All posts by h716a5.icu

MS Dhoni has said it was, and is, unfair to put the onus on the fielding captain when an appeal for mankading is made

Sidharth Monga in Sydney25-Feb-2012MS Dhoni has said it is unfair to put the onus on the fielding captain when an appeal for mankading is made, as it was against Lahiru Thirimanne during India’s match against Sri Lanka on Tuesday. R Ashwin had spotted Thirimanne leave the crease well before the ball was bowled, he ran him out, and then appealed. The umpires asked Virender Sehwag, the captain then because Dhoni wasn’t playing that game, if he wanted to go ahead with the appeal, and fearing criticism Sehwag withdrew the appeal.Dhoni questioned the existence of the rule if the captain has to be asked every time. “I feel that [unfair] is what it [the act of asking the captain] is,” Dhoni said. “Either there should be rules or there shouldn’t be rules. Why are you asking the captain? Why are you putting him in a position? But I think the right thing was done. Because the captain was asked, we withdrew the appeal.”Dhoni said the right thing was done because India wanted to give Thirimanne the benefit of the doubt because these rules keep changing, and it is possible that players are not abreast with all the changes. “Because what happens is too many rules are getting changed,” Dhoni said. “Often what’s important is to give the batsman a fair chance, like a warning, saying, ‘Okay, please don’t do it.'”Sehwag, though, said that Ashwin had warned Thirimanne. “A proper warning always is, you get him out and then it’s a proper warning,” Dhoni said. “Nobody listens to you until you do it.”However, Dhoni showed a much better understanding of the rule than the other two captains involved in the triangular. Mahela Jayawardene said he wouldn’t even have removed the bails because he wants to keep the game “nice and clean”. Michael Clarke said he didn’t even like mankading, before saying only persistent backing-up would force him to contemplate it after proper warning. “I’m glad that nothing has come of it,” Clarke said. “It’s a part of the game I don’t like. I don’t like the mankad rule at all. I don’t think you should be able to mankad.”Dhoni, though, said he understood the rule was changed last year to keep the batsman in their crease, to prevent that unfair advantage of a head-start even before a ball is bowled. Dhoni said if any party could be accused of unfair play in this case, it was the batsman, and not the fielding side, as the convention of spirit of cricket would dictate.”It was important to appeal,” Dhoni said. “The reason being it’s in the law that the batsman can’t go out. Often it is put on the opposition captain. For example, on Virender Sehwag. Saying, you know, it’s wrong. If it’s part of the rule, it’s not wrong. Of course to take the decision or not the decision is something different.”Eventually if you are saying somebody was cheating – if I may use the word cheating, you can use some other word – in this case, then the batsman getting out is the one who is cheating, because he is not allowed to do that. So I think it was a fair thing to do. You can’t always have the batsman going so far ahead because he can complete the run if it goes to short fine or point or short third, he is in a better position to complete the run. I think it was a good decision. At the end that he was not taken out by our skipper.”Edited by Siddarth Ravindran

Luke Wright thumped an extraordinary 117 from 60 deliveries with eight fours and nine sixes to launch the Melbourne Stars up to third position on a very congested Big Bash League table

