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علّق بيب جوارديولا، المدير الفني لفريق مانشستر سيتي، على مستقبل اللاعب إيلكاي جوندوجان مع اقتراب عقده الحالي من النهاية.

وسينتهي العقد الحالي للاعب الألماني مع بطل الدوري الإنجليزي، في 30 يونيو الجاري.

ولا يوجد اتفاق بين الطرفين حتى الآن بشأن التجديد، ما أدى إلى ارتباط جوندوجان بخطوة الرحيل والانتقال إلى برشلونة.

وقاد جوندوجان، مانشستر سيتي اليوم السبت، للحصول على كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي حيث سجل هدفين خلال الفوز في المباراة النهائية 2-1.

وسُئل جوارديولا عن مستقبل جوندوجان بعد المباراة، ليرد في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “بي بي سي” العالمية: “المدير الرياضي لدينا يقوم بذلك (ملف تجديد جوندوجان)، نأمل أن يكون الأمر ناجحًا”.

وردًا عما إذا كان يمكن حسم الأمر بنجاح، قال الإسباني: “أتمنى، أتمنى ذلك”.

Every batter who takes the field in the IPL is now having to go through a bat-gauge test. Here is why

Nagraj Gollapudi17-Apr-20255:00

Rayudu: Bat checks done on the field can affect batters’ focus

Why has the IPL started measuring bats all of a sudden during IPL 2025? That has become a significant question ever since April 13, when match officials began using a gauge to measure bats.While the IPL has not put out an official statement on the reasons, ESPNcricinfo has learned the move has been made with an eye on maintaining the balance between bat and ball and ensuring that batters do not derive an undue advantage from using bigger bats.Related

• Essex hit out at 'stupid' ECB after club is docked points for illegal bat

• Narine and Nortje's bats fail the gauge test in PBKS vs KKR game

It is understood that the move was initially discussed by key decision-makers of the IPL before it was ratified by the tournament governing council and formally introduced on April 13. While the IPL has checked bat dimensions in previous seasons, the process involved the fourth umpire measuring the bat dimensions on the day before the match, with players chosen at random. It did not matter, then, if the player would be part of the team on match day. And not all bats of the player were checked, which meant that a batter could have one bat tested and walk in with another on match day.

Why now?

To plug that loophole, the IPL decided during discussions at the start of the 2025 season that it would be better check bats during the match rather than during training. It is understood that some match officials had privately expressed concern over the size of some bats players had been using. So instead of being subjective and selective in their assessment, it was decided a better approach would be to uniformly check the legality of the bats of all players during a live match.Girish TS/ESPNcricinfo Ltd

It is understood that the IPL decided to adopt a rule that was originally used by the ECB. In 2018, the ECB introduced, as part of its domestic playing conditions, checks on bat sizes to make sure they conformed to Law 5 of the MCC’s Laws of Cricket, which restricts the thickness of bat edges to 4cm (1.56 inches), the overall depth of bats to 6.7cm (2.64 inches), and their width to 10.8cm (4.25 inches).

How does the bat gauge work?

The guage is a rectangular implement with a house-shaped cut-out through which the bottom part of the bat is inserted. The cut-out conforms to the bat dimensions permitted under Law 5, which is also part of the IPL playing conditions. To be deemed legal to use, the bat must be able to pass through the gauge, even if it has been fitted with “[p]ermitted coverings, repair material and toe guards, not exceeding their specified thicknesses”The gauge in use at the IPL to test bat sizes•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

When do the checks happen?

It is understood that the IPL informed all teams before mandating the bat checks from April 13. Teams were also given bat gauges so their players could themselves check their bats before the match.On matchdays, on-field umpires carry a bat gauge each to assess the bat of the incoming batter. The fourth umpire is tasked with checking both openers’ bats at the start of each innings. Any bat was found exceeding the specified dimensions is marked and cannot be used during a match. In case a batter asks for a bat change, the new bat is also checked.So far, only two bats have failed the gauge test: they belonged to the Kolkata Knight Riders pair of Sunil Narine and Anrich Nortje.

