Will Pietersen get it right in Bangladesh?

England’s current tour in Bangladesh is important for a number of reasons. It represents a chance to continue recent momentum in the test arena following the Ashes win last year, it gives Alastair Cook an opportunity to display his captaincy credentials and, perhaps most importantly, it represents the ideal chance for the players to find some form ahead of the English summer.

This final reason is very much the case for one man in particular – Kevin Pietersen. England’s star batsman has struggled of late and he and the team really need him to step up his game sooner rather than later.

The games in Bangladesh so far haven’t exactly gone too well for Pietersen. He has made 69 runs in seven innings on the tour and the latest failure came as England drew their three day match with Bangladesh A in Chittagong.
Batting at No.3 after England were set 284 to win, Pietersen made 20 off 22 balls before being bowled by Mohammad Ashraful as he attempted to sweep the leg spinner. This followed a score of just two in the first innings of the match.

The Hampshire man’s recent displays have been a real concern and even though Andy Flower has continuously backed him to score heavily on this tour, there have to be doubts over the player’s confidence.

Perhaps he just needs one big innings to get the ball rolling, but in an ideal world that should have already come. The three day game against Bangladesh A – during which Pietersen had two chances to shine – presented the perfect opportunity for him to silence the critics by playing a significant innings.

As things stand though, he is going into the Test series short of form and confidence. The talk in the build up to the first Test in Chittagong, which begins on Friday, will be centred on Pietersen and this will add to the pressure on him.

Hopefully, he is just saving his best form for the two test matches against Bangladesh and then the World Twenty20.

England need him to be somewhere near his best during what is an Ashes year and if it does take just one big knock, let’s hope it comes in the first innings of the opening test so we can get back to admiring what a fantastic player he is.

England’s Ashes cricket odds suggest they will struggle in Australia and the whole team will need to be in top form if they are to retain the urn.

Meanwhile, in football news, England are third favourites in the World Cup 2010 online betting but with so many injuries they could struggle in South Africa.

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Tendulkar believes he can be beaten

Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar believes his record breaking one day international innings of 200 not out can be surpassed. The Little Master became the first player to score a double century in an ODI match against South Africa on Wednesday.

Speaking about whether such an innings can be repeated, Tendulkar said “no record is unbreakable”, despite the fact that he may well hold on to this one for a number of years.

When someone manages to go past 200 runs in a 50-over international, Tendulkar has made it clear that he hopes it is an Indian player that does it. He says that he would be “happy” at not holding the record any longer if one of his fellow countrymen achieved the sizeable task.

Tendulkar deserves to bask in the glory of this innings for a while yet though. He is one of the best cricketers ever and after a blip a couple of years ago, he is in some of the best form of his career. For a man that has achieved as much as he has, this is quite a statement.

The 36-year-old holds the record for the most runs scored in ODIs and Tests, hitting an incredible 93 international centuries in total. He has no plans to slow down anytime soon either, saying that he is “playing the way I want to play” at the moment.

His most recent innings confirmed he still has plenty to offer international cricket. The 200 unbeaten runs came off just 147 balls and Tendulkar said he will always remember this innings with great fondness.

However, he refused to compare it with his other efforts and let’s be honest there are quite a lot of occasions when Tendulkar has proven that he is possibly the greatest batsman to have ever played the game.

India’s Cricket World Cup odds make them favourite to win that tournament, and Tendulkar could be the man to land them the trophy.

Meanwhile, in football news the World Cup 2010 online betting makes Spain favourites to win the tournament despite their history of underachieving in the competition.

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Lee admits retirement fear

Australian fast bowler Brett Lee may never play international cricket again after his latest injury setback. The 33-year-old had elbow surgery in December and has since been ruled out for the entire Australian summer.

Despite admitting he could have bowled his last ball for his country, Lee is remaining upbeat. According to the player, if his international career is over, he will look back with satisfaction on what he has achieved.

Lee has been plagued by problems recently – he hasn’t been able to play Test cricket since December 2008 – and he seems ready to accept whatever comes his way.

Lee’s immediate future could result in him pursuing a number of paths and he clearly has an open mind about it all. He believes “anything is possible” and there is a chance he could end up playing “one-dayers or no cricket at all” when he recovers from his latest setback.

Lee is still undecided about what to do with his cricketing life, but the decision might be out of his hands. However, it seems retirement is an eventuality he has already prepared for.