The Report by Alex Malcolm09-Jan-2012
ScorecardLuke Wright’s 117 was his highest score in Twenty20s•Getty ImagesLuke Wright must have felt right at home tonight. Conditions were akin to an icy, wet, January evening in the UK and the Englishman produced an innings that lit up a dull Hobart sky. In doing so, he broke nearly every Australian domestic Twenty20 batting record to help the Melbourne Stars to a crucial victory over the ladder-leading Hobart Hurricanes. Wright thumped an extraordinary 117 from 60 deliveries with eight fours and nine sixes to leave the 13,713 in attendance breathless, and launch his side up to third position on a very congested Big Bash League table.Wright and Robert Quiney (62) justified their captain’s decision to bat as they combined for the highest partnership in Australian domestic T20s. Along the way Wright set record after record of his own. He reached 50 from 23 balls, the fastest half-century in this BBL. That record was broken by Travis Birt an hour later. But Wright’s hundred from 44 balls will be a record that will take some breaking. He brought it up with a big straight six off the usually miserly Xavier Doherty.The consistency of Wright’s hitting was astonishing and he generated great power to knife several balls through the icy, gale-force wind and beyond the rope on nine occasions.Wright and Quiney were helped significantly by some jittery fielding during their 172-run stand. Hobart dropped four catches between the pair, including each player off consecutive deliveries. Eventually Birt clung on a Quiney missile on the midwicket rope. The Hurricanes dropped a fifth catch, off Matthew Wade this time, in the final over. Ironically, it probably helped rather than hindered their cause, as it meant David Hussey faced only three balls rather than four. Hussey steered two near-perfect yorkers from Ben Laughlin to the backward point rope to lift the total beyond 200.It looked a target beyond the Hurricanes’ reach when Phil Jaques miscued to mid-on second ball of the innings. Enter Birt. In the fourth over from Jackson Bird he launched a six down the ground and then flat batted another one over the point rope.The next over from Clint McKay was carnage. After copping the first ball on the thigh, Birt swatted the next two to opposing square boundaries for four. That was the entrée. For the main course he swept the fourth ball, a low full toss, over fine leg and out of the ground. The fifth and sixth were no-balls, and they both were dispatched miles over the midwicket fence to take Birt to 51 from 22 balls. Birt would not add to it though as he dragged the next ball onto his stumps. McKay’s over cost 28 runs, featured three dot balls, and claimed the crucial wicket of Birt.Owais Shah immediately picked up the slack, continuing his outstanding form in the tournament. He danced around the wicket with typical style and flourish. His 55 from 37 kept Hobart in the hunt but when he fell to James Faulkner the chase was over. The Tasmanian left-armer claimed four important wickets for the Melbourne side although they came at a cost of 46.Yet again the masterful craft of Shane Warne and the clever guile of Hussey were features of the Stars’ bowling effort. Warne claimed 2 for 23, and Hussey 2 for 28 to effectively strangle the chase, after the Hurricanes spinners had gone for more than 13 an over as a pair.

A round-up of the action from the Logan Cup 2011-12 matches

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Nov-2011Phil Mustard began his first-class stint with Mountaineers with a century to help set up an innings win against Southern Rocks in Mutare. Mustard – the Durham wicketkeeper who has played limited-overs matches for England – hit a 115-ball 105 to help his side to a healthy 467 along with his captain Timycen Maruma who made 149, enough to ensure they batted just once. When Rocks were bowled out for 207 on the penultimate day, they were 114 short of making the opposition bat again.Rocks collapsed to 146 on the first day to the Mountaineers seamers, led by Tendai Chatara’s 3 for 50. No.11 Taurai Muzarabani’s 24 was the top score of the innings. Mustard and Tino Mawoyo all but matched Rocks’ first-innings effort, adding 142 upfront. Mawoyo made 53 before he was run-out. Maruma ensured that his side never let go of the initiative. He added 199 with Prosper Utseya, who made 94. Faced with a huge deficit, Rocks only did marginally better than their first-innings effort. Roy Kaia managed 69, but he was the only batsman in his side to muster a fifty. Natsai Mushangwe was the most effective bowler, taking 3 for 65.Some solid batting from both sides ensured the Mid West Rhinos v Matabeleland Tuskers match, in Bulawayo, ended in a draw. The result keeps Tuskers at the top of the Logan Cup points table, while Rhinos are stuck at No. 4 – the second-to-last spot.Rhinos chose to bat and were set-up by a patient 197 from Riki Wessels. This was Wessels’ 10th first-class and highest score. Captain Gary Ballance got 62 to finish as the innings second-highest scorer, and declared with the score on 407 for 9. Glen Querl picked up his third five-for in as many first-class games, to finish with the best figures for Matabeleland.In their first innings, Matabeleland got 320 for 5 before declaring. Their innings was steered by half-centuries from Terry Duffin, Craig Ervine, Adam Wheater and Steven Trenchard. Tuskers, in a bid to force a result, score their second-innings runs at a quick pace – 4.78 runs an over. They looked in a bit of trouble at 49 for 4, but Wessels and Roland Benade both made unbeaten 80s to take them to 220 for four, declared.With a target of 308 in little over 50 overs, Matabeleland were set-back early. They lost Duffin for a duck, and then played out time for the draw.

