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David Moyes admits Jack Grealish is "better than I thought he was" after the midfielder inspired Everton to a 3-2 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.

Moyes blown away by GrealishGrealish has recorded four assists for EvertonMidfielder joined on loan from Man CityFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Grealish continued his impressive start to life at the Toffees after setting up Beto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's goals in the win over Wolves. The 29-year-old, who joined Everton on a season-long loan from Manchester City, now has four Premier League assists to his name in 2025-26, having also registered two in the victory over Brighton and Hove Albion on August 24.

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Having fallen out of favour at City, making just seven league starts in 2024-25, Grealish is now reminding everyone of the qualities which made him a £100 million player in 2021, none more so than his new manager Moyes.

WHAT MOYES SAID

Speaking after Everton's victory over Wolves, Moyes said: "He [Grealish] is even better than I thought. He probably needs a bit of love and attention. He needs the games as well.

"Hopefully he starts building on it and he gets even better as the season goes on. He is making a big difference. Whether it is his assists, his presence, lots of things.

"So all credit to him. He is playing the minutes he may not have had in recent years. You know, he's so good. What Jack gives us is something just on the edge, which, hopefully it's on the edge of creativeness and maybe scoring goals."

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DID YOU KNOW?

Grealish will be hoping to continue his fine form as he looks to earn a recall for England ahead of next summer's World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The former Aston Villa man missed out on Thomas Tuchel's squad for the international double header against Andorra and Serbia in September, though the German gave him hope of a Three Lions return in the future after revealing he is a "big fan" of his abilities.

Asitha Fernando led a spirited Sri Lanka fight, but it all came down to a scrambled bye off the final ball under the floodlights

Madushka Balasuriya13-Mar-2023
New Zealand were on the end of yet another thrilling Test match finish as they secured a second straight final-ball victory, this time pipping Sri Lanka by two wickets to win the first Test at Hagley Oval. Kane Williamson, unbeaten on 121, was the hero of the day, though it was his 142-run stand with Daryl Mitchell that broke open the chase, on a day that had started with a literal dampener with rain washing out some one-and-a-half sessions of play.What that meant was that New Zealand were left needing to score the remaining 257 runs in 52 overs, while Sri Lanka had the same length of time to pick up the nine remaining New Zealand wickets and with it keep their hopes of qualifying for the World Test Championship final alive.What proceeded over the next three and a half hour mega-session was a steady ramping of tension, ending up in a crescendo of chaos at the death.But before we get into that, here’s what the history books might not reveal when this match is recounted, in no particular order: Williamson making his ground by a foot to secure a win following a direct hit on the final ball of the day Neil Wagner, with a bulging disc in his back, one that had kept him from bowling for most of the second innings, haring to the danger end for the winning single – on his 37th birthday no less Niroshan Dickwella, who had dropped Williamson on 33, missing the stumps to dismiss Wagner, only for Asitha Fernando to gather and score a direct hit with Williamson marginally home This was the same Asitha whose three-wicket haul in the final hour almost singlehandedly dragged Sri Lanka back into the Test The entirety of India presumably celebrating more than the Kiwis at the ground, as the result means their team instead of Sri Lanka qualifies for the World Test Championship finalAnd those were just the highlights from the final day.It all began rather tamely enough though, with Williamson and Tom Latham playing cautiously, content to wait for the bad deliveries and knock around singles. In fact, it was Sri Lanka who would make the first bold play, bringing in the left-arm spin of Prabath Jayasuriya 10 overs into the day’s play – a move that would pay off almost immediately, with Latham chopping on.Related

If you need someone to scramble, who better than Kane Williamson?

Stats – Kane Williamson's fab fourth-innings feats

Williamson slides, Wagner hobbles, New Zealand beat Sri Lanka off the last ball

Reactions – 'Heart in the throat stuff!'

