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With Jason Holder in the side, there is hope that West Indies could return to a time when success was measured not by bling or bank balance, not by strutting or swagger, but by deeds on the pitch.

George Dobell at North Sound18-Apr-2015This is why Jason Holder was appointed West Indies’ ODI captain. He may only be 23, he may only have been playing his fourth Test, but here, in Antigua, he produced a display of leadership that many of his more experienced team-mates would do well to emulate.It wasn’t so much the class of Holder’s shots that stood out; impressive though the back-foot drives, the lofted straight drives and the tight defence were.It was more the composure. On a fifth day pitch, against a pair of seamers with well over 600 Test wickets between them, with a Test to save and his top-order colleagues gone, he seemed to revel in the pressure. This was his first Test century; there will surely be more.There have been signs of such willingness to embrace responsibility before. Not only did he accept the captaincy of a weakened team ahead of the World Cup – an almost impossible challenge – but he also accepted the burden of bowling at the death.He knew his own figures would be tarnished by the role. And he knew he could, as other captains have done before him, have hidden himself from the worst of the fray and protected his own analysis.But that is not Holder’s way. So, against South Africa, after conceding only nine runs from his first five overs, he brought himself back at the end of the innings with arguably the world’s most destructive ODI batsman – AB de Villiers – at the crease.Holder’s final two overs cost an eye-watering 64 runs and left him with an ugly and unwanted record: no one has conceded more than the 104 runs he was plundered for in a World Cup match.The episode showed he had a little to learn about death bowling, perhaps, but it also showed a selflessness, a bravery, a willingness to lead that was admirable.Those in Barbados who know Holder best – and Ezra Moseley, the former West Indies seamer, has been a pivotal figure in his development – will not be surprised by this innings. He was always seen as a batting allrounder growing up and his leadership qualities were recognised when he was appointed captain first of Barbados U19 and then, briefly, West Indies U19.His batting ability may, in time, allow West Indies to go into a Test with a stronger, five-man bowling attack. If he could have batted at No. 6 or No. 7 in this game, West Indies could have played another seamer, or perhaps spinner, and used their strike bowlers in shorter bursts.But Holder’s excellence with the bat will mask – to some extent – the recklessness of some of his colleagues.For while Holder batted as if his life depended on saving the game, Marlon Samuels batted as if he had something better to do in edging a wide delivery to slip. While Holder batted with a composure that belied his tender years, Devon Smith – a decade his senior – batted with the naivety of a schoolboy in driving to mid-on. And while Holder batted with the discipline and denial of a high-quality Test batsman, Jermaine Blackwood batted with the disregard for conventional technique of a man in the last over of a T20 run chase in charging down the pitch and trying to slog through midwicket.Allowances can be made for Blackwood, in particular. He is a couple of weeks younger than Holder and, as a natural strokemaker learning his trade, it is inevitable that mistakes will occur. As his captain, Denesh Ramdin said, “he’ll learn from the experience”.But Samuels’ failure is more troubling. He had already survived a missed stumping opportunity after attempting a repeat of a lofted drive that carried for six off James Tredwell. So to continue to bat in such loose style was something of a dereliction of duty from a team perspective.To Samuels’ credit, he apologised to the team in the dressing room. But it remains infuriating that a man so obviously blessed averages just 35.55 in Test cricket. Not only was his batting inappropriate in the circumstances, it was against team orders. West Indies were not pursuing a victory target.”There were some shots there that were really disappointing,” Ramdin admitted afterwards. “They weren’t called for at the time.”Devon could have gone on to get a hundred and the game could have been different. We need those batsmen who get in to go on and make big scores. It’s very important, to create the belief, that we can win games”It was important we set up the game in the first hour. We needed not to lose early wickets. But it didn’t go as well as we planned. The guys apologised to the team for it.”There were other positives for West Indies. Antigua had to bid $US500,000 to host this match but the game generated the highest attendance figure for a Test on the island; the old ground may have seemed busier, but it had a smaller capacity. Meanwhile Jerome Taylor out-bowled his England counterparts with the new ball, Smith made his highest score for almost a decade (November 2005) and Blackwood showed he is a talent worth perseverance. Kemar Roach also enjoyed a good game and, by accompanying Holder for more than 50 deliveries, showed admirable character. Around such men, West Indies can build with some guarded optimism.Furthermore, West Indies have seen many of their proud records slip away in recent years, but at least they can say they have still never lost to England in Antigua. And, for the first time since 2009 – and the last time they held out for a draw against England in Antigua – they had batted for more than 100 overs in the fourth innings of a Test.From a negative point of view, the bowling of Sulieman Benn was disappointing and there were times in the field on the fourth day when the bowling and, in particular, the fielding became quite ragged.But Ramdin, whose own batting was also impressive, was in buoyant mood at the end.”This is a fantastic boost,” he said. “The draw feels good. Our confidence is up and we’ve continued that tradition of not losing a Test in Antigua.It was an understandable reaction. If nothing else, the continued development of Holder suggested that Phil Simmons’ pre-match cry for the team to play with “discipline and pride” did not fall on completely deaf ears.West Indies may have a long way to go before they reclaim a place in the top three of the Test rankings – which is Simmons’ aim – but with Holder in the side, there is hope that they are returning to a time when success was measured not by bling or bank balance, not by strutting or swagger, but by deeds on the pitch.

