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Steve Waugh, Ian Chappell, Clive Lloyd, MAK Pataudi: some of cricket’s finest captains speak about their craft

Mike Coward15-Oct-2013, Mike Coward spoke to a selection of the game’s most prominent leaders about the demands of captaincy and how they dealt with them. He started with an erudite England tactician and thinker. Mike Brearley: When I started captaining Middlesex I found it much harder to captain people who were older and had better careers than mine. I readily made contact with the younger players but I found it a bit more difficult with the older players.One of the difficulties I had was if people were critical or contemptuous of me I would react either coldly or hotly and not get the best out of them. You have to balance consultation and learning from people – finding out their ideas and knowing their feelings. You need the ability to say things straight from time to time. So the balance is the very key and depends on knowing people well. You have to be able to say things to people they don’t want to hear. You have to be able to take on decisions that aren’t in their personal interests; people are dropped or they don’t get the new ball or they’re demoted from a role in the team as they see it. Or you have to challenge them with the way they’re behaving or the way they’re not practising or not doing this or that or causing difficulties in the group.So you have to have the capacity and the relationship from which you can stand back. But, on the other hand, it’s no good if you’re aloof or distant. People in a team will forgive you more if you’re passionately involved. You may get too angry at times or too impatient or show your feelings in a way that’s not particularly helpful. But if you can sort of say sorry and get on with it and you’re basically on the side of the players and the team and you show passion, I think they’ll forgive you much more than if you’re cold.Ray Illingworth: I always tried to get the players on-side. I always insisted we played under one rule. I used to have a meeting and say: Look, if you want to say anything now’s the time to say it. You’ve an open market, have a go. But I don’t want to hear anything outside this room that you haven’t mentioned in it. So I always brought all the players into it and made them feel part and parcel of it. I think that’s very important. It’s also important that the players think that you know what you’re doing. If they don’t feel that you know what you are doing, you’ve got problems.These days I do look at team photos and there is all this backroom staff. I didn’t need psychiatrists and trick cyclists and all these people. Mine was all in my head. If I’d seen a batsman play once I knew where to put a field to him. That was very, very important. Knowing the game completely and knowing the players, I think, is very important. I knew every player I played against.I learned from playing under a lot of different captains. Going back to my early days, Norman Yardley [captain of England against Don Bradman’s Invincibles in 1948] was a lovely man and a technically good captain. But he wasn’t strong enough on players and they did what they wanted to do.I played under two or three captains that I always felt pushed people one way or the other. You can’t have favourites. You’ve got to be honest and equal with everybody. So I learned from that, and so by the time I took over I think I had a pretty good knowledge of what captains were like and what they could and what they couldn’t do.Kumar Sangakkara: I think you have to enjoy the leadership, because there are a lot of things about it that you don’t enjoy. The one thing that keeps you going and keeps you fresh and keeps you happy is your team performing well on the field. Then you know that whatever happens outside with the petty politics and erratic administration, we are doing our job properly. It becomes a nudge, a little push for us to get better at what we do because then we’re stronger than anything else. The most important thing is to set an example for the younger players.You have to depend on one thing and that is your ability to perform every single day out on the field. And the more you perform, the more respect you gain. People who don’t like you will not like you and people who try to manipulate you will still try to manipulate you. But if you commit to the team and the team stays strong, no outside influence can touch you. You can’t say this is the same everywhere; it’s just unique to Sri Lanka.

“I didn’t need psychiatrists and trick cyclists and all these people. If I’d seen a batsman play once I knew where to put a field to him”Ray Illingworth

