Wapda made a steady start to their Quaide-Azam Trophy quarterfinal against PIA Tuesday crawling to 219 for five on the first day at the Rawalpindi Stadium.Opener Atiq-ur-Rehman (67) and Hasan Adnan who scored an unbeaten 56, kept Wapda going albeit slowly after they had been put in to bat first.Off-spinner Shoaib Malik took two wickets for 58 runs while fast bowler Mohammad Zahid and slow left-armer Asif Mujtaba had one each.PIA suffered a huge setback earlier in the day when Test speedster Fazle Akbar limped off the field with a thigh strain.ScoreboardWAPDA (1st Innings):Adil Nisar run out 32Atiq-ur-Rehman c Ghulam b Asif 67Tariq Aziz lbw b Zahid 18Hasan Adnan not out 56Shahid Mansoor lbw b Shoaib 4Sabir Hussain c Faisal b Shoaib 4Rana Naveed-ul-Hasan not out 29EXTRAS (B-1, LB-3, NB-5) 9TOTAL (for five wkts, 85 overs) 219FALL OF WKTS: 1-60, 2-92, 3-146, 4-162, 5-176TO BAT: Zahid Umar, Kashif Raza, Waqas Ahmed, Aqeel AhmedBOWLING (to-date): Fazle Akbar 4.1-0-16-0; Umar Gul 19-7-50-0; Mohammad Zahid 12.5-0-39-1; Asif Mujtaba 20-5-52-1; Shoaib Malik 29-9-58-2PIA: Kamran Sajid, Ghulam Ali, Faisal Iqbal, Asif Mujtaba, Bazid Khan, Yasir Hameed, Moin Khan, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Zahid, Umar Gul, Fazle AkbarUMPIRES: Siddique Khan and Rasheed BhattiMATCH REFEREE: Abdul Sami Khan
Dan Goldstraw and Damien Shirazi line up for BAT Sports against their old Lymington team-mates in Tuesday evening’s Southern Electric Contracting Knockout Cup quarter-final at Southern Gardens, 6pm.It’s certainly added spice to an already juicy 24-overs per side third round tie, which should attract a decent-size crowd to BAT’s headquarters.Goldstraw and Shirazi switched their allegiance to Ringwood Road at the start of last season when BAT attained ‘gold’ status – and Lymington didn’t.Goldstraw’s left-arm pace, in tandem with Richard Dibden’s off-spin, will provide a fascinating challenge for Lymington’s potentially explosive Australian import Brian Clemow.On paper, BAT look to have an edge in the bowling department – Lymington may well use three spinners – but the New Forest club have undoubted talent down the order.In addition to Clemow, Glyn Treagus, Ben Craft and Neil Trestrail are all potential match winners in a tie that is unquestionably Southampton’s biggest knockout game in years.Ironically, Havant – who entertain Premier 1 rivals Burridge – are the only one of the quarter-finalists to have previously won the cup.They have actually lifted the trophy on three past occasions – in 1981, 1995 and, more recently, in 1997, when West Indian Wilden Cornwall was let loose on Lymington.Havant are probably favourites this season but Burridge,at full strength, are a useful limited-overs side.Easton & Martyr Worthy have won a few trophies in their time, but Tuesday’s cross-country haul to Rowledge isn’t a tie they will relish.Hampshire YCs all-rounder Chris Yates is back from Cardiff University to bolster Rowledge, who pose a stern threat on their own tight village ground.And what odds on Flamingos upsetting the apple cart and bowling over Premier 1 opponents Andover out in the sticks at The Holt ?On present league batting form, not much, but – like Easton & Martyr Worthy – they aren’t bad in the short game.Andover, though, will probably field Australian Sam Miller – who plays Surrey Championship cricket at Camberley – and his presence could sway the day.The semi-finals are on July 10 and 12, with the final at the Hampshire Rose Bowl Nursery ground on Wednesday August 1.
Arsenal moved back to the top of the Premier League table with a nervy 2-1 win against Brighton at the Emirates.
After Man City won their lunchtime kick-off at Nottingham Forest, the pressure was on a side who have finished runners-up in the league for the past three seasons.
