Category Uncategorized

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Inspired by a genius who raised his game when the occasion demanded, Sri Lanka overpowered India in their final league match at Port-of-Spain and stormed into the Super Eights. India suffered one of their most disappointing days in recent memory, muffing up a run-chase on a pitch posing no worries, and were all but ousted from the World Cup, in what is likely to be their worst campaign since 1979.It wasn’t as one-sided a contest as the scorecard suggests. The first half of the match was a cat-and-mouse battle that everyone expected, with neither team establishing their dominance. Sri Lanka scrapped out a competitive 254 and defended it with verve and skill. Muttiah Muralitharan towered over India’s batsmen, bounding in from around the wicket and taunting them with offbreaks and that were near unplayable. He was unstoppable on the field too and pulled off a full-length lunge to dismiss the in-form Sourav Ganguly, and killed Indian hopes once and for all with a good catch at long-off to get rid of Rahul Dravid.Coming close on the heels of Bob Woolmer’s tragic demise, India’s exit will no doubt be a setback for the World Cup. Carrying the tags of ‘commercial favourites’, they will be the first to admit that they didn’t deserve to go through, having been trumped by both Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. It was no doubt a spineless batting effort today but there is little one can do when confronted by a magician like Murali.Half-centuries from Upul Tharanga and Chamara Silva had set Sri Lanka up but it was the Murali factor that proved too much for India. His first-ball topspinner that hoodwinked Mahendra Singh Dhoni summed up his influence. He fizzed one through and landed it on middle stump, Dhoni thought about the cut but could only watch in a daze as the ball crashed into his back pad. It was so plumb, and he seemed so embarrassed, that he walked instinctively. To see Dhoni walk before the bowler had completely gone up for the lbw appeal was to see the last whiff of hope evaporate.Murali earlier removed the dangerous Virender Sehwag at a crucial juncture. Sehwag’s solidity, and reading of the percentages, was reminiscent of the batsman in his prime. There was hardly any wild swinging outside off – barring one moment on 39, when Kumar Sangakkara couldn’t latch on to a full-length dive off a fierce slash off Dilhara Fernando – but a game built on assessing the situation and the bowlers. Yet, in the 23rd over, Murali’s third, he was tied up in knots. He first missed a doosra down the leg side, one that was called wide despite nearly knocking off leg stump, but was completely baffled by another that pitched on off and turned away, watching Mahela Jayawardene gobble up a catch at first slip.If Sehwag’s dismissal was the turning point, Yuvraj Singh’s fatal run-out was probably the clincher. Taking off for a single where there was none, after Dravid had nudged behind square, was all it needed for Sri Lanka to pounce. Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar had fallen cheaply earlier – one to a poor stroke, another to an incisive delivery – and the run-chase was well and truly derailed. Dravid ploughed along amid the ruins, suffering a hamstring along the way and briefly lashing Lasith Malinga for four consecutive fours in an over, but that was nothing but a rage against the dying light. The contest was long over.

Sri Lanka’s batting efforts were built around Tharanga and Silva. Sri Lanka didn’t ride on their senior pros, who were bogged down and snaffled out, but relied on a 22-year-old to guide them past the early tension. Tharanga wasn’t at his flowing best, understandably so considering the needle in this contest, but his half-century was the one that anchored the innings. He didn’t endeavour anything out of the ordinary and had his lucky moments, against Ajit Agarkar’s slower balls and Zaheer Khan’s in-cutters. But he interspersed them with gorgeous drives.His dismissal brought in a couple of hardworking batsmen – Silva was beaver-like in his approach, grinding out singles and improvising fours while Dilshan, always on the look-out for runs, provided support. Silva’s third consecutive World Cup fifty formed the heart of the middle overs and his cheeky glides behind the wicket irritated the bowlers. Dilshan was the more forceful, backing away and forcing the ball through the off side. Both fell in quick succession but Russel Arnold and Chaminda Vaas, adding 38 in 23 deliveries, boosted the total beyond the 250 mark.India’s bowlers turned in an impressive performance, 27 extras notwithstanding. Agarkar and Munaf Patel were the best bowlers on view and would have ended with richer hauls with a dose of good fortune. Tendulkar surprised with his banana inswing and Ganguly chipped in with an important wicket. The tension that had built up over the last few days simmered right through the first 70 overs of the match, only for Murali to cut through it in his inimitable style. A banner that read “Murali-ed” probably got it just right.

