All posts by h716a5.icu

The late wickets of Ryan ten Doeschate and James Foster allowed Sussex a way back into the first day at Colchester

Will Macpherson at Colchester04-Aug-2016
ScorecardRyan ten Doeschate top-scored with 83 for Essex•Getty ImagesThere was, at Colchester’s idyllic Castle Park, plenty of grumbling early on Thursday. The car park queue took forever, they said; the stand from last year was gone (on grounds of cost), and there weren’t enough seats. The beer? Well, that was £4 for a can. And where the hell was Ravi? (Mr Bopara sat the game out due to illness).What’s more, the trees at the Trevor Bailey Drive End had been chopped down, with a pair of moanable results: not only had the ground’s perfect circus of foliage been interrupted, but the gap had left the natty new-builds beyond naked. The most generous said things were not what they once were, the more damning suggested – with a game fewer from next season – that this was another festival on its last legs.Not everything in Essex these days, though, gives quite such reason to lament. Each of the next two weeks bring a white-ball quarter-final, and they sit atop Division Two of the Championship. If their interest in Alex Hales revealed a club bristling with ambition, then the return of Varun Chopra proved that, under Ronnie Irani and Chris Silverwood, they have the pull to attract high-quality players – a Championship-winning captain, indeed.Essex are yet to win a game that Alastair Cook has not played in, but they possess depth. Not only are they missing Bopara, but Jesse Ryder – who appears unlikely to be at the club next season – and Matt Quinn, who felt sore in the warm-up and was not risked with those quarter-finals in mind.Despite some quality pace bowling from Jofra Archer, on Championship debut, that depth was on display here, even if they never quite pulled away as they had threatened. There were typically stylish half-centuries from Nick Browne and Dan Lawrence and, late in the day, Ryan ten Doeschate – batting two places higher than he often does – made a rollicking 83 before being bowled by Steve Magoffin. On a pitch with plenty of bounce, it looks a fine toss for ten Doeschate to have won, though it seems unlikely that the events of last year – when spin took 28 of the 36 wickets to fall in Essex’s game with Surrey – will be repeated.The opening session did plenty to abate the morning muttering. Browne left plenty, but had 10 boundaries in his lunchtime 46, including a triptych of straight drives that deserved to be framed and sold at auction, as well as some fine cuts and back-foot punches through point.After the break, though, things became less comfortable. In Chris Jordan’s first over, Browne reached 50 with an edge through vacant third slip, then nicked over Harry Finch – a taller man would have taken it – at first. In his newfound spirit of discomfort, Browne edged behind to become Archer’s first Championship wicket then, next ball, Tom Westley was hurried by a ripsnorter of a short ball that took a bit of glove, some helmet, and looped to third slip. Westley, who is having such a fine summer, left looking rather nonplussed. “I felt for him actually,” said Luke Wright, echoing the batsman’s thoughts. “That would have got most players out.”At the other end stood Jaik Mickleburgh, whose 54 was never pretty but – given Essex’s congested top order after the signing of Chopra and the fact that Cook won’t play a Test until July 7 next summer – was apposite of timing and unfussy. Eventually, in a tough period that brought an early tea through bad light, he was cleaned up by Magoffin, by now bowling a fine spell of inswing. Lawrence was wonderfully waspish and busy, pulling off the front foot and insouciant on the drive – particularly down the ground – and looked furious when he top-edged another Archer short ball to cover after tea.Archer, who, at the end of a slow run, has a beautifully smooth action – which perhaps disguises the steepling short ball that earned his second and third wickets and hurried each of Essex’s batsman – looks a terrific prospect. He is a mechanically magnificent beanpole who has that knack of making extreme exertion seem effortless. Best of all, he is as excitable as he is exciting; each of his three scalps – particularly Westley – was greeted raucously. The 18-month contract he signed this week looks fine business from Sussex.Wright, who felt his team had allowed Essex 30 too many and confirmed Harry Finch was having a scan on a blow to the hand, said of Archer: “I wanted him to play, he needed to play, the way he’s been bowling. At times you watch him and think if he ran in faster he could bowl really quick. It looks easy for him. He has the surprise ball, with the pace. He runs in slowly and it’s casual, then it comes out so quick. Sometimes it’s easier when quicks fly in because you have that pace and rhythm.”So, with the late wickets of ten Doeschate and James Foster for a tidy 42, lbw to David Wiese, ended an entertaining day but one that – given five of Essex’s top six passed 42 but none bettered the captain’s 83 – never totally silenced those grumbles.