However, they started well and Viktor Gyokeres should have done better when he side-footed at Bart Verbruggen inside two minutes before Bukayo Saka ghosted past Maxim de Cuyper only to find Verbruggen equal to his close-range effort.
Saka then blazed over and from the ensuing goal kick, came the opener.
Martin Zubimendi reacted first to Verbruggen’s hospital pass and Delcan Rice’s header found Bukayo Saka, who played the ball to Martin Odegaard.
The Arsenal captain was afforded too much room, taking one touch to compose himself, before firing a low, left-footed strike that nestled into the bottom corner.
Half-chances for Saka and Rice, on two occasions, followed, and Verbruggen then turned away Zubimendi’s neat back-heel following a goalmouth scramble.
Verbruggen was in the spotlight on the stroke of half-time when he clattered Gyokeres on the far touchline, but he escaped with a caution and Brighton were able to keep the deficit to one at the interval.
But less than seven minutes of the second half had been played when the hosts doubled their advantage after an unmarked Rutter’s near-post header left Verbruggen with no chance.
It marked another goal from a corner and a fourth own goal across three home games Arsenal have been able to cash in on.
On the hour mark, Gyokeres saw his shot blocked by Verbruggen – the Sweden international’s wait for a goal in open play extending to seven matches – but Arsenal looked in cruise control.
That was until Yasin Ayari’s shot hit David Raya’s far post and Diego Gomez fired home the rebound. A flying fingertip stop from Raya then kept out Yankuba Minteh’s curling effort with the home support suddenly riddled by anxiety.
Arsenal have made a habit of conceding late goals in recent times and Mikel Arteta was on his knees when substitute Gabriel Martinelli managed to hit his six-yard shot over the bar with five minutes to go.
"I'm hearing" – Arsenal eyeing "extraordinary" player to replace £265,000-a-week star
It could be one in, one out for the Gunners…
ByBen Goodwin
But the Spaniard’s side managed to get three crucial points over the line to keep Pep Guardiola’s in-form City at arm’s length.
Alongside Raya’s absolutely out of this world save to keep Brighton at bay, Paul Merson was in awe of Odegaard’s display.
Paul Merson says Martin Odegaard had his best Arsenal game in ages
Speaking on the Sky Sports Soccer Saturday panel in the aftermath of Arsenal’s precious victory, Merson claimed that the Norway international put in his most convincing display in ages.
Merson said that Odegaard had his ‘best football match’ for the Gunners ‘for a long time’ — lavishing praise on the playmaker who’s endured a real stop-start campaign overall.
Subscribe for Deeper Arsenal & Premier League Insights Unlock deeper Arsenal and Premier League analysis — subscribe to the newsletter for tactical breakdowns, player-form reports (including Odegaard), and match insights that expand on this topic and what matters most to fans. Subscribe for Deeper Arsenal & Premier League Insights Unlock deeper Arsenal and Premier League analysis — subscribe to the newsletter for tactical breakdowns, player-form reports (including Odegaard), and match insights that expand on this topic and what matters most to fans.
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The Norwegian captain has made 12 Premier League appearances totaling just 628 minutes, and remarkably remained without a goal across all competitions until this afternoon.
He has also registered just one assist in the league, a significant drop from the eight he managed last season and 11 the year before.
Odegaard’s campaign has been marred by injuries, with the captain suffering a shoulder problem during their first home game of 25/26 against Leeds United, forcing his first-half withdrawal.
He also became the first player in Premier League history to be substituted before half-time in three consecutive starts after sustaining a medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury to his left knee in October’s clash with West Ham.
Now, the £240,000-per-week star appears to be working his way back to full form, and Arteta will be hoping that continues into 2026.
Deco now eyeing Barcelona move for 'big name' Arsenal summer signing
The sporting director thinks he’s ‘ideal’ for Hansi Flick.