Scorecard

Floyd Reifer, a proven performer under pressure, overcame persistent pain to pilot Barbados to a place in the Carib Beer Challenge final.Given the responsibility of batting at No. 3 for the first time in a few seasons, Barbados’ longest-serving player used his vast experience and showed steely resolve in compiling a precious century that lifted Ryan Hinds’ team to a hard-fought semi-final draw against Guyana. The left-handed Reifer, bothered by discomfort in his right wrist for the latter half of his innings, was the mastermind of Barbados’ effort in which they had the challenging task of either surviving the entire final day or attain a target of 282 on a Carlton Club pitch that remained good for batting throughout.At 249 for 5, with 45 minutes remaining, Barbados appeared to be heading for victory, but after the dismissals of Reifer and Ian Bradshaw, the run-chase was aborted with Patrick Browne and Ryan Austin batting through the final half-hour.There were other assistants along the way, but pride of place went to Reifer, whose 101, was by far his highest score of the season, his ninth first-class hundred and his fourth against Guyana and another important knock for Barbados either in a final or a semi-final.”I like big games. I like to play under pressure,” Reifer said. “Something happened today with my wrist, I can’t explain. My wrist got snapped in playing a particular shot. It was fairly painful, but I never let it stop me.”It was an innings with some luck for someone who has been at the wrong end of a few contentious decisions against him during the tournament. When he was 6, Guyana captain Reon King spilled the easiest chance of the match, a straightfoward offering at midwicket that many primary schoolboys would have fancied gobbling up.A few minutes later, the Guyanese, and even some Bajans beyond the boundary, were certain Reifer had edged a catch to slip off left-arm spinner Neil McGarrell, but umpire Goaland Greaves appeared to indicate he was unsighted by the bowler on his follow-through.Once those were history, Reifer grew in confidence to bat with the type of authority we know he can, but which he has seldom displayed in an otherwise disappointing season in which his previous highest score was 42. Eventually, he was caught low at slip to end an innings that lasted four hours and included 11 fours off 213 balls.There were telling contributions from the majority of those who batted. Browne, short of runs in recent matches, initially batted aggressively and then responsibly, occupying the crease for two hours for an unbeaten 39 after linking up with Reifer following a mini slump just before tea when three wickets fell for 14 runs.Openers Dale Richards and Wayne Blackman laid the foundation, adding 67 that offered encouragement to hometown fans. Richards reeled off eight sweet fours in 44 off 73 balls before gifting his wicket with a catch to mid-off off legspinner Mahendra Nagamootoo.Blackman, many still questioning his place in the team, doggedly resisted for three hours to make 36 off 139 balls before flicking a catch to backward square-leg. Captain Ryan Hinds made 23 in an hour, but then under-edged an attempted drive off Neil McGarrell into his stumps. Just before he went, Barbados were 172 for 2, but the next few overs the match took a twist and Guyana were back into the contest.Dwayne Smith, relegated to No. 5 in an exchange of positions with Reifer, was once again the victim of an irresponsible stroke, an attempted slog-sweep in which he skied the ball to midwicket. And on the stroke of tea, Alcindo Holder dragged a ball into his stumps to create a few worries for Bajans.By then Reifer was 67 and battling the pain, but he remained firm in the company of Browne to allow Barbados to set up a showdown against Cup champions Trinidad and Tobago in the five-day final, starting on Saturday at Guaracara Park.

