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BRISBANE, Dec 14 AAP – Jimmy Maher steered Australia A to a convincing victory over Sri Lanka at the Gabba tonight, and in the process booked himself a likely World Cup berth.

Greg Davis14-Dec-2002BRISBANE, Dec 14 AAP – Jimmy Maher steered Australia A to a convincing victory over Sri Lanka at the Gabba tonight, and in the process booked himself a likely World Cup berth.The Australians cruised to a 102-run victory over the 1996 World Cup champions after compiling an imposing 8-312 before restricting Sri Lanka to 6-210.Maher batted superbly to construct an even paced and mature 106 runs from 113 balls and virtually guarantee a spot in the 15-man Australian squad for the World Cup in southern Africa next Feb-March.The Queensland captain used power and precision to reach his half century off 56 balls and his 100 off 110 balls before eventually getting out to an over adventurous sweep shot.Maher shared a 117-run partnership with NSW batting prodigy Michael Clarke, who turned in a thoroughly impressive knock of 79 off 84 balls.While Maher and Clarke provided the cornerstone of the Australia A innings, Ryan Campbell provided the party tricks with an entertaining knock of 42 off 28 balls with wonderfully inventive shots normally reserved for the backyard.While Maher and co made the most of the last one day fixture for Australia’s fringe players before the World Cup squad is announced in a fortnight, all-rounder Andrew Symonds did himself no favours with an uninspiring effort with the bat.Symonds was given a golden opportunity when promoted up the order to number three but scratched his way to seven before holing out to long-on with a careless shot off the gentle off-spin bowling of Thilan Samaraweera.In typically enigmatic fashion Symonds did provide two breath-taking moments in the field with a catch and a direct hit for a run-out but the Queenslander’s form with the bat is likely to stall his hopes of a World Cup berth.Australia A captain Justin Langer got his side off to a flying start after winning the toss and electing to bat.Langer and Maher took 24 runs off the first two overs and the opening partnership had eked 91 runs when the skipper was felled by a bouncer from Dilhara Fernando.A lump the size of a golf ball appeared near Langer’s left temple but the courageous left hander opted to bat on.However a mix-up with Maher in the next over resulted in a run out.Langer was cleared of any serious injury with the team doctor diagnosing a burst blood vessel.Australia A lost wickets late in the innings in the desperate search for runs with Dilhara Fernando finishing the best of a weakened Sri Lankan attack with the figures of 4-57.The visitors were without opening bowler Chaminda Vaas and off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan but there was no excuse for the bowlers’ poor line and length which gave away 13 wides and four no-balls.The Sri Lankan run chase was almost over before it began after losing both openers Romesh Kaluwitharana and Sanath Jayasuriya cheaply.Sri Lanka were only allocated 48 overs due to their slow over rate in the afternoon session and the loss of early wickets ensured the contest fizzled out well before the last ball was bowled.Australia A paceman Brad Williams claimed the opening two wickets and the further scalps of Kumar Sangakkara, Marvan Atapattu and Mahela Jayawardene left the visitors in a deep hole at 5-70.Russel Arnold (86 no)and Gehan Mubarak provided the only real resistance with a partnership of 99 but Sri Lanka were never seriously in the hunt as the required run rate only spiralled up with every over.Sri Lanka will play England in their VB series opener at the Gabba on Tuesday.Maher claimed man of the match honours with his outstanding knock, but wasn’t getting ahead of himself when it came to World Cup selection.”I suppose there is no bad time to make runs no matter when you are playing but I really enjoyed that innings and the wicket was just fantastic,” Maher said.”It’s just a matter of playing to the best of your ability every time you play and being as consistent as you can be.””All you can do is keep scoring runs and keep your fingers crossed.”

Leeds United could sign a new Harry Kewell in Rangers star Ryan Kent as a fresh update emerges on their pursuit of the winger.

What’s the story?

It was first revealed in the summer of 2020 that Marcelo Bielsa’s side had a bid rejected by the Ibrox outfit, and that Leeds’ initial bid was nowhere near their valuation.

Now, The Athletic have claimed that the Whites retain an interest in the 24-year-old as they look to strengthen their wide options ahead of the new Premier League season next month.

Leeds’ new Kewell

When Kewell was in his prime at Elland Road, the Australian flyer was a real breath of fresh air, displaying a real sense of fearlessness.

FootballWhispers noted: “The Australian youngster immediately stood out in Leeds’ youth ranks, exuding a confident swagger that would go on to define his on-field demeanour. With his pace, flair and guile, the young winger looked a natural fit in the immaculate white of the three-time English champions.”

And that “pace, flair and guile” is exactly what Kent has brought to the table with Rangers in the Scottish Premiership – last season saw him bang in 13 goals and provide another 15 assists in all competitions too.