David Hussey, the Victoria batsman, may have been purchased for US$625,000 by the Kolkata franchise in the Indian Premier League’s auction, but his county side Nottinghamshire have insisted he is contracted to play for them this season. Hussey’s participation in the IPL, which runs from April 18 to June 1, would mean he misses the first five County Championship matches and eight games in the Friends Provident Trophy.Mike Newell, Nottinghamshire’s director of cricket, said: “We are currently talking to David and his advisors, so I would prefer not to comment at this stage other than to say that he signed a new two-year contract with us after the end of last season.”Hussey was one of the surprise buys at the IPL auction, being picked up well above his initial base price of $125,000. He even outdid his more famous brother, the Test player Michael, who went for $350,000. Unlike Michael, David was reportedly available for the entire tournament, which perhaps was one of the reasons why he sold for a higher price than the likes of Ricky Ponting and Matthew HaydenMeanwhile, Justin Langer, the former Australian Test opener, has indicated he will play for Somerset and won’t turn out for the Jaipur franchise. Langer collected his base price of $200,000, but Jaipur paid only $75,000 for him, with the Indian board covering the difference.”I have made a commitment to Somerset and I intend to honour it,” Langer told the . “I made that clear when I first signed with IPL and I have no hesitation sticking to it.”Langer fears the IPL will damage the game. “When you go to your grave,” he said, “people will remember what you did with your life rather than how much money you made.”The newspaper also reported Luke Ronchi, the Western Australia wicketkeeper, is considering an A$100,000 (approx US$92,000) offer to join the Mumbai franchise, while his team-mate Luke Pomersbach, who earned a car park call-up to play a Twenty20 international for Australia, is also set to join an IPL team. The Mumbai franchise failed to buy a wicketkeeper-batsman at the auction held on Wednesday.
West Indies’ dismal efforts in the Super Eights have brought calls for change from fans and experts alike. Michael Holding suggested Brian Lara should quit as captain and Colin Croft called the situation “desperate” after the home team lost three in a row, including Sunday’s 113-run defeat by Sri Lanka.Croft said Sri Lanka inflicted the most comprehensive thrashing the West Indies had endured in a long time. “It was terrible and like all the West Indian supporters and former players, this hurts terribly,” Croft wrote in the .”I don’t think that the West Indies have anything special about them now. I cannot remember seeing a team look so poor on the field. Times are now decidedly desperate for the West Indies cricket team, and this has nothing to do with the World Cup. The West Indies team, based on what I saw on Sunday, is in a very bad state.”Holding said there was only one course of action that would bring positive change. “Lara has to step aside, not necessarily as a player, but as captain,” he said. “He appears bigger than the game. He has got whatever he has wanted.”We haven’t seen an improvement when he has taken over the captaincy. Everyone knows he’s a great batsman but that’s not what it takes to lead a team. I can’t even say he is a good captain tactically.”Croft agreed that Lara’s leadership was probably not working. “It is very obvious that the West Indies players are either not reacting positively to the captain or that they are not as good as the people that have selected them think,” he wrote.Fans have also joined in the calls to take the reins away from Lara after their hopes were raised by an unbeaten run in the group matches. “What we are getting is simply not good enough,” Lindon Albert, a fan who watched the latest West Indies loss from a bar in Bridgetown, told .”I don’t see them winning another game. This is over for us. Lara should go, he should retire from the game. He is a great batsman but his leadership is weak.”Timothy Daniel, another supporter in the same bar, also wants Lara gone. “In all my days I’ve never seen us as bad as this – we can’t take this any more,” he shouted across the room. “Time for a change. We have to get rid of Lara. He looks lost, he looks rusty.”Sean Clarke, who listened to the game from Brown’s Beach, outside Bridgetown, was more philosophical. “Another rough ride,” he said. “I’m not surprised. I sort of expected us to lose. We’re not a strong team.”