What are the sanctions?

Just like the ECB has done, the IPL too has put the onus on players to ensure that their bats comply with Law 5. However, there is a significant difference when it comes to sanctions. The ECB has imposed severe sanctions for any breach, as Essex bitterly experienced during the 2024 County Championship season when they were docked 12 points after one of their batters used an oversized bat during the opening match of their season.The IPL has decided not to impose any sanction other than disallowing bats that have failed the gauge test. While the ECB’s bat checks are random, the IPL checks every bat that enters the field of play.It is understood that batters have been caught off-guard by the move. A tailender at a title-winning team was left in a spot when his entire set of bats, numbering seven or eight, failed to pass through the gauge. Such a situation could prove particularly tricky for overseas batters, particularly those whose bat manufacturers are based outside India.Specialist batters usually request manufacturers to design bespoke bats with custom measurements. In the past, since bat checks were only carried out at random by match officials, and usually only on the eve of the match, there was a certain amount of leeway for players to get away with measurements that exceeded permissible limits. Even if a bat or set of bats was rejected on training day, a player could still use a matchday bat that had never gone through the gauge.The IPL has decided to discourage such actions in the quest to maintain the balance between bat and ball.

MatériaMais Notícias

André Jardine disse depois da derrota por 1 a 0 para a Chapecoense, neste domingo, que vai causar um “choque” no elenco com os treinos pesados que vai aplicar na próxima temporada.

-Eu tenho uma percepção de treinamentos e convicções próprias, com alta intensidade e nível de competitividade enorme em cada trabalho feito, em cada treino realizado, então a partir de 2019 o grupo vai perceber, vai ter um choque. A cobrança vai ser muito forte, a competitividade nos treinos vai ser diária. Quem não estiver preparado não vai jogar – disse o gaúcho de 39 anos, que dirigiu a equipe nas últimas cinco partidas do ano e não conseguiu cumprir a missão de chegar ao G4.

RelacionadasBrasileirãoChape garante permanência na Série A ao bater o São Paulo, que fica em 5ºBrasileirão02/12/2018São PauloATUAÇÕES: Nenê falha de novo na hora de decidir; Liziero joga bemSão Paulo02/12/2018

-Temos conversado muito internamente sobre os problemas que tivemos durante o ano. Vamos procurar soluções. A dificuldade de fazer gol é um problema, sim. Vou trabalhar muito para o time produzir mais, criar mais e, consequentemente, fazer mais gols. Tenho plena confiança de que, pela metodologia de treinamento pesado que vou implantar, vou conseguir fazer com que o São Paulo seja mais agressivo, mais competitivo, com chances de ser campeão em todas as competições. Todos queremos um São Paulo diferente e lutarei por isso – emendou.

O quinto lugar no Brasileirão é frustrante para quem terminou o primeiro turno na liderança, mas representa um avanço em relação aos dois anos anteriores, quando o Tricolor esteve envolvido na briga contra o rebaixamento. Jardine citou esta evolução, mas admitiu que ainda é pouco.

-Eu e a diretoria não teremos férias praticamente. Vamos ter contato diário, porque todos nós queremos um São Paulo superior ao que foi em 2018, assim como em 2018 já foi superior a 2017. Mas é pouca coisa ainda. A torcida não está satisfeita e nós também não. Vamos trabalhar muito, desde já, para 2019 ser diferente – comentou.

O São Paulo entra em férias agora e retoma os trabalhos em 3 de janeiro, no CT da Barra Funda. No dia seguinte, o elenco viaja para disputar a Florida Cup nos Estados Unidos, onde ficará até o dia 15. Os adversários serão Ajax e Eintracht Frankfurt.

