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Christopher Martin-Jenkins, the commentator and former cricket correspondent, has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s honours list

Cricinfo staff31-Dec-2008Christopher Martin-Jenkins, the commentator and former cricket correspondent, has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s honours list.Known throughout the game as CMJ, he stood down as the correspondent in May to be replaced by Michael Atherton, having previously held the same position with the , but still writes occasional columns for the newspaper and remains part of the TMS team which he first joined 35 years ago. He was also the BBC’s cricket correspondent in two spells from 1973 to 1980 and 1985 to 1991″It has been a great privilege to go round the world writing about cricket,” he told the . “The older one gets, the requirement for England to win becomes less important than the needs of the game as a whole, but nonetheless England’s rare successes in Australia have been the most exciting.”One concern for me is the contraction of cricket coverage towards the England team alone,” he added. “We should not forget the county game and the grass roots, without which you couldn’t have an England team. Nor should we overlook the fascination of the world game generally.”He provides the only representation for cricket in this year’s list, which on a sporting front is dominated by the British Olympic medallists from the Beijing Games.

The ICC has dismissed claims by disgraced former Kenya captain Maurice Odumbe that he has been forced into hiding to avoid debt collectors sent to Nairobi by it to track him down

Cricinfo staff05-Mar-2009The ICC has dismissed claims by disgraced former Kenya captain Maurice Odumbe that he has been forced into hiding to avoid debt collectors sent to Nairobi by it to track him down.”The ICC has issued an arrest warrant through a Nairobi law firm demanding about Sh575,000 (US$7200) from me. I don’t have that kind money and I can’t understand why ICC can persecute its subjects,” Odumbe told FeverPitch.Odumbe, who was banned for five years for match-fixing in 2004, has previous statements in the local media which have often stretched credulity,An ICC spokesman told Cricinfo that there was no truth in the allegations. He explained none of the ICC’s in-house legal team had been in contact with Odumbe or his representatives. It is not even certain that Odumbe owes any money as his punishment was the ban and not any fine.”]The ICC has] informed me that no one is chasing you for any money at all and that no one from there has made any call to you demanding any monies,” Tim May, chief executive of the Federation of International Cricketers Association, told Odumbe. “They have also informed me that there was no judgement against you to repay any monies by way of a fine or for legal costs incurred by either ICC or KCA.””I have suffered enough and I should be left alone to lead a normal life,” Odumbe, who has not exactly shunned publicity since the ban, said. “It’s outrageous that a banned player who lived off the game is expected to raise that kind of money when he had been out of employment for five years.”

A century from wicketkeeper Naman Ojha put Madhya Pradesh in pole position against Assam in Indore

Cricinfo staff21-Nov-2008
Scorecard
A century from wicketkeeper Naman Ojha put Madhya Pradesh in pole position against Assam in Indore. Resuming on 150 for 2 – Assam were bowled out for 96 on the first day – MP’s hopes for a big first-innings lead were almost dashed after medium-pacers Krishna Das and Ranjitkumar Mali took six wickets in 27 overs. However, the tail hung on with Ojha to help the hosts gain a formidable lead. Assam lost two wickets in 22 overs of their second innings on Friday, and an innings defeat seems on the cards.Das, who took two wickets on the first day, completed a five-for: Devendra Bundela was caught behind for 64, and Jatin S Saxena and Brijesh Tomar did not last too long. Soon after Das’ strikes, MP captain Hrishikesh Kanitkar was out for 44, lbw to medium-pacer Ranjitkumar Mali. Sunil Dholpure also fell to Mali, and Anand Katti had Shantanu Pitre, who took five in Assam’s innings, caught behind. No. 10 Sanjay Pandey, though, played out 71 deliveries for his 23. At the other end, Ojha was picking the runs. His 116 came at a strike-rate of nearly 80, with 15 fours and four sixes.After a 90-run stand, Mali finally dismissed Pandey: he was the third catch of the innings for wicketkeeper K Saikia. Ojha put on 36 for the final wicket at nearly a run a ball with last man Yogesh Golwalkar, before he became Das’ sixth wicket. Das’ 6 for 61 from 31.1 overs was his best figures in a first-class innings.Assam, trailing by 236 on the first innings, lost opener Nishanta Bordoloi and one-drop Deepak Sharma before stumps.