India qualify for WTC final after NZ beat SL in Christchurch

This brought the out-of-sorts Henry Nicholls to join a not exactly fluent Williamson. The pair though would somehow manage to keep things ticking over at a fair clip, Williamson in particularly growing in fluency as the partnership wore on. They would put on 40 off 50 deliveries, before Jayasuriya struck once more getting Nicholls to top edge a sweep to fine leg.It was at this point the complexion of the game began to change, with Mitchell signalling his intent early, coming down the tracking and lofting Jayasuriya back over his head first ball.Mitchell would continue in a similar manner, taking Jayasuriya for three more sixes over the course of his 86-ball 81. While he would also score a handful of fours, the hallmark of his partnership with Williamson was their running between the wickets. Having first forced Sri Lanka to spread the field by finding boundaries at consistent intervals, the pair would then work the fielders in the deep, running them ragged with constant ones and two – between them they would take 19 twos in total.Asitha Fernando took out Tom Blundell’s middle stump with a searing yorker•Getty ImagesBy the time Mitchell was dismissed, chopping on a wide yorker from Asitha, the chase had been whittled down to a very manageable 53 off 48. Much of this was also down to Williamson’s timely acceleration. After taking 120 balls to reach his fifty, he took just a further 57 to reach his century.Asitha would do his best to give Sri Lanka a lifeline, following up Mitchell’s scalp with a searing yorker to take out Tom Blundell before having Michael Bracewell hole out in the deep. He was in action in the final over too, helping effect the run out of Matt Henry and almost doing the same to Williamson.But with Williamson at the crease the chase was always in control, even with five needed off three you felt he had matters in hand, and when he pierced what looked an army of boundary riders in the covers, Sri Lanka too realised it was out of their hands. It was always Williamson’s chase to lose.

Manchester United have reportedly joined the race to land Lyon star Rayan Cherki as Liverpool choose to instead focus on Florian Wirtz.

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Man Utd are keeping tabs on CherkiLiverpool pull back and are instead focused on WirtzMidfielder reportedly has a €22.5 million (£19m/$25m) release clauseFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Cherki has enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2024–25, delivering the most productive season of his career since making his senior debut five years ago. The versatile attacker featured in 44 matches across all competitions, contributing an eye-catching 12 goals and 20 assists. His performances in Europe particularly turned heads, scoring both home and away against United in a thrilling quarter-final clash that the Red Devils ultimately won 7-6 on aggregate after extra time.

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According toUnited are said to be evaluating a move for the highly rated France Under-23 international and have already established contact with Lyon officials. Their initial discussions reportedly took place during the clubs' meeting in this season’s Europa League quarter-finals. Meanwhile, despite previously being linked with Cherki, Liverpool have reportedly pulled the plug on the transfer. According to sources familiar with the club’s recruitment priorities, the Merseyside outfit have chosen to pursue Bayer Leverkusen’s Wirtz instead.

DID YOU KNOW?

With Cherki's current contract set to expire in June 2026, his availability has piqued the interest of numerous clubs. The winger has a reported release clause of €22.5 million (£19 million/$25 million), making him a relatively affordable option given his age and output.

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Imago ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

After missing out on Champions League football next season, United must focus on cost-effective solutions as they are walking on thin ice as far as the Financial Fair Play (FFP) threshold is concerned. Cherki’s profile fits well within the club’s broader strategy of investing in emerging stars capable of thriving in both domestic and European competitions. And with Liverpool out of the way, the Red Devils will grow even more confident to land the coveted French star.

World players union FIFPRO claims FIFA are ignoring players' "basic needs" and many fear the consequences of speaking out over demanding schedules.

Players concerned about too many gamesFIFPRO slam FIFA for ignoring their "basic needs"Say many fear consequences of speaking outFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

FIFPRO's general secretary, Alex Phillips, states that many of the 66,000 men's and women's players they represent around the world are concerned about their lack of rest and the sheer number of games they play. She added that there is also a fear of reprisal if they speak their mind on the topic.

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She said: "Players are wary of speaking up because they don't have the power. Individually they might have wealth, the top 1%, but 99% of players don't have power apart from via their union or association. Before the Club World Cup I was speaking to some of the top stars and they were saying they hadn't had a rest for 'X' amount of time, and one said I only get a rest when I get injured. Others were resigned and cynical about speaking up. Then you see some of the same players two weeks later having to record social media videos saying 'we think the Club World Cup is so great' because their employers tell them to do it and it's part of their job. You have this contradictory situation where players can't speak up. They are in an invidious position. They can speak up but it could have consequences."

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In response, FIFA said it was "extremely disappointed by the increasingly divisive and contradictory tone adopted by FIFPRO leadership".

The governing body said in a statement: "The game deserves unity, not division. Players deserve action, not rhetoric. FIFA will move forward together with players and those who really want the best for football. It is up to Fifpro to answer this call."

Despite that, players such as Manchester City's Rodri has threatened to go on strike as many have been left exhausted by the increasingly demanding schedule – something that was exacerbated with this summer's Club World Cup.

Moreover, FIFPRO were reportedly not invited to a key meeting that FIFA held on player welfare earlier this month, and this has happened before, too.

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AFPWHAT NEXT?