Mehidy’s five-for gave the hosts a big chance before the duo patiently took India over the line before lunch break

Vishal Dikshit25-Dec-20223:23

Jaffer: India’s defensive approach in a small chase was disappointing

A fighting and defiant half-century stand between No. 8 Shreyas Iyer and R Ashwin saved India from a lower-order collapse and led them to a thin three-wicket win on a turning and low pitch on the fourth morning in Dhaka. Resuming on 45 for 4, India needed 100 more to win and Bangladesh six wickets. Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s five-for gave the hosts a big chance with quick wickets in the first half hour before Ashwin and Iyer used patience, accounted for the low bounce and also scored at a good clip – at over four an over – to take India over the line before the scheduled lunch break.India strengthened their second spot on the WTC table with the 2-0 series win and have a four-Test series coming up at home against Australia, of which they can afford to lose only one game to not lose out on the final spot.WTC standings as on December 25, 2022•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

India were in deep trouble in the first hour at 74 for 7, still 71 adrift from the target, when Iyer and Ashwin came together. Iyer used his straight bat to play out the spinners patiently and Ashwin used a low stance for the low bounce especially against Mehidy as the Bangladesh spinners stuck to a stump-to-stump line that had fetched them three wickets in the morning.Mehidy even created a chance when Ashwin was on 1 and India on 80, when Ashwin gloved the ball to short leg where Mominul Haque put down a straightforward chance. Just like Bangladesh made India pay for the dropped chances on Saturday, Ashwin cashed in on the life he got and picked up regular boundaries once he moved into double-digits. He collected two in an over off Khaled Ahmed and finished things off in a 16-run over off Mehidy which started with a first-ball six over midwicket and ended with back-to-back fours, taking Ashwin to an unbeaten 42 off 62 while Iyer was on 29 at the other end.Mehidy Hasan Miraz had India in all sorts of trouble on the fourth morning•AFP/Getty Images