R Vinay Kumar bowled fast, slow and smart to finish with a three-wicket haul that helped the Indians complete a hat-trick of wins

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Aug-2011
Scorecard
File photo: R Vinay Kumar’s three wickets scuppered Leicestershire’s chase•Associated PressR Vinay Kumar bowled fast, slow and smart to finish with a three-wicket haul that helped the Indians complete a hat-trick of wins in three warm-up matches in five days, providing a much-needed boost ahead of the lone Twenty20 international against England at Old Trafford on Wednesday.After a series of cameos pushed the Indians to 161, Leicestershire started on a positive note and were 48 for 1 by the end of the Powerplay. But Suresh Raina, leading the visitors in the absence of a resting MS Dhoni, used his bowlers cleverly, rotating the trio of R Ashwin, Amit Mishra and Vinay to put the brakes on the chase. The hosts required 33 runs from the final two overs, but Ashwin and Vinay gave them no room to play their shots and conceded just 17 runs.The fall of Joshua Cobb, hero of Leicestershire’s triumph in the Friends Life t20 on Saturday, in the first over did not deter the tall pairing of Andrew McDonald and Will Jefferson. They had little trouble against Varun Aaron, regarded as India’s fastest bowler, during his spell from the Bennett end. Aaron started off with a half volley which McDonald punched to the cover boundary. Aaron responded with a slower delivery, but the ball skimmed McDonald’s pads for four leg byes. A ball later Aaron once again faltered with his line, swinging it too far down the leg side, allowing McDonald to easily glance another four.Aaron’s problems continued when he failed to intercept a straight drive from Jefferson at long-on, gifting Leicestershire a boundary. Aaron came back from the Pavilion end, but his misery was far from over. Jefferson hit the Indian seamer over long-off for a four and then McDonald lofted him over cover for a six that bounced onto Milligan Road. Aaron, a last-minute replacement for Ishant Sharma, had joined the Indian squad only two days ago. He was rusty but finished the over by firing in a short ball that beat McDonald for pace.Against the spinners, Jefferson made use of his 6’10” height to try to kill the turn. In Mishra’s first over he swatted the legspinner past long-on for a four and then lofted another boundary over mid-off. While trying to sweep Mishra, though, he was beaten by the flight and was trapped plumb lbw.Raina shuffled his slow bowlers well and the spin pair of Mishra and Ashwin slowed down the Leicestershire train. Vinay chipped in as well, keeping a tight off-stump line and had James Taylor, who tried hitting across the line to an outswinger, caught behind. McDonald, a bit anxious to seize control, smashed Vinay for two fours but the bowler hit back by delivering a slower ball in his next over that beat McDonald’s attempted slog and crashed into the stumps.At that stage Leicestershire needed 78 from 52. With Abdul Razzaq walking in, the Leicestershire fans still kept the faith given his ability to destroy the best of bowling attacks. Razzaq started by crashing Rohit Sharma towards the straight boundary. When Praveen Kumar pitched short on the off stump, Razzaq came up with a tennis-like high forehand, forcing Praveen to take evasive action as the ball zipped to the left of his head, for a straight four.But with Paul Nixon, playing his farewell match at Grace Road and in England, finding it hard to connect at the other end, the asking-rate was peaking. Leicestershire needed 59 from the last five overs but 14 runs including two savage uppercuts by Razzaq to the point boundary from Aaron’s third over raised hopes. Next over he slogged Praveen over cow corner for another six.Razzaq swept the first delivery of the penultimate over for a couple but perished trying to hit over deep square leg where he was caught by Virat Kohli. Leicestershire’s challenge was virtually over and then Vinay gave just eight runs in the final over.Like with their bowling, the Indians’ batting also had several players making small but significant contributions. Parthiv Patel and Ajinkya Rahane started confidently, and though Parthiv rushed into his shots, desperate to make a quick impact, the fluency of Rahane caught the eye.Rahane, a late replacement for Virender Sehwag, who had to return home after the Test series, rolled his wrists neatly to glance a full, inswinging delivery from Matthew Hoggard to the fine-leg boundary. When Razzaq bowled short he pulled him strongly for another four. Trying to rush into another short delivery, this time on the off stump, he could only steer into the hands of the short third-man.Rahul Dravid ran hard during his near-run-a-ball 29 to keep the score ticking steadily before a late charge by Rohit, which included consecutive sixes off the medium pace of Wayne White, took India to a challenging total.

