All posts by h716a5.icu

Leeds United are thought to be preparing a seven-figure bid for FC Nantes’ Andrei Girotto in January, according to Homme du Match.

The Lowdown: Girotto profiled

The defender has been with the Ligue 1 club since 2017 and has made 130 appearances for his current employers. The 29-year-old has started every Ligue 1 game this season and has scored three of his eight goals for Nantes during the current campaign.

Capable of playing as a centre-back or in a defensive or central midfield role, the versatile 6 foot 1 beast is on £21,000 per week in France and has been on Leeds’ radar for some time.

The Latest: Bid expected…

Homme du Match shared a story on Tuesday, suggesting that the Whites are expected to make a January bid in the region of €5m (£4.2m) for Girotto.

The report describes the Brazilian as a player who would perfectly fit the Premier League, and it appears as if Leeds will attempt to bring him to Yorkshire over the coming months.

The Verdict: At last…

Andrea Radrizzani is yet to make a significant purchase in January while Marcelo Bielsa has been in charge at Elland Road, with the majority of business finalised in the summer, but it seems as if that may change with a possible swoop for Girotto.

The 29-year-old has been compared to West Ham’s Tomas Soucek by FBRef and has made more tackles and pressures than the Czech Republic international this season.

On that basis, bringing in the Brazilian could be a shrewd piece of business in a deal under £5m. He would give Bielsa another option in midfield, where the Whites are arguably short, can provide cover at the back and would bring a welcome physical presence, sanding just two inches shorter than Soucek.

In other news: Beren Cross spots ‘important’ Leeds ace back in training after four-man boost. 

Cricinfo previews the two-test series between India and South Africa

Sidharth Monga04-Feb-2010Let’s forget the ICC rankings. Let’s look at it this way, similar to how Jarrod Kimber did in his blog. The undisputed best team in the world should have won their last home and away series against every other team, or most of the teams. Neither of India, South Africa or Australia have a big lead on that count. Australia lost their last series in India and at home to South Africa. India lost both in South Africa and Australia. South Africa lost to Australia at home, and drew in India. Australia lost in England, while India and South Africa lost in Sri Lanka.South Africa, in this equation, are slightly ahead of their two close rivals, having drawn their last series in India. But it’s a small lead, which gets offset by their recent drawn home series against England, and also that they haven’t toured New Zealand and West Indies in ages. Hence there is no current “best Test team” in the world, and the ICC rankings put India on No. 1 because, well, we need a No. 1.It is a delicate status quo. Between Saturday and the year-end, it could get blown away, or reinforce itself even more strongly. Australia have been thrown off their perch, but who is ready to take over the mantle? South Africa know they will need a series win in India to have claims to being the best, India know they can’t be the best without series wins in either Australia or South Africa, the latter of which they tour later in the year.As Graeme Smith said soon after landing in India, it’s not getting to the top, but staying there that matters. Smith should know. Beating Australia in Australia, and thus becoming No. 1, took so much out of them they are yet to come back to full potential. Want a camel as pet? Better have high doors. There are lessons to be learnt from the displaced No. 1 team: will to win – day in, day out, bloody-mindedness, fear of losing. India, the new No. 1, will do well to start off by ticking one of the boxes first, a home series against South Africa. At least they start off as favourites to extend their statistical lead.Pace and fire v openers from hell
Again, let’s forget the ICC rankings. This is more exciting.Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir play for the same state and the same IPL side. Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel play for the same franchise in South Africa. Sehwag and Gambhir are close friends, Morkel calls himself and Steyn best friends in the team. Sehwag and Gambhir run on intuition, their batting styles compliment each other. Morkel goes for raw pace and bounce, Steyn goes for swing, presenting a varied attack. Sehwag and Gambhir are the best openers in the world, Morkel and Steyn the hottest new-ball pairing going around.Can we fix the toss for the first Test to ensure we start the series with its biggest selling point? Gambhir and Sehwag v Morkel and Steyn. Morkel knows how to build it too. “It’s going to be a very good challenge,” he says. “Gambhir and Sehwag have played very well for India. Myself and Dale are pretty new with the new ball, and it will be a big test, especially in Indian conditions. Luckily, the challenge is going to be for them too at the end of this year in South Africa. It’s not going to end here.” Imagine the first morning of the series, three slips and a gully, a fresh pitch, and Zaheer Khan bowling to Ashwell Prince. What a dampener it will be.Future. Now
India definitely need to forget the ICC rankings, because the much-dreaded and the much-talked-about transitional phase is upon them. Only for the second time since his debut, Rahul Dravid is missing a Test match, and suddenly, half of the Fab Four is gone. He is not likely to be back for the second either. Not that Yuvraj Singh has established himself at No. 6, but without him, India go with two inexperienced batsmen in the middle order. VVS Laxman is not sure of starting either. If he doesn’t make it, there will be two debutants to follow Sachin Tendulkar. Doomsday is not a myth.Dravid and Laxman are not going anywhere in a hurry, but this brief disappearance will provide us a sneak peak into the future.

