Michael Kasprowicz will today make his comeback from a back injury that has kept him out of the game for eight months. Kasprowicz will line up for University in Brisbane club cricket as he works his way towards full fitness.He has not played a first-class match since early April, when he and Brett Lee carried Australia to victory in the third Test against South Africa at Johannesburg. But a disc problem that he picked up in that game, combined with a groin strain he sustained during Australia’s boot camp in August, has hampered his chances of playing a role in the Ashes series.Kasprowicz said he would strictly limit himself to ten overs in his comeback match. “Even if I’m on a hat-trick on the first ball of my 11th over I’ll say ‘no’. I want to get it right,” he told . “It’s the biggest setback of my career, for 18 years of first-class cricket.”But he will increase his workload next weekend with two days of grade cricket and he hopes to be available for Queensland’s Pura Cup game against South Australia in two weeks. Kasprowicz said he had not given up hope of again playing for Australia. “Nothing will change,” he said. “I’ve always concentrated on doing well for Queensland and when I enjoy doing that other things happen.”
It appears that other Zimbabwe cricketers might be about to follow Tatenda Taibu’s lead and quit the national team and are due to meet on Monday to discuss following his lead.A fortnight ago 74 players signed a petition demanding the resignation of Peter Chingoka, the ZC chairman, and Ozias Bvute, the MD. The board has done little since then, and when Taibu met with Chingoka earlier this week, it became clear to him that the board was not planning to address those demands in the near future.Some of the national side met with Clive Field, the players’ representative, yesterday. “We discussed at some length the Taibu development and where it left them all personally,” he said. “We decided they should go away for the weekend, consider their own feelings and talk to their families. We won’t be making a collective decision on Monday. That wouldn’t be relevant. Each man must make his own stay-or-go decision. There is a lot of concern about their own careers and also the team situation.”Taibu was a quality batsman and wicketkeeper and undoubtedly inspirational as captain. His departure is a big setback for the others. He will leave a considerable void. In addition, many of the other national players have no other job and they are worried.”Zimbabwe has lost a stream of their best players since the 2003 World Cup. Andy Flower and Henry Olonga both quit after the tournament, Sean Ervine, Grant Flower and Ray Price are all now playing in England, and in the last three months Craig Wishart, Stuart Carlisle and Heath Streak have turned their backs on the side.It is thought that some of those, particularly Streak and Taibu, would be prepared to return to the national colours, other commitments permitting, were the domestic mess to be sorted.A dossier compiled by the provincial chairmen detailing a large number of allegations against the board is understood to have been delivered to the ICC, although Cricinfo is still waiting for a response to a query as to whether this will alter the ICC’s approach to the growing crisis.Some board officials have been questioned by representatives of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe over allegations that the country’s foreign exchange rules have been broken. Those investigations are said to be ongoing.
Western Province-Boland claimed victory in the final match in the preminary stages of Standard Bank Cup after winning the toss and batting against the Titans at Newlands. But it wasn’t enough for them to progess any further in the competition.Herschelle Gibbs, who had been recalled into the national team and hadn’t played any competitive cricket since early November due to a finger injury, lasted just five balls before he was trapped leg-before for 4. Andrew Puttick’s woeful season continued when he was caught in the slips for 16. Derrin Bassage and JP Duminy then put on an 82-run partnership with Bassage falling two short of back-to-back fifties. Duminy and Ashwell Prince continued the recovery with a 101-run partnership for Western Province Boland to end on 219 for 3 with Duminy scoring 85 and Prince 55.The Titans’ chase never got the impetus that it needed, with both openers out inside the first 10 overs. Martin van Jaarsveld struggled to 20 before Daryll Cullinan and Gerald Dros put on 86 for the fourth wicket. Cullinan was run out for 47, three balls after Alviro Petersen came out as a runner for him, and Dros fell for 41 off the very next ball flashing at a one outside the off. Albie Morkel smashed a six before top-edging to third man for 8.With the game well out of reach, Kruger van Wyk (34 not out) and Alfonso Thomas (27 not out) decided to block out the final overs, taking the Titans to 205 for 6 and a second spot in the table. Despite the win, Western Province finished at the bottom of the pile at the end of the preliminary stages of the Standard Bank Cup.The semi-finals, which will take place in February, are both day-night games. Eagles and Lions play each at Bloemfontein on the 17 Febrauary, and two days later Titans take Dolphins at Centurion. The final will be played at the homeground of whichever finalist finished with the most points in the preliminary stages.Franchises now have a Christmas break before the recess before SuperSport Series, the four-day competition, resumes on January 6.