Scorecard
Muttiah Muralitharan spun Lancashire to a 76-run victory against Worcestershire at New Road after Andrew Flintoff had led their superb fightback on the third day. It is Lancashire’s first victory since the fourth Championship match of last season at Old Trafford, which was also against Worcestershire. At the start of the final day, the match hung in the balance, Worcestershire needing a further 210 runs with eight wickets in hand. Graeme Hick and Vikram Solanki took them in sight of the total, each striking half-centuries but ultimately it was not enough. Both of their innings were boundary-crammed; Hick’s 57 comprising 11 fours and one six, while Vikram Solanki smote nine fours in his 52. Dominic Cork turned the match by removing Hick, Ben Smith and then Cahminda Vaas in quick succession. Muralitharan then mopped up the tail as Lancashire recorded their first victory of the season.**David Wigley did not bat for Worcestershire in their second innings: he was absent hurt with a broken hand; the result of an accidental beamer from James Anderson.Match drawn
Scorecard
Derbyshire and Northamptonshire shared the points at the County Ground after rain forced the match to be abandoned on the final day – although the match was heading for a draw after the home side had put up a much-improved batting performance on the third day. Northamptonshire had made them follow on, but their openers Steve Stubbings (58 not out) and Michael di Venuto (55 not out) remained unbeaten at the close. Derbyshire had showed once more their tendency to collapse: they were 175 for 7, before a defiant rearguard stand of 61 between Chris Bassano and Ant Botha. Johann Louw finished with career-best figures of 6-71, a worthy reward for more than 30 overs of hard work. Northants will have fancied their chances of making inroads into the home side again, but Stubbings and di Venuto put up sterner resistance and Derbyshire clung on for the points when the rains came.
Scorecard
A last-wicket stand of 70 between Robert Turner and Nixon McLean was not enough to save Somerset they slumped to a nine-wicket defeat at the hands of Essex. The visitors had not been expecting to bat again – and when they did, they knocked off the target comfortably, losing just one wicket in pursuit of 76 – after Somerset, in their second innings, were 65 for 4 at one stage and then 170 for 8, which was still 67 runs behind. But Somerset’s last two partnerships produced a combined total of 143, forcing Essex to take to the crease again. Will Jefferson, Ravinder Bopara and Alistair Cook knocked off the runs.

England’s cricket authorities may have been given a get-out clause in their dilemma over the Zimbabwe tour, after claiming to have received a letter from the government instructing them not to go.Tim Lamb, the ECB’s chief executive, said his letter from Jack Straw, the British foreign secretary, was “tantamount to an instruction”. Under ICC rules, teams may only withdraw from a fixture if there are safety risks or if there is a Government ban.In his letter, Straw said the current situation in Zimbabwe is worse than it was this time last year, when England were faced with their World Cup crisis. “The EU, the US and others maintain targeted restrictive measures against leading members of the Zimbabwean regime,” wrote Straw. “The UK has taken a leading role on this issue. You may wish to consider whether a high profile England cricket tour at this time is consistent with that approach.”Lamb added that the letter is “couched in political language” but “as close as we’re going to get to an instruction”. He told BBC Radio Five Live he would seek further clarification from the government before a final decision is made.The ICC remain opposed to England’s stance, and Ehsan Mani, the president, once again raised the possibility of financial redress if they fail to meet their obligations. “Where governments fall short of strong and decisive action,” he said, “all members of the ICC are committed to touring.”The Zimbabwe Cricket Union, meanwhile, reminded England of the verbal undertaking they made a year ago, when the chairman David Morgan flew to Harare to negotiate over Zimbabwe’s summer tour of England. Peter Chingoka, their chairman, said: “We have a right to host England and they have a corresponding duty to honour their obligations.””I’m well aware of our international obligations,” said Lamb. “But at the end of the day our directors will make the right decision on whether to go or not.” The ECB executive board will meet for a dull debate on January 29, after Lamb has met with Mani and Malcolm Speed, the ICC’s chief executive.Lord MacLaurin, the former ECB chairman and current chief of Vodafone, England’s main sponsors, called on the government to clarify its position. “The government took the decision to take us into war in Iraq,” said MacLaurin. “The regime in Iraq is not that different from what’s going on in Zimbabwe.”

