Category Uncategorized

Ryan Harris and Brad Haddin will join Australia’s coaching staff for the Chappell-Hadlee Series in New Zealand early next year, with batting coach Graeme Hick and bowling coach David Saker instead flying to India ahead of time to prepare for Australia’s four-Test tour.Australia play three ODIs in New Zealand from January 30 to February 5, and the first Test against India begins in Pune on February 23. Head coach Darren Lehmann will be with the one-day squad in New Zealand but Hick and Saker will be part of an advance party to India with their focus on the longer form of the game.Harris, who retired on the eve of the 2015 Ashes series, will serve as bowling coach, having previously performed that function during this year’s one-day tour of South Africa. Haddin, whose official retirement was announced in September last year, will serve as a fielding mentor during the New Zealand trip, having also coached during this winter’s Australia A series.”It’s a fantastic opportunity for us to have ex-players of the calibre of Brad and Ryan on board for this tour and continue their involvement in Australian cricket,” Lehmann said. “Both these guys have worked hard on their coaching since leaving the game and thoroughly deserve their opportunityHaddin said: “It is going to be great to be back in Australian colours again, albeit as part of the coaching group . I thoroughly enjoyed my time working with Australia A in Townsville recently and am grateful that coaching has given me the opportunity to remain involved in cricket.Harris said: “South Africa was a great learning experience for me and it was fantastic to be back with the team again. Coaching is something I really enjoy and to be able to continue to be involved with the Australian team is something I can’t wait to be a part of again.”

Like his German composer namesake, Neil Wagner does not mind a hint of the dramatic. Where New Zealand have gained a reputation for even temper and a lack of on field histrionics, Wagner’s Afrikaner blood gets up at times, as shown by an on-field posture that can look more Dale Steyn than Tim Southee.

‘Olden days’ WACA pitch in prospect

With as few as two Test matches left for the WACA Ground to host before major international cricket moves to the drop-in pitches of the nascent Burswood Stadium, the curator Matthew Page is as intent on keeping things as retro as possible.
“With us being the WACA, it’s all about trying to replicate the olden days and provide a traditional WACA wicket,” Page said. “It goes back to the 70s, that sort of thing, so for us every wicket we do we’re trying to replicate those conditions.”
Page replaced Cameron Sutherland only a matter of weeks before the Ashes Test two years ago, and his knowledge of the surface has grown since, including the constant historical comparisons.
“They changed the clay back to what it originally was about six or seven years ago, and I guess the pace and the bounce has returned since then,” he said. “We’re always compared with the olden days. For us, it’s about trying to get it as close as we can.”

Given New Zealand’s poorly display in Brisbane, where they were bullied by an Australia side as aggressive in deed as they are infamous for being in word, Wagner’s occasionally fiery countenance may be a useful tonic for Brendon McCullum’s side as they seek to fight their way out of the hole they find themselves in.Wagner certainly likes the look of the WACA, a place at which he has never bowled but can vividly recall the exploits of many a fast bowler at the ground. Plans to shift major international matches to the Burswood Stadium and a drop-in pitch mean all pacemen are running out of chances.”I’d love to play Australia, I’d love to get that chance,” Wagner said. “I had a training session yesterday at the Melville club and they told me it was the last two Tests at the WACA or something like that because they’re talking about a different ground. That’s a bit of a shame because it’s quite a nice ground, I loved watching it growing up, a lot of history over there and I’d love to play there. It’s pretty awesome, a very special place for fast bowlers.”Just watching cricket here over the years, I think overseas teams have come here and bowled a bit too short. They get carried away with the bounce and the pace sometimes. Sometimes you’ve got to bowl a touch fuller length, sort of top of the stumps. For us I think the thing is to not get carried away with it. Hit consistent areas and ask good questions for longer periods of time and things will happen.”Even though Southee bowled soundly in the morning at nets to prove his fitness after suffering from an irritated disc in his back at the Gabba, Wagner is still a chance to play. The New Zealand coach Mike Hesson has forecast a five-man bowling attack for the WACA Ground with the spinner Mark Craig batting at No. 7, meaning the pace options for McCullum will be many and varied. New Zealand are also sustained by the knowledge they are chronically slow starters to Test series, but invariably improve as they go on.”As a bowling unit we’ve always complemented each other quite well over past times and our success over the past two years or so is we’ve bowled in partnerships and other guys have stepped up too,” Wagner said. “I think that has made Tim and Trent bowl really well in the past. It was just a little bit inconsistency and a bit of a tough start.”We have had that in the past as well, our first Test we haven’t always started that well and we’ve picked it up as the series has gone on. Lucky for us it’s a three-match series, there’s a lot more cricket left to be played and hopefully we can set it back from ball one in this next Test.”Overall the team will be better for that hit [in Brisbane], being out in the heat and humidity and bouncy wickets, just adapting to everything, it’s now for us to go out and set it right in the second Test from day one.”One man Wagner may be asked to confront should he get the nod to play, is David Warner, the dominant batting force of the Gabba Test and now one of only three batsman ever to have thrice scored a hundred in each innings of a Test match. That sort of scoring can force opposition teams to re-think their strategies, but Wagner said it was simply a matter of being tighter for longer.”I think we still stick to our guns and our plans. If we execute it better for longer periods of time, I’m sure we’ll get more rewards,” he said. “I think our attack is up there with the best in the world. When Tim, Trent and Dougy and the rest of them all get it right – they’re pretty good bowlers. If we can be more consistent for long periods of time, we’ll definitely show that. The boys are up for the task and the challenge in this Test.”Richard Wagner’s operatic Ring Cycle is a 15-hour affair. Success for Wagner and New Zealand this week will require a similarly sustained effort.

