The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has re-scheduled the outstanding fixture between West Indies "B" and India "A" in the Carib Beer 2003 Cricket Series, as well as the semifinals and final.The first-round match between West Indies "B" and India "A", which was postponed because of the visitors’ late arrival in the Caribbean, will now be played at Kensington Oval, starting on Friday."The WICB did not feel it was fair for India `A’ to forfeit the points for missing the first-round match and, now that they have a chance to make it in to the semifinals for the Carib Beer International Challenge Trophy, we had to shift our dates around," said Michael Hall, the chief cricket development officer of the WICB.The staging of the West Indies "B" v India "A" fixture means that the semifinals and final of the Carib Beer International Challenge will be delayed by one week.They semifinals will now start on March 28 and the final on April 4.At Sabina Park, Jamaica: India "A" stepped up their bid for a semifinal place when they squeezed a two-wicket win over Jamaica in a crucial seventh-round Carib Beer Series 2003 Cricket Series match yesterday.The tourists, spearheaded by a decisive unbroken 50-run ninth-wicket stand between Lakshmipathy Balaji and Avishkar Salvi, successfully chased a testing 284-run target to win at 285 for eight shortly after lunch."It’s a great victory, it was really a nail-biting one," said coach Ashok Malhotra.At Albion Community Development Centre, Guyana: Guyana had an impressive 73-run victory over the Windward Islands to secure second place.Set 267 for victory after Guyana declared their second innings on 161 for five at lunch, the Windwards were routed for 193 with 12.1 of the 15 mandatory overs remaining.Apart from Darren Sammy, who hit a fine 53, and skipper Rawl Lewis (45), the Windwards batting folded to the Guyana attack, with leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo, finishing with three for 58 and fast bowler Esuan Crandon three for 59.
Gloucestershire destroyed one of the country’s most feared batting line-ups to put themselves in a dominant position on the second day of the CricInfo Championship match against Sussex at Cheltenham.The second division leaders require a further 201 runs to avoid the follow-on after collapsing to 161-8 in reply to Gloucestershire’s 520.They will have to bat with a great deal more resolve if they are to avert only their second Championship defeat of the season.Australian one-day international Ian Harvey bowled superbly to return figues of 2-9 from 15 overs, while off spiner Martyn Ball claimed 2-40.Prolific openers Richard Montgomerie and Murray Goodwin added 52 in 12 overs, only to begin the slide when departing in quick succession before tea.Montgomerie had plundered 33 runs from 41 deliveries when he attempted to hook James Averis and top-edged to short square leg where Kim Barnett ran in to complete a fine diving catch.Gloucestershire were delighted when Goodwin followed soon afterwards for 39. Mark Alleyne found the faintest of outside edges and Jack Russell claimed his 950th county dismissal to reduce the visitors to 86-2.Sussex were under intense pressure when Bas Zuiderent and Michael Yardy fell in the space of two overs shortly after tea with the score on 112.Ball then had Chris Adams caught at forward short leg, while Umer Rashid hardly helped the Sussex cause when being run out by Dominic Hewson’s throw from mid-wicket in pursuit of a foolhardy second run.Ben Gannon had Matt Prior caught behind and Harvey returned to dismiss Mark Davis and further undermine the leaders.Jeremy Snape had earlier registered a career-best 131 as Gloucestershire amassed their second highest total of the summer. He faced 189 balls and struck 18 fours and two sixes in surpassing the 119 he scored at Derby in June.Russell and Ball contributed 32 runs apiece before falling to Adams who finished with 3-131 from ten overs.
Sheffield Wednesday have found their “preferred bidder” and are advancing their takeover process at long last, according to reports.
Sheffield Wednesday confirm "preferred bidder" status
Just in time for Christmas, Sheffield Wednesday fans are set to get their wish following news that the administrators intend to decide their preferred bidder.
They released a statement, saying: “Sheffield Wednesday can confirm that the administrators, Begbies Traynor, intend to grant preferred bidder status to a consortium following the conclusion of the initial bidding process.
Billionaire drops out of Sheffield Wednesday takeover as new investor steps in at last second
A possible blow for the Owls.
ByTom Cunningham
“We recognise that any change of ownership is unsettling , and that supporters will have questions. That is entirely understandable, particularly given the recent history of the Club.
“The decision to move forward with a preferred bidder has been taken following extensive financial, legal and forensic due diligence, supported by specialist advisors. That work has progressed significantly since early stages of the process and has included a detailed assessment of funding sources, ownership structure and governance.
