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The Brazilian marked his final home appearance for the Reds with a late equaliser in front of the Kop, on an otherwise frustrating afternoon

Roberto Firmino marked his farewell Anfield appearance for Liverpool with a goal but the Reds' Champions League hopes are hanging by a thread after a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa. Firmino, who was given an emotional send-off by the home fans, emerged from the bench to secure a point for Jurgen Klopp's side, who had trailed to Jacob Ramsey's first-half strike, with an 89th-minute leveller in front of the Kop.

The result, mathematically at least, keeps Liverpool alive in the race for the top four, but they will need either Manchester United or potentially Newcastle to lose each of their last two matches, as well as winning themselves at Southampton on the final day of the season, if they are to sneak in.

GOAL rates Liverpool's players from Anfield…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Alisson Becker (7/10):

Good save from Ramsey at 1-0, and swept up outside his box well. Should have gone up for a late corner, surely.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (5/10):

Overloaded for Ramsey's goal and his passing radar was nowhere near as sharp as it normally is. Looked increasingly frustrated as the game wore on.

Ibrahima Konate (5/10):

Caught out badly for the penalty. Did OK generally.

Virgil van Dijk (6/10):

Early clash of heads with Watkins didn't prevent him dominating in the air. Unfortunate to be penalised for offside when Gakpo thought he'd equalised.

Andy Robertson (6/10):

No impact offensively, did OK defensively.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Jordan Henderson (4/10):

Not up to scratch with or without the ball. Did well to last as long as he did.

Fabinho (6/10):

Strong in the tackle and won lots of headers. One of Liverpool's better performers.

Curtis Jones (5/10):

Couldn't have the impact he's had in recent weeks, despite his endeavour.

Getty ImagesAttack

Mohamed Salah (5/10):

Not able to get into the game at all. Lacked bite and conviction, but produced a fine assist for the equaliser.

Luis Diaz (4/10):

Struggled to impact the game, despite seeing lots of the ball. Decision-making was poor.

Cody Gakpo (6/10):

Denied an equaliser by a controversial VAR intervention. Quiet otherwise but showed fight.

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Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Diogo Jota (5/10):

Declined to shoot with a decent chance from Gakpo's pass.

Roberto Firmino (8/10):

On for an emotional farewell, and delivered the perfect finish to make it 1-1. The ovation he got at the end said it all. A legend.

James Milner (6/10):

Another goodbye, he came on with Liverpool losing their way in the game and helped force a leveller. Another legend.

Kostas Tsimikas (6/10):

Fresh legs and corners.

Harvey Elliott (N/A):

Tame effort from 25 yards as Liverpool pushed for a winner.

Jurgen Klopp (6/10):

Team were flat and outmanoeuvered by a streetwise Villa side. Subs forced the result.

Virender Sehwag, Kevin Pietersen, Jacques Kallis and Yuvraj Singh are among the 16 marquee players who will be the first set of players to go under the hammer in the IPL auction to be held in Bangalore on February 12 and 13

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Feb-2014Virender Sehwag, Kevin Pietersen, Jacques Kallis and Yuvraj Singh are among the 16 marquee players who will be the first set of players to go under the hammer in the IPL auction to be held in Bangalore on February 12 and 13. The marquee players’ list, which has been split into two sets of eight names each, also includes Mahela Jayawardene, Mitchell Johnson, M Vijay, David Warner, George Bailey, Faf du Plessis, Michael Hussey, Dinesh Karthik, Zaheer Khan, Brendon McCullum, Amit Mishra and Darren Sammy.The final list has been trimmed to 514 from the original 895 names. There are 219 capped players in addition to 295 uncapped players. There are 30 players listed at the maximum base price of Rs 2 crore (US $320,000 approximately) which includes 11 Indians. Australia fast bowler James Pattinson, who was in the original list of players with a base price of Rs 2 crore, is not there in the updated list. This will also be the first time the auction will be carried out in Indian rupees.In addition to the marquee groups, players have been split into various categories according to their specialistation: batsman, fast bowler, spinner, allrounder, wicketkeeper.It is likely that the uncapped players will be auctioned on the second day considering the volume of players on the list. This is the first time uncapped players will feature in the auction. In the past the absence of uncapped players in the auction was a controversial topic, with many franchises complaining of horse trading by their richer rivals who, it was alleged, were luring players with under-the-table deals. With the IPL restricting the squad strength to 27 this year, including a cap of nine overseas players, the franchises have been forced to lay more emphasis on domestic Indian players.

