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Graeme Hick, the former England and Worcestershire batsman, has joined the unofficial Indian Cricket League

Cricinfo staff01-Nov-2008
Graeme Hick has signed to play for the Chandigarh Lions © Getty Images
Graeme Hick, the former England and Worcestershire batsman, has joined the Indian Cricket League. He will be a part of the Chandigarh Lions and will play their remaining matches this season.Hick had ended his 25-year county career two months ago at the end of the 2008 season. He is the second highest run-scorer in all cricket (first-class and limited-overs combined), with more than 64,000 runs, and his tally of 136 hundreds is eighth on the all-time list.”I am greatly honoured to be associated with the ICL and hope to do my best for them,” Hick said. He played 37 Twenty20 matches in his county career, and scored two hundreds and ten half-centuries.Chandigarh lost two of their key players earlier this week when their regular captain Chris Cairns and Dinesh Mongia were suspended on disciplinary grounds. Chandigarh are currently in fifth place with three matches to go in the round-robin phase.

Crystal Palace remain in talks with Watford for midfielder Will Hughes, according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

And a number of Eagles fans have been giving their thoughts to the news on social media.

Hughes is into the final 12 months of his Vicarage Road contract and has actually turned down a new deal.

He’s been demoted to train with the club’s Under-23’s, and it seems as if a move to Selhurst Park could be on the cards.

Reports on the weekend from The Sun suggested that the Eagles tabled a £7m offer plus add-ons for the 26-year-old and were poised to agree a deal.

Sheth shared an update on Wednesday evening, claiming the gap in valuation between the two clubs is thought to be in the region of £10m.

Palace fans react

@CPFCtransfersHQ shared Sheth’s post on Twitter. This is what these Palace fans had to say in reply to the update, with some supporters responding to Sheth directly.

“The gap is 10 mil?!? Like ten mil difference!?! Surely not? If so forget”

Credit: @NickPRochford

“sky 2 weeks behind? imagine my shock”

Credit: @CPFC_Ollie_

“With respect, genuinely, £10mil. No thanks. Rather use that money on a winger and forward.”

Credit: @SuperSySez

“Yeah we need players but we don’t need Hughes for £10m”

Credit: @erictwigs

“I could have told you all that”

Credit: @SWPalace

“After this I am now more convinced than ever that Palace hold absolutely no interest in Hughes.”

Credit: @CroydonExile1

In other news: ‘On my knees’, ‘Get this done’ – Lots of CPFC fans erupt as ‘class’ transfer news emerges.

Bowler attributes much of his success to Kolkata Knight Riders team-mates

Cricinfo staff09-Sep-2008Bengal fast bowler Ashok Dinda said he was surprised after being included in the 14-member Rest of India squad for the Irani Trophy.”I was quite surprised initially, but moments later I realised that I was approaching my childhood dream,” he told Kolkata-based daily the . “It feels nice when things are getting brighter with each passing day. I am happy and want to work harder to make this chance count.”Dinda, 24, said he was disappointed after failing to make it to the India A squad for the tri-series against Australia A and New Zealand A beginning September 16. “I know my performances weren’t that good recently. I was bit upset after being dropped from the India A ODI side. I am thankful and really excited that I have my chance now.”Dinda made his first-class debut for Bengal in the 2005-06 season and has 45 first-class wickets from 16 matches at an average of 39.15. But, he came to the fore with his impressive performance for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL where he picked up 9 wickets from 13 matches at 28.88.The fast bowler attributed much of his success to his Kolkata Knight Riders team-mates in the IPL. “Obviously their advice has changed my thinking altogether. After the IPL, I would like to point out that I am a more mature player.”

West Bromwich Albion are expecting a bid which could see Matheus Pereira leave The Hawthorns this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Pedro Almeida, with the transfer journalist revealing in a post on Twitter that West Ham United are set to make an offer totalling €24m (£20.5m) for the Albion winger in the coming days.

In his tweet, Almeida said: “West Ham prepares an offer of around €20m + €2m bonus to present to West Brom [for] Matheus Pereira.”

It has also been reported that the 25-year-old is mulling over an approach from Al-Hilal, with the Saudi Arabian club having submitted an offer of €15m (£13m) to West Brom and proposing a tantalising salary to Pereira.

However, should West Ham indeed firm up their interest with a concrete bid of more than £20m for the Brazilian, it would appear highly likely that the Baggies accept the Irons’ offer ahead of Al-Hilal’s.

Ismael will be gutted

Although a scenario in which Pereira remains at The Hawthorns for the club’s upcoming Championship campaign always appeared unlikely, with the start of the new season now being just under a week away, perhaps Valerien Ismael had started to consider the possibility that he may be able to call upon the winger for the club’s opening game against Bournemouth next Friday.