Sachin Tendulkar is among five Indian players who will be compensated by the BCCI for missing IPL and Champions League T20 matches in 2011 due to injuries sustained while representing India, has reported. The others to benefit from the board’s decision are Zaheer Khan, Rohit Sharma, Munaf Patel and Ashish Nehra.ESPNcricinfo understands that a decision to compensate players who miss the IPL after getting injured while on India duty was taken during thr BCCI’s working committee meeting earlier this month. The report quoted an unnamed BCCI official as saying, “A few senior players — Sachin [Tendulkar], MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, and Ashish Nehra etc. — had met [Shashank] Manohar [the former BCCI president] and N. Srinivasan before theWorld Cup to discuss a few issues like that of the physios and players’ insurance. At the meeting, the players were assured that if any of the contracted players got injured while playing for India, he would get compensation for the money he would thus lose for missing matches for his IPL franchise either in the 2011 IPL or the Champions League T20.”The paper reported that the compensation package for the players totalled Rs 7 crore ($1.26 million).The board has already insured 37 contracted players for 2012 and pays a premium of approximately Rs 4 crores ($720,000). Tendulkar was not able to take part in CLT20 2011, which his side Mumbai Indians won, due to a toe injury that he sustained during India’s tour of England. Zaheer, who was injured during the first day of the Lord’s Test in 2011, also missed the tournament while Munaf and Sharma were the other players to pick up injuries from the England tour. Nehra, however, missed the entire IPL2011 season after fracturing his finger during India’s semi-final match against Pakistan in the World Cup.

ESPNcricinfo previews the IPL final between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders in Chennai

