The final of the ICC Intercontinental Cup between Ireland and Canada will take place at Chelmsford between May 21 and 24. It will be the first time and Intercontinental Cup tie has taken place in England. The previous finals have been in the UAE and Dubai.Ireland, the holders, qualified by topping Group A, beating UAE and Namibia and drawing with Scotland. Canada qualified through victories over Bermuda and Kenya, although they lost to Netherlands.The new format of the tournament means sides play a minimum of three four-day matches in this tournament, increasing to seven four-day matches in 2007 and 2008 when it is hoped the event will be a full round-robin format. That compares to a minimum of just two three-day matches per year under the previous structure which, until the semi-finals, was regionally based rather than global.
ScorecardHundreds from Stephen Fleming and Brendon McCullum ensured the New Zealanders’ tour match at Benoni will go into the final day evenly poised. At the close, Rest of South Africa were 132 for 4, a lead of 155.Fleming, 96 not out overnight, completed his hundred in the first over, and made brisk progress along with Peter Fulton, who soon completed his fifty. Although Fulton fell for 73, it was Fleming’s dismissal for 118 which triggered a collapse in which the tourists lost five wickets for 44 runs, Monde Zondeki taking three of those in as many overs.With Shane Bond sidelined with a knee injury, New Zealanders were in deep trouble before McCullum finally found support in Chris Martin, one of the game’s real rabbits, the pair adding 95 for the ninth wicket to steer them to within 23 runs of Rest of South Africa’s total.When Rest of South Africa batted again, James Franklin struck an early blow, removing Alviro Petersen for 5, but Justin Ontong patiently guided them to a strong position before two late wickets gave the visitors renewed hope. Davey Jacobs’ 22 ended when he hit a return catch to Daniel Vettori, and two balls later Jean-Paul Duminy edged Martin to McCullum.
Scorecard Champions Warwickshire lost for the first time in 20 Championship matches as Sussex steamrollered them at Hove. Jason Lewry and Mushtaq Ahmed made short work of the Warwickshire first innings, taking the last five wickets for 33 runs, then Chris Adams asked them to bat again 233 runs behind. They fared no better second time around as wickets fell steadily from the outset. Ian Bell resisted for 90 minutes but when he was caught behind off Mushtaq the end came quickly. James Kirtley got in on the wicket-taking act, claiming Dougie Brown and Toby Frost, before Mushtaq wrapped up the innings. Ashley Giles made it to the crease in both innings – and his hip injury is reported not to be serious – but Warwickshire are now unlikely to see their left-arm spinner again in the Championship this season, as England duties beckon. Scorecard Simon Katich played a masterful innings as Hampshire sped into a commanding position at Canterbury. Katich chose the perfect time to hit his first century of the season, after Hampshire had managed to secure a first innings lead of 23. After another failure for Jimmy Adams, falling to Martin Saggers in the third over, Katich took control from the outset. He added 95 with John Crawley, who had been promoted to open the batting, before Crawley was run out for 25. However, Katich marched on and by the close had struck six fours and six sixes to push Hampshire’s lead past 200. A solid allround bowling performance had secured their slender first-innings lead. Shane Warne removed David Fulton early but at 255 for 5 Kent were the team eyeing the advantage. Matthew Stevens struck a boundary-filled 68 and Matthew Dennington made a valuable half-century. But Warne returned and with the help of Richard Logan and Chris Tremlett wrapped up the innings. Scorecard Alan Richardson’s transformation from county trundler to strike bowler continued as Middlesex established a stranglehold on their clash with Gloucestershire. Since his winter move, from Warwickshire, Richardson’s form has been a revelation and he now has 22 wickets at 19 apiece. He shouldered the extra responsibility in an attack lacking Nantie Hayward and Chad Keegan. After an opening stand of 59 Richardson struck twice in two balls, but his biggest scalp was Craig Spearman, caught by Andrew Strauss for 69. Melvyn Betts chipped in with four – albeit expensive – wickets but Middlesex always had plenty of runs to play with. Even another failure for Strauss – out for 10 – could not take the gloss of a dominant display from Middlesex who will now aim to set a target over 400.