Bangladesh had raced ahead with an early advantage in a dramatic first hour that saw a few boundaries, numerous appeals, two reviews, and three wickets.Jaydev Unadkat survived a very marginal lbw call on the third ball of the day and Bangladesh’s review showed the ball was just hitting leg stump, which wasn’t enough to overturn the on-field decision. Unadkat slog-swept the very next ball for six over midwicket but fell in the next over when Shakib Al Hasan slipped in a quick one from around the wicket to trap him right in front on the back foot and Unadkat wasted a review.Mehidy then removed two left-hand batters in consecutive overs for his eighth Test five-for. Rishabh Pant, at No. 7, unleashed a reverse sweep early on against Shakib for four but also looked nervous while either stepping out too often against the spinners or going on the back foot dangerously against sharp turn. Mehidy bowled on the fourth stump line consistently to him from around the wicket and pitched one marginally shorter to trap Pant on the back foot for 9.Seventy-one for 6 quickly became 74 for 7. Axar Patel carried on from his overnight 26 with regular strokes to keep the score ticking whenever he got width or length to work with. But he also became a victim of Mehidy’s stifling line and flat trajectory when a grubber deflected off his pads on the back foot and hit the stumps to send him back for 34.Shakib replaced himself with Taijul Islam to keep the left-arm spin threat going from one end and Iyer and Ashwin kept their bats close to pads and leaned forward to block the ball patiently in a boundary-less spell of 67 balls. With two right-hand batters on now, Mehidy’s magic didn’t look as unplayable now, barring the life Ashwin got. Iyer hit his first four on his 29th ball when Mehidy pitched one wide and then stepped out to drive Shakib inside out for a powerful cover drive followed by a pull for two more fours to quickly take India past 100 and switch the momentum.When India were 34 away, Shakib brought on pace for the first time in the day. After conceding a four down the leg side, Khaled Ahmed nearly created a chance with Ashwin’s thick edge past a diving gully fielder but that also went for four. Taijul came back on, Mehidy tried going around the wicket and Bangladesh hoped maybe lack of bounce would get them an opening, but nothing worked.Ashwin quickly scored 31 off the last 34 runs with the help of four fours and a six and kept Bangladesh still searching for their first Test win against India.

It is a “matter of time” until an “outstanding” Liverpool player signs a contract extension at Anfield, according to a big update from journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Liverpool contract latest

The Reds may be flying in the Premier League under Arne Slot, topping the table and making a great start to the season with their new head coach, but the contract situations surrounding key trio Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah are threatening to act as a distraction.

All three have been among the most influential players of this era at Anfield, winning the Champions League, Premier League and many other trophies along the way, not to mention standing out as arguably the best players in their world in their respective positions.

Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk and Salah are all out of contract at Liverpool at the end of this season, and as things stand, none have agreed extensions yet, leading to concern regarding their futures.

For that reason, it is only natural that replacements have reportedly been lined up for them, with Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo seen as a potential successor to Salah on the right wing, for example. Now, a new contract update has emerged – one relating to a different Reds hero.

Liverpool star Ibrahima Konate likely to sign new contract

Taking to X, Romano claimed that it is now a “matter of time” until Ibrahima Konate extends his stay at Liverpool.

The £70,000-a-week Frenchman has been such a strong signing for the Reds since arriving from RB Leipzig for £36m in the summer of 2021, proving to be a brilliant partner for Van Dijk. In fact, the Dutchman recently heaped praise on his colleague after the 2-1 victory away to Wolves in the league.

“He is a fantastic player who still can be better. As you saw, he is important with the goal, he is defensively solid, a bit unlucky with the goal we conceded, but obviously the qualities he has are outstanding in my opinion. He is learning, growing, getting better and looking after himself much better in order to be ready every three days as that’s what asked.”

Injuries have been the one thing holding Konate back, with a string of absences over the past three-and-a-bit years proving to be frustrating, but when he is fit and firing, he is among the leading centre-backs in the country.

This season, the 25-year-old has averaged 3.6 clearances and 2.6 aerial duel wins per game in the league, and his pace and physicality are going to be vital to Liverpool’s chances of winning the title.

Liverpool already have their own Mbeumo in "unstoppable" star

Liverpool might not need to go after Bryan Mbeumo after all.

By
Kelan Sarson

Nov 4, 2024

A new deal for Konate makes complete sense, especially given his age, and the Reds should see him as the future leader of their defence, assuming he can avoid further injury problems.