The Preview by George Binoy26-May-2012Match factsSunday, May 27, 2012
Start time 2000 (1430 GMT)When these sides met in Chennai during the league stage, Knight Riders won by five wickets•AFPBig PictureThey are here, again. Those resilient, stubborn Chennai Super Kings. In another IPL final, their fourth in five seasons and their third in a row, pursuing a hat trick of titles. Love them, hate them or couldn’t care less about them, you have to give it to them – the Super Kings got game. They know when and how to turn it on, too, though this season they dangled off the edge of the precipice, holding on with their pinkies, for longer than was comfortable.Kolkata Knight Riders did not leave their chances hinging on an improbable combination of results over which they had no control. They reached the playoffs with a game to spare and made short work of Delhi Daredevils to enter their maiden IPL final. Their performances have been efficient and consistent and they should logically be favourites tomorrow. But they’re facing a resurgent side on its home turf.Super Kings are blessed with loyal fans and the pricklier among them bristle at insinuations that fortune played a role in their team making it to Chennai on Sunday. They got enough points, didn’t they? And they didn’t design the schedule, so they had to hope three results went their way to make the playoffs. And Kings XI Punjab just weren’t good enough to beat Delhi Daredevils, and Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore weren’t good enough to beat bottom-placed Deccan Chargers. What’s luck got to do with it?That Super Kings had to wait five days to know they would be able to defend their title was because of an out-of-sorts start to the season. At times they, the IPL’s least changed side over five seasons, looked passé compared to some of the other teams, who had strengthened squads with new personnel. Super Kings’ turnaround only began after ten league games, of which they had won four. They won four of their last six matches, so their form, when they entered familiar playoff territory, was satisfactory.And then they were near perfect. After clambering on to level ground, Super Kings’ misfiring batting line-up, the longest in the IPL, found its guns and annihilated Mumbai Indians and Delhi Daredevils with breath-taking confidence.While Super Kings had abundant success in seasons past, Knight Riders had nothing. In the first three years, they were the only team without a top-four finish. So in 2011, Knight Riders abandoned failed strategies, completely overhauled their squad, and climbed to fourth in the league, but lost the eliminator. In 2012, they have gone farther, converting their second-place finish in the league into a berth in the finals by beating Daredevils in the first qualifier.Knight Riders also had an iffy start to the season, losing three of their first five games. Since then they’ve lost only two out of 11, acquiring the rarest quality in Twenty20 cricket – consistency. There were no dramas in their progress to the playoffs. Their success has been built around two people with supporting contributions from the rest. The captain Gautam Gambhir has been a reliable run-scorer, while the spinner Sunil Narine has confounded all and sundry with his unreadable variations.If they perform like they have this season, Knight Riders have little reason to worry. Whether they can perform in their first final, against opponents seasoned to such pressure, is the question.Form guide (most recent first)
Chennai Super Kings: WWLWW
Kolkata Knight Riders: WWWLLWatch out for …Sunil Narine: At present, he has the second most wickets this season, the best economy rate, and the best average for anyone who’s played more than two matches – 24 wickets, 5.20 per over and 11.95 per wicket. Gambhir’s used him in a variety of situations – early on to drag back a quick start, in the middle to exercise control over the game and at the end, when batsmen have only attack on their minds. Narine’s delivered each time. Gambhir’s utilisation of Narine in the final will be crucial. Super Kings bat until No. 9 so Gambhir will have to decide when and against whom Narine can have the greatest impact.The middle orders: With top orders evenly matched and Knight Riders shading the bowling battle, this is where Super Kings score heavily over their opponents. The line-up comprising MS Dhoni, Dwayne Bravo, S Badrinath and Albie Morkel is far more reliable and powerful than the one comprising Shakib Al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Laxmi Ratan Shukla and Manoj Tiwary, or variations of it. Knight Riders are more dependent on their top order than Super Kings are, although Yusuf Pathan did make his first proper contribution in the qualifier against Daredevils.Team combinationBarring last-minute fitness problems, Super Kings are certain to play the same XI that won them the two knockout games to reach the final.A couple of Knight Riders players have hamstring concerns. Manoj Tiwary missed the knockout against Delhi because of a strain and was replaced by Laxmi Ratan Shukla, who impressed with 24 off 11 balls. Tiwary is likely to be fit, though, so either Shukla or Debabrata Das, who has also performed well, could make way. The bigger hamstring concern, however, is over L Balaji, who injured himself during the qualifier. Balaji has been the solitary Indian seamer in the Knight Riders attack so his absence could cause significant change to the team composition.Meetings this seasonAt Chepauk, Knight Riders won by five wickets and two balls to spare. Super Kings were restricted to a middling total and the victory was more comfortable than the margin indicates.At Eden Gardens, Super Kings won by five wickets off the final delivery. Chasing 159, they* had reached 97 for 0 in the 11th over when Narine derailed the innings during a spell of 4-0-14-2. With 5 to get off the last ball, Bravo launched Rajat Bhatia over the long-on boundary.Stats and triviaIn the last five overs of the innings, Super Kings have scored at 10.64 per over on average this season, which is the second best after Royal Challengers Bangalore. Knight Riders have scored at 9.32 per over during this period. There is very little separating the sides’ run rates in the first six overs, though Knight Riders are a little faster.Knight Riders have had the best spinners of the tournament. They’ve taken the most wickets at the best average and economy rate – 48, 16.20 and 6.09. Their attack of choice in recent games has been Narine, Iqbal Abdulla and Shakib Al Hasan, with Yusuf chipping in. Super Kings’ spinners are second best, but by a distance.Quotes”When you go on to the field, you do not go there to make friends but you are there to get results in your team’s favour. You have to be aggressive on the field. That is how we have won matches and now we are in the final and not to just compete.”
.”With his action, it is difficult to catch him as to which side he is bowling, whether it is the one that comes in to a right hander or it goes out. The variation he has got and the consistency that he has got in maintaining line and length has been crucial.”
.*The text said Knight Riders earlier

نجح منتخب جامبيا في التأهل إلى دور ربع النهائي من بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا للشباب بعد الفوز على نظيره زامبيا، اليوم الجمعة.

جامبيا فازت على زامبيا، بثنائية نظيفة، على ملعب الإسكندرية، في الجولة الثانية من دور المجموعات الإفريقي.

طالع أيضًا | تونس تسقط في فخ التعادل أمام بنين في كأس أمم إفريقيا تحت 20 عامًا

وسجل كجالي دراميه الهدف الأول في الدقيقة 63، ثم عزز زميله ألاجي سايني بالهدف الثاني عند الدقيقة 81.