The death of Hansie Cronje, South Africa’s disgraced former captain who was killed in a plane crash in the Western Cape in June 2002, may have been no accident, according to a report in the latest edition of Observer Sport Monthly. The report alleges that Cronje, who had been banned for life from cricket for his part in the match-fixing scandal, may have been murdered to ensure that the full extent of the corruption never reached the light of day.Cronje, who had been forging a new career as a businessman, was killed along with two pilots when his chartered plane crashed in mountains near his estate in George, a small town on South Africa’s Garden Route. It later transpired that Cronje had missed an earlier flight and had arranged a lift in a cargo plane, but at the time no suspicious circumstances were reported. Given that Cronje was a devout Christian, it struck many as being the ultimate act of divine retribution.But Gavin Branson, the chief executive of AirQuarius, the owners of the crashed plane, is one of many people who remains troubled by the circumstances. “There are a lot of unknowns about what happened,” Branson is reported as saying. “I think it will be a long time before the [Civil Aviation Authority] report comes out. I have a million questions that I haven’t even started asking yet. We’d been flying that route daily and in far worse weather without experiencing even a hint of trouble.”The investigation is destined to take a long time, especially as there are unconfirmed rumours that the ground landing system at George Airport had been tampered with. “I understand that police have found evidence of sabotage,” one investigator is reported as saying. “But they’re reluctant to go public on this. The full cost of a follow-up investigation would be too great in a country that is already riven by crime. It suits the police to have a closed case.””A lot of people wanted Cronje dead,” adds the source. “They feared that he would one day tell the full truth, and then many more would be implicated. I know people who have looked closely into what happened but who were warned off by threatening phone calls. They’re scared of getting a bullet in the head.”Cronje, who first stood in as South Africa’s captain at the age of 24, finished his career with a record of 27 victories in 53 Tests, making him South Africa’s most successful captain in Test history. He scored 3,714 runs at an average of 36.4, including six centuries, and to this day remains revered by many of his former team-mates, despite his spectacular fall from grace.At the King Commission in 2000-01, which investigated the extent to which match-fixing had permeated the game, Cronje confessed to what he called “an unfortunate love of money”. He claimed to have accepted at least $130,000 from illegal bookmakers, although recent revelations suggest that he possessed as many as 72 bank accounts in the Cayman Islands. His death, one way or another, has ensured that the full story may never be told.Click here to read the full Observer Sport Monthly article
Auckland has not been shy in boosting its promising youth players straight into the hurly-burly of the State championship which starts next Monday.Four young players, Nick Horsley, Sam Whiteman and Reece Young who attended the New Zealand Cricket Academy this year, and New Zealand Cricket’s young player to Lord’s this year Rob Nicol, have been named in the side which will field seven players with international experience.Not considered for selection were CLEAR Black Caps in Australia Adam Parore, Mark Richardson and Lou Vincent, and the injured Dion Nash.State Auckland’s opening game in the State championship is against the State Central Districts side on Eden Park’s Outer Oval starting on Monday.The squad is: Andre Adams (Grafton United), Aaron Barnes (Cornwall), Tama Canning (Suburbs New Lynn), Chris Drum (Birkenhead), Mark Haslam (East Coast Bays), Matt Horne (Grafton United), Nick Horsley (Parnell), Llorne Howell (East Coast Bays), Tim McIntosh (Parnell), Kyle Mills (Howick Pakuranga), Richard Morgan (Cornwall), Rob Nicol (Cornwall), Richard Pudney (Grafton United), Brooke Walker (captain – Howick Pakuranga), Sam Whiteman (Howick Pakuranga), Reece Young (Suburbs New Lynn).The Auckland A squad to contest the Provincial ‘A’ Team Competition from December 2001 to January 2002 is: Gene Andrews (North Shore), Scott Barnes (Howick Pakuranga), Hamish Barton (Parnell), Terry Crabb (Birkenhead), Guy Coleman (Grafton United), Michael Hendry (East Coast Bays), Nick Jury (Grafton United), Brad Nielsen (Howick Pakuranga), Stephen Pearson (Waitakere), Akshay Reddy (Parnell), Gareth Shaw (Papatoetoe), Tane Topia (Grafton United).