Full scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsFile photo: Collins Obuya completed his fifty in 34 balls•ICC

Collins Obuya’s half-century and some tidy bowling helped Kenya quell Oman’s chase by seven runs and register their second straight win in the World T20 Qualifier in Edinburgh.Sent in to bat, Kenya were off to a steady, if not racy, start, their openers, Narendra Kalyan and Irfan Karim, adding 29 runs before Rajeshkumar Ranpura accounted for Karim in the sixth over. Two overs later, Kalyan was trapped in front by Zeeshan Maqsood to reduce Kenya to 33 for 2.Obuya and Nehemiah Odhiambo then joined hands to raise 39 runs in 4.5 overs. After Odhiambo’s dismissal, Obuya put on 52 in 5.5 overs in the company of captain Rakep Patel, who scored 21 off 15 balls, to increase the run rate.Obuya brought up his fifty off 34 balls with a six off Ranpura in the 18th over, but he perished three balls later. Kenya scored 45 in their last five overs to finish with 143. Debutants Munis Ansari and Maqsood picked up two wickets each along with Ranpura, who gave away only 17 runs in four overs.Oman’s reply was stifled by some thrifty bowling from left-arm seamer Lucas Oluoch and left-arm spinner Shem Ngoche. Oman managed to score only 25 in the Powerplay, with two maidens from Oluoch, and were on 49 for 3 after 10 overs, Ngoche picking up two of the wickets while Oluoch bowled four overs on the trot, giving away only 10 runs.Oman struggled to get any partnerships going at the top of the order with Jatinder Singh, with 31 off 34 balls, making the only substantial contribution. They, however, gave Kenya a scare at the back end as No. 7 Amir Ali smashed a 20-ball 30 to bring Oman closer to the target. With 24 required off the last over, he was dismissed by Odhiambo off the third delivery, effectively ending Oman’s hopes. Ngoche finished with figures of 3 for 25.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details2:51

‘Misbah one of the best finishers’ – Waqar

It was, in the end, a tale of two captains. And while Pakistan’s Misbah-ul-Haq enjoyed the best of times, Eoin Morgan continues to endure the worst.Misbah may never win over all his doubters. A nation that wants its cricketers to look like film stars and sound like rock stars may never entirely warm to his cautious words and dour voice. He could invent time travel and his critics would say Shahid Afridi would have done it quicker and with better hair.But as a batsman and captain his record is exceptional. After taking command of a disgraced team, he has rebuilt – despite many setbacks out of his control – and remained while others have fallen away. Here he proved, yet again, his worth with an innings of class, composure and skill that saw his depleted side gain a confidence-boosting win over an improving opposition. His willingness to embrace responsibility is what renders him a special player.Encouragingly for Pakistan, Umar Akmal lent him mature support. Moderating his undoubted talent with some of the calm of his captain, he helped Misbah add 133 runs in 22 overs for Pakistan’s fifth wicket in a stand that all but sealed the game. Akmal’s talent has never been in doubt and if he can learn to harness it like this, his side will have developed a world-class player.

