14 SPORTS
Tuesday, 27 January, 2015
NoRthaNtS SigN ShoRt-teRm afRidi deaL
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SPORTS DESK
NE of the biggest names in world cricket will feature in the T20 Blast next season with Northamptonshire signing Pakistan allrounder Shahid Afridi. But the deal, which is still subject to clearance from the Pakistan Cricket Coard, highlights the difficulties counties have in attracting big names for the competition. Afridi will only be available for the first six matches. Nevertheless, 34-year-old Afridi, one of the most dangerous hitters in the game and a canny legspinner, is capable of putting Northants in a strong position to qualify from the 14match group stage. Afridi, a veteran of 77 T20 internationals, last appeared in county cricket in 2012, the second of his two-year stint with Hampshire, for whom he took 19 wickets at 12.57.
“This is a very exciting signing for us,” head coach David Ripley said. “Shahid is without doubt the most outstanding spinbowling allrounder in one-day international cricket of the last five years. He is a fierce competitor and undoubted matchwinner with bat and ball. “He brings a wealth of experience to the dressing room with over 230 Twenty20 games as well as captaining his Country.” Northants will be looking for a healthier campaign next season after a 2014 that saw them meekly surrender their famously-won title, winningly only four of their 14 group matches. Afridi added: “I am looking forward to playing in the T20 Blast. I have always enjoyed playing in England, where I have always found the crowds good natured and knowledgeable. “I am very happy to be joining a good Northants squad in the search for Twenty20 success.”
THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT TIME TO RETIRE FOR SHAHID: RASHID LATIF Former Pakistan cricket team captain Rashid Latif claimed in an interview to Press Trust of India (PTI) that all-rounder Shahid Afridi should reconsider his decision to quit ODIs after the World Cup. “I don’t think this is the right time to retire for Shahid,” said Latif. “Misbah has already announced he will retire after the World Cup and I think the Pakistan team needs to be captained by a senior and aggressive player like Shahid for at least a year. “It is never a good idea to build a new team with a relatively inexperienced leader and that is why I think Shahid should reconsider his retirement decision and stay on atleast until the 2016 World T20 to also lead the one-day side. “And with many players now establishing
themselves in the national side it is a safe move to ask Shahid to not retire and lead the team in ODIs for atleast a year until the board grooms a younger captain under him.” Former selector Saleem Jaffer also seconded Rashid’s opinion saying that after Misbahul Haq’s departure from ODIs, the 34-year-old all-rounder is the obvious choice to lead team Pakistan. “In such circumstances Afridi appears to be a good choice to be asked to stay on and lead the team in one-dayers as he has the required experience,” said Jaffer. SPORTS DESK
Smith favourite for Allan Border Medal SPORTS DESK
Sturridge ready, Balotelli won’t leave Liverpool: Brendan Rodgers Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge could make his long-awaited return from injury in their League Cup semi-final second leg against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, manager Brendan Rodgers said. Former Chelsea striker Sturridge, who scored 25 goals for Liverpool in all competitions last season, has not played for the Merseysiders since August after a series of persistent injuries. Sturridge travelled to the United States over the Christmas period for treatment on a thigh problem and, having since returned to training with the first team, Rodgers is hoping the England striker will be ready in time to face Chelsea. “He (Sturridge) trained very, very well yesterday and that was as comfortable as he’s looked,” Rodgers told a news conference on Monday. “He looked back to normal. We won’t risk it that’s for sure, he’s been out for a long time and we need to make sure he’s ready.” Raheem Sterling’s stunning individual goal earned Liverpool a 1-1 draw in last week’s semi-final first leg at Anfield. Premier League leaders Chelsea were dumped out of the FA Cup by League One (third tier) Bradford City on Saturday and Rodgers is wary of a backlash from Jose Mourinho’s side. “They had a difficult result at the weekend but it doesn’t mean they’re not a dangerous team and an outstanding team,” he said. “We know it will be a tough game but we are certainly going in with no fear and our strength is in attack. “There will be great motivation for them to go out there with a Wembley final at stake but I’m sure there will be a wee bit of trepidation.” With a week to go before the transfer window shuts, Rodgers said he does not expect to make any new signings. The Liverpool boss also played down suggestions that misfit striker Mario Balotelli, who is yet to score a league goal in 12 appearances since his £16 million move from AC Milan in August, is to leave the club. “We’ll give Mario every chance,” Rodgers said. “We brought him in to give him every chance to show that he can perform consistently for a team at this level. “I’ve seen clippings saying this morning (Monday) that’s him over with here and that’s not the case.” SPORTS DESK
Steven Smith should cap off his remarkable summer by winning his first Allan Border Medal in Sydney on Tuesday night. Smith’s major competition for the honour will come from David Warner, who has a chance of taking home the Test Player of the Year Award, although his lack of ODI impact over the year could cost him in the Allan Border Medal tally. In a sign of the changing nature of Australia’s teams, all the major categories are likely to have first-time winners, with Aaron Finch in the Twenty20 category the only past recipient considered a chance of taking the same prize again. Dominant figures from past years, including Michael Clarke, Shane Watson and Mitchell Johnson, are not in serious contention this time. Smith’s outstanding Test and one-day form during the voting period, from January 24, 2014 to January 10 this year, might give him the edge over Warner in the Allan Border Medal tally, although the results are likely to be close. It is not out of the question that Smith could sweep the three awards, but equally it is possible he could walk away empty-handed depending on which way votes fall in a few games. The Test Player of the Year should be a close contest between Smith and Warner; Smith scored 1212 runs in the voting period and Warner made 1209. Warner struck seven centuries to Smith’s five, but on two occasions Warner hit a hundred in each innings of a Test, which may limit his