Kuldeep Yadav’s best first-class figures of 6 for 88 dismissed India Green for 277 and gave India Red a 219-run win in the country’s maiden first-class game with the pink ball

The Report by Arun Venugopal26-Aug-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsFile photo – Suresh Raina resisted India Red with 90 off 101 balls•Associated PressIndia Green din’t even venture a batathon on the final day as they lost their three remaining wickets in less than an hour to hand India Red a 219-run victory in Greater Noida. Left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav added one wicket to his five-for on day three to finish with nine wickets in the match, which lasted only 10.2 overs on the final day.With the match all but out of grasp, Suresh Raina, resuming on 42, dashed towards a hundred but eventually fell ten runs short; it was Kuldeep, after being caned around by Raina, who got him out. Ashok Dinda and Pragyan Ojha offered no illusions of sticking it out, as they were removed either side of Raina’s dismissal. India Red secured six points by virtue of the outright win in the country’s maiden first-class game with the pink ball.Parthiv Patel on…

The pink-ball experience: I thought we all came with some preconceived thought that the ball would move around, there would be a lot of movement. But, it wasn’t to be; I thought it didn’t move as much as we thought. The conditions were really good. [It was an] ideal four-day wicket where it did a bit on the first day, then turn a bit and good to bat on.
Sighting the ball: In fact, during the day I thought we could see the ball better because of the shine on the ball. I don’t think there was any problem sighting the ball, even during the night. Only thing which I felt was we are not used to have the pink ball coming towards us. When we practice with practice balls it gives you that kind of colour feeling; it was just a matter of getting used to it.
Pink Kookaburra and red SG Test ball: SG Test does reverse a bit but with the kind of glaze which stays on this ball it doesn’t reverse as much. And, since there is guidelines of 4mm grass and lush outfield, the ball doesn’t get roughed up. Reverse swing… I don’t know whether it will happen with this ball or not. But, if we play on a drier wicket or maybe a drier outfield, and then you don’t know. That will be one big [thing] if we all might want to see. Because in subcontinental conditions I don’t think an international game would be played with this much grass on the wicket.
Future of pink-ball cricket: There is definitely a future, but it would be too early to say. I think as we play a lot of games we will know a lot of things. Yesterday, we realised that dew also would be a factor. In the first two days there was no dew but yesterday there was. The new ball did move slightly more than what it did on the first day.

Raina’s patience against Kuldeep in the first over of the day was a red herring; in the next over he took two fours off Nathu Singh, the second of which saw him back away and glide a short ball uppishly over third man. Raina had hit top gear and Kuldeep would bear the brunt of it in his next over as he conceded three fours. Raina hared out of the crease on all the three occasions, and alternated between hitting straight and inside out.While Dinda had been shielded from the strike all this while, he could last no more than two balls against Nathu in the next over as his meek pull only went as far as mid-on. Nathu then welcomed Ojha by pinging him on the helmet, but he stuck around to watch his captain play a few more shots. Raina continued to take a liking to his Uttar Pradesh team-mate Kuldeep, and smashed his way to three more boundaries.However, it was Kuldeep who would eventually come out on top of this tussle. In the last ball of the 56th over, Raina tried to follow a six with a controlled lob, but it was snaffled at mid-off. Akshay Wakhare helped himself to Ojha’s wicket in the next over to bring the match to a close after India Green managed 60 runs in the session.At the presentation ceremony, Raina lauded Kuldeep and provided a positive appraisal of the pink ball. He was also appreciative of the crowd, which made its presence felt – in numbers and decibel levels – over the four days. “I was discussing with Yuvi [Yuvraj Singh] as well, the more we play, the better we’ll get at it,” Raina said. India Red captain Yuvraj Singh felt the pink ball moved a lot more than the SG ball. “It was pretty exciting, the pink ball doesn’t go old. It was coming onto the bat nicely,” he said.Abhinav Mukund, who was named Man-of-the-match for his 77 and 169, said he didn’t have any issues with sighting the ball throughout the game. “I was getting into good positions. I’ve been training well back home, especially batting under lights,” he said.”That experience helped me here. I think a lot of people had issues sighting the ball, but I didn’t have any issues with visibility. The wicket was damp, that’s perhaps why so many wickets fell on the first day. I worked hard during the off-season. I got leaner and stronger. I worked on my batting as well. Hopefully this season marks a turnaround for me.”India Red next play Gautam Gambhir’s India Blue from August 29 at the same venue.

Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing Swansea City defender Ryan Manning this summer and the 26-year-old's potential arrival could see the Yorkshire outfit finally get rid of Junior Firpo for good.

Could Leeds United sign Ryan Manning?

According to Football League World, the left-back is on Leeds' radar regardless of the division they find themselves in next season, with relegation looking likely to be confirmed against Tottenham Hotspur this Sunday.

The former QPR man is available on a free transfer ahead of his contract's expiry at Swansea and would represent a solid option for Leeds considering his impressive displays in the Championship this term.

Would Manning be a good signing for Leeds?

Manning was named as the Swans' player of the year following a campaign which saw him register five goals and ten assists in the second tier, earning a superb 7.20 average rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Not only is this comfortably better than what any Leeds player has averaged in the Premier League, but it is also more goal contributions than anyone in Sam Allardyce's squad, which emphasises the attacking quality the £9k-per-week Irishman could provide at Elland Road.

Russell Martin identified him as an important player for the Welsh side even in 2021, saying:

“Ryan is someone who can play anywhere. We are going to be very demanding of him because he is a talented player. He knows my feelings on him as a character and a player and he is responding brilliantly.

“I hope he can keep going, wherever he plays he is going to be an important player for us.”

Manning's versatility and experience in the Championship suggest that he could be a superb option for Leeds on a free transfer, especially if he can oust Junior Firpo at left-back, as the Spaniard continues to struggle following his arrival from Barcelona in 2021.

Could Manning replace Firpo?

There is likely to be an exodus of first-team players should Leeds suffer relegation back to the second tier, with former Barcelona man Firpo perhaps one who would consider himself too good for the Championship.

There were high hopes when Marcelo Bielsa brought him in from the Catalan side in a deal worth £12.8m two years ago but he has never really adjusted to the Premier League, with journalist David Anderson dubbing him a "liability" after a tricky debut campaign.

Things haven't gotten much better this season, as his woeful 6.42 rating from WhoScored sees him ranked as the 20th-best performer at Elland Road, with his recent red card against Newcastle United once again highlighting that he cannot be trusted defensively.

Considering Manning has averaged more key passes (2.5 vs 0.4) and shots (1.3 vs 0.1), while he has also been dribbled past on far fewer occasions per game (0.5 vs 1.2) than Firpo, it seems clear that he would be a big upgrade this summer.

India and Tamil Nadu seamer L Balaji will reitre from first-class and List A cricket, but has stated that he will be available for smaller T20 leagues