South Africa will remain cautious with Vernon Philander’s hamstring complaint, are not worried about Quinton de Kock’s form and are looking forward to Rilee Roussouw becoming a permanent spot in the XI

Firdose Moonda in Auckland05-Mar-20151:51

Duminy back in squad after fitness test

Should JP Duminy pass his fitness test on Thursday afternoon, he will likely slot back into South Africa’s XI for their Saturday clash against Pakistan in Auckland. But that may not be the case for Vernon Philander, whose hamstring strain will need to be more conservatively managed and may result in his returning only later in the tournament.”A guy like JP will definitely get back in the mix. He has been one of our best players over a period of time,” coach Russell Domingo said. “We need to make sure Vernon is 100 percent ready to go because we need to be careful with a hamstring strain with the important stage of the competition still to come.”South Africa have all but secured a spot in the knockouts and early calculations see them traveling back to Australia to play a quarter-final Sydney, Melbourne or Adelaide and they see Philander as key when the competition reaches that stage. Domingo was keen to use him on pitches he has a proven liking for, but if they need to hold him back from their remaining fixtures in New Zealand to ensure he is available later on, they will.”If there is something in the wicket, there are few better bowlers than Vernon Philander. He is able to extract whatever movement there is,” Domingo said. “If there is something in the wicket and particularly at this venue there might be. We’ve had two low scores in the games here, then. Vernon is a handful, he hits that area consistently and finds a little bit of nip, swing.”Although Philander’s experience in New Zealand has been limited to four ODIs, he has taken six wickets at 15.83 and has an economy of 4.22. His skills would be a handy against Pakistan and the UAE, but his chances of making the XI will depend on how well his hamstring has healed.Someone whose place is not in in doubt is Quinton De Kock. The opener has got into double-figures only once in five ODIs since returning from an ankle ligament tear but Domingo said neither the injury nor the lack of game time has hampered de Kock.”The ankle is fine. All batters go through periods when they are looking for runs. It was four games ago in a warm-up game when he got a good 60 against Sri Lanka,” Domingo reminded.That innings came amid de Kock’s lean patch, his first since establishing himself with three successive centuries against India. De Kock followed that run with another ton in Sri Lanka, where he had appeared out of his depth in 2013, and became Hashim Amla’s third-most successful partner in runs terms after Graeme Smith and AB de Villiers. Naturally, a bubble built around de Kock.”The expectation from a lot of people is that every time he bats, he is going to get runs and cricket does not work like that,” Domingo said.”It’s a good time for a young player who has had a great start to his international career and this will be a good test for him to find the form he is capable of. I’m sure it will be challenging for him because he has always been such a successful young player and a lot has been said and written about him for a young player. But players like that need a bit of love and attention and affection.”So who is providing the hugs? “I’m hoping his girlfriend,” Domingo joked. “I am giving him a lot of attention at the moment. Love is not the word. He is an important player for us and we need to get him going in the right direction so we are giving him as much attention as we possibly can.”With de Kock’s spot safe and Duminy likely to come back, that leaves Rilee Rossouw in limbo but all indications are that he has a big future with the ODI side, perhaps even in this tournament. He may yet displace Farhaan Behardien, especially because of the depth Rossouw provides to the batting line-up.”Even though Rilee wasn’t getting runs at the start of his career, he really looked like a guy who could dominate in international cricket. He has always looked good in the nets, in the warm-up games, the way he has gone about his preparation and when he has gone back to domestic cricket, he has always looked like a man amongst boy,” Domingo said. “He has always shown the attributes that we like. Its a big x-factor for him that he is able to dominate against opposition and he has always played with the mantra that he is able to take the game forward. A little bit of luck has gone his way, a little bit of confidence, coming in at the right times has been important for him and he has grown his game nicely.”Nicely enough to be among a World Cup starting XI? Saturday may tell.

NBA legend and Mallorca co-owner discusses the club's resurgence and Messi's influence on American soccer

• Nash praises Mallorca's recent performances in La Liga
• Former NBA star shares insights on ownership challenges
• Discusses Messi's transformative effect on MLS

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Steve Nash, the NBA Hall of Famer and co-owner of RCD Mallorca, has opened up about the Spanish club's recent success in La Liga. Nash, along with fellow NBA legend Steve Kerr and former USMNT player Stu Holden, has been instrumental in Mallorca's resurgence since joining the ownership group in 2016. The two-time NBA Most Valuable Player opened up about his time with the La Liga side and how he, and the rest of the ownership group, attempted to turn things around for the Spanish side.