We can repeat 1992 – Waqar

Waqar Younis hailed Misbah-ul-Haq as one of his country’s best ever one-day finishers after Pakistan beat England by four-wickets in their final World Cup warm-up match at the SCG.
Misbah, the Pakistan captain, came to the crease with his side precariously placed at 78 for 4 and compiled a masterful, unbeaten innings of 91 to take his side to victory with seven balls to spare.
“He reads the game really well,” Waqar said. “He reads the scoreboard really well and as a captain he also takes the responsibility. Sometimes, when you lose early wickets, he gets enough time and he is a big hitter also. I don’t know if I should say it, but for Pakistan, for someone batting at No. 5 or No. 6 he’s definitely at the top.”
Waqar was also delighted by the contribution of Umar Akmal, who helped Misbah add 133 runs in 22 overs for Pakistan’s fifth wicket in a stand that effectively won the match.
“We all know that he is a real talent,” Waqar said. “He’s been around the team for the last five or six years now, being in and out of the team. Sometimes we give him gloves; sometimes we play him as a batter. It’s tough for him but he looks in good touch, he batted well the other day also. We needed a couple of good partnership heading into the tournament.”
So encouraged was Waqar by the performance that he suggested Pakistan could emulate the achievements of the 1992 side and win the World Cup.
“What happened in 1992 can happen again,” he said. “That’s the beauty of this game. It’s a lovely game and there are a lot of ups and downs and I think that it could be anybody’s World Cup.”

When the pair game together, it seemed England had the game under control. Pakistan were 78 for 4 and almost half the overs had gone.But Misbah had the chase under control from the start. Content to pat back the good balls, he waited for the deliveries in his area and simply walloped them over the top. Both his sixes came when carting England’s offspinners over midwicket, while three of his five fours went in the same direction. It was not pretty, but it was hugely effective.That Afridi, with a brace of boundaries, finished off the game just gave the large and good-humoured contingent of Pakistan supporters more cause for joy.This was not a completely assured performance, though. While their relatively inexperienced bowling attack looks pretty well equipped to cope with the challenges ahead, the top-order batting retains a brittle look. Here Nasir Jamshed and Ahmad Shehzad paid for a lack of foot movement and Younis Khan, frustrated by his slow progress, snatched at a hook and top-edged a catch to long leg, where Gary Ballance took the first of two perfectly judged catches.Pakistan’s ability to develop bowlers is remarkable, though. Sohail Khan and Ehsan Adil, with just nine ODIs between them, hit the pitch hard and, in Sohail’s case, produced a perfect yorker to account for Jos Buttler, while Yasir Shah continued England’s struggles against legspin; his googly was too good for Ravi Bopara. It would still be a surprise if Pakistan won this World Cup, but for a country starved of home internationals to remain as dangerous as this is testament to the passion and talent that remains.Equally, England will not be too distraught by this result. After resting Ian Bell, Chris Woakes, James Taylor and Steven Finn, all of whom are fit and likely to play on Saturday, they saw their leading seamers, James Anderson and Stuart Broad, return impressively, Joe Root play a fine innings and a few of their reserve players – Ballance, in particular – prove their readiness if required. These warm-up games are not, after all, about the result as much as the performance.But the continuing travails of Morgan will concern England. It is an irony unlikely to be lost on Alastair Cook that England dropped one captain due to his poor form with the bat only to replace him with a man in even more wretched form.Yes, Morgan scored a century only four ODI innings ago. But his scores since then read 0, 2, 0 and 0, and he has been dismissed five times from the last 19 balls he has faced. He has passed 5 only once in his last seven ODI innings.This was not an ODI, of course. It was not even a List A game. But his dismissal, somehow managing to guide a full toss to slip as he attempted a lap, suggested a man who was pushing a bit much and thinking a bit hard about his game. Is it coincidence that he has hardly scored a run since the absurdity of the blackmail incident? He says not. But a World Cup match against the hosts at a full MCG does not appear the ideal place to relax and rediscover his form.The contributions of Root and Ballance were far more encouraging. While Root hit only four fours and one six – a slog-sweep off Yasir – he produced a busy innings, running quickly and playing spin unusually well for an England batsman. And while Ballance took 10 balls to get off the mark and, after 15 deliveries, had scored only 1, he did not panic. Gradually he settled to play the cuts and drives that will become familiar to cricket watchers around the world over the next decade. He must be close to displacing Bopara in this side.Some late hitting from Chris Jordan took England to a total that was, on this tired and two-paced pitch, perhaps slightly better than par. But they missed another frontline seamer in Pakistan’s reply and, after improved discipline in the tri-series, conceded nine in wides or no-balls.They will also reflect that several of their dismissals were pretty soft. Alex Hales failed to capitalise on the investment he had made in the start of his innings by turning a delivery to midwicket, Ballance picked out the fielder on the midwicket fence and, if Morgan had only allowed the ball to come to him rather than attempt something premeditated, he could have driven it with ease. Root, too, fell trying to reverse scoop the pace of Sohail, though only eight deliveries remained by that stage.