There’s always the case of the artist educating the critic and that’s always been one thing I’ve believed in no matter what anyone says. It’s all up to you at the end and you can make people change opinions. You don’t have to care about them, but I think it’s important to know that there’s a lot you can do, and when you do things people change, attitudes and opinions change. So continue doing things that you know educate the critics.Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi: Captaining India is not very easy. Captaining any team is not easy, but India is particularly difficult – different backgrounds, different languages, different food habits, all those different cultures. I think the best thing to do was to remain as fair as you could to ensure that people never felt that you were being in any way biased or unfair, or you were selecting on a personal basis or something of the like. And, of course, you had to be pretty strong on your strategy and tactics. I think you have to understand the game and they [the players] have to realise, and they did realise, that this chap understands.India had just achieved independence and we were lacking a certain amount in confidence, especially against the white [teams]. I think my first job was to ensure that this lack of confidence, this kind of complex, was dissolved pretty quickly. You have to study, you have to read, and you have to look at your mistakes. You have to read about other situations, how people reacted, how the captains thought. Instinct to me is a mixture of experience and common sense.Clive Lloyd: You have to work with all the ingredients – different islands, different backgrounds, different religions and all speaking differently, thinking differently. We had Hindus, we had Muslims, we had black, we had Portuguese, we had a combination of races. That’s why I always had a Barbadian with a Trinidadian and a Jamaican with a Guyanese and the like. That’s the way you get to understand one another. Michael Holding [Jamaica] and Andy Roberts [Antigua] roomed together during their careers because they got on so well you wouldn’t want to break up that partnership.Really and truly it was so many things you had to get right. You had to say to the guys: we have to dress properly, have to behave in a certain manner and respect not only our teammates but the people that are backing us. You have to respect the crowds and you have to sign an autograph. We were in a privileged position. As a cricketer you get everything done for you – you travel club class and you had good salaries, your food is paid for, your laundry is paid for, so you have to put something back and not only into cricket but to those less fortunate.West Indians everywhere were proud that this small “nation” for 20 years was the best team in the world and nobody could touch them. People were proud of us because we were not snobbish, we would sign autographs we would do anything to please people. We were happy, they were happy, the Caribbean was happy. Cricket is a very important part of our structure and we need to bring that back. We need to get people together and thinking as one. You know Guyana has got the right motto: “One people, one nation, one destiny.” That’s what the West Indies should be. If it’s possible we should have one flag, one anthem and a motto for all. We are one although we are spread round and we play as one. I learnt from the mistakes we made in the past so it was important for me to pass that on. That is what we need to do with our young players. If you don’t know where you come from you don’t know where you’re going. You must respect what other people have done.Kumar Sangakkara: “It’s all up to you at the end and you can make people change opinions”•ICC/GettyMS Dhoni: I try to be honest – that’s the one thing I’m very particular about. I try to be fair in whatever decision I take, and no human emotions should come and affect that feeling. I try to keep things simple and do things that are in the best interests of the team and get the players together in the right attitude. And it’s tough at times. So I’m the captain who has to realise what are the problems in a particular game and generalise the solutions. I just generalise it for the best interests of the team, and I’ve been blessed with a very good side. All of them put in a lot of effort, you know. It’s not always the result that’s important. I think that way I’m very blessed. As captain, I think Test cricket is slightly tougher compared to the other two formats, the reason being the time span. I always felt Test cricket is something that’s a bit tough to captain, especially outside India.Steve Waugh: I had the luxury and freedom of developing my own game before I became captain, and that’s a big positive for any captain. You know, I felt a little bit for people like Graeme Smith and Stephen Fleming, who got thrown the captaincy at a young age.I think it’s almost impossible to captain a cricket team at a young age because, one, you don’t know yourself, two, you don’t know your game, and three, it’s hard to man-manage 15 people, because the captain’s role was basically that in those days. It’s changed a bit now but you really have to manage a whole lot of different personalities and egos and if you are not experienced in life situations it’s a tough job. I think I was really well prepared to take it on.I’m an observer of a lot of stuff. Although I don’t study people intensely, I observe. I learned what does work and how to manage players and expectations. And I learnt most of this from losing. Actually, I don’t think you learn a lot from winning. I learnt the tough facts about being an international cricketer and what it takes to be a good cricketer and a good team from losing. It’s almost a checklist of what not to do. And then, when you are winning, you get the feel or vibe of what you are doing well and try and remember it.Ultimately I had to captain my way and that’s something that took a little bit of time. I think I was captaining by consensus and trying to please everyone because I’d been one of the boys for 14 or 15 years. It’s a big change, you know, from mucking around and pulling pranks and being on the social committees to all of a sudden being captain. The role has changed a lot so it took me a little while to get used to the change.I like to empower people, to give them opportunities. I think I listen and I like to observe. It’s all about putting people in positions they’re probably not accustomed to. I would like to think that by challenging them and putting them in different situations, I made people believe they could do things they didn’t even think possible themselves – treating people equally but differently. You know there’s non-negotiables, like being on time and wearing the right uniform, but then trying to push the buttons to make them the best cricketers and, I guess, the best people they can possibly be. Some people were very low maintenance and some people were high maintenance. Other people you had to give confidence to in the media. It was about pushing the right buttons. I think a leader is about listening and observing.I was more the one-on-one stuff away from the game. I was never big on the big speeches before the game. I felt players were there because they were good players and didn’t need too much talking to at that level. It might be just a couple of words here or there. So it was about backing people and always being positive and having that goal or the team vision. You had to give people with individual flair opportunities but at the end of the day we had to try and achieve something as a team.Richie Benaud: When you go through all the captains, the successful ones have been lucky. I’m not saying luck outweighed it but once, when asked about prerequisites for an outstanding Test captain, I said: It’s 90 per cent luck and 10 per cent skill. Just make sure you’ve got the 10 per cent or you might as well go home.

“It’s 90 per cent luck and 10 per cent skill. Just make sure you’ve got the 10 per cent or you might as well go home”Richie Benaud

Ian Chappell: If I was asking for their loyalty as a captain I thought it was only fair I should return it in the same vein. I think it’s part of what our players want out of a captain. You’ve got to earn their respect. I think that’s probably, if not the most important, it is one of the two most important characteristics. The other thing they want from you is honesty. If I’m asking them to bust a boiler on the field they expect me to be busting one for them.I’m not sure when I came up with the quote but I did say that once you’re their captain you’re their captain for all time. I’ve always felt that. If there is a cricketer in trouble, particularly one that I respect, I’ll try and do something to help. And they don’t have to have played under me. But, you know, it’s a bit more so if you’ve captained them. All of those guys did something to enhance my record as a captain, so why am I just going to brush them [off] if they’re in trouble? When I was captain of Australia there was no players’ association, so there was no one there to fight the fight for the players. I always thought if they give me 100 per cent out on the field then I’ve got to return the compliment off the field.Mark Taylor: Probably during the early ’90s I was always thinking about who I’d bowl, where I would put a fieldsman. I think every player should think like that, to be totally honest, and not enough do. I don’t think I ever aspired to be a leader and I was a little bit surprised when I got a phone call in 1992 before the Sri Lankan tour to take over from Geoff Marsh, who was vice-captain. I don’t think I ever thought it was going to happen but I wasn’t shocked either, because I thought I had something to offer as a leader, because a: I didn’t bowl, b: I was an opening batsman, and c: I fielded at slip, which I think is a great place to watch the game.As vice-captain to Allan Border on the 1993 Ashes tour I got to captain a few games and do things the way I thought was right. AB left me to do my own thing and that was, in hindsight, very generous of him because that’s what should happen. I think if a guy takes over he should be left to his own devices. If he needs help a captain should be prepared to ask for help, but [he should] be left to captain the side the way he feels is right. The only real piece of advice I ever got from AB was to captain my way. So taking over from AB was not daunting because he had given me a side that was playing well. We weren’t considered the best in the world but we were close. I was lucky to take over then but I was also very mindful not to captain as AB would do it. I wanted to have my own way of doing things and went about doing it the way I thought I wanted to captain the side. I think my philosophy of captaining certainly developed.All of a sudden I was asked how I was going to take the team forward and what my philosophy was and I didn’t really have anything planned. I remember saying that the team were not going to be pussycats under my captaincy and that was the headline the next day. So I learnt to captain the side by the old “school of hard knocks”, and you said what you thought but with certain reservations. Obviously you worked out very quickly that if you said something that was slightly controversial you could bet it would end up in the news the next day.There is a difference between being a captain and a leader. I think every person who plays in the Australian cricket side should be a leader because you’ve been picked from various states or provinces into a representative cricket team. So, really, you are a leader – you’re a leader of your own country from that point of view. Captaincy is different because all of a sudden you become the leader of the leaders and I think that’s an interesting way to look at it when you take over the captaincy.You are not necessarily going to know everything about the game, because the other 11 guys around you also know a lot about cricket. So I think it’s important that you tap into them, make sure you work with them, because they’re going to be very helpful to you. But also be prepared to make a decision which doesn’t always make them feel happy or make them all agree with you. That’s what captaincy is all about – finding a way of working with those other leaders in your team for the good of the game. And that may not be in the best interests of all the players who are around you. And the more you keep the game simple the better you’ll be.Allen and UnwinAllan Border: Initially I was reluctant. I wasn’t sure that I was the right bloke, whether I wanted to do it. I was quite happy being one of the boys, so that affected captaincy and leadership.I think captaincy on the field is pretty routine. Marshalling the troops out on the field is one thing. It’s more what goes on behind the scenes that’s probably more important. And to be honest, initially I wasn’t very good in that area.When a philosophy starts to develop you realise you have to take this role a bit more front-on. You’ve got to be a bit more of a leader behind the scenes. Then I did start to think it was about creating an atmosphere – an atmosphere where people could play at their best. I tried to promote that environment where players were happy and enjoying themselves. Obviously disciplines are important, because you can’t let certain little things develop that are not for the team. So philosophies did, I think, develop over time.That was my situation. I got better as I evolved as a captain over a 10-year period. I don’t think you’ve got those luxuries in the modern world. I think you’ve got to get into the job and, boom, develop your own style straight away. I think I was given a three- or four-year ride initially to work into becoming a better leader.The Captain Grumpy tag? Oh, look, I think it was justified in the difficult times in the first three or four years as captain. I’m a very hard marker of myself, my own performance, and that sort of spills over into team performance. I just don’t like failure, particularly if you feel you haven’t given it your best. I just felt that was the situation at that period and I could have been doing better. I was probably aware that I wasn’t being the captain and leader I should have been, and that our performances both personally and collectively weren’t up to scratch. So that came out, I suppose, when you have to front the media and some of the questioning is difficult at times. I think I had a pretty good relationship with the cricketing media but sometimes the external media was more difficult. But generally I think I was pretty fairly treated. This is an edited extract from by Mike Coward, published by Allen & Unwin, A$29.99, available now