Former Gers striker Kris Boyd has raved about the 24-year-old previously, saying: “There’s Ryan Kent who is phenomenal – he gets you off your seat. His numbers have increased season after season. Even if the team are not at the level we saw at the start of the campaign, he is still a threat. He is so comfortable with the ball – it is like has superglue in his boots!”

The £20k-a-week earning winger has earned rave reviews for his displays, not least from teammate Conor Goldson, who hailed him as “magnificent” and said: “He has got a lot of ability. (He is) 24-years-old, two-footed. It is not nice when he runs at you, I can tell you that personally from training. He has got everything.”

And, Neil Dewsnip, his former coach at England under-17 level, said: “He seems to relish the atmosphere, so I think he’s in the bracket of players who think ‘the bigger the better’. Ryan is very exciting so, when he’s good he’s devastatingly good. But that’s a trait of a lot of wide players. The challenge is to be consistent and I’m sure that’s what Steven and his staff will be working to achieve.”

With reports also suggesting that Leeds could look to offload Costa this summer, and Gabby Agbonlahor’s claim that the Portuguese ace hasn’t done enough at Elland Road and that he’ll “definitely be moved on”, the Whites could get rid of the winger and bring in Kent to offset that departure.

Not only would they be getting someone who could bring a bit of excitement and edge of your seat action like Kewell did, but Kent’s arrival could also spell the end for Costa’s time at the club.

Meanwhile, Alan Nixon has dropped a Leeds United transfer update…

The Indian board selection committee will meet on May 30 in Mumbai to pick the squad for the forthcoming tri-series in Bangladesh that begins on June 7 in Dhaka. The selectors will be watching a few IPL games before taking their decision

Nagraj Gollapudi22-May-2008
Will the selectors retain the squad from the CB Series for the tri-series in Bangladesh? © Getty Images
The Indian board selection committee will meet in Mumbai on May 30 to pick the squads for the tri-series in Bangladesh and the Asia Cup in Pakistan next month, Niranjan Shah, the board secretary, confirmed to Cricinfo. The selectors, who will be watching a few IPL games before taking their decision, are expected to pick a 15-member squad for the tri-series, scheduled to begin on June 7 in Dhaka.”We will be there [at the IPL] for the last two league games in addition to the semi-finals and finals”, said Bhupinder Singh, a national selector. He didn’t rule out the possibility of taking into account some of the top Indian performers in the IPL. “Definitely, anybody who will be doing well might find a place.”However, not all the selectors believe IPL form matters in national selection. Sanjay Jagdale, the Central Zone selector, said IPL performances would not be taken into consideration because India already have a stable one-day squad.Recently Sourav Ganguly, who wasn’t picked for the CB Series, joked: “I hope the selectors are watching”, after his all-round performances secured a couple of wins for the Kolkata Knight Riders. Vengsarkar said he was “impressed” by Ganguly’s performance. “He has done extremely well. Yes, we have been watching him, especially his brilliant fielding, with great interest.”But an influential board member said it was very difficult for Ganguly to make a comeback.Considering the low-profile nature of the tri-series, the selectors might be inclined to opt for rotation, which Jagdale said was possible only if the panel felt the players needed rest. “There will not be much experimentation as we already have a young side and if at all there are changes, we will give a player some exposure in place of another who needs to be rested”, Jagdale said.The IPL’s relentless schedule, where players have been traveling and playing non-stop for close to two months, means fitness will be a key aspect for selection. Dilip Vengsarkar, chairman of the selection committee, had recently said “form and fitness” will the key parameters when they pick a squad. Jagdale added that the fitness will be discussed, “like we always do, and it will important”.The selection committee has a difficult task of picking a squad especially keeping in mind India’s triumph in the CB Series in Australia. That team, led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, had performed admirably in hostile conditions and Dhoni had a bigger say in the selection matters. It will be interesting to see whether the selectors make changes to that victorious squad.

Newcastle United should not pay over the odds for Joe Willock despite an impressive end to the season, according to Steve Howey.

Willock made the loan switch from Arsenal in February and brought the curtain down on his temporary spell at St James’ Park by scoring seven goals in his final seven appearances.

Magpies boss Steve Bruce has made no secret of the fact he would like to acquire the midfielder’s services on a permanent basis before the transfer window slams shut at the end of August.

However, the 21-year-old’s prolific form means Newcastle face competition for Willock’s signature. Former Leeds United midfielder David Norris told Football FanCast he wants Marcelo Bielsa to hijack Bruce’s move and tempt the ex-England Under-21 international to Elland Road instead.

While Howey believes Willock would be interested in returning to St James’ Park, he has warned Newcastle should not be held to ransom by his current employers.