Scotland avoided their third defeat in a row when they beat a Barbados XI by four wickets at the 3Ws Oval on Thursday. Barbados fielded seven regular players including Floyd Reifer, who has enjoyed several professional seasons in Scotland and has played for the Saltires. Jason Haynes, the Barbados captain, won the toss and decided to bat on a hot and sunny morning.Dougie Brown, the Warwickshire allrounder, was soon among the wickets, sending the two openers back for 31 and paving the way for Reifer. He batted steadily against some lively bowling from John Blain, Paul Hoffman and in particular Dewald Nel, who helped himself to four wickets – three of them lbw, including two in two balls.The introduction of spin continued to cause problems for Barbados, and the 21-year-old Ross Lyons had the satisfaction of bowling Reifer immediately after being hit for six. Barbados were bowled out for 146 in 32 overs, of which Reifer had scored 59.Scotland had to endure a tricky nine-over period before lunch, in which they lost Gavin Hamilton (7) and Kyle Coetzer (5), for only 29 runs. Fraser Watts then fell to the second ball after the interval for two and, at 26 for 3, Scotland’s batsmen were struggling to assert themselves. However, Brown and Ryan Watson steadied the ship with a half-century partnership from 99 balls in 61 minutes, going on to add 73 together.At 99 for 3, Martin Nurse returned to the attack and proceeded to bowl four wides before taking the wickets of Watson (30), Dougie Lockhart (4) and Darren Spink (0) off the remainder of his over. Blain (22*) then joined Dougie Brown (54*) and steered the side home with an enterprising stand of 45 and more than 10 overs to spare. This was a good solid performance with two of the youngsters in the team showing calmness beyond their years.
On the resilience of India’s tail this morning I wasn’t particularly surprised that it took a while. If you’d said to me at the start of day one, that we’d wrap the game up after lunch on day five, I’d have taken that. Four wickets is four wickets in India. You’ve got to work hard no matter what, and today we reaped the benefits of some great work last night, and in the first innings when we batted. It’s no surprise, we knew it would be a challenge.On the margin of victory I wouldn’t say it’s an easy Test win. It’s a convincing win for sure, 200-plus runs, but in these conditions, those sort of margins of victory can come around more easier than elsewhere. That doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a huge gap between the teams, and it was certainly not a crushing win. I expect India to come back strongly. We’ve been here before, three years ago, but we’ve a different sort of confidence this time. I certainly didn’t know what it was like to lose a Test back then [in 2001]. I know now. I know what it means to lose and I know what it means to win, and I think that personifies what the team thinks.On the completeness of Australia’s performance That was a very, very complete game of cricket for us. It went as close to our match plan as we could have hoped. I’m sure we’ll analyse our plans before Chennai, but I’m thrilled at how the guys went about their business. Our gameplan has certainly changed since 2001. There’s no need to delve into match plans or theories, but we’re a different team now, a bit more versatile.On the importance of the toss In my experience, you do not just win the toss and win the Test. Whatever you do first, whether it’s bat or bowl, you must do it well. We won the toss here and batted well, and India will probably admit they didn’t bowl quite as well first up, although Harbhajan turned it around in the second innings. We fully expected that, and next time, it will be helpful for gameplan. But whether you bat first or second, that’s the crucial innings. You’ve got to set up your runs while the wicket is in a good state.On Shane Warne’s lack of penetration this morning Let’s face it, in reality, India did not have a lot to lose this morning, other than a Test match [chuckles] … if that makes sense. I thought [Irfan] Pathan played Warne very well indeed. He’s an intelligent cricketer with experience beyond his years. The others rode their luck and took him on. They were not expected to perform heroics, so their approach was relaxed.Shane’s figures are sure to be analysed and scrutinised, and people will claim he was ineffective. I beg to differ. I thought he played a fantastic