would be a real asset to the Toon’s backline, as he has been dubbed as a ‘real leader at the back’ (The Daily Express) by European football expert Andy Brassell, and he is nicknamed ‘The Beast‘ himself, suggesting that he would be right up for the relegation fight.

In other news, find out who NUFC are now moving to sign here!

Aston Villa would need pay Geoffrey Kondogbia more than €120,000 (£101,000) a week if they want to sign him this summer, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Villa keen on Kondogbia

Kondogbia has been linked with a move to the Premier League in recent days, with Villa manager Steven Gerrard potentially seeing him as a primary summer transfer target.

It has been stated that Gerrard ‘appreciates’ him as a player, with the Frenchman proving to be a key part of Atletico Madrid’s midfield this season and the Villans boss even jetting off to watch him in action.

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Kondogbia has made 23 appearances in La Liga, as well as nine in the Champions League, averaging a respective 2.7 and 2.2 tackles per game.

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The Latest: Fresh update emerges

According to Mundo Deportivo [via Sport Witness], the midfielder is looking for a pay increase in order to trade Atletico for Villa this summer.

A ‘much higher wage’ than his current €120,000 (£101,000) per week is mooted in the report, with the Villans aiming to sell players in order to afford what would be a ‘very expensive transfer.’

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The Verdict: Could be hard to get done

While Kondogbia is clearly a top-class midfielder who would strengthen Villa’s midfield, paying him such extortionate wages could be a tricky situation.

Danny Ings (£120,000) is the only current player earning over £100,000 a week, so the France international would come straight in as one of the club’s highest earners.

Not only that, but he doesn’t seem overly convinced by a move to Villa Park, according to the report, so paying such big money for a potentially money-hungry player feels like a big risk.

In other news, Ashley Preece has dropped a key Villa transfer claim. Read more here.