With short, straight boundaries and an Australia side with the bit between their teeth James Tredwell is ready to face another onslaught when he is given the ball at the SWALEC Stadium on Saturday.

Andrew McGlashan13-Sep-2013With short, straight boundaries and an Australia side with the bit between their teeth James Tredwell is ready to face another onslaught when he is given the ball at the SWALEC Stadium on Saturday.England have only bowled once during this series, when they conceded 315 at Old Trafford, and the innings was notable for how Australia targeted Tredwell whose eight overs cost 60 for the reward of one wicket. The new-look England team, with Ben Stokes as the third seamer, adds greater onus on Tredwell and the way he was attacked by Australia’s top order in Manchester put huge pressure on Eoin Morgan.But one tough day in the field is not going to knock Tredwell off his stride after an outstanding Champions Trophy where he ensured Graeme Swann’s various absences through injury were barely noticed. It could even be argued that Tredwell has done enough over the last 12 months to be considered England’s No. 1 one-day spinner.”It seemed to be as soon as I came on they were gunning for me,” he said. “They came pretty hard in that game, pretty much a plan by the looks of it. On another day, it might have been 3 for 20 after those four overs. When they come hard like that, it obviously gives me a chance to take wickets as well. The other day, they came off. I hope it will be my day at some stage in this series. Certainly one end here is pretty short. I’ll stay away from that one.”That phlegmatic attitude to his lot as a spinner in the modern one-day game – highlighting the advantage of picking experienced domestic cricketers – helps Tredwell to overcome his difficult days.”You tend to get hit for a few sixes. You’ve got to take that on the chin, put that behind you and try to beat them the next time – that’s the way I look at it. Sometimes it’s horrible, depending on who’s at the other end. But if someone is taking a chance, then it’s giving you one.”And if there was a major one-day final on the horizon, with Swann fit and available, is there now a serious question for the selectors to answer? “I’d like to think my name would be in the hat. I think I’ve put in the performances to be there or thereabouts. The decision wouldn’t be mine. I think I’ve done pretty well over the last little period. I need to keep that going.”Although Andy Flower has said Monty Panesar will be considered for the Ashes tour despite his troubled end to the season, if it is decided that he cannot be taken on the trip Tredwell could yet be the second spinner behind Swann. Simon Kerrigan’s horrid debut at The Oval is likely to have ruled him out – although a Lions spot should allow him to continue his development – while there are few other realistic options around the county game.”It’s always nice to be around the environment, and if you do the right things you can put your name in the ring,” Tredwell said. “”The last 12 months have been fantastic for me in this form of the game, and I just want that to continue. But it’s a totally different form of the game, so that’s out of my hands really. It’s evident for all to see there are opportunities available, and you just try to do your best and hope your name gets picked out.”

20-Aug-2012
ScorecardNed Eckersley gave Leicestershire a good chance of dodging an unwanted double of failure by smashing an unbeaten 72 from 44 balls to snatch an unlikely Clydesdale Bank 40 victory over Worcestershire at New Road.With 92 wanted from the last 10 overs, the 23-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman transformed the game by clubbing seven sixes and two fours to see his side home by two wickets with an over to spare.The victory took Leicestershire off the bottom of Group A, moving them a point above Worcestershire with one game to play, and gave them hope of avoiding a last-placed finish in both the CB40 and County Championship Division One, where they are currently 11 points adrift.The race to beat Worcestershire’s 223 for 9 seemed to be going against them when Leicestershire skipper Josh Cobb was bowled for 51, the second of two wickets in four balls from Daryl Mitchell.This followed a valuable spell of two for 35 by leg-spinner Brett D’Oliveira as the visitors slumped to 107 for 6, but Eckersley suddenly wound up for a spectacular display of hitting.One by one he took Worcestershire’s bowlers apart, racing to his first limited-overs fifty from 29 balls in a seventh-wicket stand of 87 in 9.1 overs with Wayne White.White was lbw to Jack Shantry for 22 but James Sykes (12 not out) kept his nerve with Eckersley and nudged the winning single in a shattering penultimate over for Nick Harrison.The young paceman delivered two no-balls, one of which was driven into the press box window, while conceding the last 20 runs.After losing the toss and being put into bat, Worcestershire openers Moeen Ali (30) and Vikram Solanki (41) gave their side a brisk start with 67 on the board before Eckersley held a brilliant catch to his left to remove Moeen.Phil Hughes made only nine before finding mid-wicket off Sykes, the left-arm spinner who finished with two for 18 when Eckersley held another catch from Mitchell (five).Solanki helped his side into three figures before White claimed his second wicket when Worcestershire’s former captain, soon to depart for Surrey, failed to clear Nathan Buck at deep square leg.Neil Pinner, who scored a career-best 82 against Lancashire, lifted the scoring rate with 31 until Buck took wickets in each of his last three overs.It might have been even better for Leicestershire but for Gareth Andrew’s 28 from 21 balls.