Scorecard A defiant half-century from David Harrison guided Glamorgan beyond the follow-on but Surrey remain firmly in control at The Oval. Harrison, Dean Cosker and Andrew Davies added 112 for the last two wickets to rescue Glamorgan from the depths of 233 for 8. Martin Bicknell caused the major problems with 6 for 74 including the top-three batsmen all trapped lbw. The Glamorgan top-order is brittle without Matthew Maynard and Matthew Elliott and Surrey exploited the weaknesses. Jimmy Ormond was economical and although Rikki Clarke and Mohammad Akram were expensive they picked up vital wickets. A lead of 99 was less than Surrey first anticipated but it was still a useful advantage. Scott Newman, following his first-innings 117, launched Surrey’s second dig in a positive fashion.
Northerns’ win over Boland at Paarl took them well clear at the top of the Shield table:Shield – 4th day:Northerns 451 for 7 dec and 173 for 6 dec beat Boland 259and 218 (Strydom 52, Dros 5-17) by 147 runs ScorecardBoland’s target of 366 proved to be far too high, as they were bowled out for 218 at Paarl. The last five wickets tumbled for 27, to spoil any cghance Boland might have had to force a draw. Gerald Dros, Northerns’ captain, who had bowled only 22 previous overs this season, brought himself on in the 69th over, and produced career-best figures of 5 for 17 in 4.1 overs as he ripped through the Boland tail. Gerard Strydom again top-scored for Boland, with 52.Gauteng 34 for 1 v Eastern Province ScorecardFor the third day running no play was possible at the Wanderers. After just half-an-hour’s play on the first day neither team scored any points and had to be content with a soggy draw.
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Paceman Jason Gillespie (3/8) has smashed through a feeble West Indian top order late on the third day of the Fourth Test here at the Melbourne Cricket Ground today to have Australia thundering toward another mammoth victory. With three scalps in the space of sixteen deliveries, the South Australian speedster has, to be precise, left his team a mere seven wickets away from wrapping up this match tomorrow.It was the fourteenth day of this series; it was the thirteenth on which Australia dominated. By its conclusion (with West Indies at 3/10 and still an irrelevant 452 runs away from what would shape as the most impossible of wins), the prospect of yet another thumping Test triumph was the only thing apparently left on the cards.The Australian upper order was a model of efficiency today, simply accumulating runs before an inevitable closure of the side’s second innings at a mark of 5/262 thirty-eight minutes before the scheduled drawing of stumps. It was the kind of display during which Justin Langer (80) normally revels, and he made sure that he did not let slip a golden opportunity to improve upon a generally unremarkable personal series. Mark Waugh (78*) weighed in heavily too and the result, at the end of it all, was a 461 run lead. It allowed the tourists no way out of a thick and gloomy mire.And lest it be thought that the visitors might finally have shown the sort of application at the top of an innings that is so often the prerequisite of long exhibitions at the crease, that idea can already be scrapped. Gillespie’s efforts in removing Daren Ganga (0), Wavell Hinds (4) and Brian Lara (0) in the space of the eleven overs that the Australians left themselves to bowl prior to stumps have already reduced the West Indians to second innings calamity. Ganga failed to defend a ball on an off stump line and found himself lbw; Hinds edged to fourth slip; Lara was comprehensively bowled by a wonderful delivery. Lara’s dismissal, in itself, was probably a metaphor for the West Indians’ woes; completely out-thought, he shouldered arms to a delivery that he seemed to believe was slanted away from him. Instead, it hit the seam, moved into him and crashed, delightfully from a jovial home crowd of 19896’s point of view, into the off bail.Earlier, Langer had been in his element grafting, pummelling, shovelling runs. He arrived at the crease following the early departure of opener Michael Slater (4) to one of the very best deliveries of the day, a nicely controlled Mervyn Dillon (1/68) ball that pitched on an ideal length, moved marginally off the seam and snared a thick outside edge on its way to Lara at first slip. He did not leave until the point of tea.Along the way, he shared in two controlled partnerships – one of forty-one runs with Matthew Hayden (30) for the second wicket and another of 116 with Waugh for the third – which had the MCG pitch looking a different beast from the one which helped bring the West Indian batsmen to their knees late in the piece.The Western Australian left hander’s method, predominantly, was to