This war of words may continue between FIFA and FIFPRO but unless a solution is found, players are likely to get increasingly burnt out or pick up more injuries that could damage their careers. For example, Club World Cup winners Chelsea won the tournament on July 13, and just 35 days later, their Premier League campaign begins.

England World Cup winner attracts no interest, as Pooran, Pollard, Powell, Russell, Hetmyer earn top deals

Matt Roller20-Mar-2024Jason Roy will not feature in the Hundred this summer after going unselected in Wednesday night’s draft at the Shard in London, leaving him without a team for the 2024 season following his release by defending men’s champions Oval Invincibles.Roy played every game for the Invincibles last summer but failed to make an impact, with more ducks (three) than half-centuries (one) and was released by their coach Tom Moody last month. He entered the draft with a reserve price of £100,000, but the eight men’s teams prioritised overseas players in the early rounds.Mark Wood, who also entered with a £100,000 reserve price, also went unpicked, but his non-selection was less notable given that he had pulled out of the first three seasons of the Hundred through injury or to manage his workload. England’s red-ball players will miss the start of the competition, which begins on July 23 this year, due to a clash with the third Test against West Indies.Roy would have been unavailable for the first few days of the Hundred due to his commitments with LA Knight Riders in Major League Cricket – which is expected to run until July 28 – and is also set to miss some of Surrey’s T20 Blast group games for the same reason. He could yet feature in the Hundred this summer as a replacement but his snub highlights a swift decline in Roy’s standing in the four-and-a-half years since England’s 2019 World Cup win.Andre Russell will feature for London Spirit after turning out for Manchester Originals in 2022•ECB/Getty ImagesFive of the seven players signed on top-bracket £125,000 contracts in the men’s draft were West Indies power-hitters, with the new Northern Superchargers coach Andrew Flintoff choosing Nicholas Pooran as the first signing of the draft. Andre Russell and Shimron Hetmyer will play for London Spirit, Kieron Pollard has joined Southern Brave and Rovman Powell was a top pick at Trent Rockets.While some West Indians may miss the first game or two due to their involvement in MLC, they are expected to be available for the majority of the season and may skip a T20I series against South Africa. The ECB held talks with the Caribbean Premier League’s organisers earlier this year to avoid a clash with the Hundred, which appears to have been vindicated.Tom Kohler-Cadmore will again be a top earner, joining Welsh Fire on a £125,000 deal. He will play alongside Shaheen Shah Afridi, who was brought back after his success last summer, while Shaheen’s Pakistan team-mate Naseem Shah was a top-bracket pick by Birmingham Phoenix.Ash Gardner was one of the big-money earners in the Women’s draft•Getty ImagesLaurie Evans has moved to Southern Brave after two seasons at Manchester Originals, while Dawid Malan – the leading run-scorer in the Rockets’ 2022 title – was a £50,000 signing by the Invincibles. Ollie Pope and Richard Gleeson have both joined London Spirit, while the Originals have brought in Sikandar Raza and Fazalhaq Farooqi.The ECB’s decision to raise the top salaries in the women’s Hundred was vindicated by the number of leading Australian players who entered the draft, with Beth Mooney (Manchester Originals), Meg Lanning (London Spirit), Ash Gardner (Trent Rockets) and Annabel Sutherland (Northern Superchargers) all picking up £50,000 contracts.Amy Jones was a surprise first pick of the draft, returning to Birmingham Phoenix after failing to agree a retention last month, while Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu was the first pick for the Invincibles. Smriti Mandhana (Southern Brave) and Richa Ghosh (Birmingham Phoenix) were the two India internationals picked up.Each team will add a further two players to both their men’s and women’s squads ahead of the start of the season in July, who will be offered ‘wildcard’ contracts based on their