Mignon du Preez’s excellent half-century led Hobart Hurricanes to the biggest chase of the season

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff27-Oct-2021Defending WBBL champions Sydney Thunder remain winless from five outings after succumbing to the Melbourne Renegades.Not even a classy 64 from Indian star Smriti Mandhana could help the Thunder secure a breakthrough victory in Launceston on Wednesday. Once Mandhana was bowled by her international teammate Harmanpreet Kaur in the 16th over, the Thunder’s hopes of reeling in the Renegades’ 5 for 142 were dead and buried.Thunder were adamant about not panicking after Tuesday’s defeat to the Melbourne Stars, but with just one point – coming from a washed-out game – their title defence is officially in tatters. Their task was always going to be hard without captain Rachael Haynes, who is on parental leave and was also battling injury during Australia’s recent multi-format series against India. It has proved to be a baptism of fire for teenage star Hannah Darlington as stand-in skipper.But Renegades’ title chances continue to look rosy with Kaur and fellow Indian star Jemimah Rodrigues now coming into their own. Rodrigues set the tone for the Renegades’ third win of the tournament, compiling an unbeaten 75 in a player of the match performance. She put on a 84-run opening stand with Josephine Dooley (37), which immediately put pressure on the Thunder in the field. Renegades’ Courtney Webb was the only player to take multiple wickets, and had an unsuccessful attempt at a hat-trick on the last ball of the game.Mignon du Preez was the start of Hobart Hurricanes’ chase•Getty ImagesA powerful innings from former South Africa captain Mignon du Preez helped Hobart Hurricanes to an unlikely four-wicket victory over the Melbourne Stars.The Hurricanes got off to a slow start in pursuit of the Stars’ 4 for 144, but du Preez was a force to be reckoned with as she clubbed 62 from 45 balls in a knock that included three sixes. Australian star Nicola Carey (24) and Indian international Richa Ghosh (24 not out) also chipped in with crucial knocks to see the Hurricanes home with four balls to spare. It was the highest successful chase of the season so far and lifted Hurricanes up to fourth.Irish allrounder Kim Garth, who bowled three consecutive maidens in her previous match, continued her hot form for Stars, top-scoring with an unbeaten 44 and knocking over Ruth Johnston for a duck in the first over. Garth and Maia Bouchier added 83 for the fourth wicket after Stars had lost 3 for 9 in two overs against Tayla Vlaeminck who picked up all three, with both Meg Lanning and Elyse Villani chopping on.

MatériaMais Notícias

da realsbet： Eduardo Freeland está de saída do Botafogo. O executivo aceitou uma proposta para ser diretor de futebol do Bahia e assumirá a função no Tricolor de Aço rumo à reconstrução da equipe na Série B do Brasileirão. A notícia foi publicada primeiramente por Paulo Vinícius Coelho e confirmada pelo LANCE!.

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Será a segunda mudança significativa na carreira de Freeland em poucos meses. O profissional, então diretor de futebol do Botafogo, havia aceitado se tornar o líder das categorias de base do Glorioso com a chegada de John Textor.

Freeland, inclusive, chegou a ir para Londres com a intenção de conhecer o CT do Crystal Palace, outro clube que Textor possui ações, com a intenção de buscar inspirações para o Botafogo em estrutura e filosofia de jogo. Em entrevista ao LANCE!durante a chegada, o executivo havia afirmado que estava animado com o trabalho.

O executivo ainda está no Rio de Janeiro, mas já aceitou a proposta do Bahia e se apresenta ao Tricolor de Aço nos próximos dias. A missão será recolocar o Tricolor na elite do Campeonato Brasileiro.