Arun Venugopal16-Sep-20161:01

Quick Facts: Lakshmipathy Balaji

India and Tamil Nadu seamer L Balaji will retire from first-class and List A cricket, but has said he will be available for smaller T20 leagues.Balaji will meet TNCA president N Srinivasan later this evening to formally announce his retirement. The TNCA, it is learnt, is keen for Balaji to be bowling coach for the 2016-17 domestic season, a role he also fulfilled in the 2015-16 season. Balaji is expected to take a call after discussing the terms of his contract during his meeting with Srinivasan.”I have taken a decision on not playing senior-level cricket any longer in any format. I have asked the TNCA to not pick me for the Tamil Nadu team this season,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “I am still looking to continue playing the smaller leagues, but let’s see how it goes.”Balaji, 34, made his first-class debut for Tamil Nadu in the 2001-02 season, against the Colombo District Cricket Association, and took 37 wickets in his maiden first-class season in India. The following season, he finished as the joint highest wicket-taker in the Ranji Trophy in 2002-03, with 47 dismissals, and went on to make a Test debut in October 2003 against New Zealand in Ahmedabad.Overall, Balaji played 106 first-class matches, taking 330 wickets at an average of 26.10, with 16 five-fors and four ten-wicket hauls. In List A cricket, his record stands at 145 wickets in 100 matches at an average of 29.35. He also captained Tamil Nadu for three seasons – from 2011-12 to 2013-14, with the side reaching the Ranji Trophy final in 2011-12.Balaji picked the spell against Delhi in the Ranji Trophy semifinal in 2002-03 as one of his favourites in his first-class career. Balaji took 5 for 49 in the second innings, and seven in the match, to help Tamil Nadu beat Delhi by 132 runs. “I think I have been part of some very interesting matches,” he said. “I picked up a five-for in the second innings against a team that featured three, four Test players like Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag and Aakash Chopra. My spell of 6 for 24 against Bengal in 2008-09 [Ranji Trophy quarter-final] was also very special.”His last first-class appearance came in the 2014-15 Ranji Trophy final, in which Karnataka beat Tamil Nadu by an innings and 217 runs. Before the 2015-16 season, Balaji was named bowling coach and was also picked as a player, though he did not eventually play any first-class matches in the season. His appearances for Tamil Nadu in 2015-16 were limited to four one-day matches in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.Since then, Balaji has only played in the inaugural Tamil Nadu Premier League T20 tournament, where he has taken eight wickets so far for Albert TUTI Patriots.Balaji played eight Tests between 2003 and 2005, picking up 27 wickets at an average of 37.18. His best performances in Tests came against Pakistan in the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons. On the tour of Pakistan in 2004, Balaji took 12 wickets in the three-Test series, including a haul of 7 for 171 in the decisive Rawalpindi Test, which India won to claim the series 2-1.The following year, when Pakistan toured India, Balaji was among the wickets again, ending with 14 wickets in three matches. This included a match haul of nine in the first Test in Mohali, where he also claimed his only five-for in the format.Balaji also played 29 ODIs between November 2002 and August 2005, before suffering a career-threatening stress fracture for which he underwent back surgery. He eventually made a comeback to the Indian side after being picked for the ODIs in Sri Lanka in early 2009, but played only one match in the series.Despite his international career remaining ridden with injuries, Balaji said he was fortunate to having played alongside his childhood heroes. “To play alongside bigger brothers like Zaheer [Khan], Ashish [Nehra], Harbhajan [Singh] and Yuvi [Yuvraj Singh]… they have always been looking after me,” he said. “Also playing with the six legends – Viru [Virender Sehwag ], Sourav [Ganguly], Anil [Kumble] bhai, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman – was a dream come true.”I am very indebted to my seniors from my state; I have learnt a lot from every cricketer I have played and interacted with. The TNCA has been very supportive, especially when I had a surgery, and N Srinivasan, especially, backed me. Of course, I am indebted to my family, my wife, my sisters, and my friends, without whom I wouldn’t have made this level from being a tennis-ball cricketer.”I have made the physio’s job and the doctor’s job very tough for a few years, so I would like to thank them for helping me come out of a career-threatening injury. I kept them busy for sometime, and in the end made good friends in a different field.”

Glasgow Rangers have not submitted an official bid to bring Luis Palma to the Scottish Premiership, contrary to reports stating otherwise.

Who is Luis Palma?

Palma is a left-winger who currently plays his football with Aris Thessaloniki in the Greek Super League having joined in January 2022, and to date, he’s clocked up a total of 47 appearances.

The Honduras international still has another three years to run on his contract with Apostolos Terzis’ side, but having excelled during his first 18 months, has emerged onto the radar of Michael Beale at Ibrox.

The Light Blues reportedly tabled a £2.6m offer to sign the 23-year-old in recent days which was swiftly rejected, and despite the same outlet suggesting that the Glasgow outfit are expected to revisit the deal with an improved bid in June, it turns out that might not be the case.

Are Rangers signing Palma?

According to Football Scotland, Rangers making any kind of proposal for Palma holds "no truth", with the claims emerging from his homeland simply wide of the mark.

The report adds that the Aris' forward, however, would be "interested" in joining having previously admitted that he'll be leaving his club and targeting a summer move to the United Kingdom. Speaking to Diez, he said:

“I like the Premier League and Scotland. Personally I have changed a lot as a person for the better. As a footballer I have changed a lot, thank God for giving me the opportunity to show what (talent) is in Honduras."

Should Rangers make an approach for Palma?

Rangers have recently confirmed the signing of Chelsea right-back Dujon Sterling, and whilst the rumours are supposedly fake about an offer being made for Palma, Beale may want to think twice about his decision and consider an approach because the attacker has had a remarkable season at Aris.

The La Ceiba native, who earns £3k-per-week, clocked up 21 goal contributions (13 goals and eight assists) in 36 appearances across all competitions in 2022/23, form which saw him hailed as “brilliant” by Spanish agent Paulo Hernandez.