  “When we started, I was on the board and then when I coached, I had to get off the board, just too busy and not on the board anymore, but always in touch, always speaking with the chairman and he keeps us connected. And so really at this point, really being a fan, watching the games on the weekend and following the team. And that's great,” Nash told Flashscore.

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  “I mean, it's fun. You know, I got my weekends are busy with my kids' stuff. And then I also follow Mallorca, Tottenham, and the Vancouver Whitecaps. So it's a nice fandom for me to follow our three teams and to root for them. So just being a fan of Mallorca and that connection to the place, to the island, to the history is really special."

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• WHAT STEVE NASH SAID ABOUT LIONEL MESSI

  “This guy [Lionel Messi] is unbelievable. For me, the greatest player to ever play the game. You know, he is still scoring a million goals and making highlights and has brought such an incredible lens or attention to the MLS. You know, what a feather in the cap of the league to have, you know, perhaps the greatest player of all time in your league and still scoring goals, you know, just coming off the back of a World Cup,” Nash said.

  “And so, you know, I know he's at the end of his career, but the things he still does, the way he still impacts games, scores goals, is remarkable. So it's been awesome to have him in America and in the MLS and I still can't take my eyes off him. So it's great for the league.”

• DID YOU KNOW?

  In addition to his love of soccer, Nash had a Hall of Fame NBA career — being named MVP twice in the NBA.

• Getty
  

  WHAT’S NEXT?

  Both Real Mallorca and Lionel Messi are having a good start to their respective seasons as Mallorca sit in 8th place with 10 wins, six draws, and 10 losses after 26 matches played. Messi’ Inter Miami, on the other hand, sit third on the Eastern Conference table after their second league game with four points and face Cavalier S.C. next in their next game in the Concacaf Champions League Round of 16.

He believes he has the experience to take over the leadership and become a voice for smaller members and Associates

Nagraj Gollapudi and Tristan Lavalette04-Nov-2022Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani is potentially set to go head to head with the incumbent Greg Barclay in the ICC chairman election scheduled for next weekend. ESPNcricinfo has learned that Mukuhlani, who has been on the ICC board for a long time as the ZC representative, has declared his intention to enter the contest – subject to his getting enough support from the smaller Full Member countries as well as the Associates.ESPNcricinfo recently reported that Imran Khwaja, the ICC deputy chair, was going to stand, but he is believed to have withdrawn. Khwaja suffered a fractious defeat in the 2020 elections against Barclay. Back then, Barclay secured influential support from the BCCI which paved the way for the New Zealander to win by 11 votes to five, in what turned out to be a two-round contest.In July this year, after the ICC annual general meeting, Barclay declared he was ready to contest for a second two-year term. Barclay is believed to be bullish about his prospects, especially as election rules have been tweaked with the winner to be decided on the basis of a simple majority. In 2020 the winning candidate needed a two-third majority from the 16-strong ballot. The 16 votes are from the ICC board of 12 Full Members, one independent director (Indra Nooyi) and three Associate directors which includes Khwaja.Khwaja had received six votes in the first round two years ago, but Cricket South Africa’s vote in the second round tipped the contest in Barclay’s direction. Once beaten, twice shy, Khwaja, one of the most experienced directors on the board, weighed his options and eventually decided not to contest this time, despite having got the mandatory one vote to get nominated.While it could not be confirmed on October 20, the nomination deadline day, Mukuhlani, too, had been proposed by one of the ICC directors. And now he has the second vote, enough to support a nomination. While he is keen to fight the elections, Mukuhlani will likely take a final call in the next week once he senses the kind of support he could expect.Greg Barclay is the current ICC chairman and is looking for another term•Kai Schwoerer/ICC/Getty Images

