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Daniel Farke is enjoying a renaissance at Leeds United at the moment, when he once looked almost certain to be sacked.

The once under-pressure German has now spearheaded an unbelievable seven match unbeaten run in the Premier League for the Whites, with Noah Okafor coming out to state that the ex-Norwich City manager is a “top coach” for the swift turnaround in fortunes in West Yorkshire.

This is a complete change of narrative from when Farke was regularly being tipped to be axed in October and November, as the revitalised boss now hunts down some January additions to solidify the feel-good factor and to avoid a slump in form.

Leeds hold talks with La Liga star

Farke has done extremely well to maintain this impressive run of form, with the likes of Joe Rodon out of the side owing to injury.

He could bring in Chelsea outcast Axel Disasi to strengthen at the back, as the commanding Welshman remains sidelined, with a deal reportedly in the advanced stages for the Frenchman to leave Stamford Bridge behind for new opportunities at Elland Road.

Leeds are some way off completing another deal for Real Madrid sensation Gonzalo Garcia, on the other hand, with TEAMtalk revealing that the Premier League newcomers have been rebuffed in their latest approach for the Los Blancos centre-forward.

Indeed, the report states that Leeds have been admirers of the young Spaniard for some time now, having even been noted – back in November – to be planning a £17m bid for the 21-year-old’s services.

Nothing has materialised, though, with the latest set of enquiries from Leeds, and their top-flight rivals in Sunderland, being met with clear rejection, as Garcia fights for a starting place at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Leeds’ long-standing interest means this is a deal that won’t just fizzle out, however, as the Whites could go the distance all window long in trying to tempt Garcia to England, with the Madrid-born striker arguably a bigger talent than the free-flowing Dominic Calvert-Lewin, already situated at Elland Road.

Why Garcia is a bigger talent than Calvert-Lewin

Of course, when initially taking this statement at face value, this does feel like a ludicrous comment to make, with Calvert-Lewin deep in a purple patch of form in the Premier League, which has seen him power home eight top-flight goals donning Leeds white.

But, there will be a worry lingering at the back of everyone’s minds at Leeds, that Calvert-Lewin is prone to a slip-up in form, as evidenced by the ex-Everton marksman only powering home three top-flight goals all of last season, as his injury difficulties took a firm grip.

At 28 years of age, as well, it’s clear that Calvert-Lewin will be winding down his playing days in the near future, even with the Sheffield-born striker now sticking out as an arguable late bloomer, having been a largely inconsistent scorer of Premier League goals since a very early age.

It would take the 11-time England international 43 outings at the very pinnacle of English football to reach five league strikes.

On the contrary, Garcia is already eight goals down for Xabi Alonso’s men from 30 senior appearances, with his manager hailing him as an “unbelievable” and “aggressive” attacker to work with, when making considerable strides in the men’s game in Madrid.

Garcia’s last run-out in La Liga versus Real Betis saw him power home a sensational hat-trick, with Alonso and Co. not put off whatsoever in their aims to win, even as Kylian Mbappe was missing from the starting lineup.

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Thankfully, their homegrown sensation stepped up and delivered the goods, instead, with the red-hot striker showing why he’s been hailed as “incredible” in the past by scout Jacek Kulig, when putting away a stunning four goals in Club World Cup action in pre-season – even when facing the likes of European giants Borussia Dortmund and Juventus.

Garcia’s Real Madrid record

Age bracket

Games

Goals + Assists

RM Castilla

73

30 + 7

Real Madrid

30

8 + 3

Madrid Youth League

16

6 + 3

Sourced by Transfermarkt

With his blistering goalscoring record clear for all to see in the table above, it’s not the wildest shout to suggest that Garcia could surpass Calvert-Lewin’s long-standing career at the very top in time, with the 21-year-old also boldly dubbed as a “world-class” finisher by journalist Zach Lowy.

For now, Leeds will bask in the glory of Calvert-Lewin’s goalscoring prowess.

But, in the long term, landing Garcia’s services, against all the odds, could put them in an even better position for success, as the Spain U21 regular is already a feared goal machine on some grand stages, at just 21 years of age.

Related Deal in advanced stages: Leeds well placed to sign Ampadu 2.0 this month

Leeds United could secure a January signing very shortly by winning this dominant star’s services.

