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Clint McKay has been called in to Australia’s squad as cover for Ben Hilfenhaus, who remains in doubt for the second Test in Leeds

Brydon Coverdale18-Jul-2010Clint McKay has been called in to Australia’s squad as cover for Ben Hilfenhaus, who remains in doubt for the second Test in Leeds. Hilfenhaus hurt his left shoulder during Australia’s win over Pakistan at Lord’s, when he dived to save a boundary on the fourth and final day.Australia’s physio Alex Kountouris has been working with Hilfenhaus since Friday’s victory, and the bowler was reported to be feeling better on Sunday. Hilfenhaus was the most convincing of Australia’s fast bowlers at Lord’s, where he finished with match figures of 3 for 74 and swung the ball with excellent control.Although Australia remain hopeful that Hilfenhaus will be fit for the Headingley Test, which begins on Wednesday, the selectors have covered their bases by calling for McKay, the Victoria seamer. McKay was part of the one-day squad that lost to England in the lead-up to the Tests and he won’t have far to travel, as he has been playing for Yorkshire in the Friends Provident Twenty20.McKay was playing in Derbyshire on Sunday afternoon and was expected to join the Australians in Leeds on Sunday evening. Although McKay has already played Test cricket, the more likely scenario if Hilfenhaus is ruled out would be a debut for Peter George, the South Australia fast man.George, 23, was a late addition to the squad when he replaced Ryan Harris, who flew home after the one-day series with a knee injury. George bowled in Australia’s warm-up match against Derbyshire but did not collect a wicket.

Lots of Everton fans have been left fuming over some transfer news that has emerged involving Cenk Tosun.

As per Turkish journalist Gokmen Ozcan, Hull City made an offer to the striker, but he rejected it so that he can fulfil his contract at Goodison Park.

Tosun is out of contract in the summer, but has not done enough to warrant a new one, as he has only scored 11 goals in 60 games in total across all competitions for the Toffees (Transfermarkt).

With Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison still on Merseyside, and the fact that he earns a healthy £60,000-per-week, the January transfer window presents a good chance for the Blues to cash in on him, but he seems more than happy to collect his salary and warm the bench.

Everton fans on Tosun transfer news

These EFC supporters fumed as the transfer news was shared on Twitter, with one even going as far as to claim that he is a ‘wage thief’:

“Stealing a living!”

Credit: @Banter_Horse

“Robbing a wage”

Credit: @RobertS91163055

“Lol shock. Right up there with Delph this guy.”

Credit: @melbourne1973

“Can’t we just put him out with the bins?”

Credit: @Ste_EFC_

“Another wage thief…”

Credit: @nickgartland

“I hate him”

Credit: @bluetom_tom

In other news, find out what club update has Evertonians raging here!