play straight. Not one of the nine boundaries that he struck in an innings that spanned close to three and a half hours, in fact, was hit square of the wicket. It was only toward the end of his stay that any genuine chinks in his armour emerged. He survived a close decision as he drove one delivery – on what television replays suggested might have been a half volley – to cover with his score at 71 and then finally made the long trek back to the pavilion when a Jimmy Adams (1/18) ball found the outside edge of his defensive bat on the way to Ganga at slip.The West Indians searched hard for answers to their ills and looked earnestly for a way through the Australian batting order. And, in truth, they bowled an honest line and length and applied themselves well. Wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs also covered himself in further glory by joining David Murray and Courtney Browne as the only West Indian fieldsmen to claim a total of nine dismissals in a Test match. But there was no reply to their questions and they detected no obvious way to penetrate. By the time that Ricky Ponting (26*) pounded twenty-one runs from the bowling of Colin Stuart (1/66) in what proved to be the final over of the innings, they were actually tending toward many bad habits again.By far the most unpredictable aspect of the day was the complexion of Melbourne’s weather. Through the afternoon, the action was played out under sunny skies, the brightness of which stood in complete contrast to the generally dull hue that featured across the horizon during the morning session. Driving rain actually wiped out as many as fifty-six minutes through the early stages of the day. At that stage, conditions-wise, it was difficult to fathom what would come next. It was never possible to apply the same observation to events on the field of play itself.
Everton are back in action today with an early-afternoon FA Cup clash against fellow Premier League side Crystal Palace at Goodison Park.
Their previous FA Cup clash saw the Toffees beat Boreham Wood 2-0 thanks to a brace from striker Salomon Rondon.
Now with the Merseyside club into the sixth round of the competition, they will presumably be in for a much tougher test this time around as Palace take the trip to Goodison.
The Toffees will be heading into this match with some confidence as they managed to secure a much-needed win in the Premier League on Thursday after beating Newcastle United 1-0.
On the chalkboard
In terms of which players Lampard could pick to be in his starting XI to take on the Eagles today, one figure that didn’t start in midweek but did end up playing a big part in the game that we feel should be in from the beginning on this occasion is striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
After replacing Demarai Gray in the 76th minute, the striker managed to assist the crucial goal from Alex Iwobi that secured the three points for Everton in the win over the Tyneside club.
Having missed a significant chunk of the season with injury issues, the 25-year-old has only 10 appearances this season, all of them coming in the Premier League.
Having scored three goals and now provided one assist in those league appearances, the £72k-per-week Englishman could be a real danger and a terrifying prospect for Palace and their defensive players if he’s in the right mood.
Now that he got some minutes under his belt in midweek, today’s game could give the centre-forward, who has been dubbed a “nightmare” on the pitch by his teammate Richarlison, a great opportunity to get back into the swing of things from the start before working on his fitness again over the upcoming international break.
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Also, with fellow Toffees attacker Richarlison coming off against Newcastle with a suspected injury, this could pave the way for Calvert-Lewin to come back in the team if the Brazilian isn’t at 100% in terms of his fitness.
Either way, Lampard and the rest of his staff at the club will be hoping that the team can progress through to the next round of the FA Cup and add a bit more positivity and confidence throughout the squad and fanbase which could then be vital for their hopes of avoiding relegation to the Championship.
In other news: Lampard can finally axe Everton liability with £11.8m gem with “natural explosiveness”
Samuel Inkoom is one of the most promising full backs to come out of Africa and is currently plying his trade in Ukraine for Dnipro, having started his career at FC Basel.
The Ghanaian international is your old school type of full back, who knows how get stuck in and is very calm on the ball. Inkoom was recently linked with a move to Liverpool and although the move may not materialise, be sure to keep an eye out for him in the near future.