Tottenham will be ‘inundated’ with offers for Joe Rodon if they choose to sell him this summer, according to Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge.
The Lowdown: No future under Conte?
The 24-year-old has barely had a look-in under Antonio Conte and was duly linked with a move away from the club in January.
The centre-back arrived at Spurs in 2020 following an £11m agreement with boyhood club Swansea, but his career in the Premier League has not started the way he would have wanted. The 6 foot 4 Welshman has made just 13 appearances in the Premier League and played a mere 78 minutes of top-flight football this season.
Rodon has featured on three occasions for Conte, with two of these appearances coming in the FA Cup, from which they were eliminated by Middlesbrough last week.
Bridge has claimed that Tottenham would not be short of buyers if they decide to sell the Wales international in the summer.
Speaking to GiveMeSport, the journalist said of Rodon: “He could be one of those players who never catches a break at Tottenham and goes on somewhere and does really well. But if Tottenham decide to say, look, it’s not going to happen, they’ll be inundated with offers this summer.”
The Verdict: He needs the move
Whilst Tottenham are in no means blessed with a wide array of centre-back options, Conte has seemingly passed on selecting the 24-year-old at every given opportunity.
Therefore, he clearly has a case for possibly feeling aggrieved over a lack of playing time; especially since the Italian has opted to play a natural left-back in Ben Davies as a makeshift centre-half instead of trusting in the ex-Swansea defender.
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If Rodon wants to continue playing at the top level, he may need to move elsewhere in pursuit of first-team action, and it doesn’t appear that Conte would stand in his way if the 24-year-old were to push for an exit from N17.
With the Welshman having drawn glowing comparisons with three-time Premier League winner John Stones in the past, he could indeed be the subject of much interest if Spurs are willing to offload him, as Bridge has suggested.
In other news: Carlton Palmer makes worrying claim about these two big personalities at Spurs
In light of FFC’s focus on troublesome footballers this week, I have decided to constructed a Top Ten list of footballers misbehaving abroad. Although the sport has increased in professionalism over the last few decades, there are still a number of stories reported that show the players in a worse light off the pitch. Although, we must remember that they are only human, like us and can’t be expected to behave like machines, some of the following is inexcusable.
So whether it’s team mates coming to blows, the paparazzi snapping players boozing it up or just stupid and bizarre actions, they make it onto the list. What didn’t make it was the England WAGS from the 2006 World Cup, they reportedly distracted the players during the tournament and although it wasn’t the players misbehaving themselves, they nearly made it into the top ten. Also, quite a few people recommended Cristiano Ronaldo photographed in speedo’s as a criminal activity, but again it failed to make the ten below…..
Click on Gazza below to see the Top TEN!
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Compiled by Matt Freebody
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Tottenham Hotspur look set to be the latest club to have made a move for Aston Villa goalkeeper Brad Friedel. The veteran American has been offered a two year deal by Liverpool but would act as understudy to first-choice Pepe Reina.
With Heurelho Gomes reportedly on his way out of White Hart Line with former club PSV keen, Friedel would fight it out for the goalkeeping jersey with Italian Carlo Cudicini who signed a year-long contract extension this week.
The 40-year old former Liverpool player has been in fine form playing in all 38 of Aston Villa’s league games. Friedel played 31 games for Liverpool in a disappointing three-year spell between 1997 and 2000 before spending eight years at Blackburn Rovers.