“It is important to be clear on the process from this point.
“Granting preferred bidder status does not mean a change of ownership is complete. Any proposed acquisition remains fully subject to the agreement of appropriate legal documentation and EFL approval, including the owners’ and directors’ test. The administrators will not complete a sale unless and until those requirements are satisfied.
“The EFL has advised the administrators that this review will be thorough and will not have a set timescale. That is appropriate and expected, and we fully support that process.”
It’s been a long-time coming for those at Hillsborough, who are finally on course to welcome a new era. The big question that Wednesday fans will have will regard just who their preferred bidders are after the club reportedly dropped their asking price.
According to BBC Sport’s Rob Staton, the preferred bidder to buy Sheffield Wednesday is a consortium led by James Bord.
James Bord emerges as "preferred bidder" for Sheffield Wednesday
A British entrapreneur, Bord is also the co-owner of Scottish side Dunfermline Athletic and made a large part of his money through his AI company Short Circuit Science.
The reported preferred bidder also reportedly made an eye-watering $4m as a poker player and Sheffield Wednesday fans will be hoping that they’ve hit a royal flush following their latest takeover update.
As the administrators noted, however, the process is far from complete. Bord must pass the EFL’s owners test before completing a takeover and after the disaster of Dejphon Chansiri’s tenure, extensive checks are simply a must.
Speaking about the offer from their preferred bidder, administrators said: “From a financial perspective, the proposed financial offer from the preferred bidder provides certainty for the Club.
Subscribe for in-depth Sheffield Wednesday takeover coverage Curious how the preferred-bidder news affects ownership, finances and EFL approval? Subscribe to the newsletter for clear, focused coverage and expert context on Sheffield Wednesday’s takeover developments and what they mean for the club’s governance. Subscribe for in-depth Sheffield Wednesday takeover coverage Curious how the preferred-bidder news affects ownership, finances and EFL approval? Subscribe to the newsletter for clear, focused coverage and expert context on Sheffield Wednesday’s takeover developments and what they mean for the club’s governance.
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“The consortium we intend to progress with has submitted the strongest overall proposal for the Club. This includes:
• A fully funded offer;
• Clear financial assurances to support the Club’s trading requirements; and
• A structure that allows all creditor obligations to be dealt with in accordance with EFL rules, meaning no further sporting sanctions are anticipated as part of the transaction.”
The Indian Cricket League (ICL), unrecognised by the top bodies in the sport, is likely to be taken to court by the Pakistan Cricket Board for fielding a Pakistan XI in the ongoing World Series being held at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium in Hyderabad.The Pakistan board’s contention is that there is only one team representing Pakistan, which is the team selected by the PCB, as it has been legally authorised to do so by the government.Shafqat Naghmi, the PCB’s chief operating officer, confirmed the board had asked its lawyers to prepare a brief on the issue. “We are looking at the legal side of this issue,” he told . “We believe what is being done is not right.”The current tournament of the ICL features three teams, India XI, Pakistan XI and World XI. This is the first time the ICL has divided its players into national sides, with its earlier three tournaments having featured city-based teams consisting of a mix of players. However, in its previous tournament, it had launched a new outfit in the form of Lahore Badshahs, a team which had only players from Pakistan, captained by Inzamam-ul-Haq and coached by Moin Khan. The side had garnered a big following in Pakistan, with a 100% success record in the tournament till their 2-0 loss in the best-of-three finals.The Pakistan board, along with several other countries, have already banned players participating in the ICL from national selection. The BCCI had indicated that it wanted ICL players to be barred by other boards at all levels, but a few have received clearance from the England board to play in the 2008 county season.