role. We have an attack based around fast bowlers, so if people want to call him a support bowler then so be it. I wouldn’t call him that. He got the most dangerous batsman that we’ve met in world cricket twice in two innings. If hetakes just eight wickets in the series and they are all VVS Laxman, I’ll take that.On the umpiring There have been a great deal of words written about the umpires, and lots of airtime on TV, but it goes without saying that some decisions will go against batsmen at some time, and on this occasion, India were on the receiving end more often than not. It’s easy to say get on with it, take the good with the bad, but I don’t remember reading on day two in Kolkata, that the crucial wicket of Harbhajan’s hat-trick [Gilchrist himself] was a certain fairly dubious lbw decision. You’ve got to move on.And what’s more, there aren’t many people in this room who’ve played in front of a crowd like that. The noise is extraordinary. When I went into bat, I had to say to Billy Bowden: “Mate, I wouldn’t do your job for quids”. You have no ideaif a batsman has bat-padded, or got an inside-edge, or whatever. It’s a very, very difficult job, made more difficult in these conditions. You have to accept it and move on, and not get too critical.I understand the frustrations of the Indians in this game. But then, apart from two umpires, no-one’s ever congratulated me for walking. And yet today, I was made to feel bad for appealing for Virender Sehwag’s dismissal. As far as I knew, it was out. I’ve since seen there was some bat involved, but why should we be made to feel bad? Let’s be consistent.On the lessons learned from Australia’s various matches against India We’ve focussed a lot on three years ago, but let’s not forget how India played in Australia last year. That Adelaide victory was a real shock, and it wasn’t that we didn’t rate India, but we scored 500 in the first innings and no team should lose from there. Somehow we did, and we’ve learnt a great deal from the Indians. There’s a wonderful aura around these series, whether it’s one-day cricket or Tests. This was another great battle, we’re thrilled to have won and we’ll celebrate tonight. But tomorrow it’ll be all hands on deck for Chennai.
Durham’s captain Jon Lewis has been awarded a benefit year in 2004. He joined Durham in 1997 after seven years with Essex.”It’s been great to be involved with Durham for the last eight seasons and watch how the club has developed,” he said. “Hopefully I will be around for a few more years to see the continued expansion of cricket in Durham.”
A week ago the KwaZulu-Natal Dolphins travel to Centurion in defence of the Discovery Health Challenge, leaving empty handed, they returned on Sunday (22nd) to take sweet revenge on Northern Titans by beating the hosts by six wickets in a fourth round Standard Bank Cup clash.Set a stiff target of 247 in the 45 over allocation, Ahmed Amla and Shaun Pollock made short work of the Titans attack labouring in the glorious sunshine. A 144-run partnership between the youthful Amla and the more matured Pollock laid the foundation to a very impressive victory.Amla scored a run-a-ball 90, his highest in limited overs, smashing seven fours and clearing the boundary on a further four occasions. What should have been his maiden limited overs hundred ended when caught in the outfield off the bowling of another veteran Steve Elworthy.Pollock, not called on to bowl, had come in at number three and showed his class by stroking and timing his way to 72 off 77 balls, including five fours and a six off Pierre Joubert,.before he was caught at the wicket.Lance Klusener (35*) and Hamish Amla (31*) took Natal to the six-wicket win with eight balls to spare.The Dolphins had won the toss and on a fairly flat, hard and bouncy pitch elected to bowl first.Three cheep wickets brought Neil McKenzie and Gerald Dross together who put on a 111-run partnership. McKenzie, not as fluent as he has been, scored a hard working 65 off 91 balls on a pitch that came on but generated a fair bit of bounce.Dross, once getting to grips with the pace of the pitch, scored his fourth, but first hundred of the season, going to the three figure mark in 93 balls when he was run out. He powerfully scored eight boundaries and four sixes taking 44 runs off 23 balls faced from Lance Klusener.A flurry at the end of the innings from Kruger van Wyk (29*) and Elworthy (14*) saw Northerns reach a good 246/6.