Cricinfo previews the final of the tri-series between India and Sri Lanka

The Preview by Siddarth Ravindran in Dambulla27-Aug-2010Match FactsSaturday, August 28, 2010
Start time 14.30 (0900 GMT)Sri Lanka will look to reverse their recent poor form against India in tournament finals at home•Cameraworx/Live ImagesBig PictureAt long last, the seemingly interminable run of India-Sri Lanka matches, starting from the Asia Cup in 2008, will come to an end on Saturday. However, the bowler-friendly conditions in Dambulla have made it difficult to predict how even these most familiar of opponents will match up.Sri Lanka, almost at full strength, probably have the edge, as their batting hasn’t had the embarrassing collapses India have. India, though, have shown the happy knack of raising their game for the finals of tournaments in Sri Lanka, winning two titles over the past year, despite looking second-best in the league phase.Virender Sehwag’s chalk-and-cheese match-winning innings will make him the player Sri Lanka will fear, but the final also opens up an opportunity for the younger batsmen in the Indian side to cement their places, much like Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif famously did in England during the build-up to the 2003 World Cup.The final could well hinge on how the team’s back-up bowlers perform. Every team’s new-ball bowlers have been among the wickets. In the opening game, India had nipped out three early wickets but the loss of Abhimanyu Mithun to a heatstroke helped New Zealand fight back and reach the tournament’s highest total. Similarly, on Wednesday, New Zealand, missing Daryl Tuffey and Jacob Oram, let India escape after some early wickets.One advantage Sri Lanka have is their batting depth. Thisara Perera, who showed off his hitting skills during a nets session on Friday morning, is likely to slot in at No. 8. In contrast, India have a long tail and the player filling the allrounder’s spot at No. 7, Ravindra Jadeja, hasn’t inspired any confidence with his batting.Form guide(most recent outright results first)
Sri Lanka: WLWLW
India: WLWLWWatch out for…Praveen Kumar has perfected the art of providing India early breakthroughs in Dambulla. His dismissal of Tillakaratne Dilshan in the first over of the Asia Cup final set India on the road to the title. In the tri-series, he has invariably picked up a wicket in his first couple of overs, exploiting the seam movement on offer, immediately putting the opposition on the backfoot.Angelo Mathews has established himself as Sri Lanka’s No. 1 allrounder over the past year, providing the team balance with his versatile batting, accurate medium-pace and unflappable temperament. He hasn’t contributed much with the bat this tournament, a blot he could erase in the final.Pitch and conditionsDhoni spent plenty of time inspecting the pitch for the final, getting down on his knees to get a close look and then having a long chat with coach Gary Kirsten and bowling coach Eric Simons. The curator, Anuruddha Polonowita, said the track hasn’t been used previously in the tournament but he expects it to be one which provides plenty of help for the bowlers, similar to the surfaces in the league phase.Team newsSri Lanka have no injury concerns and could retain the XI that humbled India in their final league matches. Chamara Silva made a polished unbeaten 41 in his only chance to bat, Chamara Kapugedera hasn’t got too many chances in this tournament, and Perera’s five-for last Sunday should guarantee him a place in the side.Sri Lanka (likely) 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2 Upul Tharanga, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (capt & wk), 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Angelo Mathews, 6 Chamara Silva, 7 Chamara Kapugedera, 8 Thisara Perera, 9 Suraj Randiv, 10 Nuwan Kulasekara, 11 Lasith MalingaIndia haven’t experimented too much in this tournament despite their fluctuating form. Raw youngsters like offspinner R Ashwin and middle-order batsman Saurabh Tiwary weren’t tried in the league phase, so the bench beckons them for the final as well. The four-pacers strategy worked well in the crunch match against New Zealand, so India will probably stick to that in the final as well. Dhoni said India would consider dropping Ravindra Jadeja in case they play an extra batsman at No.7.India (likely) 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Dinesh Karthik, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 6 Suresh Raina, 7 Ravindra Jadeja/ Rohit Sharma, 8 Praveen Kumar, 9 Ishant Sharma, 10 Ashish Nehra, 11 Munaf Patel
Quotes “I think when you are going well it is nice to keep going in important games. But before the tournament started we knew the schedule. So there are no complaints from our side.”

Nantes forward Moses Simon has revealed that he received a ‘strong offer’ from Leeds United in January.

The Lowdown: Quiet January

The Whites were fairly quiet during the winter transfer window, with young forward Mateo Joseph Fernandez the only player to arrive at the club.

Leeds did try to bring in RB Salzburg midfielder Brenden Aaronson and made two bids for the American, but as we know, a move failed to materialise in the final weeks of the month.

Victor Orta and co reportedly made an approach to sign Simon in the final days of the transfer window, and the Nigeria forward, who has 61 goals in his club and international career, has now spoken out on Leeds’ interest.

The Latest: Simon comments on Leeds offer

Talking to CKD Media in his homeland, Simon confirmed that his agent informed him of Leeds’ offer, but his current employers wanted him to see out the remainder of the season.

The 26-year-old revealed:

“Yes, it is true, my agent told me about some offers among all is Leeds United who came calling with strong offer and well intention of sealing the deal immediately.

“My club want me to finish the season with FC Nantes and I really want to contribute my own quota to ensure we secure Europa League ticket at the end of the season, we are pushing hard for that.

“Already we are in the quarter finals of French Cup and presently we are among the top ten teams on the league table, hopefully Europa League will not be a bad achievement.”

The Verdict: Summer move?

Crysencio Summerville saw a loan move to Hamburg collapse earlier this week, and if he does seal a temporary move away from Elland Road in the summer, Simon could once again be a player of interest to Marcelo Bielsa and Orta.

Leeds were also linked with Liverpool’s Takumi Minamino and Chelsea’s Kenedy in the final days of the January window and were ready to act if Summerville left, so the youngster’s future could hinge on any summer wide attacking arrivals.

Simon can also play as a centre-forward when required and appears to be at the peak of his powers with a career-high Transfermarkt valuation of £8.1m, so the Nigerian appears to be a shrewd target for Leeds.