Mukuhlani is part of the ICC’s Audit Committee and chair of the Membership Committee. He is also part of the global body’s Olympics working group, which is tasked with pushing for cricket’s entry in the Summer Games. Popularly known as ‘Doc’ in ICC circles, Mukuhlani believes he has the experience to take over the leadership and become a voice for smaller members and Associates. He is hedging his chances mainly on getting support from a majority of Asian countries except for the BCCI. At the moment, it is believed that the BCCI vote is leaning towards Barclay, but options remain open till election date. The election is planned to take place during the ICC meetings, scheduled on November 12-13 in Melbourne.Mukuhlani’s manifesto revolves around striving for equity among members and advocating for governance changes. It aligns with the vision Khwaja has had for several years and was to an extent able to put into effect during the four years Shashank Manohar was ICC chairman (2016-20). Both men worked closely to dismantle the Big Three power structure and put in place a fresh financial model where smaller countries received an enhanced share from the ICC revenue pool.That pot has now grown much bigger after Disney Star* bought ICC broadcast rights for men’s and women’s events between 2024-27. The deal, to broadcast in the India market only, is reportedly worth over US$3 billion, considerably more than what the ICC got in the previous rights cycle (which was for eight years, and globally). Barclay, too, is drumming up support and is believed to have put a re-look at the financial distribution model as well as modifying the governance model at the forefront of his strategic plan for a second term. Other than looking at enhancing individual countries’ share of the pie, Barclay wants to invest money in strategic funds as well has promotion of women’s cricket.

Auckland seamer Molly Penfold will also join the side as a travelling reserve

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Feb-2022New Zealand Women batter Lauren Down has been ruled out of the upcoming ODI World Cup with a thumb fracture. She will be replaced by the uncapped Georgia Plimmer.Down had injured her right thumb while taking Shafali Verma’s catch during the fifth ODI against India. Subsequent scans revealed a fracture.”Quite simply, the entire squad is absolutely gutted for Lauren.” New Zealand head coach Bob Carter said. “She’s a very popular member of the group and it’s fair to say the team were quite emotional when we got the news she was out of the tournament.”Down has played 22 ODIs, scoring 352 runs at an average of 17.60. She was in good touch during the India series and was named Player of the Match for her unbeaten 64 off just 52 balls, which helped New Zealand chase down 280 in the third ODI.”You saw the impact Lauren had in the recent series against India; she played some really mature innings in the middle order and her fielding was at an exceptional standard,” Carter said.Plimmer, 18, is yet to represent New Zealand in any format. In the ongoing domestic one-day competition, playing for Wellington, she has scored 95 runs in four innings at an average of 23.75.Auckland seamer Molly Penfold will also join the side as a travelling reserve. Both Plimmer and Penfold will undergo the necessary five-day “bridging in” isolation period before officially joining the squad.The New Zealand team arrived in Christchurch on Friday in preparation for their warm-up matches on February 27 and March 1 against Pakistan and Australia respectively.