The South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) has announced that, due to extreme hot weather conditions, they have cancelled junior cricket scheduled for this coming weekend.The cancellation includes both the Under-14 and Under-16 red and white grade competitions.The SACA made the decision based on information provided by the Bureau of Meteorology, which forecasts temperatures of up to 38 degrees over the weekend, and through consultation with the SACA medical staff.At all times, the priority for the SACA is the safety of players, and the predicted combination of extreme heat and humidity places the risk of thermal injury in the very high to extreme range.For matches which commenced last weekend, and where results have not yet been reached, both sides will be awarded 7.5 premiership points, plus performance points for last Saturday.The SACA have placed information for the public on a hotline: 1900 950 598.

Damien Martyn is prepared to bide his time and wait for his Test chance to come along.On the fringe of the Australian Test side, Martyn scored a century in the opening tour game at Worcester and knows that he must keep making runs to remind the selectors of his value.The 29-year-old endured a six-year exile from Test cricket before regaining his spot briefly against New Zealand 14 months ago and then for one Test against the West Indies on their recent tour.Martyn said: “I’m the fringe player in the sense of being the sparebatsman for the Test side. It’s a very important tour and I want to do well andkeep my name up there in front of the selectors.”Nowadays it sits all right with me. In days gone by, perhaps, it didn’t sit sowell and you can get frustrated.”You are making runs and you want to get back in there but it sits well now.I’ve been given a second chance. I’m back in the squad.”I’ve just got to keep making runs. We been lucky that we have had Steve andMark Waugh, Mark Taylor and David Boon – guys who played a big amount of cricketover the last 15 years.”I missed the 1997 Ashes tour and I’d love to be out there playing in a Testmatch but if I’ve got to wait then I will.”After being out of it so long, then I’m just happy to be back amongst it anda five-Test series is better for me in terms of having a chance.”Martyn made 108 out of the Australians’ 351 all out on the first day of the match at New Road but he is not exactly classing the innings amongst his top knocks.”It wasn’t that great,” he said. “It was scratchy at times. We’ve only had acouple of nets. I was just really trying to stay out there as long as I could.”I know that hours you spend at the crease now mean a lot later on in thetour so that was my main goal today.”It’s been good. We have only been here a couple of days and we’re all a bitrusty still so just to have time in the middle was good.”I think as batsman that was our goal in this game. That’s what Steve (Waugh)and the coach wanted us to do leading up to the One-Day Internationals startingnext week. They wanted us to practise the basics and do them well.”Our main goal was to try and bat all day and use it for the practice it is – the sort of practice you can’t beat.”The wicket was slow coming from India where the wickets were flat. It’sabout adjustment to everything — conditions, the weather etc. When we do thatyou’ll see the guys hitting their straps.”It was hard to get in on that wicket but once you got in it got easier asthe day went on and there were some short boundaries.”

Glasgow Rangers were urged to dip into the market to sign Hearts central midfielder Cammy Devlin after their loss at Tynecastle in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.

Journalist Jonny McFarlane stated that the club’s “first order of January business should be to tie up Stuart Findlay and Cammy Devlin on pre-contract deals” because they are both due to be out of contract at the end of the season.

The reporter also claimed that the Australian midfielder “dominated” Nicolas Raskin in the middle of the park with his impressive play, which is why the Gers should look to snap him up in 2026.

Why Rangers need their own Cammy Devlin

Devlin was incredibly combative in midfield against Rangers on Sunday. Per Sofascore, he won 100% of his tackles (2/2), made five interceptions, made four ball recoveries, committed only one foul, and won six of his ten ground duels.

These statistics illustrate how effective he was at disrupting play and breaking up the game to prevent the away side from gaining any momentum, which was key for the hosts in the second half as they clung on to claim all three points.

The Light Blues do not have a similar type of central midfielder in their ranks to perform that same task for Danny Rohl’s side, hence why Mohamed Diomande and Raskin were “bullied”, as writer Michael McEwan noted.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Expand Collapse

With this in mind, recently appointed football consultant Stig Inge Bjørnebye should use the upcoming January transfer window, which opens for business next week, to bring in the club’s own version of Devlin to bolster the squad for the second half of the 2025/26 campaign.