بهذا الفوز يتصدر منتخب جامبيا ترتيب المجموعة الثالثة برصيد 6 نقاط، ويأتي منتخب بنين ثانيًا برصيد نقطتين، بينما يحتل منتخب تونس المركز الثالث برصيد نقطة وحيدة، ويأتي منتخب زامبيا أخيرًا بنقطة وحيدة أيضًا. أهداف مباراة جامبيا وزامبيا في كأس أمم إفريقيا للشباب

Michael Clarke’s elevation to a selection role has added “extra difficulty” to the office of the Australian captaincy, according to the head of the panel, John Inverarity

Daniel Brettig21-Dec-2011Michael Clarke’s elevation to a selection role has added “extra difficulty” to the office of the Australian captaincy, according to the head of the panel, John Inverarity.Though he did not express outright opposition to Clarke’s position as captain and selector, Inverarity was of the view that the arrangement brought about by the Argus review of Australian cricket had placed the incumbent in “a very difficult position”.Clarke and his predecessor Ricky Ponting shared the view that the captain should also be a formal selector, but the saga of Phillip Hughes’ demotion from the Test team, despite his standing as a close friend of Clarke, has placed renewed heat on the position, as Inverarity acknowledged.”It is obviously a very difficult situation, a captain needs to be supportive of his current players and Michael was exactly that,” Inverarity said of Clarke’s support of Hughes. “But the reality is there are other pressures, as it is a difficult situation that Michael is in, a very difficult situation.”The pressures on an Australian captain are enormous, and with the current situation with the captain being one of the official selectors on the national selection panel, it is an extra difficulty, but that’s the situation and Michael needs to cope with that.”Asked directly whether or not he was opposed to the arrangement, Inverarity replied: “That’s a question I’ll defer for the time being, thank you.”Inverarity also said there was concern among the selectors about a Twenty20-dominated schedule that has the potential for a player to be chosen for the fourth Test against India in Adelaide having not played a first-class match for almost eight weeks.”Yes it is of concern, of course it is of concern,” he said. “We’re faced with the prospect of including a new player should there be injury or loss of form, a new player for the Test match in Adelaide, which begins about January 24, and that new player would not have played first-class cricket for six or seven weeks. That is a concern, but that is the situation and that is what we’ve got to cope with.Howard responds to Inverarity

Australia’s team performance manager, Pat Howard, has said the pressures of Michael Clarke’s role as captain and selector are not unique, and are necessary to the job. Responding to John Inverarity’s contention that the role added “extra difficulty” to the office of Australian captain, Howard said a balance was required.
“Every role everywhere there are difficult balancing acts to deal with, and I think John was just verbalising how difficult it is for anybody, coach or captain, anybody who is close to the team and being a selector,” Howard told ESPNcricinfo. “That’s in AFL, that’s in rugby, that’s in soccer, this is not unique. He was verbalising what everyone has to deal with, it is not easy and requires a real amount of skill. I think Mickey [Arthur] and Michael are doing a really good job on that and they’re embracing it, and I think John is more than cognisant of that as well.”
Refinement of the captain’s role has been suggested, including the concept of having the selectors picking the squad of 12 or 13 then the captain choosing his XI from that. Howard said the present arrangement was not far removed from this.
“The chairman and the selection panel are responsible for the squad’s announcement. The captain and the coach do recommend the XI when they’re playing,” he said. “That’s where that responsibility lies, it was laid out in the Argus review and that is exactly how we work. And that is so it is clear no matter whether we’re in Bangladesh and you’re a million miles from anybody else, or you’re in the middle or England or at the MCG. We just want consistent processes to make sure we know clearly who is responsible for what.”