Can we fix the toss for the first Test to ensure we start the series with its biggest selling point? Gambhir and Sehwag v Morkel and Steyn

Saffers’ spin trouble
If India’s weak link is the middle order, South Africa will mostly be relying on pace to take wickets. After a tough series against England, Paul Harris didn’t have the most desired tour game. Johan Botha wasn’t much better either, and he has to depend on his doosra to get wickets. More successful, more feared spinners have been mastered in India, and Harris or Botha – whoever plays – will have exceeded all expectations if he is a factor in the final analysis.Captains cool
Smith and MS Dhoni are big, strong men, known to carrying their men along with them. They set fine examples to the rest of their team-mates. Dhoni has a dodgy back, a shaky middle order to carry, while Smith has a team troubled by external circumstances, and in foreign conditions. More fitting men can’t be found to hold the mace that the captain of the No. 1 team is usually photographed with.Forever in fashion
Sachin Tendulkar was there when South Africa were readmitted. Jacques Kallis came in soon after. They have seen match-fixing, transformation, heart-breaking World Cup losses, chokes after they got out, countless changes in captaincy, new rules, new clothing, new formats, and they have lived to tell the tale. Don’t be surprised if they have more tales to tell after this series, and India’s return tour later this year. Thankfully, some things never change.

With three wins, three clean sheets and ten goals scored in their three previous games across all competitions, it’s safe to say that Liverpool are in a good place to take on their Merseyside rivals Everton in their next Premier League game on Wednesday evening.

On the chalkboard

In terms of which players Klopp could select for his starting XI to take on former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez’s side in midweek, one individual that featured in their recent 4-0 win over Southampton that should be in the team to take on Everton is defender Ibrahima Konate.

The Frenchman used the match against Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side to show to Klopp exactly what he is capable of from a defensive point of view and ended up being a massive part in the fact that the Reds managed to keep yet another clean sheet on the day.

Labelled as “outstanding” by Klopp for his Premier League debut performance against Crystal Palace, Konate managed to make five clearances, three interceptions and two tackles as well as blocking one shot as he won ten of the 16 duels he was involved in.

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This performance against the Saints earned Konate a solid overall match rating of 7.6/10 from SofaScore, his highest in the Premier League so far.

Taking this into account it seems as though Klopp should keep the faith with Konate in the team and give him his first taste of what playing in a Merseyside Derby is like in front of both sets of fans.

Everton haven’t managed to win any of their seven previous league games and have failed to score a goal in any of their last three, meaning the £70k-per-week defender’s presence at the back could add further misery to Rafa Benitez’s woes.

If he does start in midweek and manages to deliver a similar sort of performance to the one he did against Southampton, it could end up being yet another very difficult night for Everton’s attacking players after their recent struggles.

In other news: Edwards could seal Klopp’s dream LFC deal with swoop for “lethal” £135m-rated “cyborg” – opinion

Phil Simmons is relishing a return to the Caribbean, where he will attempt to guide Ireland to the latter stages of the World Twenty20 tournament after their success at the Qualifiers.