ESPNcricinfo previews the 2012 season for teams in Division Two of the County Championship

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Apr-2012

Derbyshire

Captain Wayne Madsen
Coach Karl Krikken
In David Wainwright (Yorks), Peter Burgoyne, Matt Lineker
Out Greg Smith (Essex), Luke Sutton (retired), Steffan Jones (retired)
Overseas players Martin Guptill (Apr-June), Usman Khawaja (June-Sep), Rana Naved-ul-Hasan (T20)
Last year 5th in CC Div 2; 7th in FLt20 North Group; 3rd in CB40 Group A
Prospects
You have to hand it to Derbyshire, their stability repeatedly ridicules those who think that a pared-down county game would be better off without them. Their finances are stable, The County Ground is much improved – weddings are doing a roaring trade – and they produce England players at age-group level. But it is hard to see a squad now led by the South Africa-born opening batsman Wayne Madsen achieving much more than an occasional day to remember, especially if they overly commit to young players to bring in extra age-based incentives from the ECB. Former director of cricket David Houghton has returned to the county as a specialist batting coach.
One to watch
David Wainwright’s departure from Yorkshire disappointed many White Rose supporters. He was respected as a plucky cricketer, a lower-order batsman organised enough to make championship hundreds, a left-arm spinner – Yorkshire’s history makes that instantly respected – and a decent thinker on the game. But Wainwright’s slow left-arm faltered and chances for betterment were rare. Derbyshire is a good move for him; it would be no surprise to find him county captain one day.
Switchboard01332 388101
Website www.derbyshireccc.com
David Hopps

Essex

Captain James Foster
Coach Paul Grayson
In Greg Smith (Derby), Charl Willoughby (Somerset), Ben Foakes
Out Chris Wright (Warwickshire), Max Osborne (released)
Overseas Alviro Peterson (until June), Peter Siddle (T20)
Last year 7th in CC Div 2; 6th in FLt20 South Group; 3rd in CB40 Group C
Prospects
Following an underwhelming 2011 on all fronts, and revelations during the trial of Mervyn Westfield that damaged the county’s image off the field, Essex need to retrench. The bowling, led by the Championship’s leading wicket-taker last year, David Masters, and supplemented by South African veteran Charl Willoughby, looks strong but a couple of the promising young batsmen in the squad need to fructify – nobody reached 1,000 runs in 2011 (wicketkeeper-captain Foster topped the list with 931) and Essex’s haul of 29 batting points was the second worst in the country. With T20 central to their finances, winning the competition for the first time must be an ambition.
One to watch
Fast bowler Tymal Mills is raw, having only taken up the game in his mid-teens, but showed enough talent after making his senior debut last summer to be drafted on to England’s Performance Programme and tour with the Lions. The 19-year-old is only likely to get quicker as he builds up his body strength and Essex fans may glimpse a potent future new-ball partnership in the making should he share the attack with fellow tyro Reece Topley.
Switchboard 01245 252420
Website www.essexcricket.org.uk
Alan Gardner

Gloucestershire

Captain Alex Gidman
Coach John Bracewell
In Dan Housego (Middlesex), Paul Muchall
Out Jon Lewis (Surrey), Chris Taylor (released), Vikram Banerjee (released)
Overseas players Kane Williamson (April-June) Muttiah Muralitharan (T20)
Last year 4th in CC Div 2; 8th in FLt20 South Group; 6th in CB40 Group C
Prospects
Gloucestershire may have punched above their weight in the Championship over the past three seasons, with their one-day form – which is miserable – perhaps a truer reflection of their squad. Doomsayers will also point to the loss of stalwart seamer Jon Lewis to Surrey and the release of batsman Chris Taylor as evidence that the wooden spoon is back on the radar. But they have a young batting line up – led by the very capable Chris Dent – who now have a couple of seasons under their belts. If they can find runs, there is still plenty of bowling to win enough matches and mount another promotion challenge.
One to watch
The county’s batting has struggled for some years and the departure of Taylor makes their line-up look even more fragile. Housego is a promising player who actually began his career at the academy in Bristol. At 23 he could be ready to come of age as a consistent run-getter after a prolific 2nd XI season last year for Middlesex where he was the topscorer. His new employers will certainly need runs from him for the club to find success.
Switchboard 0117 9108000
Website www.gloscricket.co.uk
Alex WinterLeicestershire will attempt to defend their FLt20 crown•Getty Images

Hampshire

Captain Jimmy Adams
Coach Giles White
Overseas players Simon Katich, Shahid Afridi (T20)
In
Out Dominic Cork (retired), Nic Pothas (released), Johan Myburgh (released), Friedel de Wet (released), Michael Lumb (Nottinghamshire), Simon Jones (Glamorgan), Jamie Miller (released), Benny Howell (retired)
Last year: 9th in CC Div 1 (relegated); FLt20 semi-finalists; 4th in CB40 Group B
One to watch
Michael Carberry missed half of last season due to a series illness which, for a time, threatened his career but returned to play eight Championship matches and averaged 56.64, including an unbeaten triple hundred. Carberry had a brief taste of Test cricket in Bangladesh and was in the Lions squad when illness struck. Opener is one area where England do not have a clearly defined reserve and though not part of the current set-up Carberry can put his name back in contention.
Prospects
They paid the price for a horrid start to last year’s Championship campaign, which left them too much ground to make up. And they may not be able to bounce straight back. The bowling looks a little thin, a fit Kabir Ali is vital and Danny Briggs needs to bring his 2011 average of 36 down into the high 20s. The batting has plenty to offer, though, and should be able to post decent totals particularly now the Tiflex ball has been ditched. They should be a force in T20 with Shahid Afridi in the line up and it’s a format where Briggs excels.
Switchboard 023 8047 2002
Website www.ageasbowl.com
Andrew McGlashan

Kent

Captain Rob Key
Coach Jimmy Adams
In Charlie Shreck (Nottinghamshire), Michael Powell (Glamorgan), Ben Harmison (Durham), Scott Newman (Middlesex, loan), Mark Davies (Durham), Ivan Thomas, Fabian Cowdrey, Benedict Kemp
Out Joe Denly (Middlesex), Martin van Jaarsveld (retired), James Goodman (released), Robbie Joseph (Leicestershire)
Overseas Brendan Nash
Last year 8th in CC Div 2; FLt20 quarter-finalists; 4th in CB40 Group A
Prospects
There have been significant changes to the squad which finished second-bottom in 2011, with leading runscorer Joe Denly departing for Middlesex and Martin van Jaarsveld’s retirement. Rob Key remains, though, and Kent have replenished the squad with several financially shrewd signings; Charlie Shreck and Mark Davies could well have fun after dropping down a division, provided they stay fit. Daniel Bell-Drummond, who topped the batting averages in England Under-19s’ winter tour of Bangladesh, is Denly’s likely successor at the top of the order and, in a dogfight division, they could cause a surprise. Any team that can call on Azhar Mahmood is likely to be competitive in one-day cricket.
One to watch
Adams, the first West Indian to coach in county cricket, replaces Paul Farbrace with a remit to get Canterbury tails wagging once again. The former West Indies batsman knows he must make changes to turn around the fortunes of one England’s grand old counties and his fresh perspective may be just what Kent need. After working with West Indies Under-19s and a spell as Jamaica’s Technical Director, this is Adams first major coaching role – he won’t be short of challenges.
Switchboard 01227 456 886
Website www.kentcricket.co.uk
Alan Gardner