Posts ByKelan Sarson

Sunderland are pushing for a top-half finish at a minimum in the Premier League table. However, they are now targeting a January arrival who could put them in the picture for continental qualification.

Sunderland look to build on excellent Premier League form

Undoubtedly, Sunderland have been the surprise package of the campaign under Regis Le Bris and have proven that their form isn’t just a flash in the pan after being able to sustain some consistency during the Christmas period.

Sitting comfortably in the top half of the table, they are feasibly a few victories away from mathematically securing safety and have exceeded expectations, albeit with the help of some fantastic summer recruitment.

Now, the question will be centred around how far Sunderland can push expectations. Clearly, the Stadium of Light is an appealing destination for players, so it is almost a certainty that fresh faces will come in to add further squad depth.

It remains to be seen where fresh reinforcements are added, though Roma’s Artem Dovbyk is reportedly a target for the Black Cats, illustrating that their forward line may be subject to change between now and the end of the window.

Brentford, Everton, Crystal Palace, West Ham United and Burnley represent some welcome upcoming fixtures for Sunderland in the next few weeks, potentially offering the ideal breeding ground for prospective new arrivals to get their first taste of action in the North East.

In what has become a really exciting period at the Stadium of Light, there is a feeling that they may be set to achieve something special this campaign, which a player currently starring at the African Cup of Nations may be about to experience.

Sunderland eyeing move for Paris FC winger Ilan Kebbal

According to Football Insider, Sunderland are in the mix to sign Paris FC winger Ilan Kebbal, who is also wanted by Fulham and Crystal Palace during the mid-season window.

Currently at the African Cup of Nations with Algeria, the 27-year-old has registered six goals and four assists in 16 appearances across all competitions this campaign, earning plaudits in the country of his birth.

Related Sunderland already have a homegrown Bouaddi brewing & it's not Rigg

Sunderland already possess a homegrown Ayyoudi Bouaddi in their ranks and it’s not Chris Rigg.

Posts ByKelan Sarson

Predominantly a right winger, Kebbal has created 40 chances in Ligue 1 this term and is capable of going in either direction, regularly beating his marker as proven by his tally of 18 successful dribbles.

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Of course, his presence in Morocco for now wouldn’t help Sunderland in the immediate term as Algeria fight it out for tournament glory, but he may be someone who is worth investing in after a series of superb performances in France.

Sunderland could also sell Paddy Roberts to Birmingham permanently, according to the outlet, offering a small cash boost that could help to see a deal for Kebbal over the line.

Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Bangladesh Under-19 captain who led the team to a third-place finish, wants to improve his overall skills before he vies for a place in the senior team. Miraz, scored 242 runs in six innings and also picked up 12 wickets at 17.66 to earn the Man of the Tournament award.”I just ended my career at the Under-19 level and like every other cricketer, I also dream to play at the highest level for my country,” Miraz said. “But this requires perseverance and hard work, and I want to develop myself as a better cricketer in the time I will get to transform myself.”It is a big achievement for me to win the player-of-the-tournament award; not just for me, but for the whole team and the nation too. Sixteen teams participated in the event and our team came third and among them I got the award. This is actually massive.”Miraz said that the Bangladesh team could have played the final but for an inspired West Indies side who beat them in the semi-final in Mirpur. Now he wants to move forward quickly and could possibly play for South Zone in the Bangladesh Cricket League first-class tournament.”We had a great unit too and deserved to win the trophy,” he said. “But a few mistakes cost us the [semi-final] match. We respected the West Indies but we had the confidence in us. We just couldn’t translate it into action.”I think there were expectations on me because I played well. I will need to hold on to the belief that I can carry myself forward. I am not satisfied with these achievements only. I want to go up the ladder and give some moments of happiness to my nation.”