As already mentioned, he will be happy with what he has achieved regardless of what happens next. He played in 76 Test matches for Australia over ten years and was part of one of the greatest teams the game has ever seen.
The New South Wales man has taken 310 test wickets in this time and frightened the life out of some batsman along the way.

In reality, it has always been inevitable that a player who puts as much effort and strain on his body as Lee would call it a day before reaching their mid-30s.

Lee hasn’t given up hope yet though and he will discuss his situation with some key people, including Australia captain Ricky Ponting.

Whatever decision Lee makes, he can be proud of what he has given international cricket. He has proved a popular character in the game and been involved in many memorable moments.

A player in his mould will certainly be missed by cricket fans around the world. International batsman may not feel the same way, but they would have enjoyed the battles they have had with Lee over the years. All the best to him.

Meanwhile, Australia are gearing up to play the West Indies in a one day international. Australia’s cricket odds make them strong favourites to win the match.

In horse racing news, the Cheltenham Festival is fast approaching and all eyes are on Gold Cup contenders Denman and Kauto star.

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Flower: Cook captaincy will test squad

England coach Andy Flower believes that having Alistair Cook as captain for the upcoming Bangladesh tour will test the entire England squad.

The Essex opener takes over from Andrew Strauss in the role for three one-day internationals and two Test matches over the next couple of months, in order to allow Strauss to take a break ahead of the English summer and next winter’s Ashes tour.

Having appointed Cook – who is just 25 – Flower believes the whole touring party will have to adjust their roles and rise to new challenges.

Speaking on his return to England following the South Africa tour, the England coach said that it will be “interesting to see” how the team reacts to Cook as a captain and that it is a “challenge for all of us” to succeed in the temporary circumstances.

It does give Cook “captaincy experience” though and this has to be one of the main reasons he was asked to fill in for Strauss. England clearly see him as a future permanent captain of the team and during the “less pressurised” tour of Bangladesh, Cook can learn some valuable lessons.

Overall, Flower believes it is a “very exciting” time for the England batsman and the team as a whole.

As for the decision to give Strauss a rest, Flower says it was all about “managing his energy” and ensuring that he is “fresh and in a good frame of mind” when he returns to action in May.

For now though, Cook is England’s captain and that is how he should be treated. He has a big job to do in Bangladesh. They are a side that have improved quite a bit since England were last there.

England’s Bangladesh series odds make them favourites, but it is important momentum is maintained. England need a convincing series win to continue their decent form and if Cook gains captaincy experience at the same time it will be the perfect result for Flower.

Meanwhile, in horse racing news, the odds for this year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup are really starting to get interesting and could be worth keeping an eye on as Denman and Kauto Star prepare to go head to head.

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I doubt many of us armchair cricket fans expected to hear the news today that Youtube that will host live Indian Premier League cricket matches in the UK.

This is the first live major sporting deal to be broadcast by the Google owned operator; the IPL will be broadcast online in all countries except the United States.

Youtube will have exclusive streaming rights for two years in a deal that sees the two companies split the advertising and sponsorship revenue.

Setanta who had owned the exclusive results folded in 2009 leaving a number of events in limbo, this included the IPL which has not, as yet, found a new home on UK based television despite confidence from the IPL that an agreement would be forthcoming.

Youtube will broadcast 60 matches through its dedicated sports channel www.youtube.com/ipl – the 2010 IPL will last for 45  days.  An exclusive “YouTube View” or “fun feed” will provide viewers with an alternative view of the match not available on television or any other media.

Yesterday saw the first 11 players to be drafted in the 2010, of 67 players on offer not one Pakistan player was bought much to the disappointment of Javed Miandad (the Pakistan Cricket Board’s director of operations) who said  ”It’s nothing less than humiliation – not only of our cricketers but the whole nation,”

The surprise of the day came with Damien Martyn’s appointment to the Rajasthan Royals where Shane Warne, his old team mate had a big hand in selecting the ageing Australian. Martyn hasn’t played professional cricket in three years.