The former Newcastle defender exclusively told The Transfer Tavern: “It’s a no-brainer for Newcastle to want to sign him but it depends on how much Arsenal want for him. I wouldn’t pay any more than £25million. He was absolutely brilliant and got seven in seven.

“We’ll have to wait and see whether Mikel Arteta thinks he can be in his plans. If not, let the lad go and play first-team football. Having said that, don’t overprice him so he can’t get that move.”

Allen Stanford has said he would like his investment to be paid back each year by money earned through television rights

Cricinfo staff21-Jun-2008
Allen Stanford: “We are going to have to make some money out of this and that will happen in due course” © Getty Images
Allen Stanford, the Antigua-based billionaire who bankrolls the West Indies domestic Twenty20 competition, has said he would like his investment to be paid back each year by money earned through television rights. But he added that any profits he made in terms of the programme in the Caribbean would go to the West Indies board.Stanford said his agenda for investing in Twenty20 was different from that of those backing the Indian Premier League and the Indian Cricket League. “Their [IPL and ICL] agenda is totally commercial: to do something to make money for themselves and their investors and so on,” Stanford told the Barbados-based .”My agenda is to, hopefully, recoup the investment, which is very substantial, that I have made and generate a profit down the road, where that road is hopefully shorter than longer for the West Indies cricket programme. I don’t need to have this as a reason for me to make my stake in future finances for life. I’ve already done that.”Stanford said while he would get marketing and branding from such a venture, the huge satisfaction he got from supporting West Indies cricket was paramount.”It is a lot of fun and I am doing something for a place that I love to be in. Charity is part of it, business is a smaller part of it, but ultimately, business is going to have to make sense here. We are going to have to make some money out of this and that will happen in due course.”

According to 90min.com, Glasgow Rangers and Steven Gerrard are interested in bringing out-of-favour Liverpool forward Divock Origi to Ibrox this summer.

The Lowdown: Gers looking to improve

The Gers enjoyed a fantastic campaign last time out as they won the Premiership for the first time in 10 years.

That means they qualified for the Champions League as a result, meaning the Ibrox outfit must improve their squad to be able to compete at that level. They have so far brought in Fashion Sakala (rangers.co.uk) and John Lundstram, but they will no doubt want to add to those new arrivals.

The Latest: Gers eye Origi

As per this latest report, Rangers are interested in signing Origi this summer.

A number of other clubs are also in pursuit however, with West Ham, Crystal Palace, Southampton, Newcastle and Celtic also named.

The Verdict: A coup

While Origi is not particularly high up the pecking order under Jurgen Klopp at the moment, he would still be a huge coup for the 55-time Scottish champions.

With 59 goals in 284 career games to his name (Transfermarkt), he is not the most prolific, but two goals in the Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona in 2019, as well as a strike in the final, show he can perform at the highest level and does not suffer under pressure – that is crucial under the intense expectations on both sides of Glasgow.

In the past, Klopp has called him “outstanding” (sportskeeda.com) – there is no doubt Origi would provide some additional quality at Ibrox. Valued at £10.8m (Transfermarkt), it is unlikely he would come cheap, but if the Gers want to compete in the Champions League, the Belgium international would be very welcome north of the border.

In other news, Rangers fans are livid at this Club 1872 move.

According to journalist Paolo Paganini (via Football.london), Tottenham have made an offer for Euro 2020 winner Lorenzo Insigne.

The Lowdown: Spurs prepare for new campaign

Nuno Espirito Santo has been installed as Spurs’ new manager, and the 2021/22 campaign is now fast approaching.

However, the Lilywhites are yet to make a single new signing this summer, with the board’s main priority appearing to be holding on to Harry Kane (via The Guardian).

The Latest: Spurs make Insigne bid

As per Pagnini, Tottenham have tabled an offer for £43.2m-valued Italy international Insigne (Transfermarkt). He told Radio Kiss Kiss (via Football.london):

“The most important offers [for Insigne] have come from abroad, especially from Tottenham. After the Euros, Lorenzo has many new admirers.”

The Verdict: True talent

If Nuno is able to add Insigne to his squad, he would be signing a player with true star quality. The forward played a starring role for Italy at the European Championship this summer, his two goals including a solo stunner against Belgium, while he has managed 158 senior goals for club and country combined (Transfermarkt).

With 397 appearances under his belt for Napoli, the late, great Diego Maradona was a strong admirer, even suggesting that Insigne should take the iconic number 10 shirt at the club (via Tribal Football). At 30 years of age, he is not one for the long-term, but his ability right now should be enough to convince Levy to make a real move for him.

In other news, Tottenham have entered the race for this Ligue 1 ace.