Leicestershire

Coach Phil Whitticase
Captain Matthew Hoggard
In Robbie Joseph (Kent), Rob Taylor
Out Paul Nixon (retired), James Taylor (Nottinghamshire), Harry Gurney (Nottinghamshire), Tom New (released)
Overseas Ramnaresh Sarwan, Abdul Razzaq (T20)
Last year 9th in CC Div 2; FLt20 winners; 6th in CB40 Group B
Prospects
It was all or nothing for Leicestershire last year and this season could be more of the same. Improving on 18th in the country in the Championship might seem a modest target but without James Taylor’s runs, much will be required of Ramnaresh Sarwan, who averaged just 31.57 during his previous spell in county cricket with Gloucestershire. The club’s financial position has improved significantly, though chief executive Mike Siddall has warned they can’t expect the windfall that came from winning the FLt20 again. No county has won England’s domestic T20 competition two years running but Abdul Razzaq’s return will boost Leicestershire’s chances of a defence.
One to watch
Nathan Buck suffered a difficult season in 2011 – after bursting on to the circuit with 49 Championship wickets the year before – but he was quietly effective for the Lions over the winter, taking 10 wickets at less than 20 apiece in 50-over cricket on slow, subcontinental pitches. With Matthew Hoggard to tutor him in the subtleties of right-arm swing, the 20-year-old could soon swell England’s plentiful pace bowling options even further.
Switchboard 0871 282 1879
Website www.leicestershireccc.co.uk
Alan Gardner

Northamptonshire

Captain Andrew Hall
Coach David Capel
Overseas players Chaminda Vaas, Cameron White (T20)
In Kyle Coetzer (Durham), Con de Lange
Out David Lucas (Worcestershire), Mal Loye (released), Tom Brett (released), Gavin Baker (released)
Last year 3rd in CC Div 2; 9th in FPt20 North Group; 3rd in CB40 Group B
Prospects
Bearing in mind how dramatically Northants snatched failure from the jaws of success last season, it would be a brave or foolish fellow who made too bold a prediction regarding their fortunes this year. Going into the T20 campaign, they stood top of the Division Two table and were unbeaten in the CB40. Indeed, in mid-June, they had won their first five CB40 games and five of their eight Championship matches. For some reason – maybe weariness, maybe a lack of unity, maybe injury – they won only one of their next seven Championship matches and one of their final seven CB40 games. They eventually missed out on promotion by a couple of points. Anything can happen this year, but achieving promotion will not be any easier. They may have blown their best chance.
One to watch
Jack Brooks had his pick of counties towards the end of last season. On the way to claiming 43 first-class wickets at 21.90, the 27-year-old seamer attracted the attention of several Test-hosting clubs, including Yorkshire and Warwickshire, but chose to remain with the club that gave him his opportunity having plucked him from minor counties cricket. He made a fine impression over the winter as part of the England Performance Programme and could, given some luck and another fine season, start to challenge for an international place.
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Website www.northantscricket.com
George DobellYorkshire hope to have Ajmal Shahzad fit and firing for their promotion campaign•PA Photos

Yorkshire

Captain Andrew Gale
Coach Jason Gillespie
In Alex Lees, James Wainman, Callum Geldart, Alex Lilley, Dan Hodgson
Out David Wainwright (Derbyshire), Ben Sanderson (released), Lee Hodgson (released)
Overseas players Phil Jacques (applying for UK status)
Last year 8th in CC Div 1 (relegated); 6th in FLt20 North Group; 6th in CB40 Group A
Prospects
Jason Gillespie has already brought a new sense of optimism and purpose to a young Yorkshire squad still stung by an unexpected relegation from Division One of the Championship. A coaching clear-out was long overdue and with Martyn Moxon, the director of cricket, shifting his emphasis to a broader role, Gillespie will be left to plot the immediate promotion that is expected. Yorkshire have already won a pre-season tournament in Barbados, collecting an unusual trophy, depicting a fish out of water, that might have been designed to encapsulate their troubles last summer. Improvement in one-day cricket is overdue.
One to watch
Ajmal Shahzad had a dispiriting 2011. He was troubled for much of the season with a damaged ankle that required surgery in October and lost much of his bowling threat as a result. He is one of county cricket’s biggest triers so to be regarded one of those condemned for “unacceptable” performances by his chairman, Colin Graves, as Yorkshire were relegated, cut deep. A fit and firing Shahzad would go a long way to strengthening Yorkshire’s seam-bowling resources.
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Website www.yorkshireccc.com
David Hopps

Antony's agent has revealed that the Brazilian held talks with Liverpool before his ill-fated move to Manchester United.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Liverpool wanted Antony before Man Utd moveAntony's agent Pedroso confirms the rumoursDeal with Liverpool fell through after Salah renewalFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

Antony was a major up-and-coming star at Ajax under Erik ten Hag and had several clubs keeping tabs on his situation. The Dutch coach then moved to Manchester United in the summer of 2022 and made signing the Brazilian his number-one priority as the Red Devils then snapped the winger up for a fee of £85m ($110m) a few months later.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Reports from earlier this month have suggested that former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was very interested in bringing Antony to Anfield as a potential replacement for Mohamed Salah, whose future at the club was under question at the time. Antony's agent Junior Pedroso has now revealed that the reports are true as he discussed why the deal fell through between the Reds and his agent.

WHAT PEDROSO SAID

Speaking to winwin.com, Pedroso said: "Yes, this story has a basis in truth."

When asked if the negotiations ended because Antony preferred Manchester United, he said: "No (negotiations stopped as), Salah renewed his contract at the time with Liverpool, and that made Antony's move to Liverpool impossible."