Nathan Lyon’s state coach, Darren Berry, hopes the offspinner is given an extended run in the Test side after being named in Australia’s squad to tour Sri Lanka

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jul-2011Nathan Lyon’s state coach, Darren Berry, hopes the offspinner is given an extended run in the Test side after being named in Australia’s squad to tour Sri Lanka. Lyon was the most unexpected inclusion in the 15-man group, with only four first-class matches to his name, and he will compete with Michael Beer for the spinner’s spot in the three-Test series.Although Berry, Lyon’s mentor at South Australia, was wary of rushing the inexperienced spinner, he said it was a brave selection and he was confident Lyon could make the step up to Test cricket. However, given Australia’s recent history of discarding young spinners as quickly as they’ve been chosen, Berry said it was crucial that Lyon was not treated the same way.”I think that now they’ve shown their hand and they’ve been brave enough to pick him … they’ve got to give him every chance … not one or two Test matches and then say he’s not ready,” Berry said. “They’ve picked him, it’s their responsibility now and in Australian cricket we need to embrace this young spinner and give him an extended run.””He absolutely has the tools to be successful. He’s a very, very talented offspin bowler. He does the rare thing that not many offspinners do in the current day – he hangs the ball in the air and he has wonderful flight and variation. He’s an exciting talent. That said, no doubt Nathan this morning was quite shocked, as have many been, at his selection.”Shocked was an understatement. Lyon, 23, was not included in Australia A’s first-class matches against Zimbabwe recently, and although he performed well in the one-day matches on the trip, a Test promotion was not on his radar and the call from chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch caught him off guard.”I looked down at the phone and saw Andrew’s name pop up and thought ‘geez, what is going on here’,” Lyon said. “It has certainly come out of the blue but I’m not going to knock it back, that is for sure.”The New South Wales fast bowler, Trent Copeland, was equally surprised at his call-up, which he described as “beyond belief”. He said he was looking forward to the challenge of facing Sri Lanka and he hoped that his successful Australia A tour of Zimbabwe would hold him in good stead for the possible step up to Test cricket.”Having played against Zimbabwe for the last month, and South Africa A in a few one-dayers as well, in Zimbabwean conditions which were quite flat, slow wickets, hopefully that gets us in tune for Sri Lanka, which are renowned to be quite flat as well,” Copeland said. “Not only that, we’re coming up against some top-notch cricketers.”To win a spot in Australia’s starting line-up, Copeland will have to wait for an injury or jump ahead of one of Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle or Ryan Harris, who are expected to have the front-running for the first Test in Galle. Harris had been one of Australia’s best bowlers during the Ashes until an ankle fracture ended his series, and he is keen to resume his place in the baggy green.”It’s been very frustrating getting the injuries in the first place,” Harris said. “That broken ankle came out of nowhere. I didn’t have any warning. That’s the frustrating part about it. It’s been a hard road back, but it’s been worth it. Anything’s worth it to play for Australia. It’s great to be back in there. My bowling is going well.”

Having made his name as a fighter, Boucher is expected to play a key role in the upcoming ODI series and has a good reason to resume the battle in a big way