Owais Shah’s magical 55 took England to a five-wicket win in the second and final Twenty20 against West Indies at The Oval to square the series. Importantly, a couple of pieces of England’s one-day jigsaw showed signs of slotting into place ahead of the three-match one-day series too.Shah’s knock was an exercise in control, placement and guile – which is pretty much what you expect from him. However, the pressure this evening at a packed Oval was sufficient to test even the most experienced batsman, let alone one so green. With his captain, yesterday’s nearly-man Paul Collingwood departing, Shah was left with an asking-rate spiralling beyond 10-per-over. However, 16 runs off one Marlon Samuels over tipped the balance in England’s favour, and they squeezed home in the gloomy light with three balls to spare.”Yes, I’ve been wanting to play this type of innings for a while, especially in the one-day side,” Shah said, “and I’m obviously delighted. It’s just great getting the opportunity; I’m just taking it a game at a time, and trying to do well for England. If that leads to a permanent spot, then that couldn’t be more perfect.”He appears to have been around for ever. A former England Under-19 captain who drew comparisons with Mark Ramprakash, such was the extremity of his talent, Shah’s England career – not unlike Ramprakash’s, again – has yet to blossom. He hasn’t had a long run in the side, a factor which continues to frustrate him.”Yes. Of course it has. I’d like to play [more] for England; it’s difficult coming in [having played] a game here and a game there. It would be brilliant to have a lot of games but sometimes things don’t quite work out in your favour.”Looking more closely at Shah’s innings, it reveals plenty about not only Twenty20’s over-obsession with powerful strikers, but the impact a deft player can have. Yes, he clobbered the odd vaguely ugly four but the seven boundaries he guided were often just that: deftly placed into the gap, or unorthodoxly swept down to fine-leg. It was an innings of placement over power which, in the frenzy of Twenty20 cricket, is a rarity to be cherished. Success in the condensed format is, according to Shah, not solely about the wrists and placement.”I find you don’t have to adjust your game; you’ve got to adjust your thinking,” he said. “People think that twenty overs isn’t that long but, actually, it is and if you can get your head around that then it makes life a lot easier. That’s what i’ve found for Middlesex, having played Twenty20 cricket for them over the past two or three years, that you realise you have more time than you think.”Try telling Collingwood that. His hangdog expression when he was expertly stumped by Denesh Ramdin rather suggested England were heading for a 2-0 series defeat. But, unsurprisingly, Collingwood spoke proudly of recording his first win as England captain, citing his team’s ability to learn as a crucial factor.”I don’t think we were too far [off] last night. There were a lot of good things – our intent, we were so positive to get close to a massive total and it showed we were fighters. But certainly we improved with the ball tonight. And for them to go out, after just 24 hours, and choose the right balls, was excellent.”It’s a fickle game, though. A win is a win but, as he himself said, England won’t be getting carried away just yet. Their one-day road ahead is long and arduous but, as Shah showed tonight, there is plenty of talent: all they need is experience.
Michael Yardy held the Sussex batting together against Kent on the opening day at Hove. He struck his second century of the season and formed the major stand of the day with Murray Goodwin as the pair put on 141 for the third wicket. However, when Goodwin was stumped off Min Patel the innings went into decline as Sussex lost 4 for 44. Yasir Arafat provided valuable support while Ollie Rayner and James Kirtley offered similar solid support. Patel was the pick of the Kent attack with three wickets.
Gloucestershire relied on a team effort rather than individual brilliance on a solid first day against Essex at Bristol. Craig Spearman and Kadeer Ali laid the foundations with a solid fifty opening stand before Ali was trapped in front by Alex Tudor, who showed pleasing form with three wickets. Spearman progress to 70 and further substance came from Alex Gidman’s 87 and Steven Adshead’s 68 – the pair adding 129 to turn the innings around from 139 for 5 – but there was a sense of a Twenty20 hangover in the way batsmen didn’t covert into larger scores. Darren Gough chipped in with three wickets but the Gloucestershire lower-order proved hard to shift.