In other news: Two more Leeds injury boosts emerge at Thorp Arch during international break after Cooper and Phillips

Lancashire have been given the green light from local government to proceed with their plans to redevelop the Old Trafford stadium

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Sep-2010Lancashire have been given the green light from the government to proceed with their plans for a £32m redevelopment the Old Trafford stadium.The plan, which is in conjunction with a Tesco development near the ground, had threatened to be derailed earlier this month when Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said he wanted to review the proposal after another supermarket threatened legal action.But now with the government satisfied Lancashire can begin work to improve the facilities and rotate the wicket by 90 degrees to overcome the troublesome history of bright afternoon light reflecting off the media centre into the batsmen’s eyes to stop play.”This is a historic moment for Old Trafford, as it will ultimately secure the future of international cricket in Greater Manchester and the northwest,” said Lancashire chief executive Jim Cumbes.”We can now immediately commit to the turning of the wicket, a vital stage in our programme for the re-developed stadium to be ready in time to host The Ashes in 2013. Two new grandstands and a re-furbished Pavilion will ensure a capacity of 15,000 capable of rising to 25,000 with temporary seating. There will also be floodlights and a screen showing action replays.”

Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou has dropped a teasing injury update concerning the return of midfielder David Turnbull.

What’s the latest?

In recent comments cited by the Daily Record, the 56-year-old Bhoys manager revealed that the 22-year-old, who has not featured for the Hoops since the 3-1 Scottish League Cup final victory over Hibernian back in December, is finally close to recovering from his hamstring injury – with the Scotland international expected to rejoin first-team training in the not too distant future.

Speaking about the current condition of Turnbull, Postecoglou said: “Turnbull is almost back training.”

Fans will be buzzing

Considering just how important a part of Postecoglou’s side Turnbull had proven to be earlier this season, the news that the 22-year-old is finally close to making a return to first-team action is sure to have left the Parkhead faithful buzzing.

Indeed, over his 18 Premiership appearances in the current campaign, the £5.85m-rated attacking midfielder has been in breathtaking form for the Bhoys, scoring five goals, registering four assists and creating seven big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 4.1 key passes – the most of any player in the league – and taking 3.7 shots – the second-most in the division – per game.

These returns have seen the £14k-per-week Scotsman average an almost unbelievable SofaScore match rating of 7.87, ranking him as the best player in the top flight of Scottish football.

As such, while Celtic have been on an incredibly impressive run of form without the former Motherwell midfield maestro – remaining undefeated in their last 21 league fixtures, only three of which have been draws – it is clear for all to see that the return of Turnbull will undoubtedly provide the Hoops’ hopes of going on to reclaim their Premiership crown with a major boost.

In other news: Forget Scales: “Really Poor” Celtic dud with 30 touches made Ange look foolish vs Bodo

The drama of the afternoon seemed a world away as Australia dominated most of a morning session, before Ishant stepped in