However, with both West Ham and Al-Hilal now reported to be in talks over a deal for the 25-year-old, it very much seems as if the writing is on the wall regarding his exit, something which will undoubtedly leave the Frenchman gutted.

Indeed, over his 33 Premier League appearances last season, the £13.5m-rated winger scored 11 goals, registered six assists and created 11 big chances for his teammates, taking two shots and making 1.8 key passes per game.

These metrics saw the £39k-per-week man earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.18, ranking him as Albion’s best performer in the top flight.

As such, achieving promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking next year would appear to be a much more attainable feat with the services of the forward rather than without.

Having said that, the money that Pereira’s sale will bring into the club could lead to Ismael making a move for a number of his own targets in the summer transfer window. However, it would be optimistic to think that any player the Baggies could attract while in the Championship will be at the same level as the Brazilian.

In other news: Ismael handed major boost over £32.5k-p/w “diamond”, West Brom fans will be buzzing

An update has emerged on DL Pro striker Salomon Rondon, regarding Everton’s potential interest in his services.

What’s the talk?

According to The Echo, Everton have been considering a swoop for Rondon this summer to compete with Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

The report claims his name has been mentioned in transfer discussions, although the club have no immediate plans to pursue a deal for him.

Tosun 2.0

Everton must avoid repeating their Cenk Tosun howler by swerving this deal for Rondon.

The Turkish international, Tosun, has been on £60k-per-week throughout his time at the club and has done little to repay the owners with his performances on the pitch following a £27m switch.

He has scored nine Premier League goals for Everton since arriving at the club in January 2018 from Besiktas, a tally that rises to ten if you include the solitary strike he managed on loan to Crystal Palace in 2020.

Rondon was reportedly set to be paid £250k-per-week in China and was on £70k-per-week at Newcastle during his loan spell on Tyneside. This suggests that the forward would command a fairly sizeable pay packet if he were to arrive at Goodison Park this summer, perhaps similar to the amount Tosun has been earning. So, is he worth that?

Once upon a time, yes. Rondon managed 11 goals and seven assists in the 2018/19 campaign for Newcastle and has scored 35 goals in the Premier League in his career.

Lee Clark once said of the striker: “I was fortunate enough to play with Les Ferdinand and Rondon reminds me of him. They’re both swashbuckling centre forwards, who hold the ball up well and provide a focal point for their team-mates.”

Rondon, who has been capped 83 times by his country, will be 32 in September and has not been playing at a high standard since the end of that loan spell with the Toon. He has played in China and Russia in recent seasons, scoring four goals in 13 games for CSKA Moscow last term.

Given his potential wage demands, his age, and his uninspiring form in the Russian league during the 2020/21 campaign, Everton must avoid signing Rondon.

He would likely be another Tosun; paying a large sum of money each month to contribute little on the pitch whilst taking up a seat on the bench that a younger player could have instead.

AND in other news, Greg O’Keeffe drops Everton update that should leave fans buzzing…

Heath Davis, the former New Zealand fast bowler who last appeared in first-class cricket in the summer of 1998/99, will return to the Auckland side for their season opener against Northern Districts starting in Gisborne on Friday.Davis, one of the fastest bowlers in the modern era, has been something of an enigma during his career but gets his chance with injury suffered by Gareth Shaw.Davis, took 200 first-class wickets, mainly for Wellington, at an average of 31.12. Recent form for Cornwall in the Auckland club competition has been behind his recall.Another change was forced on Auckland with the withdrawal of Andre Adams after he was suspended following an incident in club cricket last weekend. His place is taken by left-armer Richard Morgan.The Auckland team is: Brooke Walker (captain), Tama Canning, Heath Davis, Matt Horne, Rob Nicol, Tim McIntosh, Kyle Mills, Richard Morgan, Craig Pryor, Mark Richardson, Lou Vincent, Reece Young.

Mithali Raj may just have done more for Indian women’s cricketwith one innings than several others have in a lifetime