Firdose Moonda17-Oct-2011Mark Boucher, the South Africa wicketkeeper, has come to epitomise the rivalry between South Africa and Australia. Besides his unbeaten half-century in that 438 game, a knock that took South Africa over the line, its Boucher’s bull-dog personality and dogged determination that represents the intensity of the contest between the two nations. Having made his name as a fighter, Boucher is expected to play a key role in the upcoming ODI series and has a good reason to resume the battle in a big way.”There will probably bit a little extra niggle in this series,” Boucher said in Centurion. “Personally, having been out of the system for a while, in the one-day format, I am up for it.”Boucher replaced AB de Villiers as the team’s wicketkeeper, after de Villiers broke a finger while training with the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Champions League. Boucher had previously played in an ODI against in June last year and was left out of the squad that travelled to the World Cup in February. With age not on his side, Boucher was thought to have reached the end of his career as a limited-overs player but repeatedly said he was interested in making a comeback. His experience is something South Africa have missed and will welcome for this important series, along with that of opening bowler Dale Steyn and allrounder Jacques Kallis.”With the likes of Kallis, Steyn, [Ricky] Ponting, [Michael] Hussey and [Michael] Clarke, the level of cricket will be improved,” Boucher said. “We have played against each other before, we know what to expect, we know it’s going to be really tough.”Like Boucher, Ponting will be watched closely as he enters the twilight years. Without the responsibility of leading the side, some may think Ponting is a soft target, but Boucher said he does not expect Ponting to be vulnerable at all. “He is a fantastic player, he’s got nothing to prove coming in as a guy who is not a captain. If anything, he is probably more dangerous,” Boucher said. “He is probably more relaxed, he doesn’t have to worry about what the media’s comments are. He can just get on with his game. The Ponting with that sort of mindset, can be very dangerous.”With senior players returning on both sides, there is a sense that the real contest starts on Wednesday, when the first ODI gets underway. Boucher said that that while it is an advantage to have the stalwarts back, Twenty20 cricket cannot be ignored and the drawn T20 series set the tone for the rest of the tour. “You can’t wipe out the Twenty20s, it’s a game where you represent your country. Twenty20 is a part of the game now,” he said.The T20s also gave both teams an opportunity to assess their bench strength and try out younger players. For Australia, it was particularly beneficial, as Patrick Cummins had the chance to announce his arrival in international cricket. But, someone who missed out on the occasion was David Warner, who returned from back-to-back centuries in the Champions League for New South Wales to record back-to-back ducks against South Africa. Boucher said it was a bit of rude awakening for the Australian opener. “He is up against quality opening bowlers in Steyn, [Morne] Morkel, [Wayne] Parnell in different conditions,” he said. “He is probably desperate for a bit of form as well.”Warner may be feeling the pressure to produce in the near future and so will Mitchell Johnson, who troubled the South African batsmen when he last here in 2009 but has been through a rough patch. Boucher expects Johnson to bounce back. “He is a danger man,” he said. “We can go through the whole Australian team and I can say the same about all of them. All those guys are under pressure and they’ve got things that they want to do and sometimes pressure situations bring the best out of the best players in the world and he is certainly up there.”South Africa are under pressure as well. Under Gary Kirsten, they are expected to show improvement, especially in ODIs, and make up for some of the disappointment experienced at the World Cup. Although Kirsten has only been in charge of the team for two matches, Boucher said the players are already benefitting from his presence. “He is a very well respected man, not just in South Africa but around the world,” Boucher said. “When he talks, you listen. He’s got respect and you don’t take him for a fool at all.” Kirsten is also bringing an element of serenity to a squad that is feeling the heat. “He is very relaxed and calm and that rubs off on players. Sometimes you can have a nervous coach, a guy with his hands everywhere, but Gary is very calm.”

Shahid Afridi’s legal counsel has said the PCB’s disciplinary proceeding against Afridi is “a sham” and has called for a transparent hearing for its client