Cricinfo staff16-Feb-2010Phil Simmons is relishing a return to the Caribbean, where he will attempt to guide Ireland to the latter stages of the World Twenty20 tournament after their success at the Qualifiers. Simmons, 46, was born in Trinidad and played 26 Tests and 143 one-dayers for the West Indies, taking up the position of Ireland’s head coach after the 2007 World Cup.”It’s just brilliant to be leading a team at a World Cup in the West Indies,” said Simmons. “I know how proud and delighted I am, but that’s nothing compared to the joy of the team. You only had to look at their reaction after we beat the Dutch to know how much it meant to the guys. I wasn’t in charge in 2007, so it’ll be good to be back on home soil and in charge of an international team on the world stage.”Ireland have maintained consistent performances in recent times despite a number of high profile retirements and injuries, having lost players of the ilk of Eoin Morgan and Ed Joyce to England, and with Boyd Rankin – who is also on England’s radar after being included in the ECB’s England Performance Programme – sidelined since January with a stress fracture to his right foot.”We keep losing players, but we can replace them,” argued Simmons. “You only have to look at how George Dockrell has taken to international cricket after we lost Kyle [McCallan] and Regan West. He’s been just brilliant, and it’s incredible to think that he’s just 17 years old – he’s a real natural. We keep producing young players and that’s great for Irish cricket.”In the weeks preceding the World Twenty20 Ireland will travel to Jamaica for the Cricket Festival Series, during which they will play Jamaica in a four-day encounter, before switching to one-day mode with a 50 over and twenty20 game.They then will take on the West Indies in an ODI, before finishing off with a further three twenty20 internationals against the side who they will face in Guyana when the World Twenty20 starts on April 30. The contest will be an interesting one for the coaches of the two teams – Ottis Gibson recently took up the role for the West Indies – as they played nine ODIs together for the West Indies in the mid-1990s.The Cricket Festival Series is a follow up to a cultural and sporting exchange agreement signed in 2008 by Cricket Ireland and the Jamaica Cricket Association. “There will be a lot of innovation specifically designed to drive spectator support,” said JCA president Paul Campbell. “There’s going to be whole lot of excitement, hype and it’s going to be a carnival.””Cricket Ireland is excited to be embarking upon this series of matches in the Caribbean against Jamaica and the West Indies,” added Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom. “Having qualified for the World Twenty20 Cup in the Caribbean, playing against teams of this calibre is exactly what Ireland needs to do in order to both continue its upward curve on the field, and to gain experience of overseas conditions. We are indebted to the Jamaica Cricket Association, whose foresight brought about this opportunity.”Following the series against West Indies, Ireland will head to America to continue their preparations for the World Twenty20 tournament. As they finished second in the qualifying tournament, they will be based in Guyana in the same group as England and West Indies.

Joseph Masi has dropped an update on the future of West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.

What’s the talk?

Speaking recently on the Baggies Broadcast podcast (via This Is Futbol), the Express & Star journalist stated his belief that, while the 28-year-old shot-stopper could leave the club in January if he were to receive an extraordinary offer, the England international will more than likely remain at The Hawthorns until the end of the current campaign.

Regarding the goalkeeper’s future, Masi said: “The situation with Johnstone obviously is that if he becomes a free agent [next summer], he will basically get a massive signing-on fee.

“I think Johnstone could definitely leave in January if something unbelievable emerges, and of course, he’ll take it – but I thoroughly, thoroughly expect him to see out the season with Albion and assess his options in the summer.”

Music to the ears of fans

Considering just how important a part of the West Brom side Johnstone has proven himself to be in recent years, the news that the ‘keeper does indeed look set to remain with the Baggies for the duration of their 2021/22 campaign is sure to come as music to the ears of fans.

Indeed, over his 20 Championship appearances this season, the £7.2m-rated man has kept nine clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.6 saves and 1.9 runs out per game, with these returns seeing the shot-stopper average a SofaScore match rating of 6.88.