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4. André Ayew
The 21 year old is a 1st team regular for his club Marseille and country Ghana. The son of Ghanaian Legend Abedi Pele, Ayew was recently voted African player of the year so there is no doubt that Andre is one for the future.
With 52 league appearances for the French outfit and 17 goals to his name, the young left winger is making a real name for himself. Ayew’s versatility and creativity on the ball would make him a handful for any Premier League full back. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him move to England within the coming years.
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3. Ahmed Musa
At only 19 years of age the young Nigerian is playing for one of the best teams in Russia, CSKA Moscow, and is known for his small stature and lightening pace.
Musa has already represented his country as a substitute for John Obi Mikel against Kenya in which he scored. Still a raw talent, Ahmed has bags of potential and worries the opposition with his quick feet and trickery on the ball.
Musa probably isn’t ready for the Premier League just yet, but with a little more experience and the right managerial guidance he can make the step up soon.
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2. Knowledge Musona – The 21 year old from Zimbabwe currently plies his trade in the Bundesliga. After a successful spell with South African giants the Kaizer Chiefs, where he won the golden boot, he earned a move to Hoffenheim in Germany’s top tier. As you can see from the video he has a real eye for the goal and few would bet against him following in the footsteps of Demba Ba, who plotted his move from the German side to the Premier League.
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1. Joel Obi
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Joel Obi is one of the hottest young talents to come out of Inter Milan in years.
Extremely versatile, Obi has the ability to operate in central midfield or either flank and has already started to make an impression at the San Siro in the past two seasons. Obi is as strong as an ox, but has quick feet that enables him to get away from the opposition with relative ease. Obi has all the physical attributes for the Premier League, but whether Inter will allow him to move on remains an entire different question altogether.
Four Chelsea stars have fought an almighty battle against an army of giant Alien Invaders. But Blues fans need not worry too much, as their heroes were only taking part in a shoot for the latest 3D projection viral from 188BET.
188BET, the official betting partner of the London club, challenged David Luiz, Branislav Ivanovic, Paulo Ferreira and Nicolas Anelka to play Alien Invaders, a huge interactive video game beamed on to a 90-foot wall in a warehouse in Battersea, south-west London.
The players had to destroy the Alien Invaders by kicking footballs at the giant screen, with 50 points awarded for hitting a single alien and a bonus 188 points on offer for hitting the Alien Invaders ‘mothership’.
After some intense action, striker Anelka was the sharpest shooter with a score of 2088. The Frenchman’s exceptional accuracy was rewarded with a special 188BET Alien Invaders trophy and, more importantly, a donation by 188BET of £1,500 to charity of his choice.
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This latest viral from the online gaming company follows on from their hugely popular video created to help promote London Wasps’ St George’s Day game that saw London Wasps players ‘slay’ a 50-foot dragon projected on to the side of Twickenham.
“It was a funny game, a good game to play and I hope one day I can have a garden big enough for this kind of game,” Anelka joked. “The four of us enjoyed it and we were trying to help each other out getting the footballs back but I am happy that I won. The trophy will now sit next to the Premier League medal and all my other trophies!”
Jeff Baker, Head of Marketing Services at 188BET, said: “188BET is always trying to think of new and innovative ways to activate its relationships with its partner clubs. For this video, we combined the latest in 3D projection technology with the skill of Premier League footballers, to create what we hope will be an original, fun and engaging video.”
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To help mark the launch, 188BET is offering fans around the world a chance to win a series of money-can’t-buy prizes, details of which can be found at www.188promo.com/invaders.
Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton has confirmed manager Roy Hodgson could be bought out of his contract should the club be sold.
With New England Sprts Venture expected to take the ailing Premier League side on, Broughton has admitted a clause was placed in the former Fulham coach's contract when he joined in the summer.
It has been reported that Hodgson would receive a £3million lump sum should any new owners decide they want a new man at the helm, pouring uncertainty on his future.
"Roy knew when he signed from Fulham that we were in the process of finding new owners," he revealed.
"He was fully reconciled with the possibility there would be an ownership change and the risk involved with that.
"With that in mind, provisions were made in Roy's contract to relate specifically to any change in ownership."
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