Players sold:

Kieron Pollard $750k Mumbai

Kemar Roache $720k Deccan

Shane Bond $750k Calcutta

Damien Martyn $100k Rajasthan

Adam Voges $50k Rajasthan

Justin Kemp $100k Chennai

Wayne Parnell $610k Delhi

Mohammad Kaif $250k Kings XI Punjab

Yusuf Abdullah $50k

Thissara Perera $100k

Eoin Morgan $220k Bangalore

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Bill McLaren, the voice of rugby to millions, has died at the grand old age of 86, he died at 10:30 this morning in Hawick. He was appointed OBE, CBE and MBE for services to rugby however an online campaign calling for McLaren to be knighted failed last year.

I grew up watching rugby and listening to Bill commentate – he made even the most drab of games interesting with his lyrical tone and knowledgeable contributions. No one could compete with McLaren in his heyday and the Scotsman was the staple diet for the majority of BBC rugby viewers.

In 1986, I remember watching the Wales v Scotland game from Cardiff Arms Park and in a tight encounter (Wales led 16-15 at the time) Paul Thorburn took what was to prove the longest kick measured at the ground of 70 yards and 8 inches.

Thorburn then, WOOF …. what a belt he’s given it ….. That is amazing

Bill’s commentary that day was magnificent – I can honestly say I’ve never heard a more unbiased commentator in any sport – he loved the game, the atmosphere and the spectacle. As a proud Scotsman (born in Hawick in 1923) he was as excited about a Welsh or English try as he was with a Scottish victory; such was his level of professionalism.

In 1953, while working for the Hawick Express he had his first break into radio commentary – six years later he moved up into the world of television and he never looked back. Bill’s first game behind the microphone was Scotland’s 12 – 0 defeat of Wales and it was the same combination that saw him retire in 2002 – such was the level of admiration for the commentator the crowd sang “for he’s a jolly good fellow” at the final whistle.

When he retired in 2002, it signalled a change in commentating – we are unlikely to see his like again.  Bill McLaren, you will be sorely missed.

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Free Breakfast in Brisbane !

Brisbane cricket fans to be served a free breakfast by their favourite Commonwealth Bank Series cricketers.

You’ve got to hand it to Cricket Australia, planning ahead for when the current crop of players retire – gives them a little experience in the restaurant buisness!

Get down to Queen Street Mall this Thursday (January 21) to be served a free breakfast from your favourite Commonwealth Bank Series cricketers.

Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Mike Hussey, James Hopes and Peter Siddle along with Commonwealth Bank Southern Star Kirsten Pike will be in attendance serving breakfast and signing autographs.

The Commonwealth Bank Series kicks off in Brisbane this Friday at the GABBA, with the Aussies taking on Pakistan.   Meanwhile the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars will take on New Zealand’s White Ferns in the Rose Bowl Series from February 10 in Adelaide, Melbourne and Hobart.

Who: Commonwealth Bank Series cricketers Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Mike Hussey, James Hopes and Peter Siddle and Commonwealth Bank Southern Star Kirsten Pike.

What: Australian cricketers to serve Brisbane cricket fans a free breakfast

When: Main stage, Queen Street Mall, Thursday January 21, 2009

Time: 7am – 9am

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Interesting to see that South Africa have included 25 year old Lonwabo Tsotsobe in their one day international and Test squads bound for India in early February.

The paceman has played a handful of limited over matches, taking six wickets in his fledgling career. His inclusion has surely sealed the fate of veteran Makhaya Ntini. With South Africa’s policy of selecting at least one black player (race quota policy) all eyes were on Ntini to see if he would be recalled after he was dropped following a disappointing 2nd Test match against England.

Ntini has played 101 Tests for South Africa, and taken 390 wickets. However, there have been growing calls for him to be replaced, and he failed to take a wicket in the second Test at Kingsmead in Durban. Rumours are rife that he has agreed to retire from international cricket and play county championship cricket next season – only time will tell if he still has it in him.

So has the race quota policy harmed South Africa’s advancement? It’s hard to tell, for when Ntini was playing well he commanded his place in the side and the issue was hardly raised. South Africa have lost the number one Test spot to India and with only two Tests being played on the tour, it will be a tough ask to return to the top spot despite the changes in personnel.

Test squad: Graeme Smith (captain), Hashim Amla, Johan Botha, Mark Boucher (wkt), AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Paul Harris, Jacques Kallis, Ryan McLaren, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Alviro Petersen, Ashwell Prince, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe.

One-day international squad: Smith (captain), Loots Bosman, Botha, Boucher (wkt), De Villiers, Duminy, Herschelle Gibbs, Kallis, Albie Morkel, Morne Morkel, Parnell, Petersen, Steyn, Tsotsobe, Roelof van der Merwe.