Ricky Ponting will lead Tasmania in a rare Pura Cup appearance © Getty Images

Ricky Ponting will captain Tasmania in their Pura Cup match at home against South Australia starting on Monday. It will be Ponting’s second Pura Cup outing in two seasons after his international duties kept him out of state first-class action for three consecutive summers before last year.Joining Ponting in the side will be Ben Hilfenhaus, who missed the opening Pura Cup match while on tour with Australia in India, while Tim Paine and Chris Duval have been omitted. The 12-man squad also includes Luke Butterworth, who had a hamstring strain that kept him out of the Tigers’ Pura Cup opener.Butterworth is coming off an amazing all-round effort for Tasmania’s Second XI against Victoria’s Second XI last week. He struck 116 in the first innings and 223 in the second, also collecting 5 for 40 in Victoria’s first innings to prove that his Man-of-the-Match performance in last summer’s Pura Cup final was no fluke.Tasmania squad Michael Di Venuto, Michael Dighton, Ricky Ponting (capt), Travis Birt, George Bailey, Daniel Marsh, Luke Butterworth, Sean Clingeleffer (wk), Brett Geeves, Brendan Drew, Adam Griffith, Ben Hilfenhaus.South Australia squad Matthew Elliott, Shane Deitz, Mark Cosgrove, Nathan Adcock (capt), Darren Lehmann, Andy Delmont, Graham Manou (wk), Ryan Harris, Mark Cleary, Jason Gillespie, Dan Cullen, Shaun Tait.

Australia 513 and 4 for 168 (Hussey 61*, Ponting 49) beat England 6 for 551 and 129 (Collingwood 22*, Warne 4-49) by six wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary
How they were out – England
How they were out – Australia

Mike Hussey celebrates hitting the winning runs © Getty Images

Australia have won the second Test at Adelaide and taken a 2-0 lead in the Ashes, after Shane Warne bounced back to form on a sensational final day to spark a dramatic England collapse. From 1 for 59 overnight, England lost their last nine wickets for 60 in 42 panic-stricken overs, with Warne right in the thick of things taking 4 for 27 in an unbroken 26-over spell. And then, needing 168 to win in an extended final session, Australia romped home with 3.1 of their 36 overs to spare. It was left to the ICC one-day Player of the Year, Mike Hussey, to crack the winning runs in an unbeaten 61.It was a day dredged straight from the pit of English Ashes misery, and it was sparked, inevitably, by Warne. After his first-innings haul of 1 for 167, it was questioned whether he could ever again be the force of old, especially given the savage treatment that Kevin Pietersen had meted out on him in the course of his 158. And yet, the old showman proved that it’s never too late for another encore. With England wobbling after two early setbacks, he reverted to his attacking line from over the wicket and bowled Pietersen round the legs with a prodigious first-ball legbreak that pitched in the rough and exploded onto off stump. It was a seminal moment, and England’s resolve crumbled in an instant.Pietersen had gone for 2, England had lost three wickets for four runs in three overs, and they had absolutely no place to turn. Andrew Strauss had fallen to a dubious catch at short leg and Ian Bell to a suicidal run-out – both dismissals inspired by Warne – and the combination of nerves and bad karma swept through the dressing-room like a bushfire. Australia went in for the kill, with sweepers on both boundaries to asphyxiate the runs and slips in place to pile on the pressure, and no-one other than the steadfast Paul Collingwood had any answer to the onslaught.

The start of the rot: Shane Warne appeals successfully for Andrew Strauss’s wicket © Getty Images

Andrew Flintoff certainly had no clue how to approach the situation. With his mind seemingly everywhere but on the job, he swished at a succession of wide deliveries from Brett Lee and eventually snicked one through to Adam Gilchrist, and Lee needed just four balls after the break to set Geraint Jones up for the big outswinging half-volley that he slapped straight to Matthew Hayden at gully. Ashley Giles – included in England’s line-up as an insurance policy for a day exactly like this – then lasted just eight deliveries before Warne squared him up with a big ripper and Hayden again pouched the catch at slip.Collingwood by now was entrenched, starved of run-scoring opportunities and rapidly running out of partners. Matthew Hoggard dug in as best he could, but having ground his innings out for 24 obdurate deliveries, Warne served up a thinly disguised googly that took the inside-edge of an ambitious swish. And Glenn McGrath, who had been brooding in the outfield for three hours and 20 minutes, struck in his first over to end Steve Harmison’s brief resistance.James Anderson hung around with Collingwood for 10 precious overs, but runs were at an absolute premium, with England managing just three boundaries in the entire day’s play. McGrath eventually picked Anderson off lbw for 1 from 28 balls, leaving Collingwood high and dry, unbeaten on 22 from a strokeless but steadfast 119 balls.Scenting blood, Australia made a breathless start. Justin Langer signalled his intentions by dancing down the wicket to Matthew Hoggard’s second delivery, and clubbed it off a good length through midwicket for four. But Hoggard had his revenge in his next over, when Langer threw the kitchen sink at a wide one but cut it straight into Ian Bell’s midriff at point.