“From the preparation of a Test team the current situation is not ideal, but that’s the way it is. A lot of us watched the T20 match last night in Brisbane and it was a great success there.”There is plenty that is not ideal in Australian cricket, and another is among Inverarity’s pet peeves. In the West Australian teams of the 1970s that Inverarity captained, every player was obliged to bowl for at least an hour in the nets at every session, encouraging batsmen who could bowl and break partnerships. Inverarity said there was not enough of this in evidence, and indicated he had told the talent managers of each state to encourage their batsmen to bowl as often as possible.”In general all of us on the selection panel hold that view that it is very desirable to have some of your six best batsmen as decent bowlers,” Inverarity said. “If you look at some of the Australian teams when Steve Waugh and Mark Waugh were among the best batsmen and also very handy bowlers.”Allrounders are like gold and also batsmen who are very competent bowlers – Greg Chappell, Doug Walters, Greg Blewett, and here in WA Tom Moody was a prime example. It does make a huge difference if a couple of your batsmen are decent bowlers. We’ve talked to the national talent managers in each state and we’re certainly emphasising that.”Two series since he accepted the role of national selector, Inverarity said he was satisfied with the level of youth and freshness being injected into the team, reeling off a list of names that lengthened with each Test since the tour of Sri Lanka.”In recent times Pat Cummins has come into the side, Nathan Lyon has come into the side, David Warner, James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc and now Ed Cowan,” he said. “So there are a lot of new names there, a lot of refreshment, and I think that needs to be blended with experienced players and I’m very pleased with the way that’s developing.”

Javed Miandad, the former Pakistan captain, has been issued a showcause notice by the PCB for criticising the board’s policies in a newspaper interview.Miandad, who is currently the director-general of the PCB, apart from being a member of the governing board, had said he was “disappointed” with the functioning of the board as well as the lack of authority vested in him.”While closely watching the functioning of the PCB, I am disappointed and feel that 90% decisions [taken by the board] are wrong, and are spoiling the sport in the country,” Miandad told on Wednesday. “I am not part of the PCB planning only because I require power and freedom to work, since I have given 35 years to Pakistan cricket and earned a good name.”People around the world regard my services as a cricketer but the PCB doesn’t want to give me authority to improve [Pakistan] cricket.”I have already brought this matter to the notice of PCB patron, President Asif Ali Zardari. Soon I will meet him again to apprise him of the poor condition of cricket in Pakistan. I will request him to either take necessary steps [to improve cricketing matters] or allow me to leave the DG post.”This is not the first time Miandad has been critical of the Pakistan board. In February last year he wrote a letter to president Zardari, criticising the appointment of Ijaz Butt as the board chairman. In January 2009 Miandad had resigned as director-general of the PCB over differences concerning the exact scope of his work.A month later, Butt and Miandad had traded allegations over Miandad’s resignation at a senate hearing on the decline of Pakistan cricket. The chairman had alleged that Miandad had demanded more money, interfered with matters concerning selection, and was an incapable administrator. Miandad had said at the time that the scope of his role in the contract letter was significantly reduced from what he had initially discussed with the chairman. Though Miandad was reinstated as the director general in March that year, his relationship with Butt has been frosty since.Miandad, who has been the coach of the national team on three occasions in the past, was not included in the recently formed committee to appoint a new coach for the national team, after Waqar Younis’ decision to quit as national head coach after the ongoing Zimbabwe tour. In April, Miandad turned down the role of Pakistan’s batting coach due to personal reasons.Miandad has been asked to submit his reply within seven days.

Cricket South Africa has resolved to improve its corporate governance and review the process for awarding bonuses as their months-long internal strife appears to be reaching its end