Ricky Ponting, the former Australia captain, has been dropped from the ODI squad for the remainder of the triangular series following the worst batting slump of his limited overs career

Daniel Brettig20-Feb-2012Ricky Ponting knew the final phone call was imminent. Dropped from the Australia ODI squad for the remainder of the triangular series following the worst batting slump of his limited-overs career, Ponting accepted his fate after reaching an agreement with the national selector John Inverarity that one or the other would have to make the call.Under their terms, either Ponting would contact Inverarity to notify the selectors of his retirement from ODIs, or Inverarity would do likewise to inform Ponting he had lost his place. Scores of 2, 1, 6, 2 and 7 moved Inverarity to dial first, drawing the curtain on Ponting’s time as an ODI batsman. In a 375-game one-day international career, never before had he made five single-figure scores in a row. Twenty-six battling balls in Brisbane sealed the panel’s verdict.”Ricky and I were always clear on this, that at some stage he’d either come to me or I’d have the responsibility of going to him,” Inverarity told ESPNcricinfo. “That’s always the case with all players, isn’t it. It’s either they come to the selectors or the selectors come to the player. Ricky in the ODIs there’s been a form lapse there, yesterday he wasn’t in good form and in the five games he’s made very few runs.”Inverarity said that while Ponting would be missed, not least as a leader who had just stood-in for the injured Michael Clarke, the time had come to move on in the 50-over format.”The team will not seem the same without him, but moving on from the omission of players who have been outstanding over a long period of time is the nature of elite sport,” Inverarity said. “Ricky’s record speaks for itself. He is one of the truly great performers in the history of Australian ODI cricket, with his reputation enhanced further by him captaining Australia to two World Cup victories.”Ricky’s contribution goes far beyond his batting statistics and his brilliant fielding. The example he sets in every respect and his extraordinarily positive influence in the dressing-room is acknowledged by all. He is held in the highest possible regard by his team-mates and there is no higher accolade than this. Ricky being prepared to take over the captaincy in Michael Clarke’s recent absence for the sake of the team is yet another example of his selfless attitude and team-first focus.”Australia ODI squad

Michael Clarke (capt), Shane Watson (vc), Dan Christian, Xavier Doherty, Peter Forrest, Ryan Harris, Ben Hilfenhaus, David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Brett Lee, Clint McKay, Matthew Wade, David Warner