Surrey have signed opening batsman Michael Brown from Hampshire on a two-year deal

Cricinfo staff03-Oct-2008
Surrey bound: Michael Brown will make a winter move to south London © Getty Images
Surrey have signed opening batsman Michael Brown from Hampshire on a two-year deal.Brown had been tipped to make the move during the closing weeks of the season, but Hampshire were keen to try and keep him at The Rose Bowl. However, the lure of regular one-day cricket alongside a four-day place has secured the deal, even though it means he will be playing second division Championship cricket next year.”I am very much looking forward to representing Surrey and will endeavour to contribute both on and off the field to the team playing winning cricket in all forms of the game,” said Brown.He enjoyed a solid season in the Championship, scoring 940 runs at 40.86 and finished on a positive note with 93 against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge, but struggled to secure a place in the one-day team.The move to The Oval means a step down in the Championship after Surrey were relegated with a victory, but Brown’s signing is the latest rebuilding step by the club.

The second youth Test ended in an honourable draw at Worcester, with Dan Redfern holding tight for England with an unbeaten 79 as his team-mates succumbed to Nick Beard, who claimed five wickets

Cricinfo staff04-Aug-2008
Scorecard
The second youth Test ended in an honourable draw at Worcester, with Dan Redfern holding tight for England with an unbeaten 79 as his team-mates succumbed to Nick Beard, who claimed five wickets. Kane Williamson converted his overnight 104 to 151 while Harry Boam added 18 to his 50 as New Zealand put on 302.England were left with a target of 273 that proved just beyond their reach, though they were also seven down. Alex Hales and Billy Taylor gave them a fighting start with a stand of 83, Hales completing his second fifty of the match, but Beard’s influence grew and grew until he had five top- and middle-order wickets and England were in minor trouble at 173 for 5.Redfern and Ben Brown all but ensured the draw in a sixth-wicket partnership 62, with Brown contributing 29 before falling to Harry Boam. Chris Woakes came and went cheaply but, by that stage, the result was straightforward.The sides now meet in a five-ODI series which begins this Friday at Canterbury, which is hosting back-to-back matches.

A full house at Canterbury was left far from impressed as cricket again did all it can to shoot itself in the foot. High winds prevented the floodlights being raised which meant the match was abandoned six overs into Leicestershire’s run chase

Cricinfo staff13-Aug-2008
ScorecardA full house at Canterbury was left far from impressed as cricket’s regulations once again contrived to scupper a well-balanced contest. High winds prevented the floodlights being raised which meant the match was abandoned six overs into Leicestershire’s run chase.The match was always likely to end this way as the winds were gusting well above the permitted 28mph limit from before the start of play. There was nothing in the playing conditions to allow for a shortened match so the umpires, Ian Gould and Richard Illingworth, had no option but to start a 40-over match at the scheduled time.Kent’s innings was completed without any problems, but already the light was fading. After a full-length interval the Leicestershire openers came out at dusk and were already having problems picking up the ball. The aim had been to try and reach the 10-over mark, where Duckworth-Lewis would have allowed a result.If Leicestershire had been no wickets down their target was 38, but they lost two scalps within six overs and would have needed to be 58 after 10 overs. Captain Paul Nixon came out at No. 4 and was quickly motioning that he couldn’t see. He was late on a slower-ball from Azhar Mahmood and the umpires came together. Nixon and Robert Key shared wry grins – both captains knew this had been coming for a long time.In the end one point each was a fair result for the teams, but it was a far from satisfactory evening for the game. Kent offered to refund spectators, while both sides were left calling for some reworking of the playing conditions to allow for common sense if such conditions occur again.