The Top Radical Sports LLC client, who found the back of the net more times than any other of his fellow teammates last term, would also provide the boss with wonderful versatility having operated in six different positions since the start of his career, including everywhere across the frontline and even in midfield, so he would be the perfect candidate to put pen to paper at Ibrox.

Arsenal have been linked with one of the Premier League’s top performers ahead of the transfer window, as Mikel Arteta sets his sights on bolstering his squad this summer.

The Spaniard enjoyed a strong title charge with his side this season and despite falling short of Manchester City on the final straight, can take many positives from the campaign.

The Gunners will play Champions League football again for the first time since 2016, and with an additional competition comes added need for squad depth, something that tainted Arsenal’s title charge this term.

As reported ahead of the summer, the Emirates may become home for a player that could significantly improve the side.

What’s the latest on Ilkay Gundogan to Arsenal?

As first reported by The Athletic at the end of last month, Manchester City ace Ilkay Gundogan is on Arsenal’s radar.

The 32-year-old will be a free agent at the end of the campaign should he fail to strike a new deal with the Citizens, which has become an appealing prospect for the Gunners.

Most recently, the Evening Standard claimed that Arteta’s relationship with the German could provide vital in the north Londoners’ pursuit of the midfielder, a player whom he worked with in Manchester.

What could Ilkay Gundogan offer to Arsenal?

As the season progresses, the experience and quality of the midfielder becomes more and more evident, as seen last weekend when he single-handedly fired City to complete the double, scoring two outside-the-box volleys at Wembley in the FA Cup final.

The Gelsenkirchen-born ace could provide so much to Arteta’s budding Arsenal side, and would most prominently provide as a perfect partner for Martin Odegaard.

The Spaniard could replicate the success of the 32-year-old in Guardiola’s midfield, just as he has done with Oleksandr Zinchenko’s role in the defence since making the switch from the Etihad to the Emirates.

Alongside Kevin De Bruyne, Gundogan has one of the best creators in the Premier League, with the Belgian acting as the pacemaker for creative midfielders to follow year after year.

The German could replicate the success in his play with Odegaard, who himself has been lauded as a “playmaking genius” by scout Antonio Mango.

The £140k-per-week City gem averages 63 attempted passes per 90, as well as maintaining a completion rate of 87.7% as per FBref, showing he could be a second creator in Arsenal’s midfield, giving Odegaard more to work with in the number 10 role.

De Bruyne reaps the positive vibrations from the 32-year-old, with the duo described by the Daily Mail’s Jack Gaughan as being ‘masters of slowing games down when City lead’, something that could be integral to Odegaard.

Sometimes it’s hard to comprehend that the Arsenal skipper is just 24 years old, however, the Gunners have suffered recently in holding their leads, as shown in drawing consecutive games in the run in this season with Southampton, West Ham and Liverpool.

The “exceptional” gem, as lauded by his manager, could not only support the Norwiegan’s progression in an offensive light but also defensively and through experience, in his ability to conduct the tempo of a game.

There are many ways that a player of the calibre of Gundogan could influence Arteta’s budding Arsenal squad, though his influence on Odegaard could unlock another level to the Gunners’ ace.

England may be without James Anderson for the first three Tests in India as he continues his recovery from the shoulder problem which has hampered him since midway through the English season

George Dobell25-Oct-20161:29

Anderson’s comeback remains uncertain

England may be without James Anderson for the first three Tests in India as he continues his recovery from the shoulder injury which has hampered him since midway through the English season.Anderson has not been included in the 16-man squad for the five-Test tour which is unchanged from the group currently in Bangladesh.Alastair Cook had already said that Anderson would miss the opening Test in Rajkot and a decision over the involvement of him on the tour will be taken in the coming days, but it is understood that the Mumbai Test which begins on December 8 is now seen as his earliest return date.England Test squad for India tour

Alastair Cook (capt), Moeen Ali, Zafar Ansari, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Gary Ballance, Gareth Batty, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Ben Duckett, Steven Finn, Haseeb Hameed, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes

Speaking after the first Test in Chittagong, England coach Trevor Bayliss gave a positive outlook on Anderson. “The medical staff are very pleased with how he has come on in the last week or so. He has had more scans and is looking good. They haven’t given any indication of when he might be available, but definitely out for the first Test in India.”He was described as “the difference between the sides” by India captain MS Dhoni after England won the 2012 Test series between the teams, but it seems increasingly likely that England will have to learn to live without him.When Anderson spoke to ESPNcricinfo earlier in October, he was confident over his recovery. “I’m not going to miss the entire trip, no,” he said. “I’m very confident I’m going to be involved in the India series, it is a frustrating injury, something I want to get right, but it does happen in cricket, in sport, you get injured, you’ve just got to deal with it, and hopefully I can get as fit as possible as soon as possible.”While there might have been a case for calling up another spin bowler for the India tour – England had two seamers (Steven Finn and Jake Ball) and one spinner (Zafar Ansari) on the side-lines for the first Test against Bangladesh in Chittagong – the England team management have suggested they are likely to retain faith in a six-man attack involving three seamers and three spinners.Mark Wood, the Durham fast bowler, who was part of the original squad for Bangladesh remains unavailable having required another ankle operation.If England do require reinforcements, they have an 18-man Lions squad a short flight away in the UAE.

Newcastle United are preparing an offer to sign Wolfsburg star Felix Nmecha this summer, according to reports.

Who is Felix Nmecha?

Nmecha is a midfielder who currently plays his football for Niko Kovac’s side, having moved to the Bundesliga on a free transfer from the Premier League, namely Manchester City’s academy, back in 2021. During his two-year spell, he’s so far made 50 appearances for Die Wolfe.

The Germany international still has another two years to run on his contract, but having established himself as his club’s overall fourth best-performing player with a WhoScored match rating of 6.86, has caught the eye of the northeast outfit.

Eddie Howe has reportedly made it his priority to enter the market for new central reinforcements during the transfer window, with Matty Longstaff out of contract at the end of this month and leaving the club, and the 22-year-old appears to have been highlighted as a potential ideal replacement.

Are Newcastle signing Nmecha?

According to The Telegraph (via The Daily Mail), Newcastle are “set to make a bid” for Nmecha this summer. The Magpies are “readying an offer” for the midfielder having “tracked” him for months through the club’s scouts, and it’s stated that Howe is a “fan” of several of his qualities, including his “energetic” and “box-to-box” style of play. Wolfsburg are likely to demand £15m for their prized asset which the board deem to be “relatively cheap” and a price tag that they could easily afford.

Nmecha is naturally an attacking midfielder so is renowned for driving forward with his “quick” pace, as lauded by journalist Josh Bunting, and getting involved in the final third, and we feel PIF should definitely see if they could bring him to St. James’ Park.

Wolfsburg’s number 22, who was born in Hamburg, posted nine goal contributions (six assists and three goals) in 30 Bundesliga outings last season and recorded 37 shots over the course of the campaign, which was the third-highest total throughout his squad, via FBRef.

Standing at 6 foot 2, Nmecha, who has the versatility to operate in seven various positions across the pitch, would also add a different dimension to the centre with his height having averaged 1.5 aerial wins per league game, so him being available for £15m is an absolute bargain of a deal for a young player with the ability to add physicality and end product to the Magpies midfield ranks.

Australia coach Darren Lehmann has guaranteed the places of just four members – Steven Smith, David Warner, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood – of the Hobart Test XI for the day-night match in Adelaide