However, it was over the 28-year-old’s 37 Premier League outings last season in which he demonstrated his ability at the highest level of the English game, keeping six clean sheets and making an average of 4.5 saves per fixture – the most of any ‘keeper in the top flight.

These metrics saw the £18k-per-week England international earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.03, ranking him as West Brom’s second-best performer in the league.

As such, keeping hold of Johnstone beyond the closure of the winter transfer window will undoubtedly provide Valerien Ismael’s chances of securing promotion back to the Premier League with a major boost, while losing the ‘keeper could well prove to be the final nail in the coffin for the Baggies’ hopes of a top-two finish this season.

In other news: Journo delivers exciting update on WBA transfer window plans, fans will be buzzing

Tottenham Hotspur youth prospect Tobi Omole is in advanced negotiations over a new contract at the north London outfit, according to allnigeriasoccer.com.

The 21-year-old defender joined Spurs from arch-rivals Arsenal in October 2020 following a successful trial and it appears as if he’s already caught the eye of first-team boss Antonio Conte, who recently called the academy starlet up to training.

It was Nuno Santo who first handed Omole a call-up to the first-team squad, naming him amongst the substitutes in games against Stade Rennes, NS Mura and Crystal Palace.

He was even registered as a senior option in their Premier League and Europa Conference League squads, which only goes to show just how highly thought of he is at Hotspur Way.

But who is he?

The young dynamo is a versatile starlet capable of playing at full-back, centre-back and as a defensive midfielder, and for the U23s this campaign, he has bagged two goals from 14 appearances across the Premier League 2 and the EFL Trophy.

Standing at 6 foot 1, Omole could be the next youngster to break into the senior set-up, perhaps following in the footsteps of Oliver Skipp, who has become a key starter under Conte this term.

Omole, who has been described as a “top young talent” by Lilywhites insider John Wenham to Football Insider, could provide the Italian with valuable cover in defence, where he has been without Cristian Romero since the November international break.

He is not expected back until January, maybe February, at the earliest, so a player like Omole could be of huge value to Conte in the coming weeks and months, especially with the fixture list piling up this festive period.

It is certainly encouraging to see that Spurs are trying to tie him down to an extension as he is close to entering the final six months of his current deal.

Given his recent involvement in training alongside some of the club’s biggest stars, it could well be Omole who emerges as the ‘next Skipp’ and the latest success story from the academy.

AND in other news, Antonio Conte set for Spurs boost amid fresh contract claims…

The Pakistan Cricket Board has come down heavily on the national players, acting on the findings of an inquiry committee that looked into the team’s disastrous tour of Australia