WHAT NEXT FOR ANTONY?

The Brazilian's move to Manchester United did not work out in the end for either party and a separation next summer seems highly likely with Antony unlikely to be a choice for new boss Ruben Amorim, who will look to refresh the squad over the next few months.

Dom Bess fifty could prove priceless as visitors dominate at the Ageas Bowl

ECB Reporters' Network31-Aug-2021

Yorkshire 243 (Bess 54, Abbott 3-47, Wheal 3-47) and 34 for 1 (Kohler-Cadmore 16*, Hill 10*, Wheal 1-16) lead Hampshire 163 (Vince 49, Coad 3-29, Thompson 3-35) by 114 runsYorkshire’s bowlers put their side in full control of the LV = County Championship clash against Hampshire on a day of White Rose dominance at the Ageas Bowl.Victory for either team would greatly enhance a push to be in the title mix, but it was the visitors who seized the initiative as Hampshire were bowled out for 163 having earlier dismissed the visitors for 243 before lunch.Yorkshire closed the day on 34 for 1 in their second innings – an imposing-looking lead of 114 – despite losing Adam Lyth for seven before the close.The visitors added 46 to their overnight total of 197 for 6, missing out on a second batting point by just seven runs, as Mason Crane mopped up the tail.Dom Bess top scored with a potentially priceless 54 before playing on to Keith Barker after Jordan Thompson had departed to the second ball of the morning from Brad Wheal.Crane then trapped Matthew Fisher and Ben Coad lbw to wrap up the innings and leave Hampshire’s batsmen with a tricky 35 minutes to negotiate before lunch.It was a task they failed miserably as the fired-up Yorkshire bowlers ripped through the top order with Ian Holland falling for a first-ball duck to Coad before Joe Weatherley edged Fisher behind to leave Hampshire reeling at 1 for 2.Nick Gubbins looked in decent touch as he unfurled three boundaries only for Coad to find the edge of his bat and Harry Brook pouched the catch at slip as Hampshire limped to lunch on 29 for 3.When play restarted the murky skies that had enveloped the ground since day one lifted as sun briefly broke through the clouds to create the best batting conditions of the match.In an encounter where run-scoring has been at a premium, James Vince showed his class with two boundaries from the first two balls he faced to raise hopes of a Hampshire rebuild.Yorkshire were convinced they had their man on 35 when Vince was struck on the pad by opposite skipper Steve Patterson with a ball that looked destined for middle and off-stumps. But umpire Nigel Llong kept his finger down, much to the dismay of the fielders, who then saw the elegant right-hander crunch the ball to the boundary two deliveries later.Yorkshire finally got the vital breakthrough when Vince, who had played a relatively risk-free innings, changed tack when on 49 only for his attempt to lift a short ball from Fisher over the rope finding the hands of George Hill.Vince’s exit sparked a collapse of 6 for 37 as Tom Alsop, who soaked up 96 balls for 12 runs, saw his torturous vigil ended by a peach of a delivery from Bess that clipped his off-stump.The impressive Thompson picked up the wickets of Liam Dawson, Barker and Crane either side of tea with Bess grabbing his second victim when Lewis McManus was smartly caught off his boot by Harry Duke.Wheal and Kyle Abbott added some valuable runs in a last-wicket stand of 40 before Coad wrapped up the innings to finish with 3 for 29.

They used one of their three trump cards and had almost everything with their four experienced batters go right for them

Sidharth Monga24-Jun-20254:09

Gambhir: We had opportunities on all five days

India’s big guns have all fired. Rishabh Pant has scored two creative centuries, the openers have each hit a classy one in each innings, the captain has notched up a regal one, their gun bowler has exhausted one of the three Tests he is going to play and has delivered a five-for. And yet they are down 1-0. They have lost the unlosable Test.Let’s get the obvious out of the way. Their last four aggregated nine runs in both innings put together, becoming parts of collapses of 7 for 41 and 6 for 31 in pretty flat conditions. They dropped more catches than any team in a Test in England in the last 20 years. Their third and fourth fast bowlers provided them neither control nor penetration. They could have batted England out on the second day; they didn’t. They could have secured a huge lead had they held their catches; they didn’t. They could have batted England out again on the fourth day; they didn’t.It was a proper baptism by fire for captain Shubman Gill, having to lead a transitioning bowling unit on one of the more idiosyncratic grounds of the world against a side that might not have the quality of some of India’s recent opponents but are intimidating frontrunners. A new slips cordon had to come to terms with fielding about a foot or two below the pitch level, bowlers needed to quickly adjust to running in up and down the slope, and their mistakes with the bat forced them to defend more than they could attack on a notoriously difficult-to-defend ground with pitches running all the way to the boundary. He also has to deal with his lead bowler playing only three Tests.Related

• How creeping Crawley has become Bazball's straight man

• Ben Duckett on the road to joining the best

• Gambhir calls for patience as Bumrah's blunting leaves attack exposed

• Duckett lays the foundation as England hunt down 371

• Gill rues missed chances: 'We were looking at a target of around 435'

However, Gill will need to lay down the law here. It wasn’t long ago that the India tail used to dig in and fight for whatever runs they could claw out. On their last trip to England, India got the lead because of the runs the lower order scored. It’s not that Nos. 8 to 11 aggregated only nine runs in two innings. Dismissals can happen. Even to specialist batters. It was more the nature of the dismissals. They batted like millionaires without getting a feel for the conditions despite having a proper batter at the other end. They played Shardul Thakur precisely to provide them batting depth, but he was out playing expansive drives eighth ball and 12th balls.Gill just needs to imagine what would have happened if the tail had displayed such a casual attitude when Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma was captain. Once, leave alone twice, in the same match. Gill will soon learn it is nice to have a great atmosphere and respect in the dressing room, but there needs to be some fear of the leaders as well.The lower-order flop is not the only reason why India lost the unlosable Test but it was a symptom of general drops in intensity that a captain needs to watch out against. Test cricket is more about playing good cricket for longer periods of time than flashes of brilliance. This is why an attack of four good fast bowlers is better than one world-beater, one good bowler and two bowling ordinarily. You need fitness, intensity, and ruthlessness to be up six hours a day, each day for five days, or however long it takes.3:26