Ricky Ponting eased any Australian nerves with 49 © Getty Images

Hayden came and went in a similar manner, thumping Flintoff for two big boundaries before top-edging an attempted pull Collingwood, running back from midwicket. Australia had slipped to 2 for 33 after six overs, but Ponting joined forces with Hussey, who had been promoted above Damien Martyn in the Australian order, and the pair switched instantly to one-day mode, nudging the singles and keeping the run-rate ticking over.As Giles entered the attack, Flintoff posted sweepers on the off and leg side and attempted to cut off the easy singles behind square, but Australia’s batsmen were too canny with their one-day expertise, and milked Giles out of the attack with a series of expert dabs and reverse-sweeps. Hoggard returned with the keeper standing up but had to retreat after conceding ten runs in one over, most of them dabbed through third man.England’s shoulders began to droop as Flintoff’s captaincy became increasingly lacklustre. Anderson got one to kick off a good length to Hussey, but the edge eluded slip and raced away for another boundary, and though they briefly came back into the reckoning when Strauss clung onto two catches in four balls to see off Ponting for 49 and Martyn for 5, the final insult came when a hyperactive Pietersen fielded a relay throw from Hoggard at long-on, and hurled it over the boundary to give away seven precious runs.As the replay screen counted down the runs required, it could have been a replay of the closing stages at Edgbaston or Old Trafford last summer – with one prominent exception. The fight had gone out of England long before Hussey picked off the winning runs through cover point. It is ironic, given the disdain they have shown for one-day cricket this year, that their Ashes campaign might just have been ended by a one-day style capitulation.Moment of the Day
Kevin Pietersen’s hubristic sweep shot against Shane Warne, the man he believed he had “beaten”. With England rocking after two quick wickets, KP’s default answer was another dose of aggression. But he was beaten by the drift, and embarrassed by the rip as he lost his off stump from around his legs.Shot of the Day
Justin Langer’s kitchen-sink smite over midwicket off the second ball of Australia’s run-chase. He danced down the track and belted Matthew Hoggard, baseball-style. It established the tempo of the chase immediately, and ensured that England were as timid in the field as they were with the bat.Stonewaller of the Day
Paul Collingwood survived 119 balls for his 22 not out, gritting his teeth and clinging on for dear life as England’s innings collapsed around him. It wasn’t pretty, and in the final analysis it wasn’t very effective either. But all the while that Warne and Brett Lee were howling at the door, it was England’s only hope of salvation.Innings of the Day
Michael Hussey was thrust up the order ahead of Damien Martyn, and produced the sort of cool, calm, collected innings that has been a hallmark of his award-winning one-day performances. He found the gaps with ease, he turned ones into twos, and he clattered the bad balls with alacrity.Cock-up of the Day
The run-out of Ian Bell. It was a moment reminiscent of Mark Ramprakash’s aberration during their 46 all out at Trinidad in 1993-94 – the moment when mild alarm morphed into full-blown panic, for all of Andrew Flintoff’s protestations to the contrary.Quote of the Day
Channel Nine’s jingoistic on-pitch reporter, Ian Healy, summing up the emotional scenes at the end of Australia’s chase. “This Ashes clash twists and turns like a massive python,” he said with an utterly straight face.