performances in domestic T20 cricket. These will be worth £30,000 in the men’s competition and £8,000 in the women’s.How the squads stack upBirmingham PhoenixMen’s squad: Chris Woakes, Naseem Shah, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Ben Duckett, Benny Howell, Adam Milne, Jamie Smith, Will Smeed, Sean Abbott, Tom Helm, James Fuller, Dan Mousley, Jacob BethellWomen’s squad: Amy Jones, Sophie Devine, Richa Ghosh, Ellyse Perry, Katie Levick, Issy Wong, Emily Arlott, Hannah Baker, Seren Smale, Alisa Lister, Chloe Brewer, Sterre Kalis, Charis PavelyAdam Milne will return to Birmingham Phoenix•PA Images via Getty ImagesLondon SpiritMen’s squad: Zak Crawley, Andre Russell, Shimron Hetmyer, Nathan Ellis, Dan Lawrence, Liam Dawson, Dan Worrall, Olly Stone, Adam Rossington, Richard Gleeson, Ollie Pope, Daniel Bell-Drummond, Matthew Critchley, Michael PepperWomen’s squad: Meg Lanning, Heather Knight, Grace Harris, Danielle Gibson, Charlie Dean, Sarah Glenn, Cordelia Griffith, Georgia Redmayne, Eva Gray, Sophie Munro, Hannah Jones, Tara Norris, Niamh HollandMeg Lanning will join London Spirit•Getty ImagesManchester OriginalsMen’s squad: Jos Buttler, Jamie Overton, Phil Salt, Sikandar Raza, Paul Walter, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Tom Hartley, Usama Mir, Wayne Madsen, Josh Tongue, Max Holden, Josh Hull, Fred Klaassen, Mitchell StanleyWomen’s squad: Beth Mooney, Sophie Ecclestone, Sophie Molineux, Laura Wolvaardt, Lauren Filer, Eve Jones, Emma Lamb, Mahika Gaur, Fi Morris, Kathryn Bryce, Phoebe Graham, Ellie Threlkeld, Liberty HeapSikandar Raza will play in the Hundred for the first time•PSLNorthern SuperchargersMen’s squad: Ben Stokes, Nicholas Pooran, Adil Rashid, Harry Brook, Reece Topley, Daniel Sams, Matthew Short, Brydon Carse, Adam Hose, Tom Lawes, Matthew Potts, Graham Clark, Callum Parkinson, Ollie RobinsonWomen’s squad: Annabel Sutherland, Phoebe Litchfield, Georgia Wareham, Kate Cross, Bess Heath, Linsey Smith, Alice Davidson-Richards, Hollie Armitage, Grace Ballinger, Marie Kelly, Lucy Higham, Ella Claridge, Devina PerrinNicholas Pooran was the top pick in the men’s draft•CPL T20/Getty ImagesOval InvinciblesMen’s squad: Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Will Jacks, Adam Zampa, Jordan Cox, Gus Atkinson, Sam Billings, Saqib Mahmood, Spencer Johnson, Dawid Malan, Nathan Sowter, Donovan Ferreira, Tom Lammonby, Tawanda MuyeyeWomen’s squad: Chamari Athapaththu, Marizanne Kapp, Alice Capsey, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Tash Farrant, Mady Villiers, Paige Scholfield, Sophia Smale, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Jo Gardner, Lizzie Scott, Georgie BoyceChamari Athapaththu will play for Oval Invincibles•Getty ImagesSouthern BraveMen’s squad: Jofra Archer, Kieron Pollard, James Vince, Chris Jordan, Tymal Mills, Laurie Evans, Leus du Plooy, Akeal Hosein, Rehan Ahmed, Craig Overton, Finn Allen, Danny Briggs, George Garton, Alex DaviesWomen’s squad: Smriti Mandhana, Danni Wyatt, Chloe Tryon, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Freya Kemp, Naomi Dattani, Georgia Adams, Lauren Cheatle, Kalea Moore, Tilly Corteen-Coleman, Rhianna Southby, Mary TaylorSmriti Mandhana will return to the Utilita Bowl•Getty Images for ECBTrent RocketsMen’s squad: Joe Root, Rovman Powell, Rashid Khan, Imad Wasim, Alex Hales, Lewis Gregory, Luke Wood, Tom Banton, John Turner, Sam Hain, Sam Cook, Calvin Harrison, Jordan Thompson, Adam LythWomen’s squad: Ash Gardner, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Grace Scrivens, Alana King, Heather Graham, Bryony Smith, Katie George, Kirstie Gordon, Grace Potts, Alexa Stonehouse, Josie Groves, Kira Chathli, Cassidy McCarthyRovman Powell is joining Trent Rockets•Pakistan Super LeagueWelsh FireMen’s squad: Jonny Bairstow, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, David Willey, Shaheen Afridi, Joe Clarke, Haris Rauf, Tom Abell, Glenn Phillips, David Payne, Luke Wells, Roelof van der Merwe, Jake Ball, Stevie Eskinazi, Chris CookeWomen’s squad: Hayley Matthews, Sophia Dunkley, Shabnim Ismail, Tammy Beaumont, Jess Jonassen, Georgia Elwiss, Sarah Bryce, Freya Davies, Phoebe Franklin, Emily Windsor, Ella McCaughan, Claire Nicholas, Alex Griffiths