Harmison: Not sure India believed they could get Duckett out

On the final day, when finally none of the big guns fired, India didn’t seem to have a plan on how to put together a consistent set of overs. Jasprit Bumrah should be allowed to have a day on which he is not bowling an unplayable delivery every over. The bowling choices need to be made based not just on numbers that day. Mohammed Siraj, the best bowler on display on the final day, wasn’t bowled from overs 42 to 80, a period of not just 39 overs but also two rain breaks. Ravindra Jadeja took a little too long to shift his line wider, into the rough, to challenge Ben Duckett’s reverse-sweeps. At one point Ben Duckett punched Jadeja towards mid-off, and he looked up to see there wasn’t one. Not short, not wide, not deep. Just no mid-off at all.In a Test that you make only one or two such mistakes, they can have only a trivial impact on the eventual outcome, but all these things add up.This was also collectively India’s worst fielding performance in a long time. Thakur misfielded because he slipped, but took forever to get back up and retrieve the ball. As Rishabh Pant could be heard saying on the stumps mic, “It is okay to misfield, but you need to recover.” It should have come from Gill. If you zoomed-out a little and looked at the whole field as events unfolded during the final day, it was hard to tell if Gill was in charge. At various times, Pant and KL Rahul set the fields and talked to the bowlers.1:59

Why were Indian seamers ineffective on day 5?

The most important job for Gill and Gautam Gambhir will be to lift the team after they have lost a Test in which they used one of the three trump cards given to them and had almost everything with their four experienced batters go right for them. As has been said in this space before, Gill’s real test will be if he plays Thakur as the bowling allrounder and it doesn’t work out. The ideal response will be to double down on the need to take 20 wickets and bring in a proper bowler – possibly Kuldeep Yadav – but their collapses have given them every reason to be conservative.A captaincy debut which started like a dream for Gill has ended up being a nightmare. This was only his sixth first-class match as captain. He needs to be cut some slack, but this is a job that comes with a lot of prestige and also responsibility. He has no option but to learn quickly on the job. There is no magic potion that can maintain the love and care but still instil fear and accountability.This is not to say the players are not hurting for this loss. They are hurting more than anyone on the outside can. They will all have to dust themselves off and do the good things again but also make sure their intensity doesn’t drop. The England bowling attack can be taken down. They just need their bowlers to be in the good areas more often than at Headingley, and then be switched on in the field.If there is any consolation, it has been done before. Kohli’s first Test as captain is remembered for his brilliant twin hundreds, but even that game featured ordinary selections and lower-order disasters. In his first series as the full-time captain, Kohli lost what seemed like the unlosable Test in Galle to start off with. You can quibble with other things, but it is hard to remember drops in intensity in the side after that.

While this camp features stars that made up the Olympic team, the U.S. coach will also look to younger players to break through

As fun as this summer was, the calendars have now turned to fall. And with fall comes fresh beginnings, particularly for the U.S. women's national team. It was mission accomplished with a gold-medal performance at the Summer Olympics, and it all gets going again this week, when Emma Hayes' squad takes on Iceland in a pair of friendlies.

They're the first games since the USWNT won gold, the first chance to turn the page. Hayes, in particular, has been vocal about the new challenges. She's looking forward to them.

"The Olympics form a great basis and they're a great foundation for us," Hayes said, "but it's not a future predictor for success."

Hayes has to adjust the player pool by introducing a new generation over the next three years. She has to figure out which veterans have staying power and which are transitional. She has to take this chance to build the team in her image after speeding through her first summer.

And that leads us back to this camp, the first glimpse into how Hayes will build this team toward the 2027 World Cup. The USWNT play Iceland Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in Austin, Texas, and then again Sunday at 5:30 p.m. in Nashville. What to expect from the USWNT in these two games, with a third against Argentina to follow? GOAL takes a look.

Getty Images SportMeet the newcomers

There are plenty of familiar faces in this camp – 18 of them, to be precise, all returning from the Olympics. A few more have caps, too.

There are six uncapped players in the squad, though, and, based on Hayes pre-camp comments, there are some debuts coming.

Hal Hershfelt and Emily Sams are back with the team after serving as Olympic alternates this summer. Sams actually is the subject of a wild trivia fact: she won an Olympic gold medal before earning her first cap, having sat on the bench twice in France this past summer. Hershfelt, meanwhile, has been a breakout star after being drafted by the Washington Spirit earlier this year.

Eva Gaetino of PSG is back in camp, having been involved at the SheBelieves Cup despite not earning a cap. Louisville City rookie Emma Sears is in as a NWSL breakout star, despite going with the last pick in the second round of this year's draft. Alyssa Malonson earns her first call-up in her third NWSL season with Bay FC, while Yazmeen Ryan, also a four-year NWSL veteran, has arrived with four goals and four assists for Gotham FC.

What will Hayes make of the newcomers? How many minutes will each get, and how will that experience set them up for USWNT futures? While this camp obviously features the stars that made up the Olympic team, there are plenty of reasons to keep an eye on players that could break through.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMoultrie and Thompson's big chance

Olivia Moultrie and Alyssa Thompson aren't newcomers. Thompson already has a World Cup under her belt, while Moultrie has been a professional for four full seasons. Because of those facts, it's easy to forget that they're both still teenagers.

Both are immensely talented and both could be legitimate stars for this team in the years to come. The teens have had brief runs with this USWNT group, but, over the next three years, they'll slowly put their own stamp on things.

Thompson, of course, did a bit of that in the run up to the 2023 World Cup but, with the return of Mallory Swanson, was squeezed out of the attack. The Angel City star will have more chances, though. She's too talented not to.

Same for Moultrie, who has scored twice in her four USWNT appearances. The Portland Thorns starlet has gone from history-maker to legitimate pro, and soon will be a legitimate USWNT midfielder.

Because of their youth, this could take some time, especially considering the veterans they're up against in their respective positions. It will certainly be a process, one that will really begin under Hayes' tutelage this month.

AFPTwo shots of espresso, not three

This summer, the trio of Mallory Swanson, Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman captivated fans all over the world. It's a trio that has already gone down in USWNT lore and, after much debate, they gave themselves a nickname: Triple Espresso.

