Ryan Harris, South Australia’s leading Pura Cup wicket-taker in 2007-08, will play for Queensland from next season after signing a three-year deal with the Bulls. Harris’ departure from Adelaide is a blow for the Redbacks as they embark on their own recruiting drive following a disappointing summer.Harris, 28, will be a useful addition at Queensland, who already boast the Cricket Australia-contracted allrounders Ashley Noffke, James Hopes and Shane Watson. He said he was looking forward to a new phase in his career.”It was a good offer and while I’ve enjoyed my time with the Redbacks, I thought the opportunity to bowl at the Gabba over the next few years should see my career develop further,” Harris said. “I thank the SACA [South Australian Cricket Association] for their support over the past few years and wish them all the best but I’m genuinely excited about the prospects ahead with the Bulls.”Harris is currently playing county cricket in Sussex after their interest was stirred by his best Australian domestic season. He collected 37 Pura Cup wickets at 29.86 last summer and made a handy 363 runs at 24.20, and the contributions earned him a place in the Australian Cricketers’ Association Pura Cup Team of the Year.An Academy graduate in 2002, Harris was in the same group as the man who could be Queensland’s next captain, Chris Simpson. In 2006-07 the Bulls were on the wrong end of his talent when Harris struck a six from the last ball of a one-day match when the Redbacks needed five to win.Graham Dixon, the chief executive of Queensland Cricket, said Harris was the only man the Bulls would sign from interstate for 2008-09. “We had a number of good reports from our players about Ryan’s competitiveness on the field,” Dixon said. “He’s the sort of player that has more than one string to his bow and plays all three forms of the game which is important in the current environment.”The Redbacks coach Mark Sorell said the Queensland agreement would be worth more money and security for Harris, who had been on short-term contracts in the past. South Australia had tried to keep him by offering a two-year deal that could be extended to three based on performance in the first year.”I support what’s happened in the past with his performance and injury history,” Sorell said. “He performed well this last season which was outstanding and we were keen to let him know he was a part of our future. His decision was a bit of a shock. Obviously we’re extremely disappointed but we respect that decision.”
Emily Drumm has pulled out of the Invitational XI Twenty20s in England with a recurrence of her hamstring injury. Drumm, New Zealand’s prolific batsman, nearly quit the game in 2005 after damaging her leg during the World Cup but fought her way back to recovery.She had been injury-free for two years until two weeks ago when she damaged her leg playing touch rugby. “The game is really good for fitness and I thought I was Jonah Lomu at one stage, flying down the wing!”More seriously, she is fearful that, on past experience, the suggested period of a few weeks’ recovery will in fact take much longer. And now she is toying with the idea of quitting. “Maybe someone’s trying to tell me I should retire,” she said, although she was smiling when she did so.What is for certain is that she will miss the curtain-raisers against the England XI at the end of June, which will be played before two men’s county matches. “I have just withdrawn from these games,” she told Cricinfo, “so it’s very disappointing as they are my favourite form of the game. It’s good for women to try to play a more aggressive game.”And regardless of whether she recovers in time for New Zealand’s tour in August, she will not be playing. The management have stipulated that players must play in New Zealand state cricket to be eligible for the tour, but as Drumm has been over in England for the past years, she is ruled out – despite playing county cricket for Kent.”It’s extremely disappointing,” she says, although that will not stop her from watching the series. “I will help them out when they come over here if I can.”