Shoaib Malik, the Pakistan captain, fears that Pakistan will become an “isolated cricket nation” and wants the ICC to ensure that teams tour the country

Cricinfo staff10-Sep-2008
Pakistan haven’t played Test cricket since the series in India in November-December 2007 © AFP
Shoaib Malik, the Pakistan captain, fears that Pakistan will become an “isolated cricket nation” and wants the ICC to ensure that teams tour the country.Pakistan were deprived of international cricket in 2008 after Australia postponed their tour, scheduled for March, because of security concerns. The Champions Trophy, which was supposed to begin on September 12, was also postponed after five countries said that they wouldn’t participate in the tournament due to security fears.Pakistan’s last Test was in India in December 2007 and their next Test series is in January 2009 when they host India. They haven’t played a Test in 2008 and Malik wanted the ICC to play a larger role in ensuring that teams visited Pakistan.”The ICC needs to step in and play a more decisive role,” Malik told . “If teams keep on refusing to tour Pakistan despite assurances even from our government we will become an isolated cricket nation.”It is very frustrating for the players the way two important events have been postponed this year. It is so depressing that despite being a major cricket-playing nation we do not play a Test match this year.”Pakistan sought to fill the gap created by the Champions Trophy but faced hurdles in setting up one-day tournaments. India were concentrating on their preparation for the upcoming series against Australia, South Africa rejected a tri-series proposal because their players were fatigued after the tour of England, while a proposed one-day series against Sri Lanka faced problems finding sponsors.Pakistan’s next international assignment is a four-nation Twenty20 tournament involving Canada, West Indies, and Sri Lanka in Toronto from October 10.

Celtic have been dealt a major blow in their pursuit of Airdrieonians winger Thomas Robert, following news that his trial period at Premier League outfit Burnley has been extended [Daily Record].

The Lowdown: Ange Postecoglou gets busy ahead of 2021/22

Stepping into the Parkhead hot-seat with plenty work to do, newly appointed Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou will undoubtedly be doing his due diligence on potential recruits, whether they are from afar or on his doorstep.

However, one man who now looks unlikely to make the switch to the Scottish giants is 20-year-old Robert owing to recent reports, despite extensive links to the Glasgow giants over the last six months.

The Latest: Robert has Burnley trial extended

Initially, the Frenchman looked odds on to put pen to paper at Parkhead following a trial spell earlier at Lennoxtown this year [Glasgow Times].

Despite this, the deal stalled due to structural changes within the Hoops off the field, eventually resulting in Robert making the journey back to Airdrie for the rest of the 2020/21 campaign [Daily Record].

Taking advantage of the dynamic, Burnley decided to take the former Montpellier man on trial at the start of 2021/22, and have now decided to extend his assessment period as well as including him in their B squad for a pre-season tour of Scotland [Daily Record].

The Verdict: Losing out on Robert would be a bitter blow for the Parkhead hierarchy

If Celtic were indeed to lose out on Robert, it would come as a blow to the Parkhead hierarchy due to their lack of depth in wide positions.

Predominantly a right-winger, the youngster enjoyed a productive season last term, registering seven goal contributions in 26 appearances; four goals and three assists [Transfermarkt].

Albeit probably one for the future, his ability to finish effortlessly has to be admired, not least his excellent effort against Forfar Athletic in November 2020.

Once labelled as ‘brilliant’ by former teammate Leon McCann, Celtic should look to make a move for the tricky winger before it is too late [Daily Record].

In other news, Noel Whelan has dropped his verdict on a Celtic star.