Like Mark Taylor and Steve Waugh before him, Ponting was not given the chance to choose when he would end his ODI career. As late as Sunday night in Brisbane following Australia’s win in Brisbane, Ponting said he had no intention of stepping aside, and had left his future in the hands of the selectors. Inverarity countered suggestions that Ponting might have been given a farewell match with the stark realities of professional sport.”Ricky Ponting has been dropped from the ODI side and the national selection panel has spoken about moving towards the 2015 World Cup,” he said. “The door is never closed on anybody, but it’s a strong indication there. We were very keen for Ricky to play in these games because we intended to blend in some younger players, and his influence for them has been remarkable. But we need to at some stage move on.”We’re not ruling him out because one never knows what’s around the corner … but we’ve certainly got 2015 in mind, and we knew at the beginning of the series when we wanted those young players to be blended in, in the presence of Ricky.”In elite sport there’s no place for sentiment. There are always the two schools of thought, going out on your own terms and that, and the members of the national selection panel were unanimous in their view. It was discussed by email last night, a few calls last night and was confirmed this morning. That’s the decision and that’s elite sport.”Ponting has been replaced in the squad by the allrounder and vice-captain Shane Watson, who proved his fitness after a stubborn calf injury by playing for New South Wales in a Sheffield Shield match against Western Australia in Perth. Inverarity announced one other change to the squad, recalling Ryan Harris in place of Mitchell Starc. He also confirmed that Matthew Wade had now usurped Brad Haddin as the No. 1 wicketkeeper in limited-overs matches, and that the panel intended to take both glovemen to the West Indies.”Ryan Harris has been re-included in the squad with Mitchell Starc making way for his return. Mitchell will benefit greatly from the Tests and the ODIs he has played,” Inverarity said. “His development as a player of the future is most encouraging. Shane Watson also comes back into the squad. He is an all-rounder of proven class and the NSP is keen to have him re-join the squad.”The NSP made the decision that Matthew Wade is now the preferred ODI wicket-keeper for the Australian ODI team. The intention at this stage is to have both Matthew and Brad Haddin in the West Indies together for the duration of the tour.”

England beat South Africa for the first time this summer as their four-wicket victory with two overs to spare levelled the series at 1-1 with two to play

The Report by David Hopps31-Aug-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsEoin Morgan was the only batsman to dominate on a sluggish pitch at The Oval•PA PhotosEoin Morgan swore allegiance to England’s Test team this week ahead of all other temptations. In the current climate he would be foolish to suggest anything else. There may be suitors from the IPL who do not entirely believe it and their appetite to find out more will only have been whetted by his dashing intervention at The Oval which took England back to the top of the ODI rankings.England beat South Africa for the first time this summer as their four-wicket victory with two overs to spare levelled the series at 1-1 with two to play. They also reclaimed the title of the No. 1 one-day side in the world, although this accolade could be short-lived. South Africa’s reign lasted three days and they may reign again by Sunday evening. Fortunately, the players keep these things in perspective. Some of the more rabid fans would be well advised to follow suit or their emotional highs and lows may prove terminal.Morgan made 73 from 67 balls, but he had a rock to lean on: Jonathan Trott, met by a target well within his comfort zone and bent upon batting through the innings. When the game was in the balance, at 64 for 3 in the 18th over, it would have been a toss-up which batsman South Africa most wished to dismiss next. Morgan could fearlessly slash and burn but Trott was the smouldering menace.By the time they removed either of them – Morgan offering a return catch to Robin Peterson, aiming over midwicket – England’s alliance of opposites had garnered 108 in 20 overs and the match was almost spent. The only surprise was that Trott did not see it through. He was out with England five runs short, 71 from 125 balls, as Wayne Parnell had him caught at the wicket. Parnell completed a niggardly spell but for Dale Steyn, back in the side, the pitch offered little encouragement.England’s chase had never looked entirely comfortable against a persistent attack and on a low, holding surface. But Trott created order out of discomfort; approaching his task like a librarian, ticking off every ball and stacking it neatly in alphabetical order. South Africa, probably 30 runs shy, could do little about it. “We were hoping for 250-odd,” said AB de Villiers, South Africa’s captain. “Most of the senior players got in and got out. That was the big sin.”Ravi Bopara was not so composed. He left to the sound of booing from the crowd, adjudged by umpire Kumar Dharmasena to be caught at the wicket for nought off Morne Morkel. He immediately turned to the DRS and the crowd only witnessed the fact that Hot Spot showed no edge. But the sound as the ball passed the bat was clearly audible – convincingly so – and the third umpire, Simon Taufel, correctly concluded that he had no clear evidence to overturn the on-field umpire’s decision.Bopara had bowled his bothersome medium pace skilfully in South Africa’s innings, conceding only 31 runs and claiming the wicket of Faf du Plessis in only his second completed bowling stint for England, following a full shift against Bangladesh at Edgbaston two years ago.It has been a fraught period for Bopara, his cricketing summer affected by domestic issues, and this will have helped to persuade him that much of his England career, especially at one-day level, remains ahead of him, but his pressing need in the last two matches is runs.Smart stats

England’s win is their third at The Oval against South Africa. It is the highest number of matches they have won at a particular venue against South Africa.