With a forcing cut off David Wainwright for four, Mark Ramprakash finally became the 25th man in history to score 100 first-class hundreds when he notched three figures for Surrey against Yorkshire

Cricinfo staff02-Aug-2008
Scorecard
And there it is: Darren Gough congratulates Mark Ramprakash on reaching his 100th first-class hundred © PA Photos
With a forcing cut off David Wainwright for four, Mark Ramprakash finally became the 25th man in history to score 100 first-class hundreds when he notched three figures for Surrey against Yorkshire.The last player to achieve the milestone was Graeme Hick, in 1998, and the other 23 names include the grand figures of WG Grace, Don Bradman, Denis Compton and Wally Hammond. For all Ramprakash’s remarkable form since 2006, he has struggled this season: his last hundred, the 99th of his career, came at the start of May against Sussex. Today’s knock was his 11th innings since hovering on a mere 99 hundreds, during which agonising time his top-score was 48.The wait is now over, however, as Ramprakash reached his third century of the season from 196 balls with nine fours and a six.”When I started out I never dreamed about making that many hundreds but I’ll certainly take it now,” he said. “I feel honoured to join such a high calibre of names who have also achieved the feat. It’s definitely something I’ll cherish for the rest of my days. I’d like to dedicate this to my mum, dad, sister, wife and daughters.”Without their love and support I could not have achieved this milestone.”Ramprakash starred in a second-wicket stand of 259 with Scott Newman and remained unbeaten on 112 as the match petered out into a dull, but far from insignificant, draw.

There is doubt over whether Stuart MacGill will continue to play for New South Wales this summer due to a contract clash

Cricinfo staff24-Aug-2008
Stuart MacGill: will he stay or will he go? © Getty Images
There is doubt over whether Stuart MacGill will continue to play for New South Wales this summer due to a contract clash between his state and country. MacGill, who retired during the middle of the West Indies series in June, was handed a national deal for 2008-09, but he stepped down before it started.By that stage New South Wales had already finalised their squad of 20 and MacGill is now stuck between masters. “Cricket Australia has allocated its 25 national contracts,” the New South Wales chief executive David Gilbert said in the Sun-Herald. “Stuart was one of them but then announced his retirement. We need to work out if he stays one of the 25 or does he come to a compromise?”We had [allocated our state contracts] in May before Stuart had announced his retirement. So when that was announced we didn’t have any contracts left to allocate. We’re just waiting to hear what’s happening between Stuart and Cricket Australia.”A Cricket Australia spokesman said the ball was in MacGill’s court and he had been asked whether he intended to continue playing state cricket. “We’re waiting to hear back,” Peter Young said. “If he says he wants to play on, a discussion will start between us and Stuart’s management to achieve a workable solution.”While there is doubt over MacGill’s career, there is no confusion over the direction of his state team-mate Phillip Hughes. After scoring a century in the Pura Cup final in March, Hughes will start his season as part of the Australia A squad in India next month.Hughes, 19, has appeared in only seven first-class games but was picked in the outfit, which will be captained by Simon Katich. “It’s all happened so fast,” Hughes told the paper. “I moved to Sydney just over two years ago, got a rookie contract a year ago and was then upgraded to a full contract.”Then to play seven games for New South Wales, and get picked in the Australia A team, is great. My goal at the start of the season was just to play one first-class game, so things are going well.”

Newcastle United are reportedly thought to be a ‘huge lure’ for transfer target James McCarthy.

The Lowdown: McCarthy wanted

TEAMtalk reported back in May that the St. James’ Park faithful had the opportunity to sign McCarthy on a free transfer once his deal at Crystal Palace had expired.

The North East club were reportedly looking closely at his situation, and the Republic of Ireland international is now a free agent.

The Latest: Newcastle ‘huge lure’

As per 90min, the opportunity to work with Graeme Jones on Tyneside is a ‘huge lure’ for McCarthy, of whom Jones is a ‘big fan’ of.

Celtic had previously held talks with the central midfield player, while both West Ham United and Burnley are also credited with an interest.

The Verdict: Sign

Steve Bruce needs to add more depth to his squad, and there may not be a better opportunity than to sign McCarthy up for no transfer fee.

Of course, wages would have to be discussed, given that he earned £50,000-per-week while at the Eagles, but the spending is virtually minimal for a player so experienced in the Premier League.

McCarthy has played in no fewer than 272 games in total across all competitions over the last 12 consecutive campaigns in the top flight, for both Wigan Athletic and Everton as well as at Selhurst Park (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, the 30-year-old could be a player that would work well under Jones and Bruce, bringing experience to the heart of midfield.

In other news, find out what a Magpies source has said about the takeover consortium here!