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He moved to Aston Villa in the Summer of 2008 for £2.5 million and the club have offered the player a new deal. West Brom have also tabled an offer but whether Redknapp will be successful in his last-ditch move remains to be seen.
Arsenal’s Andrey Arshavin falls into the bracket of flair players who have a tendency to entertain. These delicate, skilful ball players can produce the unexpected, from conducting mazy runs culminating in a clever finish to awe-inspiring long range efforts. Such feats cannot be repeated every week and these players do not rely on a sliding tackle or a burst of aggressive energy to ignite the crowd. The Gunners’ outspoken Russian has delivered moments of excellence but can drift out of matches and display a seemingly indifferent attitude. Is getting the best out of the No23 set to be an uphill struggle this season?
Arshavin arrived at Arsenal in the 2009 January transfer window, having completed one of the most protracted transfers in recent memory. A plethora of documents and work permit issues delayed the Premier League’s ratification of this deal until 3rd February. Nonetheless at £16.9 million, the former Zenit St Petersburg became the club’s record signing. Arsene Wenger had acted decisively, targeting him as an exciting player who could bring experience and quality to a youthful team. The boyish Russian international certainly made an impact, scoring his first goal against Blackburn from an impossibly acute angle. Arshavin was cup-tied for Champions League matches but compensated for this league by smashing an incredible four at Anfield. That game ended in a draw but it was an exemplary lesson in the art of finishing. He scored 12 goals in all competitions in his first full season in England but his influence was not omnipresent. Often deployed on the left of an offensive midfield three, Arshavin has stated his desire to play through the middle.
Within a month of moving to London the frank Arshavin described how much harder he was forced to work and therefore adapt his showmanship manner. “As for football I can say that my style has also altered – it is more effective but less sparkling. I don’t remember when was the last time I score a really beautiful goal.” When interviewed the player is candid, open and opinionated, having called himself “lazy” and castigating everything from women drivers to the tax man. These exclamations have attracted brutally stark comments in return. Former Manchester United winger Andrei Kanchelskis said, “In my opinion, Arshavin is overrated. He has been praised too much. He hasn’t shown brilliance for a very long time. The main thing is consistency, which Arshavin doesn’t have.”
However consistency is an attribute that his club lacks too. The nonchalant star has received criticism for a supposedly lackadaisical approach and a reluctance to offer defensive assistance. Moreover when Gael Clichy gets forward to provide the option of an over-lapping run, Arshavin seldom uses him as he prefers to cut inside to search for that elusive long range goal. He is far from a conventional wide player though as his best from arises from when he is used as a supplementary striker. He was clinical when used as a lone forward during the club’s striking crisis hit last season. The 5ft 7in player can find that unexpected pass, glide past opponents with excellent close control and discover space in the area.
He has exhibited those qualities this year, scoring twice in both the league and in Europe. He additionally made a crucial cameo in their Carling Cup victory at White Hart Lane. Fabregas later commented, “I believe he won us the game when he came on. He played the two passes that led to the two penalties, then he scored the last goal himself. He can win a game.” The fans recognise this too but would like to see his undoubted quality decide games more regularly. But the nature of this unpredictable yet explosive player conveys the need for patience.
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Transfer stories and links seem to never cease, and no sooner than the January transfer window slams shut, talk of summer moves set into motion. Whether it be players looking to escape their surroundings, make the next step up in their career or simply looking to remain employed, rumours surround men from almost every club.
It may be an exciting time for the fans, but for managers and their back-room staff the transfer window presents much worry and stress, with the pressure of finding the right player at the right price to secure pre-season aims and keep the chairman off of their back. Beginning preparation early ensures that the targets are identified with lots of time to thrash out the deal before the end of the window, because as we all know, panic buying can often work out as the worst strategy possible.
Here is a list of ten players who, for various reasons, will most likely be the subject of interest and bids this summer, as clubs across the league look to build for the 2012/13 season.
Click on Moussa Dembele to unveil the top 10
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