Karn Sharma is still likely to be persisted with as the back-up spinner when the national selectors pick India’s squad on Saturday for the limited-overs leg of the series against West Indies

Amol Karhadkar03-Oct-2014

Despite being overshadowed by his legspin counterpart Amit Mishra during India A’s mauling of the West Indians at the Brabourne Stadium on Friday, Karn Sharma is still likely to be persisted with as the back-up spinner when the national selectors pick India’s squad on Saturday for the limited-overs leg of the series against West Indies.The selectors – all of whom watched Mishra and Karn spin their web around the West Indians in a warm-up one-dayer at the CCI – are likely to follow the convention of naming the squad for the first three ODIs when they will meet in Mumbai. Convener Sanjay Patel and captain MS Dhoni will join them over teleconference from Bangalore, the venue for the Champions League T20 final.While Mishra picked 3 for 26 in his first major game after having recovered from a back injury, Karn finished with 2 for 27. Still, Karn’s variations with the ball are likely to keep him in the squad to assist R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.”They are legspinners and two different type of bowlers. It is important that they perform at that level. Amit has been doing well and Karn did exceptionally well in the one-day series in Australia [for India A] and was picked for the series against England. It is a good challenge for both of them to play together and perform,” India A coach Lalchand Rajput said after the team’s nine-wicket victory.The batting line-up is likely to remain the same as it was in England. M Vijay is set to continue as the reserve opener, with Rohit Sharma still recovering from a shoulder injury. The selectors, though, will have a task to prune the squad. In England, India’s limited-overs squad comprised 17 players. It will have to be cut to 15 for the home series.The obvious casualties will thus be two of the six pace bowlers who were in England. In such a case, Umesh Yadav and Dhawal Kulkarni will be the frontrunners to miss the bus. While Umesh played only one ODI in England, conceding 46 runs in six overs, Kulkarni also looked ordinary in his debut outing.It will also be interesting to see if the selectors persist with Sanju Samson as the reserve wicketkeeper-batsman or prefer to add a fourth spinner to the squad. Samson, who has shown a lot of promise with the bat, was a part of the India dressing room in England. However, he was not handed the India cap, even after India were leading the five-match ODI series 3-0.It is well-known that Dhoni has not preferred the inclusion of a reserver keeper in the squad for home one-dayers since it is easy to fly in a reserve wicketkeeper, if required. If the selectors feel the need to add a fourth spinner to the squad, as the second-string West Indian line-up struggled against spin during the warm-up game, then Mishra, Akshar Patel and Parvez Rasool will be the prime contenders for the slot.

Anandji Dossa, a cricket historian who was considered the doyen of Indian cricket’s scoring and statistics, died in New York on Monday

Amol Karhadkar23-Sep-2014Anandji Dossa, a cricket historian who was considered the doyen of Indian cricket’s scoring and statistics, died in New York on Monday. Dossa was 98. Last year, Dossa along with his wife had moved to the United States of America to be with their daughters.Dossa, a former cricketer who was a reserve in Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy squad but could not break into the side, made an immense contribution to Indian cricket by introducing the culture of cricket scoring and stats. He did live scoring for all major cricket in India for the All India Radio for the first three decades of independent India.He also groomed a spree of cricket statisticians and scorers. His famous scrapbooks, with newspaper cuttings of every India match from their first Test in 1932 until the 1990s, are an encyclopedia of Indian cricket in itself. He had a habit of noting down minor details in his scrapbook, a technique which has evolved into an integral part of cricket scoring.Dossa also authored many books, including (co-authored with Vasant Raiji), and (in Gujarati).Once he donated most of his collection to the Cricket Club of India, former CCI and BCCI president Raj Singh Dungarpur preserved it by starting the Anandji Dossa Library on the premises of the club.BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel paid tribute to Dossa, terming his contribution to the game “extraordinary”. “An era has ended with the demise of Mr Anandji Dossa. He was one of the game’s unsung heroes. His contribution to the sport was extraordinary,” Patel said in a release. “He was among those who made cricket and cricketers immortal, by collating and preserving the accounts of their achievements for posterity.”