Osman Samiuddin10-Mar-2010The PCB has struck against its players with a venom unseen in recent memory, carrying out the deepest cull of a senior cricket team in many years and banning and fining seven of its top players after the side’s disastrous, winless tour of Australia. It has banned Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf, from playing for Pakistan in any format for an indefinite period, while handing out one-year bans to Shoaib Malik and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan. Shahid Afridi and the Akmal brothers were fined Rs2-3 million [$24,000-35,000] for various misdemeanours and put on six-month probations.Action had been expected once details of the inquiry committee’s report recommendations were leaked in the press on Monday and Ijaz Butt, the PCB chairman, had followed it up by saying “more than significant action” would be taken against players. While the punishments for Malik, Rana, Afridi and the Akmal brothers were expected, the action against Yousuf and Younis has caught most people off-guard.”Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan, keeping in view their infighting which resulted in bringing down the whole team, their attitude has a trickledown effect which is a bad influence for the whole team should not be part of national team in any format,” the board said in its statement issued on Wednesday.The PCB has stopped short of calling the punishment a life ban. “They will not be part of any Pakistan team in any format from here on,” Taffazul Rizvi, the board’s legal advisor told Cricinfo. “A life ban means they cannot play domestic cricket or any other similar cricket, but we are not stopping them from that. They can play domestic cricket or county cricket here and abroad.”Typically there was confusion and the board later appeared to climb down by clarifying that this was not the end of their careers. In a statement released at least six hours after the original release, the board said, “that the recommendation of the Committee is not a life ban on these cricketers. There is no specified term in the recommendation for these two players. As and when the PCB deems appropriate, these players will be considered for selection for the national team.”Rizvi refused to elaborate on the nature of the pair’s cases, but it is believed that the board had generally had enough with the two. Younis twice stepped down from the captaincy last year with player unrest against his leadership the underlying cause both times. Yousuf’s sins are equally unclear, other than that he led a winless tour to Australia and engaged thereafter in a public battle with Malik.The cases of indiscipline that have led to one-year bans on Malik and Rana, similarly, have not been expanded upon. “Rana Naved ul Hasan and Shoaib Malik be fined Rupees Two million. They should not be part of national team in any format for a period of one year.”Malik’s name has figured persistently at the centre of speculation over the last year in inciting player unrest within the team, though nothing substantial has appeared in public to back that up. “We cannot discuss the specifics of the incident as we are under oath,” Rizvi said. “But obviously we have taken action after much consideration and based on solid information.”In contrast, the cases of Akmal brothers and Shahid Afridi are straightforward. The brothers were fined for their behavior in the aftermath of the Sydney Test; Kamran was dropped by the board but insisted publicly he would be selected in the run-up to the third Test. Younger brother Umar was alleged to have feigned an injury to not play the Test in protest, though he did eventually play. Kamran has been fined Rs 3 million, Umar Rs 2 million and the pair are on probation.Afridi was punished for the ball-biting incident in the Perth ODI, where he was captain. He has already been punished by the ICC, who immediately gave him a two-match ban. “For the shameful act of Shahid Khan Afridi, which has brought the game and country into disrepute, he be fined Rupees 3 million,” the board said. “A warning be issued to him by the Chairman PCB and he be put on probation for 06 months, during which his conduct be strictly monitored.”The bans were handed down by an inquiry committee which comprised former players Wasim Bari, Zakir Khan and Yawar Saeed, besides Wazir Ali Khoja, a member of the PCB governing council, and Rizvi. The committee held hearings on February 12th, 13th and the 27th, and looked into reports from former coach Intikhab Alam, manager Abdul Raqeeb and newly appointed coach Waqar Younis, who was the bowling consultant during the Australia tour. Besides the players who were punished, the committee questioned Intikhab, Raqeeb, opener Salman Butt, assistant coach Aaqib Javed, the physio Faisal Hayat and the PCB’s cricket analyst Mohammad Talha.Attention will turn now to how the players will respond. Legal action or appeals will be a consideration though Rizvi insisted the board was on solid ground. “We are on good ground with this,” he said. “The PCB has done it thinking it is the right thing to do. It sets an example for the future.”As a whole, the action is almost unparalleled in even Pakistan’s troubled history. The 2000 Justice Qayyum report had similar repercussions but that was about the graver concerns of corruption. This cull has been carried out, ostensibly, in a bid to curb indiscipline and player power.

Leeds United have been given a possible boost in their quest to sign Nahitan Nandez, with a report from Italy claiming that he may have played his last game for Cagliari.

The Lowdown: Nandez links continue

The 25-year-old has been linked with a move to Elland Road for some time, which suggests that there is genuine interest in his services.

Nandez has started 15 Serie A games for Cagliari this season and continued to be a key player for them, averaging two tackles per game for the Sardinian outfit.

As the January transfer window approaches, the rumour is still lingering, especially with Kalvin Phillips’ injury heightening the need for midfield additions.

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The Latest: Leeds offered hope

According to Calciomercato [via Sport Witness], Nandez’s appearance against Udinese on Sunday ‘may have been his last match’ for Cagliari after he went off injured in his team’s 4-0 defeat.

A January exit looks likely, with Leeds and Tottenham’s interest both mentioned in the report.

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The Verdict: Sign him up, Whites

From a Whites perspective, signing Nandez is a no-brainer, with Marcelo Bielsa desperate to bring in a quality midfielder at a crucial moment in the season. A spate of injuries are threatening to completely derail Leeds’ campaign, not least with regards to Phillips’ lengthy absence, and the Uruguayan seems to have the experience and ability to be a top-class signing.