Anand Vasu17-Aug-2002Mithali Raj may just have done more for Indian women’s cricketwith one innings than several others have in a lifetime. Scoring214 in the second and final Test against England, the 19-year-oldnow holds the record for the highest individual score in Women’sTest cricket.This is, however, not the first time an Indian has held thisrecord. When Sandhya Agarwal made 190 in the third Test againstEngland at Manchester in 1986, it was a moment deserving ofcelebration in India. The highest score in women’s Test crickethad just been scored by an Indian, beating the 189 made by BettySnowball.The joy of Indian fans and the pride of the Women’s CricketAssociation of India were short-lived, however, as Denise Annetsof Australia made 194 in the following year in a Test againstEngland. Several former Indian players mischievously whisper,half jocularly, that the English bowlers perhaps did not trytheir best to dismiss Annetts as she approached Agarwal’s mark.Agarwal and that little tale apart, Mithali has inscribed hername in the record-books with little controversy. A player ofimmense talent, Raj has consistently impressed observers who haveseen her play at all levels. Beginning to play serious cricketwhen she was just nine, when her father started to coach her,Mithali constantly played her cricket against women both olderand more accomplished than her. Perhaps it is this that has madeher mature beyond her years.A shy girl off the field, Mithali stays away from most pressconferences and interviews, preferring to let her bat do thetalking. But that is hardly unusual for someone from Hyderabad. Aplace, they say, can shape a person. and Hyderabad has producedsome of the most stylish batsmen in Indian cricket history. FromML Jaisimha to Mohammad Azharuddin, every cricketer from thatcity has wielded the willow more with skill and flair than rawpower. A slightly built girl, Mithali is no different. Using thepace of the bowler to great effect, Mithali is more likely totime the ball through the gaps rather than thump it past thefielder.Those who have watched her bat are not in the least surprised byher success. Sudha Shah, former Indian captain and coach,stressed on Mithali’s ability to keep a cool head. “From the timeI first saw her bat, when she was about 10 years old, I’ve saidthis girl will go places. She makes batting look so easy,” saidShah. As coach, Shah has worked extensively with Mithali and hasalways believed that the middle-order bat would go far.”She’s cool-headed and quite mature for her age. Don’t be fooledby the fact that she’s 19,” added Shah. Coach of the Indian teamthat played the CricInfo Women’s World Cup in New Zealand, Shahfelt Mithali’s illness greatly hampered India’s progress in thattournament. “If she had been fit and played every match, I thinkIndia would have done much better. She’s a thinking cricketer andnever lets the pressure get to her,” explained Shah. Laid lowwith a rare strain of typhoid, Mithali missed most of the WorldCup, only able to watch as India made it to the semi-finalsbefore losing to eventual champions New Zealand.Mithali’s captain at the domestic level, GS Lakshmi, who hasprobably seen more of her than anyone else, was delighted to hearthe news of Mithali’s big score. “I’m extremely happy to hearthis. I believed she was the best bat India has produced sinceRajni Venugopal, but now I think she has surpassed even her,”said Lakshmi from her residence in Hyderabad.”She’s so young and yet so mature, and as captain I expect a lotfrom her. I would say this is a great achievement, but believeme, she has a long way to go and will be one of India’s leadingcricketers,” said an obviously proud skipper. Even in domesticcricket, Mithali has been in great form of late, scoring anunbeaten 99 in the final of a tournament against Air India, oneof the strongest sides around.Lakshmi remembers that innings, and many more like it, withclarity. “It would be wrong to pinpoint just one innings of hers.She has won so many matches for us at Railways and previously forother teams too. The best thing about her is the way she picksherself up after a failure. As captain, you know that a big knockis always round the corner. Even if she fails in two or threegames, she’ll come good,” explained Lakshmi. “And you also knowwhat, when wickets fall early at one end, she relishes thechallenge. Mithali is not one to let her partner do all the work.She rotates the strike well and will score at a good rate.”At this very moment, though, Mithali will not be too worriedabout the rate at which she is scoring. In just her fourth Testinnings, and with 0, 55, 9 not out being her previous scores, shehas arrived on the world scene in dramatic fashion. Now she cansit back and savour the moment.

Liverpool have had phenomenal consistency in their attack over the last few years, with Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino leading the front line on a regular basis.

Last season, Salah’s fine form of PFA Fans’ Player of the Year. Alongside this, Salah was also named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year and helped the Reds to a third place Premier League finish.

Liverpool were also helped out by Mane’s nine goals and nine assists.

With the attacking trio a consistent part of Jurgen Klopp’s starting XI when fit, it begs the question could anybody come into Liverpool and force one of their talented trio out the side.

According to Football Insider, the Merseyside outfit have told Wolves that they are willing to pay up to £25million for the player the west Midlands outfit value at £50m, but former Liverpool player Paul Stewart says Traore might not be the right fit for the club right now.

“You look at the front three of Liverpool, they interchange, Salah comes in, Mane’s all over the place. 

“I can’t see Traore being that because he’s a feet on the touchline type of man and then pace is his massive attribute.”

Traore has scored 10 goals and has got 18 assists in his time at Molineux, but Stewart wants to see the winger add to his end product, adding: “When I first watched him, I thought with that pace if he could have an end product he could be a world beater, but I haven’t seen that end product yet”. 

Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa is now being wanted by Fiorentina to take over the reins at the Serie A club.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent weeks have suggested that the Argentine is expected to put pen to paper on a new contract at Elland Road, with Fabrizio Romano claiming that this should be done “soon”.