Sri Lanka’s opening bowlers ensured their side maintained its record of not losing four consecutive ODIs at home as they beat India in the final ODI in Colombo

The Bulletin by Nishi Narayanan29-Aug-2008Sri Lanka 226 for 6 (Thushara 54*, Mubarak 47*) beat India 103 (Kulasekara 4-40, Mendis 4-10) by 112 runs on D/L method
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Man of the Match Nuwan Kulasekara took the first four wickets to fall in India’s chase © AFP
Sri Lanka’s opening bowlers ensured their side maintained its record of not losing four consecutive ODIs at home as they beat India in the final ODI in Colombo. While one of them took career-best figures, the other got his career-best score.Nuwan Kulasekara dismissed the Indian top order, troubling the batsmen with movement off the seam, after Thilan Thushara had scored a half-century to boost a faltering Sri Lankan innings to 227. There followed a rain interruption and, when play resumed with six overs docked, India crumbled to Ajantha Mendis and Dilhara Fernando, losing seven wickets for 33 runs to finish on 103, their lowest score in Sri Lanka.Chasing 228 – Mahela Jayawardene won the toss for the first time in the series and followed the winning strategy of batting first – Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli, were beaten by Kulasekara’s line but hung on to hit the loose deliveries for fours. Thushara, bowling immediately after his unbeaten 94-run stand with Jehan Mubarak, also got the ball to cut in and was unlucky to have an appeal for caught behind turned down off his first ball of the innings. The delivery landed on the seam and straightened with the angle and replays suggested it took the edge off Gambhir’s bat before reaching the keeper.But Kulasekara got Gambhir soon after, with a tactic Sri Lanka had used earlier in the series. Kumar Sangakkara stood up to the stumps and Gambhir, perhaps distracted, edged the next ball to the keeper. While Thushara moved the ball away from Kohli, Kulasekara seamed it in and the batsman brought his front foot across the line only to be trapped in front. He beat Suresh Raina with a delivery that cut in to the left-hander before having him caught at midwicket.Raina’s wicket was the turning point of the innings: it triggered a collapse that saw eight wickets fall in 12.2 overs. It had been drizzling when he was batting, and a reckless heave to midwicket was unpardonable for an in-form batsman, besides D/L calculations would have been the focus in the dressing room. The players went off right after Raina’s fall, and came back with the target revised to 216 off 44 overs, and Sri Lanka in the advantage.Smart statsThushara’s unbeaten 54 is his highest ODI score. Only three Sri Lankan batsmen have made more runs in an innings batting at No. 8. Sangakkara finished the series with just 37 runs in five matches, which is his lowest aggregate in a series in which he played more than three games. The unbeaten 94-run stand between Thushara and Mubarak is Sri Lanka’s third-highest for the seventh wicket in ODIs. The highest – 126 between Mahela Jayawardene and Upul Chandana – also came against India in 2005.Nuwan Kulasekara’s 4 for 40 is his best figures in ODIs.Ajantha Mendis once again got the better of Yuvraj Singh. In 16 deliveries that he has faced from Mendis in ODIs, Yuvraj has been dismissed four times – thrice bowled and one lbw.Ajantha Mendis once again got the better of Yuvraj Singh. In 16 deliveries that he has faced from Mendis in ODIs, Yuvraj has been dismissed four times – thrice bowled and once lbw.India’s total of 103 is their lowest in a completed innings in Sri Lanka, and their fourth-lowest in ODIs since 2000.That target would have been a lot smaller if not for Thushara’s innings. He joined Mubarak at the crease with Sri Lanka at 133 for 6. Though several boundaries came off edges in their partnership, Mubarak and Thushara rotated the strike, something the top order had failed to. Thushara drove and cut confidently to get to his maiden half-century. The two batsmen were kept quiet by left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha but attacked the wayward length of RP Singh and Irfan Pathan in the final ten overs.The Sri Lankan top-order’s contribution would have looked even worse if not for the 77-run stand between left-handers Mahela Udawatte and Malinda Warnapura. They countered Zaheer Khan and Munaf Patel’s tight bowling and settled down after the first Powerplay, working out the gaps in the field and choosing to tip and run in order to up the run-rate.Zaheer tried to hurry them with shorter deliveries, but Udawatte picked out the loose balls over the in-field and forced the bowlers to vary their length, which only resulted in overpitched deliveries and more boundaries. The two added 39 between overs 10 and 15. Pathan dismissed Udawatte and Warnapura in the same over, but was largely ineffective from then on. Ojha troubled the lower order, bowling three successive maiden overs, as Sri Lanka added only 60 runs between overs 20 and 40.The first innings, though, became inconsequential with India’s capitulation. Kulasekara, who took all three wickets to fall before the stoppage, trapped Rohit Sharma leg before on resumption. Ajantha Mendis and Dilhara Fernando stepped up to the plate after Kulasekara finished his quota of nine overs with 4 for 40. The last seven wickets fell in 11 overs: Mendis dismissed Yuvraj Singh for the third time in the series and wrapped up the tail, while Fernando generated bounce and movement to bowl Dhoni and have RP Singh caught by Jayawardene. As in the first ODI, this was an embarassing loss, but India had already secured the series in the previous match.