The star who could be Rangers' own Cammy Devlin

Last month, Football Insider reported that the Light Blues are keeping tabs on Kilmarnock central midfielder David Watson, whose contract is due to expire at the end of this season.

Speaking to Football Insider, journalist Pete O’Rourke said: “Yeah, it’s a potential move that could happen for Rangers, as you said.

“The contract situation at Kilmarnock for Watson, opens the door maybe for Rangers to land the player for a cut price fee in the new year. Obviously, Kilmarnock are facing a battle to keep hold of him because no deal has been agreed to keep the player at Rugby Park and they could be forced to let him go.”

The Scotland U21 international could be an attractive target for Bjørnebye in January because, as O’Rourke explained, Kilmarnock may be forced to cash in on him next month before they lose the starlet for nothing in the summer.

At 20, Watson is seven years younger than Devlin and does not have the same level of experience in football or the Premiership, which means that he is not quite at the level of the Hearts star, yet.

However, his performances for Kilmarnock this season show that he has the potential to get there in the future, to be the midfield anchor that the Light Blues are currently lacking in the middle of the park.

The 20-year-old starlet, whose running with the ball was hailed as “unreal” by analyst John Walker, is a combative central midfielder who can also chip in with a few goals, having scored against Celtic back in September.

Subscribe for deeper transfer analysis on Rangers Get the newsletter for in-depth coverage of transfer targets, scouting breakdowns and recruitment analysis. Subscribe to follow why combative midfielders like Cammy Devlin or prospects such as David Watson matter for Rangers’ midfield planning. Subscribe Subscribe for deeper transfer analysis on Rangers Get the newsletter for in-depth coverage of transfer targets, scouting breakdowns and recruitment analysis. Subscribe to follow why combative midfielders like Cammy Devlin or prospects such as David Watson matter for Rangers’ midfield planning.

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Watson has already shown that he can offer more as a goalscorer than Devlin from a midfield role, with seven goals in the Premiership since the start of last season, per Sofascore, compared to the Hearts star’s zero.

25/26 Premiership

Watson

Devlin

Appearances

17

18

Goals

3

0

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.9

7.0

Dribbled past per game

1.4x

1.9x

Blocks per game

0.4

0.1

Duels won per game

5.6

8.1

Fouls won per game

2.0

2.4

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Devlin has superior defensive statistics pretty much across the board, but that does not make Watson’s defensive contributions poor by comparison.

For example, his 2.9 tackles and interceptions per game are more than Diomande (1.8) and Raskin (2.6) have managed per game in the Premiership this season for Rangers, which shows that he would add more steel to Rohl’s midfield mix.

Given that Devlin “dominated” Raskin and Diomande at Tynecastle on Sunday, signing a young and combative midfielder like Watson, who could develop into a Devlin-level player with more experience under his belt, could make a lot of sense.

Related £7m Rangers duo have been so poor they make Miovski & Chermiti look good

This £7m Rangers duo have been so underwhelming at Ibrox that they even make Bojan Miovski and Youssef Chermiti look good.

Posts ByDan Emery

I

t’s beyond belief that a football club the size of Rangers could even contemplate entering administration. But that’s the harsh reality they’re facing right now. An unpaid £9 million tax bill accrued since owner Craig Whyte bought the club from Sir David Murray in May has left the Gers’ SPL title defence in tatters following a 10-point deduction. Despite challenging at the top of their respective league, playing European football every season and holding the status of being Scotland they’ve managed to end up in a hazardous financial position.

That uncertainty resonated with me personally as a Newcastle United fan who almost saw his club suffer a similar fate. Relegation to the Championship in 2009 almost crippled the Magpies leaving supporters like myself unsure as to whether we’d ever recover. Years of heinous overspending, second-rate, money obsessed players and an owner incapable of making diligent football decisions left the Geordie nation staring into the abyss. Like Rangers, who’s future looks bleak under Whyte, the former Premier League giants had engineered their own demise and turned on the portly gentleman plonked in the executive seats. However whilst fans of the Scottish club are lusting after their owners blood it’s an entirely different picture at Newcastle these days.