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Oct-2010Six years ago, Australia set India 229 to win a Test match in Chennai. India knocked off 19 before stumps on the fourth day, but an overnight deluge reduced Chepauk to a swamp and deprived what would have been a capacity crowd of a nailbiting climax. At Mohali tomorrow, rain is unlikely to be a factor and this abbreviated series will almost certainly get the result that sets up the Bangalore game as a must-win for one side.Australia are clear favourites, having taken four top-order wickets. VVS Laxman, who averages nearly 50 in the team’s second innings, is struggling with back spasms and will only bat if required, while the tail will need to offer far sterner resistance than they did on the third afternoon.Successful fourth-innings chases of this magnitude are rare, and India have pulled off just two against Australia when the target has been in excess of 200. The only instance on Indian soil came as far back as 46 years ago, when sedate half-centuries from Dilip Sardesai and Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, combined with a rather more brisk 30 from Chandu Borde saw them edge past a 254-run target.After some spectacular final-day collapses in the 1990s and the early part of the new millennium, India have been less of a soft touch in recent times. At Chennai in 2008, they famously chased down 387 against England after Sehwag’s blazing 83 on the fourth evening ensured that they could bat normally on the final day. As recently as August, they slumped to 62 for 4 at the P Sara Oval in Colombo before Laxman, Sachin Tendulkar and Suresh Raina saw them past 257 with a measure of comfort.The drama of the afternoon seemed a world away as Australia dominated most of a morning session in which India were as listless as they had been on the opening day. Then, with the score on 87 – Australia’s unlucky number – it all changed. It was a filthy delivery from Ishant, short and wide, but Watson, who had batted with real purpose for 56, only dragged it on.Ricky Ponting followed, essaying an equally poor pull and Ishant could have had three in the over but for a no-ball referral from Billy Bowden. Michael Clarke was walking off by the time he went up to the TV umpire, and Ishant’s emotions, after a frankly rotten match, boiled over. “When you get excited, run in really fast and are desperate for a wicket, you make these kind of mistakes,” he said after the day’s play. “But you need to control your breath and emotions and try to get a good rhythm. The seniors help when I get excited. He [Bowden] was doing his job and I was doing mine. If he’s given a no-ball, then it’s a no-ball.”Daljit Singh, the curator, suggested that the pitch played quicker on the fourth day as a result of the moisture in it having evaporated after three days of sunshine. Ishant bowled a clever short ball to nail Clarke – “I think there was more bounce compared to the first innings,” he said – and was relieved to be back among the wickets after a string of indifferent performances that he attributed to a minor tweak in his approach to the wicket.”I struggled in Sri Lanka as well because I have shortened my run-up by two steps,” he said. “It’s just two steps, but it’s taking time to find my old rhythm. I’m missing my steps a little bit. I spoke to Zak about it, and a few seniors in my team. The good thing is that I’m still bowling at the same pace that I was getting with my previous run-up.”India’s pursuit of 216 got off to the worst possible start, but having benefited from a terrible decision to get rid of Michael Hussey, the Indians weren’t about to point the finger at the officials after Gautam Gambhir whacked the ball on to his pad and watched bemused as Bowden lifted the crooked finger. “That’s part and parcel of the game,” said Ishant. “No one feels good about that but you can only control what’s in your hands.”Only Tendulkar, hero of the Chennai chase, and MS Dhoni remain of the specialist batsmen and the 161 runs needed will appear a million miles away if either is dismissed early on the final morning. Ben Hilfenhaus, who bowled a fabulous spell to send India into a tailspin before stumps, promised to put Tendulkar “under the pump” and there will be more than a few damaged cuticles in the Indian dressing room after he takes fresh guard tomorrow.”When four of your best batsmen get out, the mood is a little bit tense,” said Ishant. “But everyone is in a good frame of mind and we believe that whoever is at the crease can do a job for the team. We’ll try our level best.”

Johan Botha, who will take over as Twenty20 captain from Graeme Smith, is not taking Zimbabwe lightly

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Oct-2010South Africa’s Twenty20 game against Zimbabwe in Bloemfontein marks the start of the international cricket season in the country and captain Johan Botha, who will take over as Twenty20 leader from Graeme Smith, is not taking his opponents lightly. Friday’s contest will be the first Twenty20 fixture between the two teams. Zimbabwe have won just three of their 12 Twenty20 internationals thus far, the biggest scalp being the victory against Australia in the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007.”We’re definitely taking Zimbabwe seriously. It’s officially the start of our summer and this is no warm-up game,” Botha said on the eve of the match. “They’re an international side and have beaten some big teams in the past, so we’ll still have to play pretty well.”When teams are regarded as underdogs, they are dangerous. If one guy gets 80 off 50 balls or if one of their bowlers takes three or four wickets, it puts us under pressure.”Botha has led South Africa in eight ODIs and five Twenty20 internationals. Graeme Smith’s decision to step down from Twenty20 captaincy in August paved the way for Botha to assume the role on a full-time basis, and both will feature in Friday’s contest. “Graeme obviously has a lot of experience and it’s nice to have someone like that in your team,” Botha said. “If things get tough, he’s always available for me, so as far as I’m concerned it’s a good thing he didn’t just stop and go away.”As captain, I’ll just try to be myself, do things on the field as I see it and hopefully make the right decisions. In T20 cricket, you want to stay one step ahead, so that’s what I’ll try and do.”The teams play two Twenty20 internationals and three ODIs in the series.

Manchester United have held internal talks over signing Everton forward Richarlison, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Richarlison’s season

The Brazilian forward, valued at €50m by CIES Football Observatory, has contributed to ten Premier League goals in a struggling Everton side this season.

Richarlison has scored six times and provided four assists under both Rafa Benitez and Frank Lampard while playing mostly as a centre-forward or a left-winger.

He’s still under contract at Goodison Park for a further two years, but with the Toffees flirting with relegation, it looks as if United are keeping tabs on the forward’s situation.