James Anderson’s 4 for 44 is his 11th haul of four or more wickets in ODIs. It is his third-best performance against South Africa and his third-best at The Oval.

Eoin Morgan’s 73 is his 17th half-century in ODIs. It is also his highest score against South Africa and his highest at The Oval surpassing his previous best of 61 against Pakistan in 2010.

Jonathan Trott’s half-century is his 18th in ODIs. The strike rate of 56.80 during his knock is his second-lowest for a fifty-plus score. His lowest strike rate (55.31) also came against South Africa in Chennai in 2011.

The 108-run stand between Trott and Morgan is the second-highest fourth-wicket stand for England against South Africa. It is also the fifth-highest fourth-wicket stand for any team in ODIs at The Oval.

Until Morgan shook the duvet, the cautious nature of England’s reply was summed up in the dismissal of Alastair Cook, who reached 20 from 47 balls when he pulled Peterson gently to deep midwicket, an nondescript delivery but a wicket achieved through a gradual build up of pressure.South Africa had to put in a workmanlike performance to post anything like a competitive total. Jade Dernbach held them back. His opportunities for England in limited-overs cricket this summer have extended no further than south London, but the moment he dismissed Hashim Amla, England’s scourge all season, ensured him of an influential day. South Africa’s last eight wickets slipped away for 91. England were sharper than they had been at the Ageas Bowl.Fresh from his 150 in the second ODI in Southampton, Amla made unflustered progress to 43 from 51 balls before Dernbach took advantage of limited footwork in his first over to bowl him between bat and pad. Until then, he had batted with tranquillity and purpose, his runs advance unnoticed like a night-time tide. One whip behind square against James Anderson was so wristy that you could swear he played it with the back of the bat.Dernbach, whose only other one-day appearance came against Australia , also on his home ground, was given an opportunity after England left out Tim Bresnan and overlooked the man who might have been viewed as his most like-for-like replacement, Chris Woakes. Dernbach has twice the forearms – as muscular and tattooed as a coal miner – but he is not twice the cricketer.Away from The Oval, it would have been a debatable choice. But on this slow surface he was in his element. He dismissed Dean Elgar for 42, an innings that never really took shape, with a delivery bowled out of the back of the hand leaving the batsman motionless and bowling him through the gate. He later had Parnell caught at the wicket in an over when the batsman had twice nicked him for boundaries through the vacant slip cordon.As the ball softened, South Africa laboured. Six players in all were bowled, emphasising that this was a pitch that rewarded a wicket-to-wicket attack. JP Duminy held things together until he fell at long off as he went big against the offspin of James Tredwell, who had also accounted for de Villiers as he sought out his favourite flick to deep midwicket.With Parnell on the card at No. 7, recovery was always liable to be painstaking for South Africa and they never broke free, Anderson wrapping up the innings with the last three wickets in seven balls to leave 20 deliveries unused.

ESPNcricinfo previews the 24th match of the IPL between Chennai Super Kings and Pune Warriors in Chennai