Nandez’s next appearance for his country will be his 50th, as he has become a key figure in a team containing Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, Meanwhile, at Cagliari he is averaging 1.1 key passes and 1.5 dribbles per game in the league this season.

In comparison, Phillips and Adam Forshaw are averaging 0.6 and 0.3, and 0.9 and 0.5, respectively for those metrics, which suggests that the Uruguayan could bring something different to Leeds in the middle of the park.

In other news, Leeds have been backed to sign one midfielder in January. Find out who it is here.

Michael Carberry has come a long, long way to reach the brink of recognition

Andrew Miller in Chittagong06-Mar-2010Michael Carberry has come a long, long way to reach the brink of recognition. Three counties, ten years and several fathoms of soul-searching have all helped to produce the cricketer who stands on the brink of a Test debut in Chittagong next week. Five years ago, he all but jacked in the trade, after failing to break into the first XI at Kent. Now, his challenge is to seize the opportunity that Andrew Strauss’s absence has created at the top of the England order.There’s no guarantee, of course, that Carberry will be selected for the first Test against Bangladesh, which follows hot on the heels of the three-day warm-up that commences on Sunday. A spate of injuries to England’s pace contingent has led to suggestions of a rejigged line-up, with Luke Wright a candidate to slot in at No. 7 as part of a safety-first five-man attack. But whatever transpires, Carberry’s finally in the picture, and after a journeyman career that started out at Surrey, relocated to Kent, and then finally found fulfilment under Shane Warne at Hampshire, he knows there’s no point in getting impatient.”I’ve been working towards this for 10 years, so these are exciting times for me,” he said. “I’ve learned in life that things happen for a reason. There’s a reason I’ve had three clubs, and a reason why I’ve had to search around for my opportunities. It’s a good thing that I’ve had that grounding in first-class cricket and had the chance to score prolific runs and be consistent over a couple of seasons. That will stand me in good stead going into the Test arena.”Carberry’s career hit rock-bottom in the summer of 2005, where he was left to fester in the Kent 2nd XI, and had not played a first-class fixture for two years when he finally decided it was time to make the switch. Hampshire sounded him out, and though he was not an instant success, he nevertheless averaged 50 in his second full season, which was sufficient to earn him a Lions call-up … and a trip to Bangladesh.”I played two Tests and three ODIs, and I had a good trip,” he recalled. “I learned the conditions and how to play a different sort of style out here, and I thoroughly enjoyed it because it was a good challenge. It all added to the education as a batsman – it’s very much a patience game over here. They’re quite slow, low wickets, so you’re going to have to come up with good plans, bowling-wise, and when you bat, they will be in your face and quite bubbly.”Carberry’s breakthrough summer, however, came in 2009, as he helped himself to 1251 runs at 69.50, a tally that was sufficient to keep him firmly in the selectors’ thoughts, even though a broken finger brought an early end to his season. He was picked for the Performance Squad in South Africa, and could even have made his debut at Cape Town in January, after Paul Collingwood sustained a dislocated finger in the Boxing Day Test. Instead, his opportunity arose at the end of that trip, when the news of Strauss’s sabbatical was finally made public.”Andrew Strauss is a great player and you can’t get away from that – 5,500 Test runs and 17 hundreds, those are pretty big shoes to fill,” said Carberry. “However, his decision not to tour has given me my opportunity. Really, I’ll just try to focus on my own game and not get caught up in the hype. There’s enough pressure on me being under the spotlight in the Test arena without putting more pressure on myself trying to emulate Andrew Strauss. I’m grateful for the fact that England have backed my talent and have given me my opportunity. I’ll just try to go out there and play my own game.”Being in this set-up is about learning the art of playing Test cricket and becoming a great, because you don’t just want to be a bit-part,” he added. “It’s been a rollercoaster winter for me, coming from the Performance Squad straight into the Test set-up, but I’m really looking forward to it. I’m here and I want to have a long career for England. I’ll be doing everything I can behind the scenes to learn from the better players around me.”Carberry started that process of siphoning information from his betters when he linked up with Warne during his captaincy days at Hampshire. “Playing under Warne was a massive spur to getting me here and opening up my game,” he said. “Going into a set-up at Hampshire where I was 100% backed made a big difference. As we all know, Shane Warne is one of the most attacking captains in cricket and that sort of spilled over to me and gave me licence to show my flair.”He was always talking, because his main ethic as a person is to find a way to win a game of cricket,” Carberry added. “You can be behind in the game or in front, but it’s about trying to find different ways of scoring runs. I’ve played the bulk of my cricket in England growing up, but I’ve had three or four tours on the subcontinent, so I’ve been learning the conditions, styles of play, how to get runs, how to play the spinners on dusty tracks or low turners.”All of which ought to stand Carberry in good stead as he prepares for his first outing as a senior England player, against Bangladesh A on Sunday. “I basically see it as a chance to get back into competitive run-scoring,” he said. “I haven’t played a competitive game since November for the Performance Programme, so it’s about getting back into the mindset of scoring runs, and spending time at the wicket. I don’t know at this stage [whether I’ll play in the Test], I’m just trying to focus on my own game and make sure I’m in the best condition I can be I should the call come.”