Due to a back injury sustained in the NWSL season, though, Rodman won't be involved this month, leaving her two attacking teammates as Double Espresso. Rodman will be missed, but they'll be just fine.

Smith and Swanson are, of course, world-class, and they have some great players around them eager to step into Rodman's spot.

Shaw is back and healthy. Lynn Williams has plenty of experience to bring to this group. We've already touched on Thompson, Sears and Ryan, all of whom will be eager for their opportunities to shine.

It would have been fun to see how Triple Espresso continued to evolve this window, but it wasn't to be. It's safe to say there will be plenty more shots down the line, though, as the U.S. looks to build around an elite attacking group.

Getty ImagesShaw's ready to go

It was the only real disappointment of this summer's Olympic run. All spring, it seemed as if it would be the Summer of Shaw. Injuries precluded that. She got her medal in the end, but the young San Diego wave star didn't have the impact many had anticipated.

The 20-year-old attacker isn't going anywhere, though. In fact, she's probably going to get better.

Back in the team now after recently returning in the NWSL, it'll be interesting to see Shaw slots in this camp. She started just one of her three appearances under the new coach, but has played just 38 USWNT minutes since July. We still don't really have an idea of what Hayes will do with a healthy, fit and confident Shaw.

Does she start as a No. 10 behind? Can she take Rodman's spot out wide this camp and then go from there? When and where will she push for a starting spot?

With Rodman out, we won't get all of the answers this camp, but we may get a few.

Bangladesh’s young players step up to seal a 3-0 sweep over Zimbabwe

Mohammad Isam20-Jul-2021Two critical moments in the third ODI demanded that Bangladesh find someone besides their experienced trio to help the team turn a corner. On both occasions, the “other guys” came through. Nurul Hasan will take the headlines. The 27-year old was playing his first ODI in five years and yet he played the finisher’s role to perfection, scoring an unbeaten 45 off 39 balls to seal victory with two overs to spare.But there were so many crucial contributions.Mohammad Saifuddin and Mustafizur Rahman took five wickets in the space of 13 balls, at a time when Ryan Burl and Sikandar Raza were tearing it up, to bowl Zimbabwe out for 298. Bangladesh have not always had pace bowlers capable of completely changing the momentum of a game like that.Then came Hasan.Zimbabwe had removed Tamim Iqbal – who made a scintillating 112 – and Mahmudullah off successive deliveries. They had their tails up. But that didn’t help one bit.Hasan displayed exactly the sort of batting Bangladesh have been waiting for from one of their younger players. He was calm. He trusted his game. His six boundaries were all perfect cricketing shots. No innovation necessary. He added 64 for the fifth wicket with Mohammad Mithun and 34 for the unbroken sixth wicket stand with Afif Hossain to help the team complete a 3-0 sweep.Captain Iqbal was pleased with Hasan’s performance but made a point to add that his spot – and a couple of others in the middle order – is still up for grabs.”I think everyone should get opportunities,” Iqbal said. “(Mohammad Mithun) didn’t do well in the last couple of matches but if you think back to New Zealand, he made a good contribution in the game we should have won. We don’t have the perfect player at No. 5 and 6 so we are giving them opportunities. Today Sohan’s [Nurul Hasan] innings was very good to see. There are two-three people who are fighting for one spot.”Iqbal played a stroke-filled innings and reached his fastest ODI hundred, off 87 balls.”I felt I was in good rhythm,” he said. “I didn’t think it was a challenging time. I felt I was batting quite well in both Tests and ODIs recently, but maybe I missed out on scoring big runs. I am happy to have contributed in this chase.”He admitted he played through pain due to his knee injury, which will keep him out of action for at least two months. “I was going through a lot of pain although I wasn’t showing it. My knee is heavily taped. It is such an injury that maybe if I continue, I might do the job, but if it flares up, I will be out of cricket for seven-eight months.”I don’t think we need to take that risk. I should be fine before the T20 World Cup if I take rest for eight to ten weeks during which I will do the rehab,” he said.Shakib Al Hasan, who was adjudged Player-of-the-Series for his all-round performance, said that despite the 3-0 series result, Bangladesh were tested in all the matches. Shakib himself had bailed the side out with an unbeaten 96 in the second game when they were 173 for 7, chasing 241.”I think we faced a number of situations when we got tested,” he said. “I think we passed those tests, which was satisfying. But there’s always room for improvement. We should take as much as possible from this series to the next ones. We have to keep improving.”

Stirling’s 69 goes in vain on a seesawing day

Sreshth Shah02-Jun-2021

Ireland needed 12 runs in the final over with two wickets in hand and Simi Singh batting on 44 but Netherlands fast bowler Logan van Beek conceded only ten to give his side a one-run win in their first World Cup Super League match in Utrecht. With three needed off the last ball, No. 10 Josh Little failed to connect an attempted paddle, and the one bye collected meant Ireland finished on the wrong side of the result.The momentum swung both ways through the day. Netherlands were bowled out for 195 to give Ireland the upper hand at the break. Ireland were then reduced to 11 for 3 in their chase after which Paul Stirling and Singh brought the visitors back into the contest. But the run-out of Singh in the final over once again made Netherlands favourites, and van Beek held his nerve to give his team their first points of the World Cup Super League.Although van Beek took two early wickets in the chase by dismissing William Porterfield and Andy Balbirnie, it was left-arm spinner Pieter Seelaar who was Netherlands’ star with the ball with his three-wicket haul. After dismissing Lorcan Tucker lbw in the middle overs, he removed Andy McBrine and Barry McCarthy in the 47th over to give Netherlands the advantage. He conceded just 27 in his nine overs, leaving Ireland eight down after his double-wicket blow. That eventually hurt Ireland further as Singh looked to retain strike in the final over and was run out trying to come back for a second off the first legal ball of the 50th over.Earlier in the day, Timm van der Gugten’s 49 from No. 9 pulled Netherlands out of the hole. He came to bat when his side was 102 for 7 in the 33rd over after Little took a three-wicket haul early on and the hosts’ woes were compounded with two run-outs. However, van der Gugten hit four sixes and one four in his 53-ball innings to take Netherlands past 170. van Beek also contributed 29 from No. 8 to help Netherlands reach close to 200.van der Gugten, who also dismissed Stirling when Ireland looked on course to complete their recovery, was named Player of the Match.