Dreary drew ensues after youngster stars for Warwickshire with career-best 93

ECB Reporters Network29-Apr-2024Nottinghamshire 400 (Duckett 218, Haynes 74, Slater 65, Hannon-Dalby 5-78) and 75 for 1 drew with Warwickshire 361 (Bethell 93, Barnard 69, James 3-65, Pennington 3-74)Another stalemate landed in the ocean of early-season Vitality Championship draws as the match between Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire petered out at Edgbaston.In reply to 400 all out, Warwickshire extended their first innings to 361, Jake Bethell posting a career-best 93 (163 balls), before Nottinghamshire went in again and acquired 75 for one.As soon as Warwickshire reached 251, which they did with some comfort with five wickets down, the match was consigned to a draw, the home side’s fourth in four championship matches and Nottinghamshire’s third in four.It was a dreary conclusion to a match which delivered some excellence – Ben Duckett’s double-century and the seam bowling of Olly Hannon-Dalby and Dillon Pennington – but was ultimately smothered by a docile pitch and the loss of more than a day to rain.After Warwickshire resumed on the final morning on 175 for five, 76 short of the follow-on figure, Nottinghamshire needed to strike quickly but Bethell and Danny Briggs (37, 79) were soon collecting boundaries. Stubborn batting, allied to a pitch which stubbornly refused to deteriorate, drew the sting of a seam attack which bowled with a quality during this match to suggest they will cause batters a lot of problems in more helpful conditions.Bethell and Briggs added 85 in 23 overs to take their side to the requisite 251. Almost immediately, Briggs swatted Calvin Harrison to mid on where Freddie McCann entered the history books as the first former Papplewick & Linby CC player to take a catch as a substitute in first class cricket with the floodlights on at Edgbaston on a Monday.Bethell’s classy and composed innings ended seven short of a deserved maiden century when he edged Olly Stone to give the former Warwickshire player his first wicket back on his old patch. Bowling remained a joyless assignment though and Michael Burgess (43, 63 balls) and Aamer Jamal (40, 46) added 71 in 15 overs before the latter hammered a return catch to Lyndon James.After Hasan Ali chipped James into the covers, Hannon-Dalby settled in with his customary aplomb before running out of partners when Burgess mowed to mid off. James’ analysis had been upgraded from 0 for 57 to three for 63 in 18 balls.Nottinghamshire went into bat again at 2.54pm and filled the rest of a grey afternoon with batting practice. Duckett followed his 264-ball 218 with a six-ball seven when Hannon-Dalby trapped him lbw but Haseeb Hameed (41 not out, 69 balls) and Ben Slater enjoyed an outdoor net for the remaining two hours as the match fizzled out in a manner redolent of Nottinghamshire’s visit to Coventry in 1928 when they amassed 656 for three, four of the top five scoring centuries (only Arthur Carr missed out with a paltry 58) but their victory hopes were thwarted by a benign pitch, weather damage and obdurate batting by Warwickshire legends Tiger Smith and Bob Wyatt.

Cricinfo and Wisden writers select their best and worst moments from 2005

28-Dec-2005

Peter English

Shane Warne reaches 600 Test wickets, but even his immense efforts could not save the Ashes for Australia © Getty Images
Best
Too many Shane Warne moments to pick from – he had 84 wickets for 2005 before the South Africa series – but his England efforts win by the distance of Hampshire’s Rose Bowl from Southampton. He easily out-performed Andrew Flintoff with 40 wickets at 19.92 and 249 runs, but his recognition was diluted by being on the losing side. Didn’t deserve the defeat – or the drop of Kevin Pietersen at The Oval – after his back, knee and shoulder-straining efforts, but there was no sulking, kicking, screaming or, thankfully, retiring when it happened. Kissing the wrist band given to him by his daughter Brooke when taking his 600th wicket at Old Trafford was moving and the huge legspinner to remove and confuse Andrew Strauss was beautifully brutal.Worst
The first two sessions at Lord’s in July. Australia were dominated, the top three batsmen were struck, including Ricky Ponting’s cheek being split by Steve Harmison, and they were all out before tea for 190. Nothing was done about the warning signs. Instead of recognising the problems caused by the brilliant opposition attack and devising strategies to counter them throughout the series, the performance was forgotten with Glenn McGrath’s third-session of brilliance and the 239-run win. Many Australian players and supporters point out the narrowness of the Ashes loss to soften the defeat, but the costly misreading of England’s bowlers was crucial to handing over the urn.