The Preview by Kanishkaa Balachandran 18-Apr-2012Match factsThursday, April 19, 2012
Start time 2000 (1430 GMT)Chennai slipped after their fantastic chase against Bangalore•AFPBig pictureFor the third time in as many seasons, Chennai Super Kings have got off to a slow start in the competition. They have three defeats from five games, with their two victories coming against teams placed lower than them in the points table. It could have been worse though. The heist they pulled off against Royal Challengers Bangalore should have boosted their morale. They are back at home in the return match against Pune Warriors, their previous opponents. Their batsmen were strong against the Warriors quicks, but against the spinners they managed 63 runs in ten overs. In the end,155 wasn’t enough. They should expect to do better at home, given the batting-friendly conditions. However, a hamstring niggle for captain MS Dhoni, which makes him a doubtful starter, and Albie Morkel’s return to South Africa after the death of a friend, will have them worried ahead of the game.Warriors have injury worries of their own. Ashok Dinda* impressed with his economical last over in their last game against Royal Challengers but, on the down side, also picked up a side strain in the match. That means he could miss this game. Also, Warriors have had only a day to recover from that loss. There, their bowlers tightened the noose in the first ten overs, giving away only 63, but lost the plot especially in the final over. With 21 to defend, the bowling team would always back itself but AB de Villiers and Saurabh Tiwary manufactured their own luck and pulled off a thriller. Warriors’ batting looks settled, with their openers Jesse Ryder and Robin Uthappa scoring a fifty each. However, Sourav Ganguly is due for a bigger score, with an average of 12.20 in five games.Players to watchWith 171 runs in five games, Faf du Plessis, is the leading run-scorer for Super Kings. He has been solid at the top of the order and was the Man of the Match against Royal Challengers, with his 71 off 46 balls keeping his team in the hunt in their tall chase of 206.The match will be Sourav Ganguly’s 50th appearance in the IPL. Ganguly has scored 1142 runs in the tournament so far. However, only 111 have come till now in this season. Amid questions over his fitness and form, Ganguly could find Super Kings’ spin-heavy bowling attack to his liking.Stats and trivia Super Kings still hold the record for the most sixes hit in a single team innings – 17. The Warriors have lost nine wickets as run-outs in this edition, the most by a team. Super Kings are second with sevenQuotes”In a tournament like this you are going to lose a few games. But you should not allow defeat to enter your psyche and bog you down.”
“I think it would have to be a legspinner with a googly. He can get the ball to spin both ways and can effectively handle left-right combinations that can unsettle bowling line-ups.”
.*06:04 GMT, April 19: The preview has been updated to reflect that Ashok Dinda is doubtful for this match

A controlled chase, followed by a merciless onslaught from Andre Russell, helped Jamaica Tallawahs beat Barbados Tridents by seven wickets in the second semi-final of the Caribbean Premier League

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Aug-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAndre Russell’s astounding knock of 29 off six balls included four sixes and a four•Getty ImagesA controlled chase, followed by a merciless onslaught from Andre Russell, helped Jamaica Tallawahs beat Barbados Tridents by seven wickets in the second semi-final of the Caribbean Premier League. They will now play Guyana Amazon Warriors in the final on Saturday.Kumar Sangakkara, playing his first game for Jamaica, anchored the 149-run chase with a measured 50 not out, after the side lost captain Chris Gayle in the fourth over with just 16 runs on the board. The Sri Lanka batsman was involved in two crucial partnerships – the first a 71-run, second-wicket stand with Chadwick Walton, followed by a 30-run stand with Danza Hyatt, where Sangakkara kept pace with the scoring rate, even as his partner struggled to an 18-ball 12.Hyatt brought his labored innings to an end with a heave to long on into the hands of Barbados captain, Kieron Pollard. That brought Andre Russell to the crease. Jamaica needed 32 from 20 and the bowling side had an even chance of winning the game. What followed, however, was pure mayhem from Barbados’ point of view.Sangakkara and Russell needed just 11 balls to race past the target. Russell faced six of those and, in a fearsome batting display, ended up scoring 4, 1, 6, 6, 6, 6 off the six deliveries.Earlier, Barbados, who were put in to bat, put together a challenging total in spite of an indifferent start. David Bernard had Dwayne Smith trapped leg before at the start of the second over and Vernon Philander dismissed Jason Holder, promoted to No. 3, in the next over.Raymon Reifer and Shoaib Malik then added 102 runs for the third wicket, the first hundred-run stand in the CPL. Malik used his feet to play Jamaica’s spinners, stepping down the track to hit two sixes off Muttiah Muralitharan and Nikita Miller early on. Reifer, who had a slow start, gained confidence gradually and began playing his shots. The pair, however, were out off successive deliveries in the 17th over, bowled by Chris Gayle.Kieron Pollard and Azhar Mahmood hit some quick runs towards the end to help Barbados post a challenging total of 148 for 6.