Osman Samiuddin05-Jun-2011Shahid Afridi’s legal counsel has said the PCB’s disciplinary proceeding against Afridi is “a sham” and has called for a transparent hearing for its client, in which he “be given the opportunity to properly defend himself through counsel.” The latest in a brief flurry of legal communication between Mandviwalla & Zafar Associates and the Pakistan board has upped the stakes of an individual player-board dispute, swiftly becoming the most significant of recent years.As ESPNcricinfo had reported, Afridi had employed lawyers in a bid to resolve the dispute on June 2 (reported on June 3). The PCB replied on June 4, again outlining the violations Afridi committed, as well as raising serious concern about his accusations of a Punjab-Lahore “lobby” being behind his ouster.To this communication, barrister Syed Ali Zafar sent the latest letter, a four-page response on Afridi’s behalf in which he questions, among other things, the “pre-judged sentence” and the “non-transparency of the hearings”, and also states his client is not guilty. The last seems to be an apparent reversal of Afridi’s earlier stance in which he accepted he had violated the code of conduct.Afridi returned to Karachi from London on Sunday night, having been in touch with various political figures over the last week regarding his case. A crowd of cheering fans gathered at the airport to greet him, showing support for the sacked captain and chanting slogans against PCB chairman Ijaz Butt. There were signs and banners supporting Afridi in parts of the city as well.The latest letter from Afridi’s lawyers to the PCB, a copy of which is with ESPNcricinfo, does not clarify whether Afridi will appear before the disciplinary committee on June 8. Afridi’s management in the UK had indicated that he would, but reports since have indicated he might not.”It appears that the PCB has already made up its mind and has come to the conclusion that Shahid Afridi is “guilty”, has violated his central contract and the disciplinary code, and accordingly our client’s central contract is liable to be suspended/terminated and NOCs revoked,” the letter reads. “Since PCB has already come to the conclusion, as is evident from your letter under reply, that our client is guilty as charged, the disciplinary proceeding is in fact a sham.”The question of whether Afridi will appear seems to hinge on whether or not he will be allowed legal representation at the hearing. The letter points out that the PCB, in detailing the disciplinary process to be followed, has said that “the proceedings shall be conducted in camera and no stranger (outsider),” which seems to indicate that Afridi will not be allowed a lawyer inside. A board official, when asked specifically whether lawyers are allowed to represent players in such hearings, told ESPNcricinfo only “the code says no outsider is permitted to attend.”There is precedent either way in earlier cases. In a disciplinary hearing involving Mohammad Asif in a doping case, his lawyer wasn’t allowed to be inside, but in the case of Younis Khan last year, for example, his lawyer was allowed inside the hearing (though that was an appellate tribunal). The PCB, incidentally, will have legal representation in the committee set up to look into the matter, and at least one eminent lawyer, involved in board-player cases previously, believes “that the principles of natural justice should allow a lawyer inside to defend him.”More complication is expected on the question of whether or not Afridi has accepted guilt, and he has earlier accepted violations of the code. Now, the letter says, “As far as the allegations …are concerned our client did not intend to plead guilty, as he is not guilty.” It argues that the reason Afridi wrote the initial email to the board was “a gesture of goodwill to play the ongoing T20 tournament in England for which the PCB had already sanctioned and given him the permission through due process.” It adds Afridi had not sought legal help at that stage to “understand the implications of the show cause notice.”Finally, the letter states again that due process has not been followed and that the board in a “proper, honorable and dignified way,” should have issued him a show cause notice and “waited for his response before taking any action … or announcing the formation of a disciplinary committee.” Significantly, the letter also calls into question the legality of any central contract in which clauses “have the effect of restraining the freedom of our client to pursue his profession … or which are in restraint of trade” and thus violating the country’s constitution and law. The possibility of challenging such clauses, the letter says, remain open, probably in a court of law.As conclusion, the letter draws on the spiralling nature of the dispute, and asks – dramatically perhaps – the PCB to “treat this matter as one of national importance,” and revoke the suspension order and provide the NOC once again. “Our client is one of the most important players for Pakistan’s cricket…and we request PCB to act in accordance with law and not force our client to resort to litigation in this regard.”

Muttiah Muralitharan will use the gap between Sri Lanka’s last group match and their quarter-final to rest and recover from the hamstring trouble he faced against New Zealand

Sa'adi Thawfeeq19-Mar-2011Muttiah Muralitharan will use the gap between Sri Lanka’s last group match and their quarter-final to rest and recover from the hamstring trouble he faced during the game against New Zealand in Mumbai.”He [Murali] banged his knee and got bruising on it and a slight hamstring niggle,” Kumar Sangakkara said. “In the next few days we got to pay as much attention as we can to Murali’s injury and get him on his feet for the next game. Going back to Sri Lanka for him is going to be important in that sense.”Murali, who will retire after the World Cup, said the injury wouldn’t hinder his participation in the rest of the tournament. “I have been carrying this hamstring injury for some time and it’s not a problem. I am prepared to play the rest of the matches because I am retiring after the World Cup.”Muralitharan hurt his knee as he dived to avoid getting run out and was limping during New Zealand’s chase, leaving the field twice to receive treatment. He returned and virtually bowled on one leg during a spell of 4 for 25, which helped Sri Lanka win by 112 runs.”Murali did a pretty okay job bowling off one leg and getting us all those wickets. He bowled beautifully,” said Sangakkara. “Murali’s done it before with an injury in Australia and he nearly won us a game there. Here it was something special, it shows how hungry he is to play and do well.”