Daniel Brettig15-Nov-2016Australia’s coach Darren Lehmann has guaranteed the places of just four members of the Hobart Test XI.On a day South Africa completed a dominant series victory, the Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland and high performance chief Pat Howard joined former players for introspective talks on the state of the team in the Bellerive Oval dressing room.Lehmann, who has been told to “reinvent himself” by Howard, stated that only the captain Steven Smith, his deputy David Warner and the pacemen Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are safe from the axe ahead of next week’s day-night Test in Adelaide. All members of the team apart from Starc, Hazlewood and the seamer Joe Mennie are to play in the Sheffield Shield round starting on Thursday, in a departure from previous plans.”We’ve got to stop the rot, we’ve got to work out what the best XI is,” Lehmann said. “Guys playing this Test match, some were disappointed in their performances and they get the chance to play the Shield game to put their hand up. I thought Hazlewood was great, Starc’s getting back to his best and then you’ve got Smith and Warner.”Outside of that everyone’s got to make some runs and take some wickets. It’s a really important four days of Shield cricket. The lads are really keen to get out of here and get ready to play that game and prepare the best they can. Spots, performances are going to count, but you’ve got to have an eye to the future as well, it’s that juggling act.”These words mean that numerous medium-term members of the team are under enormous pressure to keep their places, including the spin bowler Nathan Lyon, the most experienced player in the side and the custodian of the team victory song – not sung since February in New Zealand. Adam Voges, who is averaging less than 15 over his past 10 Test innings, and wicketkeeper Peter Nevill also seem to be in the firing line.”Like everyone else, down,” Lehmann said when asked about Voges’ mood. “Adam’s been a very good player for us for 20-odd Test matches, end of the day he’s got to go back and make runs like everyone else. We’d love someone to stand up and bat big, I think we’ve had two hundreds in the last five Test matches and they were both in one innings. So we haven’t had big runs from anyone.”Sutherland and Howard flew into Hobart on Tuesday in time to address the team after their innings defeat, the first at home since the summer of 2010-11. Former players Mark Taylor, Ian Healy, Shane Warne, Michael Slater and Tom Moody also spent time with the team. “We’ve had James and Pat talk to us, and that’s about going forward and sticking together,” Lehmann said.Coach Darren Lehmann has admitted Steven Smith and David Warner are the only batsmen safe from the axe for the day-night Test•Cricket Australia/Getty Images”I know there’s a lot of criticism out there and that’s deserved because we haven’t been winning. We have to cop that and live with that. For us it’s about stopping that, turning it around. They’re all great kids, great staff members, they work hard. We just haven’t had results go our way.”Young batsmen expected to be considered for selection include the elegant NSW left-hander Kurtis Patterson, the South Australia captain Travis Head, and another Redback in Jake Lehmann – the coach’s son. Darren Lehmann indicated he would sit out of any selection discussion involving Jake Lehmann.”I don’t sit in on anything when they [the selectors] talk about Jake, and I don’t know what they’re saying about Jake,” Lehmann said. “Not involved, and I’d be that nervous anyway I probably wouldn’t be coach. I’d probably just go to the bar.”The Test squad will be named on Sunday after the Shield round is complete, meaning the team will assemble in Adelaide on Monday, a day later than previously scheduled.Possible Test squad for Adelaide: Steven Smith (capt), David Warner, Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Kurtis Patterson, Callum Ferguson, Matthew Wade, Steve O’Keefe, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird, Chadd Sayers

The Lodha Committee has permitted the BCCI to pay players and officials in domestic tournaments directly and under existing terms, board secretary Ajay Shirke said

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Nov-2016The Lodha Committee has told the BCCI that payments to players and officials for all board-organised tournaments, like the Ranji Trophy, can be made directly under existing terms, the board secretary Ajay Shirke said.The Committee’s permission came after the BCCI sought direction on the release of funds for the Rajasthan Ranji Trophy team and the state’s various age-group teams.According to the , Shirke had written to the Committee last week stating that the association was cash-strapped and would not be able to play their next round of matches in the respective tournaments without funds. The Rajasthan team is currently playing a Ranji Trophy match against Karnataka in Vizianagram.”The Hon’ble Justice Lodha Committee has communicated today to the CEO of the BCCI (Rahul Johri) that payments to players and officials can be made directly to them as per the agreed existing terms. This is for all BCCI-organised tournaments,” Shirke told the . “We didn’t have problems for all state associations. They pay themselves (to their players). Because the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) is suspended, the problem was only for them.”The BCCI sought clarification from the Lodha Committee following an order from the Supreme Court of India on October 21, in which the board was directed not to distribute funds to its state associations until they submit affidavits stating compliance with the recommendations of the court and the Lodha Committee within two weeks. The Rajasthan Cricket Association’s suspended status was also a factor.The BCCI had suspended the RCA in May 2014 after the latter elected Lalit Modi, an expelled administrator, as its president. The board then omitted the RCA from the 2014-15 domestic programme.Rajasthan eventually got to play – though not under the RCA banner – after the Rajasthan High Court heard a writ petition signed by 75 players, and directed the Rajasthan Sports Council, the RCA and the BCCI to work in tandem and appoint selection committees to select teams for the board’s senior, junior and women’s tournaments. Before the 2015-16 season the board appointed an ad-hoc committee to run cricket in Rajasthan.Rajasthan have two more Group B matches to play before the end of the Ranji Trophy’s league stage. They are scheduled to play Delhi in Wayanad from November 21 and Vidarbha in Mumbai from December 7.