The sense of déjà vu was palpable throughout the day

Charlie Austin30-Sep-2002The sense of déjà vu was palpable throughout the day. Sanath Jayasuriya won the toss again and his batsmen grafted hard for their runs against India’s slow bowlers. Then, with the match evenly poised as the floodlights were switched on, distant thunderclaps were followed by streaks of lightening and finally another monsoon downpour, the persistence of which forced the match’s abandonment.When the players were finally forced from the field, shortly after Virender Sehwag had carved a remarkable six over cover, India were in the ascendant on 38 for one after 8.4 overs having earlier restricted Sri Lanka to 222.Jayasuriya believed Sri Lanka’s total to have been sufficient: “We are disappointed as the wicket was getting slower all the time and it would have not been easy to score those runs after the new ball. We had felt that 225-240 was a defendable score.”But Sourav Ganguly disagreed. Asked whether a shared trophy fairly reflected the balance of the game, he said: “No, I don’t think so. The wicket was slow but was not turning a great deal and we started well…but you can’t do anything when it rains.”Thus the richest purse in the history of cricket, a total of USD $300,000, was split between the two sides in addition to the USD $225,000 already accrued after victories in the pool and semi-final stages. Not bad for two days’ soggy cricket.In the afternoon India had grabbed an early advantage in the game when Jayasuriya finally failed after a remarkable string of scores stretching back to the start of the Morocco Cup last month – 36, 102*, 71, 46, 97, 49, 36, 42 and 74. Indeed, the left-hander looked shocked when he dragged the first ball of the match on to his stumps.Had Dinesh Mongia held on to a sharp two-handed chance at slip off Kumar Sangakkara in the same Zaheer Khan over, Sri Lanka would have been in far deeper trouble. As it was, Mongia redeemed himself when he caught Marvan Atapattu – asked to bat at number three to allow Sangakkara a chance against the harder ball – off an outswinger from Ajit Agarkar to leave Sri Lanka on 24 for two.Aravinda de Silva, having already bid his farewell to Sri Lankan fans yesterday, looked set to produce a fitting encore as he launched a thrilling attack in Agarkar’s fifth over, smashing five boundaries and stirring a healthy reserve crowd. But De Silva’s urge to dominate, exhilarating as it was, proved fatal as he tried to slog-sweep the recalled Anil Kumble over mid-wicket to be dismissed for a 24-ball 27.Three overs later Sangakkara was run out after being belatedly sent back by Mahela Jayawardene and Sri Lanka, on 71 for four, pulled back onto the defensive. Both Jayawardene and Russel Arnold stagnated as only 66 runs were scored in the next 20 overs.But, gradually, Jayawardene started to gather momentum, passing fifty for the 15th time in his one-day career. The pair extended their partnership to 118 from 173 balls before Jayawardene top edged a catch into the covers. Arnold then scrambled together some useful late runs with Chaminda Vaas and, in the end, Sri Lanka would have been satisfied with the fact that 95 runs had been scored in the last 15 overs.