Jon Kent and Yusuf Abdulla will not be retained by the Dolphins franchise while the Titans’ Blake Snijman had retired from the game

Firdose Moonda05-Apr-2011The Dolphins will not renew the contracts of allrounder Jon Kent and left-arm seamer Yusuf Abdulla for the 2011-2012 season. The decision was made in keeping with the franchise’s policy of blooding young talent, which started in February 2010 when they axed five senior players, including Andrew Hall.Kent, who will turn 32 next month and represented South Africa in two ODIs, has played for the Durban-based team for 11 seasons. He has a first-class batting average of 35.77 and was one of their strike bowlers. Although an experienced campaigner, he will be out of contract because the Dolphins have decided that they need to focus on development.’Unfortunately for Jon, the focus of Dolphins is to develop a team that will be successful in a couple of years. In order to achieve this, opportunity needs to be given to younger players to develop their skills and gain match experience,” Jesse Chellan, chief executive of Kwa-Zulu Natal Cricket Union said. “Going forward, it is a concern that Jon would block the path of a young player.”Abdulla, who made his name during second season of the IPL in 2009 in South Africa with the Kings XI Punjab, has played two Twenty-20s for South Africa, but has seen his career slide downhill in the past 18 months. He has struggled to recover from injury, battled with his weight and failed to make the Dolphins team this season. “Yusuf has struggled with fitness and form for the past two seasons and moving forward we will be investing in a younger generation of bowlers,” Chellan said.While both Kent and Abdulla have fallen out of favour with their franchises, up north at the Titans, Blake Snijman has voluntarily opted to end his career. Snijman announced his retirement, even though he is only 25 years old, in order to further his business interests. Snijman made his debut for Gauteng in the 2003-04 season, where he become an accomplished opening batsman. He leaves the game with a first-class batting average of 31.36 and a List A average of 32.75.He moved to the Titans during the 2006-07 season and was part of the squad that won the SuperSport Series in 2008-09, the MTN limited-overs competition twice and the Standard Bank Pro20 in 2007-08. “I have been giving my career much thought over recent months and have decided that I will be retiring from cricket at the end of the current 2010/2011 season. I would especially like to thank the players. I have loved spending time with them and building friendships,” Snijman said.

Celtic are on the verge of securing the Premiership title this season in Ange Postecoglou’s first campaign in charge of the Parkhead club.

With 35 matches played, the Hoops have won 27, drawn five and lost just three, scoring 81 goals and conceding 20 along the way.

Despite failing to secure victory in the latest Old Firm Derby over the weekend, the Bhoys still have a six-point gap over their Glasgow arch-rivals in second.

One figure who hasn’t played much of a part for the Parkhead club in the current campaign is left-back Boli Bolingoli.

With just two league appearances to his name this season, it was reported last month that the full-back is currently training on his own in Belgium rather than with his team-mates at Lennoxtown.

Having been slammed for his “unacceptable” efforts on the training field when he was part of the squad earlier in the season by Frank McAvennie, the Belgian’s future at Celtic is very much in doubt moving forward.

Now that the upcoming summer transfer window is on the horizon, this could give Postecoglou the chance to finally get rid of the 26-year-old outcast and bring in a suitable replacement at the same time.

With that in mind, having been linked with a move for Hammarby left-back Mohanad Jeahze in recent days, this could open the door for Bolingoli to finally bring his time at Celtic to an end.

In his five league games for the Swedish club in the 2022 season prior to today’s clash against Malmo, the 25-year-old has racked up 21 crosses, 13 interceptions and nine tackles.

Contrast that with the two league games that Bolingoli played this term against Livingston and Motherwell, as he ended up committing more fouls (six) than the combined number of tackles (four) and interceptions (one) that he made.

Labelled a “class” player by Hammarby team-mate Darijan Bojanic, £1.6m-valued Jeahze could be just what Celtic need to get the Belgian out of the club and add some depth to Postecoglou’s squad at left-back.

Even if the Parkhead club aren’t able to secure a deal for the Iraq international this summer, they should still do all they can to offload Bolingoli and get his £15k-per-week wages off their books.

In other news: Insider claims Celtic may now sign £2.7m-rated brute as soon “as possible”, it’s great news