West Ham United enjoyed a busy summer transfer period, which seemed like a turning point in David Moyes’ career at the London Stadium.

It marked a transformative window in which eight new faces entered the fray, and with an improved calibre of player it was expected to propel the Hammers to new heights after a successful seventh-place finish and Europa League semi-finals.

However, they now find themselves wallowing towards the bottom three and facing the very real possibility of a fight to aviod relegation.

Despite their team being full of stars, fans of the club will know that talent enough cannot secure their place in the division. The 2010/11 season certainly taught them that.

Their disappointment thus far in the campaign is likely tied to their underperformance in the market and could explain their tentative approach to the January window, where Danny Ings remains only their second purchase.

However, ever since the conclusion of the World Cup, rumours persist that link Mark Noble and the Irons with a move for Stoke City and Australia defender Harry Souttar.

Having been tipped to make the move to east London by Socceroos legend Mark Schwarzer, the initial rumour emerged as December drew to a close, with his reported price tag to be at £25m.

Although he would be making a big step up from the Championship, there is reason to believe that the 24-year-old would represent an upgrade on current stalwart Kurt Zouma.

The Frenchman has endured a tough season which has culminated in a disappointing 6.89 average rating, a far cry from 6.95 and 7.15 from the two seasons prior.

In fact, the 28-year-old has overseen a steady decline as the years have gone on, despite entering his prime years.

Meanwhile, Souttar is a defender on the rise, which came to the fore in Qatar.

Earning a 6.97 average rating, he was a defensive rock for a country that emerged from a group containing would-be finalists France, dark horses Denmark and a resolute Tunisia side that would beat the French too.

Averaging an 83% pass accuracy, he also recorded 1.5 interceptions, one tackle and an incredible 5.5 clearances per game (via Sofascore). This far outweighs Zouma’s 0.9 interceptions, 0.3 tackles and 4.8 clearances per 90 from this campaign, as per Sofascore.

It was no surprise to see him labelled “an absolute monster of a defender” by The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell, as he continued to claim he was: “Huge, quick, can head it and is also fairly comfortable on the ball.”

These are attributes that Moyes will be keen to add to a defence that has shipped 25 goals so far this season.

Whilst Zouma has struggled as part of this team, Souttar was thriving on the biggest stage, proving his ability to take the next step up.

As the former Chelsea defender declines, the Potters have an up-and-coming brute on their hands that West Ham will want to snap up quickly.

Aston Villa are expected to make a move for a new talisman before the conclusion of the January transfer window on Tuesday, and could move for LOSC Lille phenom Jonathan David.

Having sold centre-forward Danny Ings to West Ham United for £15m last week, Villan manager Unai Emery will indeed be aiming to wrap up a deal for a worthy replacement to spearhead the charge towards prominence in the Premier League once again.

While an £18m deal for 19-year-old forward Jhon Duran has been tied up this month, the Columbian gem is viewed as a long-term investment having signed from American MLS outfit Chicago Fire and still perching in the maiden period of his professional career.

With a move for David, who has been sensational in the French Ligue 1 since his arrival from Belgian outfit Gent in 2020, Villa could seal a deal for a highly sought forward with blistering pace, fierce physicality and a remarkable goal record.

Immobile 2.0

With Ings now gone, it would be a major surprise to see Villa see out the remainder of the January transfer window without securing the signature of a new first-rate forward.

While Olympique Lyonnais striker Moussa Dembele has been touted with a move to Villa Park, pushing for the signing of Lille’s David could be the deal that serves as the catalyst for success under Emery’s sagely tutelage.

This season alone, the Canadian sensation has scored 13 goals and provided four assists from 21 appearances, following on from a preceding term that saw him plunder 19 strikes across all competitions.

And with a resounding record for his national team – 22 goals from 38 caps – it is clear that the ace would bring an offensive calibre that could slot right into Emery’s blossoming system.

As per FBref, the “phenom” – as hailed by Tony Marinaro – ranks among the top 5% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues for pass completion, which further adds fuel to the fire surrounding his prospective transfer, with a ball-playing aptitude only going to benefit Emery’s tactical set-up, putting emphasis on the counter-attack and swift transitional play.

The 23-year-old is a comparable player to prolific Lazio talisman Ciro Immobile, who has scored a remarkable 190 goals from 277 appearances for the Italian Serie A outfit.

With David averaging 1.9 shots over the course of his career, and the robust Immobile averaging 3.0, as per Whoscored, if the former can channel his output and turn the gear up in front of the net, he too could find success with regularity at Aston Villa.