Sourav Ganguly says he will perform any role if picked for the Indian team © Getty Images

Sourav Ganguly, the deposed Indian captain, praised his successor Rahul Dravid and declared that he was prepared to play in any position and perform any role if taken back into the national squad.”Rahul Dravid is doing a great job as captain,” Ganguly told mediapersons after a practice session in Kolkata. Asked how he rated his chances of coming back to the squad in the near future, Ganguly said, “I am playing domestic cricket. I am laying stress on fitness. My past record is also there.” Asked if he was eyeing the slot of an allrounder to make a comeback to the squad, Ganguly said he was prepared to fit into any role the team desired of him. “I have taken 14/15 wickets in the Duleep Trophy. I also scored a hundred. I am willing to play at any position. I am prepared to perform any role that the team wants me to.”On whether his confidence was boosted by Ranbir Singh Mahendra’s, the BCCI president, comments that the doors of the Indian team have not been shut on him, Ganguly said, “I don’t want to react to this. I only want to continue scoring runs. But yes, it does feel good to hear such encouraging words”.Cautious not to court any controversy, Ganguly skipped queries on Virender Sehwag’s form, and whether he would make any changes in the squad if he returned as captain. “Performance of the team does not depend on the coach or captain or any individual player. All the players in the squad have to perform well for the team to come up with a good show,” he said.Ganguly, however, dismissed the criticism that he had problems with short pitched deliveries, saying his record was there for all to see. “Every batsman has his weak spot. But despite his weakness, if one has scored 14,000 to 15,000 runs in top class cricket, then I think nobodyshould complain,” he said. Ganguly also said it was perfectly logical that performance should be the yardstick in deciding team compositions. “Not only Sourav, Dravid or Sachin (Tendulkar), all the players have to perform well to be picked for the team.”

Kenya’s ignominious exit from the ICC Intercontinental Cup, where they were comprehensively outplayed by Scotland at Abu Dhabi, highlighted just how rapid their decline has been. Less than two years ago they appeared in a World Cup semi-final. The springboard and opportunity that should have provided has sadly been squandered in a spectacular and avoidable fashion.Since that March day at Durban, when they were beaten by India, nothing has gone right for Kenyan cricket. Sponsors have been lost and not replaced; the Kenyan Cricket Association (KCA), bedevilled by accusations of mismanagement and financial irregularity, has fallen out with almost everyone connected with the sport, not to mention attracting the concern of the government; there have been constant rumblings of unrest among the players, culminating in the recent and ongoing strike; civil war has erupted between the board and the two main domestic leagues; Maurice Odumbe has been banned following a hearing into his links with bookmakers. Attempts to paper over the cracks with rhetoric worked for a while – but no longer. Even the ICC is thought to be increasingly concerned at the situation.The outburst on Monday by Ramesh Bhalla, Kenya’s team manager, that most of the striking players were over the hill and wouldn’t have made it to the current team anyway has been exposed as utter rot. The scale and manner of the drubbing by Scotland indicated that few of the new-look side are anywhere near being of a decent enough standard to play one-day internationals. Kenya’s dream of Test cricket, so close to becoming a reality in recent years, is now in tatters.For all the bullish noises made by the KCA, it has to shoulder the blame for the lack of decent cricket available to its players. Despite backing and financial support from the ICC, it has failed to ensure that its top players actually get to play, even though they are on contracts and so are paid to sit at home. The KCA’s own league is a nonstarter, as is its one-day competition. From today, the next match Kenya are scheduled to play is not until next July, when theIntercontinental Cup resumes.The effective civil war between much of Kenya’s established cricketing fraternity and the board is at the root of the problem. The KCA continues to maintain that its efforts are producing results, but local administrators argue that the few decent players coming through are because of the hard work of enthusiastic amateurs and actually in spite, not because, of the board. There remain concerns about funding, and recently the ICC stepped in when it wasrevealed that money it was providing to the board for development was instead being used to pay players’ salaries. That action indirectly led to the strike.So where now? What is obvious is that little will change under the current administration. Too much has happened, too much muck has been thrown both at and by the KCA for it to be able to turn the alarming decline around.For the sake of Kenyan cricket, there must be fair and transparent elections and all the dealings of the new regime have to be open to public scrutiny. Only then will investors and sponsors – and there are plenty in the wings – feel confident to step forward and start to help the rebuilding. As it stands now, finding out about the detail of the board’s operations is nigh-on impossible.Sadly, there is no sign that change is on the agenda. The KCA has started a review of its constitution, but that is already being discredited by accusations that it is not fair or even within the board’s remit. Critics believe that it is little more than an attempt to keep the exiting regime in power. More court action seems inevitable.Dispiriting though Scotland result is, some good might come out of it. At last the wider cricket world can see how dire the situation is, and that can only accelerate calls for change. That the KCA has to reform is inevitable. The only hope is that the damage done is not already terminal.