Anil Nair

Shoaib Akhtar’s resurgence was key to Pakistan’s success over England © Getty Images
Best
The born-again Shoaib Akhtar. Such calumny was heaped on him – Shoaib was a showboat, selfish, short of breath and a disruptive presence. But against England he demonstrated his staying power, his determination and, not least, his secret weapon. He turbocharged in over the same 30 yards, there was the usual copybook coiling of the shoulders and the astonishing amount of lean-back but, at the end of it, a 60mph delivery from the world’s fastest bowler. It got into the nervous system of the England batsmen who had no way of knowing what was coming next: the Scud or, the equally cruel, Sidewinder.Worst
The Freudian Id and the man-behind-the-mask are long past their use by date. Still, Greg Chappell’s finger gesture at Kolkata was an abomination, an unguarded moment that exposed a mean streak beneath the suave exterior. His credentials as a player and captain were that of a colossus. And from what we have seen of him so far it ought to be no different as a coach. His stern persona as much as his exhortations on excellence project him as the ultimate rational man, one sure of his authority. Which made it all the more shocking that he should respond in kind to dire provocation.

Stats highlights from the third day’s play at Adelaide

Cricinfo staff03-Dec-2006

How Hoggard bowled to left-handers (Click here for a bigger image) © Hawk-Eye
In his four previous Tests in Australia, Matthew Hoggard had managed eight wickets at an exorbitant 64.50 apiece. On the third day at Adelaide, though, Hoggard was instrumental in ensuring that England had something to cheer about despite Ricky Ponting getting his seventh hundred this year and Mike Hussey almost getting one too.The key to Hoggard’s success was his relentless accuracy, and his ability to adjust his line to the right-left combination that Australia had almost throughout the day. He mostly pitched it in line with the stumps when bowling to the left-handers, but against Ponting, Damien Martyn and Michael Clarke, he pitched it almost exclusively outside off, and finally induced errors from Martyn and Ponting.

How Hoggard bowled to right-handers (Click here for a bigger image) © Hawk-Eye
The third graphic shows how Hoggard nailed Matthew Hayden. The ball previous to his dismissal was much closer to off stump and moved in a shade, while he followed it up with one which moved away. Hayden promptly followed the ball, and England had nailed a crucial wicket.Other stats highlights58.37 – Ricky Ponting’s average at the Adelaide Oval. He has now scored four hundreds and an equal number of fifties in 20 innings here.77.41 – Michael Hussey’s Test average. In his last eight innings (including his 91 at Adelaide) he has made six scores of more than 70.

How Hoggard nailed Hayden (Click here for a bigger image) © Hawk-Eye
21.33 – Damien Martyn’s average against Matthew Hoggard. In 193 balls, Martyn has only scored 64 runs for three dismissals, that’s a scoring rate of 1.98 per over83 – The average partnership between Ponting and Hussey. In nine innings they have scored 664 runs, with three century stands192 – The four-wicket partnership between Ponting and Hussey. It’s Australia’s fourth-highest for this wicket at Adelaide – the highest is the 214 between Allan Border and Dean Jones against West Indies in 1989.109.09 – Ponting’s average in Test cricket in 2006. In 14 innings he has scored seven hundreds and three fifties, and his aggregate for the year is exactly 1200.

The BCCI organised the inter-state Twenty20 Cup on an experimental basis this season. But without selling television rights and with the absence of crowds in the stadiums, the tournament didn’t serve the purpose it was designed for – excitement in domesti