Kyle Mills has pulled out of New Zealand’s World Cup development tour to Australia so he can have surgery to correct an ankle injury. His place has been taken by Joseph Yovich, the Northern Districts seamer, on the trip for those players on the fringes of selection for the World Cup.Mills was troubled by the ankle problem during the recent tour of South Africa and chose to take this opportunity to ensure he is back to full fitness in time for the next New Zealand season and build-up to the World Cup.Yovich, 29, has been a solid performer at domestic level for a number of the seasons and in the 2005-06 season he took 22 wickets at 36.59 in first-class competition and 12 wickets at 28.58 in the one-day format. A batting average of 28 means he can be classed as an allrounder at state level.There are two teams for the development tour with Peter Fulton and Craig McMillan the captains. Players who have recently been left out of the New Zealand side such as James Marshall, Lou Vincent and Mathew Sinclair have the chance to press their claims.Team One Peter Fulton (capt), James Marshall, Graham Aldridge, Brendan Diamanti, Mark Gillespie, Jamie How, Michael Mason, Nathan McCullum, Peter McGlashan, Warren McSkimming, Jesse Ryder, Ross Taylor, Lou VincentTeam Two Craig McMillan (capt), Matthew Bell, Hamish Bennett, Gareth Hopkins, Bruce Martin, Chris Martin, Rob Nicol, Mark Orchard, Michael Papps, Jeetan Patel, Mathew Sinclair, Richard Sherlock, Joseph Yovich
The International Cricket Council has said that it would mediate in the ongoing player-contract crisis only if the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) decided that the ICC had a role to play in resolving the conflict. Earlier media reports had said that the WICB had refused the ICC’s offer to help find a solution to the problem. Malcolm Speed, the ICC chief executive, said in a media release: “Contrary to some reports, the WICB has not taken a view on if there is a role for the ICC.”Speed said that he and Roger Brathwaite, the WICB chief executive, had preliminary discussions on the status of the current issue and that he had offered to assist the WICB in whatever way possible. “I spoke with Roger last Saturday and indicated that if the WICB saw any role for the ICC that it would be willing to assist,” Speed said. “Roger indicated that he would advise his board of the ICC’s position and it would consider if the ICC has a role to play. I would stress that the ICC does not and will not become involved in any domestic issue such as this without the consent of the relevant board. It is a judgment that the WICB will make if it believes that the ICC can assist.”Cricinfo had earlier learnt from a source close to the situation that the WICB had turned down an offer to help. The source had said that the West Indies Players’ Association had suggested the possibility of an ICC intervention with Richard Bevan and Tim May of FICA, the international players union. Dinanath Ramnarine, the WIPA president, also confirmed that he had asked for FICA’s assistance in the matter, and reiterated his disappointment at the West Indies board turning down the offer for intervention.
Andrew Caddick has signed a new four-year contract with Somerset, which will keep him at Taunton until the end of the 2007 season. Peter Anderson, the county chief executive, said: "It is fantastic news for Somerset, and a typical example of his loyalty to the club, especially when we know that other counties were chasing him."Caddick has undergone back surgery in recent months, and has not played for England since his matchwinning ten-wicket haul at Sydney in January 2003. Nevertheless, Somerset have faith that he will return as strong as ever, even though he will be approaching 38 by the time his new deal runs out.Caddick for his part was equally keen to pledge his future to Somerset. "[They] gave me my chance in the first place," he said, "so why would I want to turn my back on them now?"Caddick is not the only big name to have put pen to paper for Somerset. Australia’s captain, Ricky Ponting, has confirmed his availability for the final stages of this year’s Twenty20 Competition, as well as the semi-final of the C&G Trophy."I am really looking forward to my stint with Somerset," he said, "and hope my new team-mates will play well to qualify for the later stages of both cup competitions. If they have played that well, I might not get in the team!"Ponting will also be available for four Championship matches and four NCL games. "It will be a terrific thrill to have him in the side," said Somerset’s captain, Mike Burns. "The rest of us have a big job to do ahead of his arrival. It is a big incentive for everyone and I don’t think I shall be hesitating over his selection."