South Africa in India

February

6-10: First Test, Nagpur

14-18: Second Test, Kolkata

21: First ODI, Jaipur

24: Second ODI, Kanpur

27: Third ODI, Ahmedabad

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South Africa captain Graeme Smith and team-mate Morne Morkel have achieved career-best rankings in the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings after producing match-winning performances in the fourth and last Test against England which ended in Johannesburg on Sunday.

Smith, who scored 105 in South Africa’s innings-and-74-run, victory which helped the Proteas to draw the four-Test series, has leapfrogged the Sri Lanka pair of Mahela Jayawardena and Kumar Sangakkara to occupy second spot in the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen.

Smith now leads Jayawardena by seven ratings points and trails his Indian counterpart Mahendra Singh Dhoni by 34 points. The left-hander had started the series in eighth spot and climbed six places after finishing as the leading run-getter in the series with 427 runs.

Besides Smith, AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla and Mark Boucher are the other South Africa batsmen to move up the order. De Villiers has moved up by one place to 13th position, Amla has climbed five places to 23rd spot and Boucher has lifted six places to 36th spot.

However, Jacques Kallis and Ashwell Prince have lost ground with Kallis slipping two places to eighth spot and Prince also dropping two places to 29th position.

The news is not very good for England which is now without a batsman in the top 20 after both Andrew Strauss and Kevin Pietersen lost ground following a disappointing Test at the Wanderers by their high standards.

Strauss, who scored a duck and 22, has slipped five places to 21st position while Pietersen has dropped seven places to 27th spot after scores of seven and 12 at the Wanderers.

Strauss had started the series in 14th spot while Pietersen had started the series in 17th spot. But Strauss managed 170 runs and Pietersen contributed 177 runs and consequently lost seven and 10 places in the batting chart, respectively.

In contrast, Australia has gained two ratings points for its efforts and now sits on 118 ratings points, two behind third-placed South Africa and three ahead of fourth-placed Sri Lanka.

Australia players are also on the rise in the latest rankings. Vice-captain Michael Clarke has strengthened his position as Australia’s highest-ranked batsman when he gained six places to rise to fifth, just ahead of India’s Virender Sehwag.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting, who won the man-of-the-match award for his contributions of 209 and 89 at his home ground, has rocketed 13 places to seventh position. Simon Katich, who scored 11 and 100, has also improved his ranking by two places and he is now in 19th position.

The only Australia batsman to slip in the ranking is Mike Hussey who has dropped two places to 16th spot. ICC Ratings – More Info

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So there we go; England humiliated in Johannesburg, comprehensively beaten by a tighter unit hell bent on finishing the job they failed to do in the third Test in Capetown.

Strauss’ decision to bat on day one was a bold one, a decision which not only backfired but opened up the England top order to its weaknesses and frailty against a magnificent pairing of Morkel and Steyn. Steyn, the world’s highest ranking bowler turned the match on its head with a terrific bowling performance in the first innings with a return of 5 for 51.

Despite Smith’s contentious century, the 20th of his illustrious career, it was Boucher who steered South Africa into an unassailable position with an innings of grit, determination and flare. He was unlucky not to reach a deserved century, failing five runs short when Swann and under fire Trott combined to send the gloveman back to the sheds.

In reply, England failed to turn up and were once again outclassed by pace bowling at its best. Both  Pietersen and Trott failed and Prior’s shot selection left a lot to be desired. Collingwood proved how valuable he is to a fragile middle order scoring 71 runs from just 88 deliveries. Broad, who for me has always acted like a spoilt child spitting his “Duminy” out if he doesn’t get his own way just doesn’t seem to grasp that an umpire’s decision is final .

Talking of Duminty,  the part time spinner chipped in to claim the final two wickets and secure a well earned victory.

So what now for England? They will have gathered numerous positives from the tour including a one day series win and a hard fought Test series draw. With a tour to Bangladesh in the coming months we now wait on tomorrow’s announcement of the touring party. I believe Trott and Pietersen should be rested, both of whom struggled to cope with local pressure.

That said, a relatively easy tour in Bangladesh might just be what the doctor ordered. The current England captain looks set to miss out on the tour, opting to be “rested” rather than travel with the lads.  With an Ashes series just 11 months down the line, can England afford to rest key players now? Only time will tell.

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