Kirk Wernars has announced he is to take a break from cricket and will not be available for Sussex for the 2013 season

George Dobell12-Mar-2013Kirk Wernars has announced he is to take a break from cricket and will not be available for Sussex for the 2013 season.The 21-year-old allrounder, who joined Sussex in 2011 and signed a new contract at the end of last season, is to take a year’s break from the game and will return to his native South Africa to explore career possibilities in wildfire fighting and the emergency services.”This has not been an overnight decision and has been a very tough one to make,” Wernars said. “The past two years at Sussex have been a fantastic experience for me, both as a person and a cricketer. I have learnt so much from being here and will take a lot away with me, from every person that I have come into contact with at the club.”As much as playing cricket for Sussex has been an exciting and happy time for me, there have been parts of my life I have missed, namely being with my family and living in Cape Town.”I believe I need to take a break from cricket for a year, during which time I wish to explore wildfire fighting and emergency services. Thereafter I hope to be in a position to have greater clarity about the long-term career I would like to pursue.””We’re really disappointed to lose Kirk both as a cricketer and as a person,” Mark Robinson, Sussex’s professional cricket manager, said. “As a cricketer, he really made great strides and had every chance of having a really successful summer. And as a person, he was a man of high values and high loyalty.”We do though really respect his decision to want to be nearer his family again and we wish him every success, and hope perhaps to see him at some time in the future.”Wernars only played two Championship and five CB40 games for Sussex in 2012 and he did not feature in the FLt20 side but, by the end of the season, he had forced his way into the Championship and List A teams. He had previously represented Western Province and South Africa Under-19 but qualified to play for Sussex as a non-overseas player due to a Dutch passport.

A preview of the second India-Pakistan T20 in Ahmedabad

The Preview by Siddarth Ravindran27-Dec-2012Match facts December 28, 2012
Start time 1700 (1130 GMT)Bhuvneshwar Kumar: One-off showcase performance or the start of something special?•BCCIBig Picture A fabled rivalry was renewed after a five-year hiatus with a cracking match in Bangalore. The track wasn’t the usual Twenty20 bowler-killing slab, having enough spice to interest the quicks. There were collapses, fightbacks and some heated moments, before Shoaib Malik enhanced his reputation for raising his game against India with a half-century that was topped off by a match-winning six in the final over. Ahmedabad fans will hope for similar thrills, but a different result, on Friday.The IPL is regularly put forth as one of the reasons for India’s Test decline. While that argument has divided opinion, the IPL doesn’t seem to have done much to improve India’s Twenty20 performances either. Their previous three World Twenty20 campaigns have been lacklustre, and while the batting is more or less settled, no bowler has yet nailed yet his place in the XI. The one spinner who had done that, R Ashwin, was surprisingly left out of the first T20, a move that Mohammad Hafeez suggested helped Pakistan.In contrast, Pakistan have a plethora of bowling options, with Hafeez playing as a genuine allrounder, and Malik and Shahid Afridi able to contribute with both bat and ball. They also have two of the most successful T20 bowlers in Saeed Ajmal and Umar Gul, who combined to trigger India’s astonishing late-innings slide in Bangalore. The home side’s batting needs to find a way to negotiate them, if they are to stand a serious chance of levelling the series.Form guide India LLWWW (Completed games, most recent first)
Pakistan WLWLWPlayers to watch A noisy Chinnaswamy Stadium became even more deafeningly loud when debutant seam bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar got the ball to snake both ways, castling two Pakistan batsmen and having another caught behind. It was not just the swerving deliveries that excited the fans but the manner in which he set up the dismissals. It was a dream start for Bhuvneshwar, but can he repeat the magic or was it a one-off? Ahmedabad will give us a clue.Another new-ball bowler who didn’t just catch the eye but demanded attention with his towering frame was Mohammad Irfan. He was regularly around the 90mph mark, troubling the India batsmen with his pace and bounce. He was much quicker than in his previous international outings – a couple of ODIs against England in 2010 – and drew high praise from Wasim Akram.Stats and Trivia Umar Akmal’s zero in the first T20 was the fifth of his career, leaving him one behind four players – including Shahid Afridi – for the most ducks in T20s Virat Kohli needs 29 runs to break Martin Guptill’s record for the most T20 runs in a calendar year*Quotes”The way we played the last match, our morale is quite high… I will give credit to the bowlers and fielders. They [India] were 70 for no loss and after that we came back. Bowling has always been our strength and in the last match, even after a bad start, the comeback was outstanding. As a captain I am very pleased with that.”
“The conditions here are different. The one [pitch] in Bangalore was seaming and over here, it will be slow and offer turn. There is no pressure on us.”
*03.37GMT December 27: The stat had earlier incorrectly included Umar Akmal. This has been changed