Surrey won the first ECB Under 15 County Championship, sponsored by The Lord’s Taverners, when they defeated Devon in the final match of the Festival at Oundle School for the three sides that had won their Area Division 1. Surrey’s victory followed two drawn matches, and a third draw would have meant that the title would have been decided on the bonus points accumulated during the week.In the opening match Surrey, asked to bat, compiled 167 for 8 and declared after one ball of the 57th over to avoid the risk of conceding an additional bowling point to Yorkshire. The side batting first is only able to bat for 57 of the minimum 105 overs that must be bowled in the day, although they can declare earlier and only score batting points during the first 48 overs of their innings. Surrey gained 1 batting point when passing 125 runs and Yorkshire pocketed 3 bowling points when they took the 7th wicket. Surrey had been faltering against an accurate attack on a slow pitch with little bounce, and had recovered from 22 for 4 thanks mainly to Ben Kingsnorth and Anthony Shales. However when the 8th wicket fell at 105 a low score seemed in prospect. Laurie Evans and Akbar Ansari added 62 to post a reasonable target.In reply Yorkshire made a steady start but the introduction of the spinners saw the scoring dry up and in the end they managed only 90 for 7 in 48 overs to secure a draw, with Surrey taking 3 bowling points to give them 4 in total against the 3 gained by Yorkshire.On another fine day Yorkshire batted first against Devon, with Phil Critchley (58) and Greg Wood (32) putting on 92 for the first wicket. However the Devon captain, James Carr, removed them both on the way to a 5 wicket haul and with another spinner, Matthew Cooke, taking 3 wickets Yorkshire subsided to 141 all out in 50.5 overs.Devon lost early wickets and went into the final hour with their last pair, Jack Porter and Mickey Wilkinson, together. Yorkshire tried everything to part them but without success as the pair held on for a draw, Yorkshire taking 4 bowling and 1 batting point and Devon 4 bowling points. Luke Townsend with 4 for 41 and Andrew Bilton with 3 for 15, both from 17 overs, did the damage for Yorkshire.In the final match Surrey made slow but steady progress, with runs always difficult to come by and four wickets falling to LBW decisions as they reached 172 for 6, declaring after 54 overs with 1 batting point secured. Tom Parker scored 34 and Matthew Cooke took 3 for 47 in 20 overs.Surrey needed to take 9 Devon wickets to gain maximum bowling points to draw level on bonus points with Yorkshire (and win the title, having scored more bonus points in the match between the two sides) – Devon needed to win to gain match points and remove bonus points from the equation. Once again the faster bowlers could make little impact, although scoring was never easy, and after Josh Bess and Dan Bowser had put on 43 for the first wicket Akbar Ansari and Simon King worked their way through the Devon batting, each taking 4 wickets, and Devon were all out in the 50th over for 110.Frank Kemp, ECB Cricket Operations Manager, thanked The Lord’s Taverners for their generous support of the Under 15 County Championship, Oundle School for hosting the event and Ken Lake and his team of helpers for organising the competition so efficiently. He then presented individual plaques to the scorers, umpires and the three teams before presenting the Lord’s Taverners Trophy to Alan Cope, the Surrey captain.Summary ResultsSurrey U15s 167 – 8 dec, Yorkshire U15s 90 – 7 Match drawn
Yorkshire U15s 141, Devon 114 – 9 Match drawn
Surrey 172 – 6 dec, Devon 110 Surrey won by 62 runs

The face off between the BCCI and the ICC has come to a predictableend with the chiefs of both the governing bodies issuing a jointstatement. The telephone lines between India and London were busy, asthere was a deadline to be met in the case of Sehwag. The ICC tooksome time before comprehending the viewpoint of the BCCI. The BCCI wasnever for going against the apex international body but it wanted theICC to do something about the anomalies in the way the refereescarried out their duties. Finally, the ICC has shown the requiredunderstanding and agreed to look into the issues raised by the BCCIPresident, Mr Jagmohan Dalmiya.The series between England and India will now get underway and all theundue importance given to the Denness episode will thankfully bepushed to the back burner. The Englishmen have been here and haveplayed themselves in, so to speak, on Indian pitches. The results theyhave had may not be flattering but it would be prudent not to take thevisitors lightly.