It’s hard to believe almost five-years have passed since reclusive businessman Mike Ashley swooped in to save the club from financial ruin after former owner Freddy Shepherd frittered away most of the finances at St James’ Park chasing the European dream. Ashley was the best thing since sliced bread upon his arrival. Sitting with the fans at away games, chugging beer, sacking Sam Allardyce and replacing him with local messiah Kevin Keegan. He was the toast of the Toon. Even downing an Emirates pint put him in the Geordie good books. Nothing could go wrong. Well actually yes it could. You all know the story by now. Keegan left, fans revolted, the ‘Cockney Mafia’ tag was born, Dennis Wise, Joe Kinnear, Alan Shearer, Relegation. Enough said.

The toxic atmosphere around the town centre threatened to provoke uproar. Ashley had never anticipated becoming a figure of hostility. From my point of view he never fully understood how much the football club meant to supporters. To him it was just a business but to the Toon Army it’s a part of their extended family. But that was the problem. Ashley was just a businessman. He had no discernible knowledge of how to run a football club and the trust he placed in certain people to make decisions of a footballing nature backfired spectacularly. The premise of creating a team that would report between the manager and chairman looked fool proof on paper. But what Ashley didn’t understand was that the bond between owner/chairman and manager is an important relationship that doesn’t require a middleman to facilitate communication.

Realistically losing their top-flight status should have caused the demise of a club that once came close to winning the league title in consecutive seasons. Uninterested players, astronomical wages, transfer fees and debt left over from the previous regime and uncertainty on who would be guiding the club through it’s first campaign in England second tier for 18-years left supporters fearing the worst. Rumours that the Sports Direct mogul was preparing to sell the club were gripping the North East. Whilst the Magpies were put up for sale on a few occasions Ashley was also formulating a plan that is still in action to this day. Without him the club would still be trying to drag itself out of the gutter. Anyone continuing to doubt his business acumen should continue reading. You don’t become a billionaire over night.

[ad_pod id=’unruly-2′ align=’left’]

With the financial fair play rules coming into play Ashley decided it was time Newcastle dispensed with the big names and operate under strict regulations. His plan was to reduce debt, cut costs but not at the detriment to the playing squad. No more marquee signings, panic buying or thirty-somethings brought in to plug holes. How refreshing is that in the modern day by the way? Transfers are planned, well thought out and only sanctioned if they represented a good deal for the club.More importantly they had to be the right player for the dressing room. Players are scouted extensively sometimes for years on end. Chief scout Graham Carr is the man responsible for all that and has fast become the clubs biggest asset. Kudos to Ashley once again!

Carr’s talents have unearthed gems like Cheick Tiote, Yohan Cabaye, Davide Santon and new number nine Papiss Cisse. But whilst his keen eye brought these players to our attentions credit must go to Ashley and chief executive Derek Llambias. It’s their negotiating skills that have made it possible for these individuals to pull on the famous black and white stripes without compromising the financial policies in place. Ashley and Llambias aren’t the type to give in to anyones demands or be held to ransom. Just ask Joey Barton. Anyway that group of players alone cost just over £20 million. A little over half of the £35 million received from Liverpool for Andy Carroll 12 months ago. You don’t see many people criticising that transfer anymore do you? Throw free buy and leading scorer Demba Ba into the mix and it’s even more satisfying for us Geordies.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

The decision to sack Chris Hughton and bring in Alan Pardew has also turned out to be a masterstroke none of us thought possible. The way events have transpired he is the best manager Newcastle have had since Sir Bobby Robson. The club are currently one point and two places away from the top four under the current regime. Who could have predicted that at the start of this season?

Like every human being on this planet Ashley has made mistakes but quickly learned from them and Newcastle United are better off for that. Looking at Rangers’ plight I can honestly say, Sports Direct Arena aside, I would’t swap him for the world. From the ashes he’s risen like a phoenix….or should that be magpie?

[ffcvideo file=”tfcbtitle3″ type=”mp4″ image_type=”jpg”]