Whether Emery manages to secure his man, who is valued at €50m (£44m) by his French side, remains to be seen, but a deal would represent a major play of the cards in English football and could be the catalyst for future success.

The Gunners secured a 2-1 semi-final win in dramatic fashion at the Emirates Stadium as their 16-year-old midfielder stood up once more

Myles Lewis-Skelly scored a dramatic winner in the final seconds of extra-time to book Arsenal a spot in the FA Youth Cup final following a 2-1 win over Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium.

It was an incredible end to an absorbing clash in north London, one that seemed certain to be heading to penalties until Lewis-Skelly bravely got his head to Bradley Ibrahim's excellent pass to break City hearts.

For City, who had played with 10 men for almost the entirety of the contest, it was tough to take. But for Arsenal it was yet another dramatic ending in a cup run that has been littered with them this season.

🏆 TOP STORY: Messi offered £350m per year by Al-Hilal

📣 HAVE YOUR SAY: Should Chelsea appoint Nagelsmann?

🚨 MUST READ: Why Chelsea will regret firing Potter

Things couldn't have started any better for the home side, with City being reduced to 10 men inside eight minutes when Lakyle Samuel saw red for bringing down Omari Benjamin. Michal Rosiak then bent the resulting free-kick wonderfully into the top corner to put Jack Wilshere's side firmly in command.

City coped well for the remainder of the first half, despite being a man down, but Arsenal started to dominate after the interval and should have put the tie to bed. They wasted a number of opportunities, however, with Benjamin missing one glorious chance after being played through by Amario Cozier-Dubbery.

That proved to be a costly miss as, just a couple of minutes later, Justin Oboavwodou finished off an excellent City move to level things up and seemingly take the game to penalties.

But then, just as spot kicks seemed inevitable, Lewis-Skelly stepped up to send Arsenal through to the final where they will meet either West Ham or Southampton

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from Emirates…

• Getty Images
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Noah Cooper (6/10):

  Hadn't had a save to make before the equaliser. Could do nothing about the goal.

  Michael Rosiak (8/10):

  Brilliant free-kick to give Arsenal the lead. City struggled to deal with his movement, especially in the first half.

  Josh Robinson (6/10):

  Very good on the ball, drove forward well a couple of times.

  Reuell Walters (6/10):

  Caught out a couple of times by runners getting in behind, but relatively untroubled.

  Lino Sousa (7/10):

  Very direct. Got forward as much as he could.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  Midfield

  Bradley Ibrahim (9/10):

  Sat just in front of the back four and controlled the tempo well. Fine display. Brilliant pass to set up the winner.

  Myles Lewis-Skelly (9/10):

  Had some high quality moments. His ability to get out of tight situations was very impressive. Showed real bravery to score the winner in the last seconds. Great run from deep when everyone else was shattered.

  Jimi Gower (7/10):

  Worked hard, got into some good positions in the final third.

• Getty Images
  

  Attack

  Amario Cozier-Duberry (8/10):

  Real live wire, was always a threat. Linked up well with Rosiak down the right.

  Ethan Nwaneri (7/10):

  Had some flashes of real quality. His quick feet in the penalty area caused City real problems at times.

  Omari Benjamin (7/10):

  Went close early on. Had a great chance saved in the second half.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  Subs & Manager

  Ismail Oulad M'hand (6/10):

  Caused some problems with his pace.

  Osman Kamara (6/10):

  Sent one volley over the bar.

  Sebastian Ferdinand (6/10):

  Injected some energy in extra-time.

  Jack Wilshere (7/10):

  His team played well, but should have taken their chances to finish City off.

Hong Kong allrounder Nizakat Khan’s bowling action has been cleared by the International Cricket Council, following remedial work after his action was found to be illegal in July 2015

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Dec-2016Hong Kong allrounder Nizakat Khan’s bowling action has been cleared by the International Cricket Council, following remedial work after his action was found to be illegal in July 2015 during an ICC World Twenty20 Qualifying match against Nepal.Nizakat underwent a reassessment of his bowling action on December 6 at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane, where his elbow extension for legspin deliveries was found to be within the 15-degree level of tolerance permitted under the ICC regulations. His offspin has not been cleared since he did not bowl it during the assessment.Before the ban, Nizakat had economy rates of 3.67 in ODIs and an impressive 5.30 in five T20Is. He has continued to play for Hong Kong since, averaging 35 in 10 ODIs as a top-order batsman.