With the Bath Cricket Festival just over three months away the Bath Area Committee spearheaded by Chairman Robert Appleyard have plans for this year’s festival, which is once again being sponsored by Bath based solicitors Withy King,well in hand.This year the Bath Cricket Festival gets underway on Wednesday June 12th with a four day match against Hampshire, which is followed by a Norwich Union League match against Leicestershire on Sunday June 16th – a re-match of last year’s Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy Final.The Bath Area Committee have arranged two events before the festival in June which will be of considerable interest not just to Somerset fans but to all cricket followers.On Tuesday March 19th a Cricket Forum is taking place at Bath Cricket Club Pavilion which is situated in North Parade. The panel for the forum will include Somerset players Rob Turner, Richard Johnson and Keith Dutch, who all played a major part in helping to make 2001 such a memorable season for the county.Admission to the Cricket Forum which is open to all is free, and the evening gets underway at 8pm.A Spring Dinner in aid of the Lord’s Taverner’s and the Friends of Bath County Cricket Festival has also been arranged and will take place at Bath Cricket Club on Thursday April 11th.The guest speaker for the Spring Dinner will be former Kent cricketer James Graham-Brown who is now the Headteacher at Bath Royal High School so a good evening with plenty of cricketing stories can be guaranteed.Tickets for the dinner which gets underway at 7.30 for 8pm are priced at £22.50. Tickets and further details of either of the events can be obtained from Robert Appleyard, telephone number 01225 313906.
Host Canada scored a four-wicket victory over USA in a warm-up matchbefore ICC Trophy gets under way Thursday.The event is a passport to the next World Cup, with three of the 24ICC Associate member countries competing in the tournament gainingautomatic entry to the 2003 World Cup in South Africa. These willinclude both finalists and the winner of the qualifying final.In the friendly game between the two North American sides, USA scored196 for nine in 50 overs with Canada reaching the victory targetlosing six wickets in the process. Meanwhile, Canadian CricketAssociation finalized arrangements for the World Cup qualifyingmatches.Cricket officials said here that countries have been ranked and willbe split into two divisions, one to 12, 13 to 24, and there will betwo rounds of matches. At the end of the second stage a league will beformed based on the combined points achieved from previous fixtures.Teams in first and second place contest the final, while third andfourth play in the World Cup qualifying final.The final and a number of other round matches will be played at theToronto Cricket Club. Other venues will include the Ajax, Malton,Maple Leaf CC; G. Ross Lord and Sunnybrook grounds, all of which arewithin the Greater Metro Toronto area and within a 60 minute drive ofthe City Centre.Officials said Italy’s World Cup ambitions have already been overridden by an International Cricket Council ruling that four of itsleading players were ineligible to compete. The respective passages ofNepal, West Africa and the United Arab Emirates were far from smootheither; visa problems promoting a flurry of late diplomatic activity.Nonetheless, everything is now set in place for a spectacular andsuccessful event.”The rankings have been formulated. The schedule has been unveiled. 22days in the midst of an increasingly warm Toronto summer have been setaside,” said an ICC official.He added: “An infrastructure has been made to measure and 10 grounds,replete with turf pitches which have been crafted in oftenunsympathetic conditions, have been beautifully prepared.”
Wolves have been dealt a huge blow in their search for qualification for European football, as key midfielder Ruben Neves has suffered a significant knee injury which will keep him out for over a month.
The club released a statement yesterday detailing the injury in full, which will surely frustrate supporters and Bruno Lage, who has now got to plan without his star man for four crucial upcoming fixtures in April.
The statement read: “Ruben Neves suffered a medial collateral ligament injury to his knee in the match against Leeds United on Friday evening.
“He travelled to Portugal with members of the Wolves medical team to see a knee specialist, where the injury was confirmed as uncomplicated.
“He will spend this week in Portugal with the Wolves physio before returning to continue his rehabilitation at Compton Park. We are hoping for Ruben to be fit to return in May.”
Up next for Wolves is a Midlands derby with rivals Aston Villa at home, and supporters will be especially disappointed to not see Neves, who has been linked with a move away in the summer – and could just play one more game for the club at Molineux if he returns for the games in May.
This season, the Portuguese midfielder has averaged a 7.20 match rating in the Premier League according to SofaScore, scoring four goals and assisting two more in 28 appearances.