© CricInfo

Nasser Hussain is on a mission in more ways than one and it would be areal test for his team. The Englishmen had done well in the subcontinent the last time they played against Pakistan and Sri Lanka,which would really make them fancy their chances. Of course, they aremissing the likes of Atherton and Stewart but they still have enoughstrength in their batting to combat the Indian attack. The fact thatthere is a lot of inexperience in the Indian medium-pace departmentand that coupled with the fact that the spinners Harbhajan Singh andAnil Kumble also are under pressure to perform would give greatcomfort to the visitors.

© CricInfo

Saurav Ganguly’s love-hate affair with the Indian selection committeecontinues. The Indian captain has come out with a strong statementafter he was not consulted before being given the team for the firstTest at Mohali. The entire bunch of medium-pacers from the squad inSouth Africa have been sacked and younger bowlers have been draftedin. The inclusion of a third spinner also comes as a surprise becausethe chances of playing all of them are frail. The third seamer maywell be Bangar but Ganguly may rather take up that responsibility. Thelack of harmony between the think tank and the selection committee isevident and this may prove to be beneficial for the visitors.If the track at Mohali behaves as it normally does, then theEnglishmen would stand upto the hosts in a manner contrary to theexpectations of Indian fans. The visitors are no strangers to seamingsurfaces and the relatively inexperienced Indian pace attack wouldpose no great threat to the England side. Mark Butcher and MarcusTrescothick, the likely England openers, are capable of making bigscores. Their middle-order batsmen are also good players of spinbowling.Hussain, for his part, is a tough nut and quite obviously he knowswhat to expect in India. He is though without his two main wickettakers, Darren Gough and Andrew Caddick, which leaves him with CraigWhite as the spearhead. Ashley Giles can be a handful on turningtracks but he is coming back to international cricket after a longbreak owing to injury.Given the fact that the Indians are trying to recover from the SouthAfrican blues, the visitors have a realistic chance of turning thetables in Mohali. If they miss out there, then it will be tough forthem to beat the Indians either in Ahmedabad or Bangalore.

Worcestershire have signed Kyle Abbott, the South African pace bowler, as their overseas player for the second half of the 2016 campaign – subject to him obtaining a visa and a No Objection Certificate from Cricket South Africa.Abbott, a regular member of South Africa’s ODI and T20I squads, including the series last month against India, is scheduled to be available for Worcestershire from early July until the end of the season. South Africa have two Tests against New Zealand in that period, but he does not anticipate being called into the squad.Promotion will be the priority for Worcestershire, whose reputation as county cricket’s Yo-Yo club remained intact when they were relegated from Division One last year.Steve Rhodes, Worcestershire’s director of cricket, had indicated he wanted to sign another quality pace bowler to aid the trio of Joe Leach, Jack Shantry and Charlie Morris who sterlingly bore the brunt of the workload in 2015. They bowlewd more than 1400 Championship overs between them and were among the hardest-worked pace bowlers in the country.”It is very exciting to welcome Kyle on board for the last three months of next season,” Rhodes said. “He will be available after the Tri-Series in the Caribbean with Australia and the West Indies in June. To have him for an extended period of time, July, August, September, I think he will be a real asset”He will pass on, I’m sure, some excellent experience to our younger bowlers and we know he is the type of person that will fit into our dressing room as well. We look forward to him doing well. He is not just a Test match bowler, he is a one-day bowler and he has also got good T20 skills. He will potentially be playing in all three formats.”Abbott has to date played three Tests for South Africa and on his debut in 2013 returned the outstanding figures of 7 for 29 against Pakistan at Centurion when his victims included current captain Misbah-ul-Haq and the former Worcestershire spinner Saeed Ajmal.He has previous experience of county cricket with Hampshire in 2014, helping them to promotion from Division Two of the Championship with 36 wickets in nine matches at 20.33 runs apiece.He also made 12 appearances that season for Hampshire in the NatWest T20 Blast – a competition he played in last summer for a six-match spell with Middlesex.As a Division Two side, Worcerstershire will regard him as quite a coup. His 232 first-class wickets have come at 21.30 apiece and he was also signed up by Chennai Super Kings in 2015 to play in the Indian Premier League.