However, RAI journalist Sara Meini has revealed that Fiorentina are plotting a move to lure Bielsa away from Yorkshire, adding that he figures among the contenders to take over the manager’s job there.

Nightmare for Andrea Radrizzani

Make no mistake about it, losing Bielsa this summer would be the kind of seismic blow from which Leeds would find it extremely difficult to recover.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, Brian Deane said of the Argentine: “He’s brought a massive change to the club and I don’t know what the figures are, but he’s delivered. He’s over-delivered.

“I think their target was to finish fourth bottom and look where they are in the table, so he’s doing something good. And I’m sure these guys have factored into any budget that they’re going to offer the manager.”

Touching on what Bielsa has managed to do at Leeds, former Wigan manager Paul Jewell told FFC: “What I like about Bielsa is, and I think he can speak English but he’s pulling our legs, so fair play to him, but what I like about him is that he doesn’t make excuses.

“The difference he’s made to those Leeds players like Dallas, Cooper and Ayling, the list is endless. They were Championship players, and not great ones, but he’s turned them into Premier League players.

“He deserves unbelievable credit and he won’t have a trophy at the end of the season, but what a manager he is.”

As Jewell says, Bielsa has turned essentially lower-division players into fully-fledged Premier League stars, and even internationals in the case of England hero Kalvin Phillips.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/leeds-united-marcelo-bielsa-transfer-gossip-rumours-news-elland-road-rodrigo-de-paul” title=”Read the latest Leeds transfer rumours and news!”]

It would be a massive nightmare for Radrizzani to lose Bielsa to Fiorentina, and it’s exactly why he must be proactive in trying to get the Argentine to put pen to paper on a new deal at Leeds as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, Leeds are eyeing this Copa America star…

All Frizzell Women’s County Championship matches are one-day 50 over perside. There are three divisions of six teams in the tournament, which isrun on a round robin basis within each division, with relegation and promotion for the teams finishing top and bottom. All matches take place at University Grounds, Cambridge from Saturday 27th – Wednesday 31st July.Division OneReigning Champions, Yorkshire, secured their second win on day two, beatingSurrey convincingly by eight wickets. England’s young fast bowler LauraSpragg took 3 wickets for a miserly 4 runs from her eight over spell beforeEngland team-mate Melissa Reynard reached 64 not out, including nine fours,in response to the Surrey total.

Surrey: 129 all out (49.3 overs)Yorkshire: 130-2 (35.5 overs)

Promoted Sussex recorded their first win of the Championship beatingStaffordshire by three wickets at King’s College. England and SussexCaptain, Clare Connor, took two wickets to add to her five wicket haulagainst Yorkshire on Day One. England’s young development squad bowlerCharlotte Burton took 3 for 25 and New Zealander Haidee Tiffen also took 3for 21 playing for Sussex. England’s Laura Newton took 3 for 27 from 5overs for Staffordshire.

Staffordshire: 150-9Sussex: 151-7 (47 overs)

Berkshire have retained their strong challenge to Yorkshire by beatingNottinghamshire by 49 runs at Fitzwilliam College. England’s prolificbatsman Claire Taylor scored 78, including nine fours and a six to add toher 59* yesterday.

Berkshire: 169-6Nottinghamshire: 120 all out

Division TwoSomerset beat newly promoted Middlesex by five wickets at Queen’s College.Middlesex’s Beth Morgan reached 70* as Middlesex finished on 165 for 8. Inreply, Somerset’s Jan Godman made 58 from 63 balls and was assisted by 46from Sarah Collyer and 35 from England’s Hannah Lloyd.

Middlesex: 165-8Somerset: 166-5 (47.5 overs)

Kent beat Hertfordshire by 202 runs at St John’s Ground thanks to 104 fromPaula Flannery. In Kent’s match yesterday England batsman Charlotte Edwardsreached 151* giving Kent two wins from two games. Hazel Lovegrove took 4Herts wickets for just 1 run as Kent secured a second convincing victory.

Kent: 226 all outHertfordshire: 24 all out

Division ThreeHampshire made it two wins in two days as they defeated Warwickshire atChurchill Ground by six wickets.

Warwickshire: 101-8Hampshire: 105 – 4 (30.1 overs)

Newcomers Durham recorded their first County Championship win as they beatEssex by 77 runs at Trinity Old Field. Durham’s women’s cricket developmentofficer, Pauline Peel, top-scored with 51 opening the innings for Durham.

Durham: 228-7Essex: 151 all out (49.1 overs)

Cheshire beat Wiltshire by six wickets at Press Ground with Dawn Prestidgetop-scoring for Cheshire with 54, including seven fours.

Wiltshire: 155-6Cheshire: 157-4