The Latest: United talks

Romano shared an update on Richarlison on Thursday afternoon, sharing details of an agency switch for the 24-year-old.

The transfer guru revealed that the Red Devils have spoken about Richarlison internally, along with Benfica’s Darwin Nunez.

“Everton striker Richarlison and his Velasco Sport Group have now officially signed with CAA Base agency.

“Been told Manchester United have discussed Richarlison internally, alongside Darwin Nunez and other options.

“Of course no talks now – he’s totally focused on Everton.”

The Verdict: Ten Hag involved?

Erik ten Hag looks likely to be the next manager at Old Trafford and wanted to be involved in talks over signings, outgoings and new contracts.

However, it is unlikely that he’ll know about these talks regarding Richarlison as he is preparing his Ajax side for a Dutch Cup final this weekend.

Should the 52-year-old want Richarlison, then a summer move could be explored, especially if Everton suffer relegation, however, for now, it seems to be a case of United chiefs drawing up a list of potential targets for their soon to be new boss.

In other news: ‘Brilliant…’ – Sky Sports man buzzes at who Ten Hag may now bring to Man Utd; it’s ‘important’. 

Round-up of the first day of the fourth round of the Ranji Trophy Super League

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Nov-2010Group BRP Singh scored 47 and then took two quick wickets for Uttar Pradesh against Himachal Pradesh•Getty ImagesRains across the country meant that little or no play was possible in five out of the seven Super League matches on Wednesday. Karnataka would have been happy that weather didn’t interrupt their match against Orissa at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, as they managed to bowl the visitors out for 191 on the first day. Orissa ended the day on a positive note, taking two Karnataka wickets for 18 runs before stumps. Sunil Joshi, the former India spinner who completed the double of 5000 runs and 500 wickets in first-class cricket in Karnataka’s last match, took 5 for 35 as Karnataka struck at regular intervals after putting Orissa in to bat. Niranjan Behera was left stranded on 83 not out after facing 235 balls and watching nine wickets fall at the other end. Adithya Sagar gave Karnataka two early breakthroughs, removing both Orissa openers within the first three overs of the morning and then Joshi ripped through Orissa’s middle-order. Karnataka and Orissa are separated by just two points in the Group B table, having played two games each.Himachal Pradesh surprised table-toppers Uttar Pradesh, bowling them out for 197 on the first day at Green Park in Kanpur, but what could have been a perfect day for them was ruined in the last over, when they lost two wickets to finish at 9 for 2. Himachal seamer Rishi Dhawan, playing in only his fourth first-class match, picked up his maiden five-for as UP lost wickets at regular intervals. RP Singh, the left-arm seamer who has played 13 Tests for India, was UP’s surprise top-scorer with 47, while their leading run-getter this season Parvinder Singh missed out on a half-century, falling for 46. Singh then gave UP an opening back in to the game, taking two wickets in his last over of the day.Only 48 overs were bowled at the Moti Bagh Stadium in Vadodara, where Baroda crawled to 94 for 1 against Punjab. Baroda, who will be trying to get over the horrific collapse that saw them lose to UP in the last round, were put in to bat and their openers Connor Williams and Jaykishan Kolsawala made steady progress before Kolsawala edged one behind off Manpreet Gony, the Chennai Super Kings fast bowler. Yusuf Pathan and Ambiti Rayudu are not playing for Baroda and have been replaced with Jyot Chhaya and Utkarsh Patel.Group ARailways could fit only eight overs in after play began at 4.30pm in their match against Tamil Nadu at the IIT Chemplast Ground in Chennai. Tamil Nadu were put in to bat and Abhinav Mukund hit three boundaries taking the hosts to 26 for 1 at stumps. Railways are currently languishing at second from bottom in the Group A table, while Tamil Nadu are second, having one won game and drawn two others.There was no play in any of the other Group A matches scheduled to start on Wednesday. At the Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai, Amol Muzumdar will have to wait for his return to Mumbai to face his old team as Assam take on table-toppers Mumbai. Saurashtra are at the foot of the table and will welcome back Cheteshwar Pujara from India duty for their match against Delhi at the Khandheri Cricket Stadium in Rajkot. Laxmi Shukla, the Bengal allrounder fresh from his double-century in the last round, will have to wait till Thursday to see some action, as the first day of Bengal’s match against Gujarat at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad was washed out.