Anand Vasu23-Apr-2007

Despite stars like Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh playing for their states in the Twenty20 tournament the crowds stayed away © AFP
Tamil Nadu, who had a tough Ranji season with a young and developing team, walked away with the Mushtaq Ali Trophy for the inaugural domestic Twenty20 championships; aside from them, however, it’s hard to see how anyone else gained much from the tournament.For the Board of Control for Cricket in India it meant plenty of logistics and some expense. For the players it meant playing at the worst time of the year weather-wise. For viewing public, both at the grounds and on television – the people for whom this format was devised – the tournament barely existed.”It was a very good feeling for us as a team,” said Dinesh Karthik, who led a young Tamil Nadu team that did not contain S Badrinath (illness) and Hemang Badani (back injury) to victory. “We stuck together as a unit and played really good cricket throughout. It’s going to be a big boost for us going forward.”WV Raman, the former Indian Test batsman and currently coach of the Tamil Nadu team, was similarly pleased with how things had gone in the last tournament of the domestic calendar. “We had a lot of youngsters come through. There’s a distinct shift in how they approach the game,” he said, looking back at the season positively. “It’s also shown them that once they get their chances they need to keep working at it. When players come to the first-class level after success at the junior level at times they tend to think this game is a bit easy. What is important is graduating quickly, making the transition easily.”But Raman warned against rushing young players into Twenty20 cricket. “If you’re trying to form a young side, get players to improve their skills and aiming for Ranji Trophy success players should not be initiated into Twenty20 initially,” he said. “It’s probably a better idea for players to get a hang of the four-day game and then come to Twenty20. It’s easy for cricketers who are decent at first-class cricket to adapt to shorter games, but not the other way around.”For some of the India stars, though, the tournament was not the greatest. Yuvraj Singh, who was part of a strong Punjab team that lost in the final, said, “You can’t do much in Twenty20. It’s just like 50-over cricket, not too different. Just that you don’t have much time to do anything. It’s good for entertainment, though. I’ve played a couple of games and scored only in one. I’ve found it difficult to settle in. A couple of seasons more and we’ll get better at this.”Surprisingly even a of Twenty20 cricket, like Dinesh Mongia, who has some 25-plus games in this format under his belt, felt that players didn’t need to do much differently. “See, it’s still a game of bat and ball,” he said. “The way I look at it, you still have to play your natural game. I like to go for my shots, so it doesn’t really make that much of a difference to me.”One of the major drawbacks of holding the tournament in late April was the sapping heat. In Ahmedabad where half the teams played, it was 42 degrees centigrade, and probably felt more like 50 out in the middle at Motera. “After reaching 30 I could barely feel my thighs, they were cramping so badly,” one cricketer said. Even Karthik, whose pain had been lifted by the joy of winning, conceded, “It was pretty sapping. You have to keep training hard and make sure you’re at the top of your fitness at all times. When you’re playing, you need to make sure that you don’t flag or lose the energy that you started off with.”All through the tournament the crowds stayed away, and this was a bit surprising given that all of India’s stars were playing, having been knocked out of the World Cup early. That was one aspect that completely took the sheen off the tournament. “You expect a lot more people to come in for games like this,” said Yuvraj. “In future the hype will be much more and I’m sure people will come in larger numbers and that will make a difference.”Mongia, who has played in England with all the crowds and music and supercharged atmosphere, was not so optimistic. “Look, let’s be honest, I don’t really see that happening here. In India people only go to the ground for international matches,” he said. “Of course it would be brilliant if people came and supported their teams like it happens in England. It’s a huge difference playing in that atmosphere. But here, even with international stars playing, whether it is in Ranji Trophy or Duleep, we can’t seem to draw crowds for domestic cricket.”Raman, who conceded that he certainly did not consider himself unlucky that there was no Twenty20 cricket in his time as player, wanted the imbalance between bat and ball redressed. “It’s too much in favour of the batsman at the moment. Anything between 140 and 180 is the norm,” he said. “If you’re no-balled then the next is a free hit. Similarly the bowlers should be rewarded in some way if there is a dot ball. It’s not easy when the batsmen are going bang-bang all the time. The bowlers need to be given some incentive considering they get penalised twice for bowling a no-ball.”For the BCCI, who ran the first edition of the tournament on “an experimental basis” and did not even seek to sell television rights, there’s plenty to think about before they embark on the exercise again next year.

During an 11-year first-class career, Bhaskar earned a reputation as a hungry man known for his smooth, old-school batting and effortless approach at the crease