Greg Smith followed a career-best batting performance with four wickets as Glamorgan folded feebly to put Derbyshire in sight of victory

23-Apr-2010
ScorecardGreg Smith followed a career-best batting performance with four wickets as Glamorgan folded feebly to put Derbyshire in sight of victory at the end of day three of their County Championship match at Derby.Smith scored an unbeaten 165 from 329 balls and shared a last-wicket stand of 78 with Welshman Steffan Jones that earned Derbyshire a first-innings lead of 91 and took the game away from the visitors.Only Gareth Rees, with his ninth first-class century, offered any resistance as Glamorgan collapsed to 211 all out – leaving Derbyshire a target of 121. And by the close they were 26 for 1 – only 95 runs away from a second win of the season.The game was in the balance at the start of the third morning when Derbyshire were only 13 runs in front but Smith and Jones stayed together for 86 balls, setting a Derbyshire 10th-wicket record against Glamorgan, to give their side the advantage. Jones survived a blow on the helmet from Chris Ashling to reel off some handsome drives and Smith pulled the young pace bowler for his second six after passing 150 for the first time.David Harrison ended the stand by having Jones caught behind off a rising ball for 33 but the force was now with Derbyshire and, although Graham Wagg’s Achilles tendon injury left them a bowler short, they preyed on some fragile batting to take control.Glamorgan needed a big innings from Mark Cosgrove but the Australian departed before lunch for 11, upper-cutting a short ball from Tom Lungley into the hands of Jones at third man. The visitors were still 41 runs behind when Michael Powell half swept at Robin Peterson and lobbed a simple catch to short leg and they were only 10 ahead when Ben Wright chased a wide one from Jones and was caught behind.Skipper Jamie Dalrymple was lbw for 3 shouldering arms to Garry Park and Glamorgan’s hopes of setting a testing target all but disappeared when Jim Allenby was leg before to Peterson for 12.Glamorgan were now only 36 in front with half the side gone and although Rees was playing the sort of innings the situation demanded, no one could stay with him for long. Mark Wallace was bowled by Smith for 11, swinging across the line, and although Cosker lifted the off-spinner over mid wicket for six, he then lobbed a gentle catch to slip trying to reverse sweep.Rees completed his fourth hundred against Derbyshire from 160 balls out of a sorry total of 171 for seven but he added just two more before he also became a victim of the reverse sweep when he was lbw to Smith. Harrison was the only batsman who could claim he was betrayed by the pitch when he was bowled by one from Smith that kept low and, although Ashling and Huw Waters struck some defiant blows, Glamorgan were facing almost certain defeat.Cosker gave them a glimmer of hope when he had Wayne Madsen lbw for 17 offering no shot but Derbyshire should finish the game off before lunch on the final day.