On how hard it was to break out from his bad run It was difficult. But I knew I had the ability to come back, and it was only a matter of one big innings. I was determined that if I cross 50, I’ll convert it into a century. I was playing well at Bangalore when I made 39 in the first innings, but I failed to convert that. Here, though, I converted my start into the hundred that my team needed.Did he, or India, have a specific game plan? Our game plan in this match was the same as in the last one. We knew the first spell from the bowlers was the most dangerous, and we planned to play carefully, take no risks, and see that through. And so we did.On the role of Sunil Gavaskar, India’s batting consultant, in the gameplan Strategies and so on are decided at team meetings, but he [Sunil] has been a help to us, by sharing his experience of international cricket. If anyone has a problem, he helps out with that, and motivates us all.On the pitch It’s a good track to bat on. Yes, the ball kept low at times, but that [only]happened when the ball was really old, after 75 overs had been bowled. After the new ball was taken there was no uneven bounce. It was good to bat on today, and I expect the same tomorrow. Perhaps in the fourth and fifth days it will take even more spin than it already is, and get slower.On missing his double-century [Somewhat bemused] I still had 45 runs to go for my double-century. Had I got out in my 190s you could have said that I missed making 200, but I was far away from it.On why he became more aggressive and played some reckless strokes after reaching his century I thought the team would benefit if I went for my strokes and got some quick runs. But I guess my shot selection wasn’t good enough. I wasn’t picking the right balls to hit. But I realised at one point that it was more important for me to bat through another session rather than score quick runs. Unfortunately, I couldn’t do that.Was he affected by all the wickets that fell at the other end? No. My plan was the same throughout, to punish the loose ball but to minimise risk otherwise. The number of wickets that had fallen at the other had had no impact on the way I was playing.How did he react to the criticism of him, and the calls for his being dropped, during this recent bad phase? When you don’t perform, everybody puts pressure on you. When you do, those same people acclaim you. I wasn’t worried, and besides, I had got some confidence from my innings of 146 in the warm-up game before the first Test. I knew that if I spend time at the wicket, the runs would come. And that’s just what happened.On his making around two-thirds of the runs scored while he was at the crease Look, some of our batsmen were unlucky. Rahul [Dravid] got an inside edge, [VVS] Laxman got a ball that kept really low: had these strokes of luck not gone against us, we would perhaps have been just three or four wickets down at close of play today. We could have set them a bigger target for tomorrow.On how many runs he thinks India can make on the third day I think 100 more is possible, that’ll give us a lead of 150, and we’ll be well on top.On which of the Australian bowlers he was most impressed with today [Jason] Gillespie bowled really well.… And Warne? Well, he took wickets, but I don’t think he bowled quite that well.
Australia’s steely resolve enabled them to win a crucial encounter at Colombo, and wrap up the five-match one-day series. Ricky Ponting was understandably elated after the match, saying, “That was a fantastic win.”Ponting said that his team’s triumph was built on the ability to “hang in” for as long as possible. “We had things going our way half-way through our batting innings, but things change around pretty quickly over here. At one stage, we were looking at about 260 … and ended up about 30 short. Then we were behind the eight-ball early with the ball.”But as I said to the guys out on the ground, the side that hangs in there the longest in this game will probably win.”Michael Kasprowicz was the declared the Man of the Match, and he said that the win came thanks to the unity within the side, and a defiance in the face of foreign conditions. “You can feel the emotion in the team that comes from achieving something special,” he said. “Playing in Australia, you know the conditions, but to come over here and play on turning wickets against unfamiliar spinners on lightning quick outfields – everything’s just so different – and I think that’s the challenge.”When asked about his bowling, Kasprowicz said, “I’ve definitely bowled better in domestic cricket, but never better for Australia.”Adam Gilchrist took six catches in the match, thereby equalling his own world record. Afterwards, Ponting said: “I know he was very happy with that. Equalling the world record in one-day cricket doesn’t happen every day.”He added that he wasn’t too concerned about Gilchrist’s barren run with the bat, and warned, “Gilly’s still batting well, there’s no doubt about that. He probably hasn’t scored as many as he would have liked in the last couple of games. But don’t worry, he’ll play well in the Tests.”Australia will probably rest a number of key players for the final match of the series tomorrow, with Gilchrist, Jason Gillespie and Ponting or Matthew Hayden the likely candidates to make way for Brad Haddin, Brad Williams and Simon Katich.Ponting confirmed this when he said, “Obviously we’ve got a few guys in the shed that haven’t played any cricket at all and a few that have only played a couple of games. We want to try and give most guys a bit of cricket.”