Jamie Alter in Mysore04-Dec-2007

KP Bhaskar: “I don’t think I was destined to play for India. Every time I came close to being selected, something happened” © Jamie Alter
KP Bhaskar effortlessly switches between Hindi, Punjabi and Tamil as he handles congratulatory calls on two cell phones, and signs an autograph for a young fan, after Rajasthan’s first draw of the Ranji season, following three consecutive losses. “Crazy man, these calls, but it feels good to have finally gotten points on the table. It’s very important for the boys, and their morale. We need to go forward on this.”Everything appears so simple, the way he handles the local media after his side unexpectedly – again, to the locals, at least – gave Karnataka a run for their money, the way how, at 44, he can kick a mean football and matches step with his young Rajasthan players during post-match cool down, and the way he cracks jokes with his assistants, ground officials, and a photographer clicking a shot of his enthusiastic side.During an 11-year first-class career, Bhaskar earned a reputation as a hungry man known for his smooth, old-school batting and effortless approach at the crease. Having been a former Delhi captain, with more than 5000 runs at an average of 52.84 in 95 matches, and being the Indian Cricketer of the Year in 1989, Bhaskar’s was a name constantly mentioned in hushed tones during the 80s, whenever it came time to announce the Indian squad. So how come he never made the grade?” I don’t think I was destined to play for India,” he says, matter-of-factly. “Every time I came close to being selected, something happened. I just didn’t score when I really needed to make an impression. Call it destiny, external factors, whatever. There were times when I was supposed to be close to selection, ahead of a big game, and something would happen. I’d get ill, or it would rain, a game would get abandoned, something or the other. Or I wouldn’t score runs in a game.”Thus Bhaskar has been grouped into the “what-could-have-been” category of Indian cricket, with the likes of Rajinder Goel and Amarjeet Kaypee. Between 1983 and 1989, Bhaskar averaged close to 70, with 13 centuries. He churned out runs for a Delhi team full of talent. “I developed a reputation for being a crisis man. If Delhi needed me, I’d deliver. It’s something that stuck.” Two innings that stand out are: 135 against Services in 1984, where, after a collapse from 7 for 3 to 55 for 6, Bhaskar bailed Delhi out to 233 in a hard-fought draw and an unbeaten 160 against Karnataka amid another collapse. The list goes on, but the call-up never did come.”You know, there was a myth,” he continues, before pausing and smiling, his eyes fleetingly scanning his wards practising behind us. “Well, I suppose it wasn’t really a myth. But it was said that if I needed to score runs for myself, where national selection was concerned, I wouldn’t deliver. But when Delhi needed runs, if we were in trouble, I’d score.””I came close. I was put on stand-by for India’s tour of Sri Lanka in 1985. And though I didn’t go on that tour, I remained as something of a stand-by until 1991. Constantly I was told ‘you’ll be picked’. I’d score runs, lots of them, but come that game where I needed to score a century, I’d fail. And someone else would score a hundred and go on.”The topic invariably turns to that 1985 Irani Trophy, back when it was a way for fringe players to get a chance to be selected for India. Picked for Rest of India against Bombay in Nagpur, Bhaskar was out for a duck, having walked in at No. 3 with his side at 0 for 1. As fate would have it, the team to Australia was announced during the match and Bhaskar’s unbeaten 103 came a day too late.”Destiny, like I said. That was a big game, with big players but again, I failed when the time came. There’s nothing more to it.”Another example is the warm-up match against a touring New Zealand side in 1988, which was abandoned due to rain. “If I’d scored there, who knows? It was a big opportunity, but see what happened. I really wasn’t supposed to play for India.”But there’s not a trace of bitterness in his voice. “I was so fortunate to play with great players. For years we had such a strong Delhi side. There was Raman Lamba, Ajay Sharma, who was a few seasons junior to me, Jimmy [Mohinder Amarnath], Madan Lal, Kirti Azad, Rajinder Singh, Surinder Khanna, who was a damn fine player, and so many more. We were a solid unit. What I learned from Test greats like I wouldn’t give up for anything.”Momentarily, the topic switches to his current avatar. “That’s what’s lacking with Rajasthan, not having any Test players. This is a young side and you need seniors to guide them. As a former player I try to tell the boys that. There’s so much to learn from playing with Test players, those who’ve played international cricket. Jimmy , Madan Lal, Kirti Azad all passed on so much advice and experience to us back in the Delhi days. It was just something I’ll always cherish.”When we were playing the focus was on three things – talent, attitude, and fitness, in that order. Now it’s completely reversed. You’ve got so many theories and exercises for players, some of which are fine but in the end, what’s happened to the skill? Yes, the game will change but I think not all of what’s happening is good for the youngsters. It may confuse some.”For someone known for his repertoire of shots, did he model himself on anyone? “I always loved Sunil Gavaskar and Gundappa Vishwanath. What players! They were my heroes, and it was amazing to finally get to play against and with them. It was really memorable. ” I was so fortunate to play with great players. For years we had such a strong Delhi side. There was Raman Lamba, Ajay Sharma, who was a few seasons junior to me, Jimmy , Madan Lal, Kirti Azad, Rajinder Singh, Surinder Khanna. We were a solid unit. What I learned from Test greats, I wouldn’t give up for anything RK Narayan, the famous Indian novelist, studied at the University of Mysore and his , was believed to be a composite of the author’s time spent here. Many of Narayan’s works were rooted in everyday life and seeing and meeting Bhaskar – an everyday man during his playing years whose achievements, like Narayan’s stories, assumed and secured the interest of many – on those same university grounds, was far from formulaic.Bhaskar may not have played for India, but his experience as domestic player, captain, and match referee on the domestic circuit is invaluable to an inexperienced Rajasthan side. “If I can pass on some of what I learnt playing for a fantastic Delhi side, with such great names, then that’s one step towards achieving our goals. I’m glad to be in this role now.”Simple. The ball crosses the boundary-line underneath the sight- screen. Like it would have during a Delhi v Jammu & Kashmir match at the Feroz Shah Kotla, circa 1986.