vote-getting potential. However, Warner might be helped by collecting more votes than Smith in the three Tests that Australia lost throughout the year, to South Africa in Port Elizabeth and to Pakistan in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Their expected dominance of the category is a sign that Australia are relying heavily on two of the younger members of their Test top six after Clarke won the past three Test awards and Watson the one before that. Johnson’s 41 Test wickets at 24.90 during the voting period will likely earn him third position in the Test category, but it is hard to see him seriously threatening Smith and Warner for the award. The next rung of vote-getters is expected to comprise Ryan Harris, Chris Rogers and Nathan Lyon. Smith is also a leading contender for the One-Day International Player of the Year title, although James Faulkner and Finch will be right at the top of the voting as well. Smith started a productive ODI period during the series against Pakistan in the UAE in October and finished with 541 runs at 49.18 in the voting period, compared to Finch’s 647 at 43.13. Smith earned three Man of the Match honours during the voting period, compared to one for Faulkner and none for Finch. Although he struck only 193 runs at 32.16, Faulkner was Australia’s leading ODI wicket taker with 14 at 32.78, and his all-round efforts might give him hope of going one better after finishing second to George Bailey in the ODI category last year. Finch was the Twenty20
Player of the Year last year and although he is likely to be in the top three again, Glenn Maxwell deserves to be the strong favourite in the T20 category. Maxwell was third behind Finch and Cameron White as Australia’s leading T20 scorers during the voting period, and they might form the top three, but Maxwell’s nine wickets at 23.88 should make him the winner. In calculating the Allan Border Medal tally, Test votes are given a weighting of six, ODI votes a weighting of three and T20 votes a weighting of two. Johnson is the likely third place-getter behind Smith and Warner, although the amount of short-form cricket played could mean he is pushed by any of Maxwell, Faulkner or Finch. Either Smith or Warner would be the tenth different winner of the Allan Border Medal since the inaugural ceremony in 2000, and at 25 Smith would be the second youngest after Clarke, who won his first medal at 23 in 2005. Johnson edged out Clarke last year after Clarke had won in 2013 and 2012, and Watson in 2011 and 2010. Possible Winners Allan Border Medal 1) Steven Smith 2) David Warner 3) Mitchell Johnson Test Player of the Year 1) Steven Smith 2) David Warner 3) Mitchell Johnson ODI Player of the Year 1) Steven Smith 2) James Faulkner 3) Aaron Finch T20 Player of the Year 1) Glenn Maxwell 2) Aaron Finch 3) Cameron White
India stay alive after washout India got from the game the two points they needed to keep their chances of making the final alive after persistent rain ensured only 16 overs were bowled. Looking at the overcast skies and the tackiness underfoot, Australia’s returning captain George Bailey put India in, and saw India struggle to 69 for 2 in 16 overs. Shikhar Dhawan clocked another failure, scoring 8 before gloving Mitchell Starc to first slip while trying to open the face of the bat. Ambati Rayudu didn’t look at home batting at No. 3, and top-edged Mitchell Marsh while coming down the track and slashing. India might have issues, but they stayed alive in the tournament. Had they lost they would have been left with the task of beating England by a bonus point and also correcting their net run rate significantly in the final league match, to be played in Perth on Friday. India now have two points to England’s five and Australia’s 15. The India-England match is now a virtual semi-final. There was more good news for India, in that they played their two injured bowlers, Ishant Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja. The two could be key to their World Cup plans. Rohit Sharma stayed out with a sore hamstring, but this will give him time to recover. SPORTS DESK
Lotus reveals first image of new f1 car Lotus has released images of the new Mercedes-powered E23 Formula 1 car that it hopes will get it back in the hunt for podiums. On the back of a disappointing 2014 campaign, the Enstone-based outfit has switched engine manufacturers for this year. It also spent much of last season consolidating its finances and restructuring its technical organisation so as to ensure that it returned to form this season. The new car is most obviously different from its predecessor in featuring a more standard nose - after Lotus ran a now-outlawed twintusk concept in 2014. Lotus has also done a lot of work in refining its suspension, after taking a big hit last year when FRIC (Front-to-Rear Inter-Connected) systems were banned. The E23 is on course to get its first track running at Jerez in Spain from this weekend when the first official pre-season test kicks off. “Like a few other teams, we will be doing some final finishing touches in Jerez - but so far things are looking good. “The figures we are getting from the windtunnel are encouraging, and we already have upgrades to the nose and front wing that are in the pipeline for the start of the season.” Carter also said that new sponsors were due to be added to the car before the first race. SPORTS DESK
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