POTCHEFSTROOM, South Africa, Feb 1 AAP – South African veteran Gary Kirsten has admitted he would refuse to play in Zimbabwe if his side was due to visit the strife-torn nation during the World Cup.Kirsten’s revelation comes on the back of reports of an Al-Qaeda cell planning to attack Westerners in Zimbabwe – and South Africa – if the US goes to war with Iraq.Kirsten, whose side is not drawn to play any matches in either Zimbabwe or another trouble spot, Kenya, told a charity function he believed there was a “security issue” around matches in Zimbabawe.The Australian Cricket Board and International Cricket Council (ICC) want Australia’s match on February 24 to go ahead at Bulawayo but they are constantly monitoring a potentially volatile situation.If players are thought to be at risk, Australia will withdraw.The safety of the team and officials is the only consideration. Political and moral questions over president Robert Mugabe’s rule will not come into it.New Zealand has already pulled out of its clash against Kenya after receiving information from independent security sources that terrorist activity was on the boil in Nairobi.”Politics should be left to the politicians,” said Kirsten.”But I would not play in Zimbabwe… there is a security issue.”A US Government report has detailed a plan by Tablik Ja’maat, an Al-Qaeda-linked group of militant extremists, to attack US targets in Zimbabwe if war was declared on Iraq.Other attacks would take place in Pakistan, Indonesia, Nigeria, Turkey, South Africa and Israel, according to the report.Meanwhile, ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed is trying to determine whether the New Zealand-Kenya game can be re-scheduled.If not, options for the Kiwis include taking the matter to an independent ICC committee of up to five members, appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, or going to the ICC Cricket World Cup events technical committee.New Zealand is set to lose two valuable competition points from a game it would be almost certain to win but its reluctance to travel to a dangerous area is understandable after perilously close shaves with terrorist attacks in the past.A bomb killed 11 French engineers in a bus outside the New Zealand team’s hotel last year in Karachi, Pakistan. In 1987 in Sri Lanka, a bomb exploded in a nearby downtown Colombo bus depot. In 1992 in the same country, an assassination by car bombing, again near the team’s hotel, caused the immediate disintegration of the tour.Australia is scheduled to be in Bulawayo from February 21-25.
* Tendulkar’s injury caused by his left boot spikeIndia’s master batsman Sachin Tendulkar suffered a foot injury duringthe final of the tri-nation series against the West Indies on Saturdaywhen his right foot spiked his left foot while fielding, forcing himto withdraw from the first part of the coming Sri Lankan tour.”Though an X-ray has ruled out any fracture, the injury is extremelypainful and the foot has to be rested for at least two to three weeksas there is an aggravation of muscles”, BCCI sources said in Mumbai onTuesday. His right foot, with spikes, landed between toe and heel ofthe left foot, resulting in a sesamoid bruise, sources added.However, the BCCI secretary Jaywant Lele or any of the selectors whomet here yesterday to finalise the team for Sri Lankan tour were notable to describe the nature of injury to Tendulkar’s foot butannounced that the Mumbai star would be joining the team for the lastleague tie against New Zealand on August 2.* Marsh, Healy helped me perform well in Zimbabwe: DigheVital tips by former Australian wicketkeepers Rodney Marsh and IanHealy helped the Indian wicketkeeper Sameer Dighe perform well on therecently concluded tour of Zimbabwe. A beaming Dighe told PTI inMumbai on Tuesday that Marsh had passed on a few tips to him duringthe conditioning camp in Bangalore which helped a lot.”Healy spent some time with me during the Harare Test match. I wasdelighted when he wanted to help me out,” he said. “Healy, who was inHarare to participate in the benefit tie for former Zimbabwe Test starEddo Brandes, is a remarkable man and can spot any flaws by justwatching others behind the stumps. I soaked in all the knowledge whenhe gave some important tips in the lobby of our hotel,” Dighe said.”In fact, I was really touched when Healy told me that I can call himup for help even if it is two in the morning and the most importanttip he gave was to move with the ball. He also told me to maintain adiary and note down the good and bad things every day,” Dighe added.When asked about his unbeaten 94 in the tri-series final against theWest Indies on Saturday, the Mumbai player said, “I used Sachin’s(Tendulkar) bat which was much heavier than the one I normally use. Infact, it was Sachin who advised me to do so as I would get more powerin my strokes. However, I feel very sad that we fell short by 16runs,” Dighe said.* Judicial remand of Prabhakar extended till July 21A Nainital court has extended judicial remand of the former Indiancricketer Manoj Prabhakar till July 21 in the chit fund case, a seniorpolice official said on Tuesday. Judicial Magistrate Devraj PrasadSingh had extended the remand of Prabhakar on a petition moved by theUttaranchal police, DIG (Nainital) Vijay Raghav Pant said.Meanwhile, the condition of Prabhakar, admitted to a private nursinghome on July 3 following suspected brain stroke, was stated to bestable, doctors attending on him said. Prabhakar was arrested byUttaranchal police from his south Delhi office on July 2 following anon-bailable arrest warrant issued by the Haldwani Judicial Magistratein connection with a chit fund company APACE Investment Ltd case onMay 11.Police had alleged that Prabhakar, as director of the company, haddefrauded and cheated people while accepting deposits from them.