Firdose Moonda20-Aug-2011Cricket South Africa (CSA) has resolved to improve its corporate governance and review the process for awarding bonuses as their months-long internal strife appears to be reaching its end. The board took the decision at their annual general meeting in Port Elizabeth on Saturday, where they deliberated the legal advice of advocate Azhar Bham, who was appointed to investigate possible breaches of the Companies’ Act committed by chief executive Gerald Majola.Accounting firm KPMG, who were tasked with investigating CSA’s financial affairs, produced a report which stated that Majola could have violated the act four times in relation to bonus payments made after the hosting of the 2009 IPL and Champions Trophy. CSA decided to seek legal opinion on the possible breaches at a special board meeting held three weeks ago in Johannesburg.At the time, it was expected that Majola would not be fired and that the importance of governance procedures would be stressed on CSA. The core issue appears to be the methods used to pay bonuses to staff who work on non-CSA events that are hosted by the organisation, such as the IPL. Insiders confirmed that traditionally these bonuses are awarded without going through CSA’s remunerations committee (REMCO), leaving the door open for possible indiscretion. It was this type of misconduct that CSA President Mtutuzeli Nyoka said he wanted to prevent and expose.With the findings of KPMG and subsequent legal advice, CSA have admitted that they were not vigilant enough and did not employ strict enough methods of procedure. Majola was reported to have been severely reprimanded for this at the meeting and CSA have vowed to embark on a crash course in governance in order to improve their processes.”As far as CSA is concerned this matter is now closed,” AK Khan, vice-president of CSA, who chaired the meeting in Nyoka’s absence, said. Nyoka did not attend the meeting for personal reasons and has not yet responded to the resolution.If he mounts a challenge, it would further draw out the spat between him and Majola, which started when R4.7 million (US$ 671,428) was paid in bonuses to 40 staff members after the 2009 events. The payments were picked up as an irregularity by CSA’s auditors Deloitte and the body announced that they would have an external investigation to look into the matter.Instead, they chose to hold an internal inquiry first, chaired by vice-president AK Khan. In November, the Khan Commission cleared Majola of any wrongdoing but cautioned him against making “errors of judgment.” These mistakes referred to the payments not being declared to Remco.Nyoka’s outspoken views on holding an external investigation resulted in him being ousted by a vote of no confidence in February, but he challenged the decision in the South Gauteng High Court and was reinstated in April Nyoka’s demands for an audit were also met and KPMG were chosen to conduct the investigation which, once completed, did not put an end to the matter but lengthened in with the call for legal advice.

Scorecard
Vikram Solanki scored a free-flowing 61 but Worcestershire fell short in their run chase•PA Photos

Middlesex’s buoyant start in the County Championship spilled over into the limited-overs arena when they began their Clydesdale Bank 40 campaign with a 24-run victory over Worcestershire at New Road. Unbeaten leaders in Division Two in the four-day game, the Panthers made fivechanges after beating Derbyshire on Saturday but their re-jigged bowling line-up was up to the task in defending a total of 206.Despite a free-flowing 61 from 58 balls by Vikram Solanki, Worcestershire could muster only 182 as both teams had problems on a sluggish surface.Middlesex earlier reached 157 for 3 before losing seven wickets for 49 in 11.1 overs and the home side completely lost their way after Solanki and Moeen Ali had launched their challenge with a stand of 78 in 12.5 overs. Offspinner Ollie Rayner removed the openers in quick succession and the innings went into reverse gear.In a disciplined bowling performance Middlesex gave nothing away as Toby Roland-Jones took 2 for 28 and allrounder Gareth Berg cleaned up with a one-day best of 4 for 24 in seven overs. James Cameron provided the only resistance, token as it was, until he was last out for 41, having edged the previous ball from Tim Murtagh for the only boundary since the 15th over.For Worcestershire, already beaten twice on their return to Division One in the Championship, this disappointing performance was reminiscent of last year when they began this competition with seven consecutive defeats.There was an early knock-back to confidence with an unhappy return to first-team cricket for Richard Jones. The former England Under-19 seamer was unfairly heckled by some of his own supporters as he conceded 33 runs in three overs, although he got a wicket with Solanki’s head-high slip catch to dismiss Dawid Malan.The impressive Jack Shantry compensated with 2 for 25 from a full ration. Paul Stirling, the Irishman who made a World Cup century in 70 balls against the Netherlands, was caught at short third man for 21 and Scott Newman (34) crashed a loose delivery to mid-off.Middlesex got over these mishaps but then lost direction as soon as Worcestershire’s spinners had broken the biggest partnership of 72 with two wickets in the space of four deliveries. Berg, who straight-drove the only six of the day in making 31, opened the door when he was bowled off stump by Moeen and Neil Dexter (48) gave up his wicket with an ill-timed chip to long-on off Shaaiq Choudhry.Australian Tom Scollay and wicketkeeper Ben Scott were only other batsmen to reach double figures as Gareth Andrew claimed three of the last four wickets.