Pakistan gained a morale-boosting victory over Australia in the Day/Night International at Trent Bridge ahead of Saturday’s NatWest Series Final.Having won the toss and elected to bat first Pakistan made 290-9 from their 50 overs and despite half-centuries from Adam Gilchrist and Steve Waugh Australia were restricted to 254 all out, losing by 36 runs. Once again Waqar Younis was the destroyer-in-chief, picking up 6-59.In pursuit of a huge victory target of 291 Australia needed to build a solid platform but they were rocked with the early departures of both Mark Waugh and Matthew Hayden. Waqar Younis, bowling the second over, began with a wide but then bowled a perfect away swinger which nicked the outside edge of Waugh’s bat and was neatly taken by the diving Latif.Left-hander Hayden fell in the same over, although there was some confusion over his dismissal. Replays seemed to indicate that the ball struck only the pad on it’s way through to the ‘keeper. Although the lbw shout looked very close the official scorers maintained that the batsman was caught behind.Adam Gilchrist provided a dynamic response, smashing four boundaries in Waqar’s second over but the Pakistan captain continued his purple streak at the start of his third. Michael Bevan being the next to go, bowled with a ball that nipped back into him and pole-axed his middle stump.An explosive seventh over produced 19 runs and Gilchrist’s assault continued in the next over as successive pulled boundaries rocketed him to a very special 50 (44 mins 29 balls 11×4).At 76-3 after nine overs Saqlain’s off-spin was introduced; Waqar’s first spell, ending with figures of 3-43 from four overs! The first six of the innings (Saqlain/Gilchrist) came in the 12th over and brought the Australian 100 up from just 78 balls.With the score on 111 Saqlain grabbed the prize wicket of the opener as Gilchrist misread the flight and was bowled for 70 (70 mins 44 balls 1×6 12×4). In the same over Damien Martyn edged the wrong’un to Azhar Mahmood at slip and despite the healthy run-rate Australian victory chances appeared remote.Andrew Symonds joined Steve Waugh and provided reassuring support as his skipper advanced to yet another accomplished 50 (89 mins 63 balls 8×4). After 25 overs the pair had lifted the total to 165-5, still on target, and the partnership was soon extended past the 70 mark.With the floodlighting in full force 102 were needed from the final 19 overs when Waqar returned to the attack. The golden arm of the Pakistani captain struck immediately as his opposite number skied him to Saqlain at mid off. Steve Waugh had made 56 from 89 balls.Three balls later Symonds, who’d shared a stand of 77 with his captain, then tried to lift Waqar over deep midwicket but watched as substitute fielder Imran Nazir juggled four times with the ball before holding onto the catch. Waqar’s remarkable figures after five overs now read 5-48.The Australian tail had been left with too much to do by their top order and although Brett Lee hit Waqar for a huge 6 into the Radcliffe Road Stand he lost his off stump the very next ball to give the paceman his sixth wicket.Shane Warne made 14 before hitting Azhar Mahmood to Wasim Akram at cover and despite some stoic hitting from Jason Gillespie and Damien Fleming, Australia had lost their chance of an unlikely win before Gillespie was bowled by Razzaq.Saleem Elahi had earlier top-scored for Pakistan with 79, made out of a total of 290-9. Worryingly though the innings had been disrupted due to crowd disturbances, which forced the players from the field for 19 minutes. The unsightly presence of a boundary heavily ringed with police and stewards allowed the game to finish without a premature pitch invasion, although firecrackers in stands have no place at English cricket grounds.Afterwards Waqar Younis looked forward to the final on Saturday. “One more game to go and hopefully we can do well in that,” he said. “Winning before the final is always a good thing.”It was a great game, we played really well. Especially Saleem Elahi with thebat. It was a very good pitch, winning the toss was a good thing.”Of his own, match-winning bowling he commented: “It’s swinging for me and I hope it will swing for me in the final.”Steve Waugh was unhappy with the Australian performance, however. “We weren’t too flash in the field,” he said. “We missed some early opportunities. We got what we deserved tonight and have got some work to do before the final. We were outplayed by Pakistan tonight.”But he had warm words for Gilchrist, commenting: “Adam Gilchrist did well early on. But some careless shots and the game was all over.”Waugh had harsh words for the spectators that caused him to leave his team off the field during the Pakistan innings, and invaded the pitch at the end of the match.”The stewards tried their best to contain things but you can’t control idiots, can you?” he commented.”You saw the way they behaved after the game and people shouldn’t be allowedto spend £15 to come to a cricket match and think they can do what they want.”But he admitted that the situation at Trent Bridge had been better than at other grounds.”Today there was an improvement in the way things were dealt with but it wasstill not an ideal situation. They put up fences but I don’t think I would have been too keen if I had been a steward stood behind them.”