In addition, he has staked a claim for being one of the top passers in the world, evident by him ranking in the top 1% among midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues and continental competitions for long passes completed per 90 (14.92), top 3% for cross-field switches per 90 (4.49) and top 6% for passes into the final third per 90 (7.16).
He has also remained defensively solid throughout the last year, ranking in the top 5% for dribblers contester per 90 (3.39), and top 15% for tackles in the defensive third per 90 (1.38).
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The 25-year-old will be a huge loss for the club, who are still in the hunt for European football and their chances of securing it may now be derailed without him.
In other news: Forget Traore: Lage must unleash Wolves’ rarely-seen 18y/o who is “such a good talent”
ScorecardMalinda Warnapura enhanced his chances of opening in the first Test by adding a second-innings half-century to his first-innings 132 in Sri Lanka’s tour match in Guyana. Sri Lanka reached 177 for 6, with an overall lead of 421 over the Guyana President’s XI (GPS), when the captains agreed to end the match at tea on the third day.Warnapura retired out for the second time in the game and his success means he has a strong chance of partnering Michael Vandort at the top of the Test order. His 93-ball innings featured seven fours but none of the other specialist batsmen made full use of the second innings.Prasanna Jayawardene chipped in with 36 and Chaminda Vaas finished unbeaten on 40 as the legspinner Davendra Bishoo picked up three middle-order wickets. Bishoo, 22, has only one first-class match to his name, but he proved his worth with 3 for 25, including Mahela Jayawardene caught without scoring.Bishoo was the only bowler to have success in the second session after the fast bowler Jason Dawes grabbed two victims before lunch. Vandort did not have the ideal lead-up to the Test, bowled by Dawes for 1 to add to his first-innings 29.Dawes, who was a member of West Indies’ Under-19 World Cup side last month, had struggled with a leg strain in the first innings and bowled only 13 balls. However, he powered through 15 overs on the third day to finish with 2 for 36 after having Kumar Sangakkara (17) caught at sip.GPS were without their captain Patrick Browne, who was resting a sore knee, and Kemar Roach, who had an upset stomach. Rajindra Chandrika and Sharmarh Brooks shared the duties behind the stumps in Browne’s absence and Brooks even registered a stumping when Prasanna Jayawardene was caught short off Bishoo.The first Test between Sri Lanka and West Indies starts at Guyana’s Providence Stadium on Saturday. A further tour match against West Indies A follows, ahead of the second Test in Trinidad.
Keith Dabengwa collected five wickets as Westerns completed a 77-run win over Centrals at Queens Sports Club, the foundation of which was laid by Sean Williams’ fine match double of 76 and 129. The 129 was Williams’ maiden first-class century and acted as the centrepiece of Westerns’ second innings 254, leaving Centrals needing 259 for victory. They stumbled to 50 for 4 on the fourth evening and continued to struggle on the final morning. Dabengwa was well supported by offspinner John Nyumbu, who picked up 3 for 53 as Centrals fell for 181 after lunch. Dabengwa’s five-wicket haul was completed when he had Taurai Muzarabani caught at first slip by Williams – a fitting way to wrap up the match as the two key figures combined.In Mutare, Easterns clung on for a draw against Northerns as they ended nine down at the end of the match. The four days were dominated by Graeme Cremer and Tinotenda Mawoyo, whose first-innings 124 built a 119-run lead for Easterns after they’d dismissed Northerns for 178 on the opening day. However, Cremer led the fightback with an unbeaten 171, aided by Elton Chigumbura’s 67. From being 28 for 2 Northerns recovered to set a target of 265. Initially, Easterns made promising progress with opener Johnson Marumisa reaching 49 before he was trapped lbw. Cremer then came to the fore again, this time with his legspin, as he removed the dangerous Stuart Matsikenyeri. Wickets continued to fall, including Prosper Utseya for 26, but they couldn’t quite force the final scalp before time ran out.