From Balachandhran

Cricinfo25-Feb-2013From Balachandhran. S, India

At its simplest level, sport is about possibilities. We fans dream up spectrums of possibilities. We align ourselves based on these spectrums, pledge our allegiances and set ourselves up for emotional and sometimes even physical reactions based on how things actually turn out. Most times our dreamt up possibilities are restricted by our citizenship – in itself a simple piece of paper, if you think about it.It is perhaps then all for the good that there still exist a few in the realm of sport who make you forget about these restrictions and think only about the sporting possibilities. It takes no special skill to surmise that I am talking about Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar and the possibilities that only he brings to the sport that he adores and so beautifies and typifies – cricket.I lay the blame squarely on Sachin Tendulkar – for making it so hard to write yet another article on his prowess and achievements and landmarks, which show no signs of fading away. Superlatives pale. Praise falls flat and comparisons do not seem to fit, if only because we are finding it harder to find appropriate standards of comparison as time goes on. Cricket’s prolific writing community has driven itself against the wall praising his two decades in the game. It has worked itself into a fury trying to explain to the layman about his passion for the game; his unsurpassed mastery of the art of batting. It has tired of continuously extolling his virtues on and off the field as a champion and a true sportsman. So much so that when you want to write about Tendulkar or his exploits it pays to take some time to think deeply to try and not repeat either yourself or the numerous others who have tried their hand at the same exercise over the years.I have a confession to make. Nothing seemed to suggest itself as exemplary enough. As momentous and unique enough to grace yet another occasion, yet another peerless achievement by the maestro. For a while I was stymied when trying to write about his latest achievement – that of scoring a double century in an ODI contest. Yet another time when he carried his bat through and batted for his team’s entire quota of 50 overs.I have heard it said that emotions tend to illuminate even the darkest paths where the light of reason fizzles out and leaves you alone. This is a case in point. If following sport is in essence a vicarious pursuit into which you throw not yourself but your faiths on individual players and/or teams, then nobody qualifies to be a Vicar quite as much as Tendulkar.The magnitude of emotions, enjoyment and realization he has been able to convey and amplify to millions and maybe even billions of people over the years across borders of nationhood, religion, economic means, caste, creed and colour ensures that it is so. It is not difficult to describe the drives, the cuts, the pulls and the cutest of nudges that he essayed today on his way to the first double-century in one-day internationals. But it would merely be superfluous.His supporters may very well be in the right if they argue that this was always on the cards. A splendorous 175 four months ago had already tantalised his fans. Informed and tempted them about this possibility. And when a summit beckons, Sachin cannot be far behind. He finds a way to the top. And so it was today. 200 not out off just 147 deliveries against the third-ranked side in the world.A successful man cannot have people simply singing praises about him. Ask his detractors. They would point out that the Roop Singh Stadium at Gwalior had short square boundaries, lightning fast outfields and an absolute marble-top of a wicket. And they would be absolutely right. But here is something they might consider. Give a top-class artist a canvas. Give him a room and give him a vista. See what he comes up with. For the art produced thereof we credit the artist himself; not the canvas for its whiteness and blankness. Not the room for the comfort it offered. Not even the vista for its having conveniently presented itself. They are all incidental. Art is transcendental. So too is Tendulkar’s batting.Much has been made of his drive for runs. Of the man’s sheer hunger for putting bat to ball and staying on there at the crease much to the bowlers’ bemusement. Forget the fact that he is largely peerless and matchless. He also appears tireless with the bat in hand when you observe his speed and skill when sprinting up and down the wicket putting pressure on the fielders at 36 years of age. Countless have been the questions posed to him about his desire to play the game and of the day when he wants to hang up his boots.Perhaps they have been posed in an attempt to find out just how long the game will be graced by his presence. The game’s own need of his genius does not however go far when trying to explain his superhuman dedication to the craft of batting and of the sheer determination that has powered him to make several sacrifices in order to be there for his team.In typical Sherlock Holmes fashion, if we eliminate the possibilities one by one it only leaves one last item. That Sachin Tendulkar needs the game just like we mortals need our oxygen, our daily fix of sports and the fount of vicarious joy it promises. That his bat is not an extension of his body as has been often said. Perhaps quite the opposite – that he is an extension of his bat. That his body arranges itself conveniently so that the bat may strike the ball at the most opportune time with optimum speed.All the better for our vicarious enjoyment. That he gives of himself every time through his bat so that we may once again experience the heady breathlessness that sports brings into our lives. So that over the years we all have a bit of Sachin Tendulkar in us. And that he suggests, in the true spirit of Vicar-ship, the existence of sublimation and transcendentalism in sport, also leaving us with the comfort that even after he ceases to perform his superhuman deeds on the cricket pitch he will live on in our minds – fuelling our dreams and defining our spectrums of possibilities.

Manchester City and Newcastle could be forced to change ownership if a proposal banning state-controlled clubs passes in Parliament.

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• Proposal would ban state-controlled clubs
• Added as amendment to Football Governance Bill
• Man City & Newcastle would be affected

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The proposal was put forward by Labour peer Lord Bassam of Brighton in an amendment to the Football Governance Bill, which would see an independent regulator brought in for the sport in England. According to , it is believed the amendment only has a small chance of being agreed, but Premier League teams have called for such a ban from the government.

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• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Newcastle are currently owned by the Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which is chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, while City's owner, Sheikh Mansour, is vice-president of the United Arab Emirates. Were the new proposal to become law, both teams would have to find new owners to be given a licence by the regulator.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The Football Governance Bill would see a new regulatory body introduced to oversee English football, bringing in new ownership and directors’ tests and establishing a new process to handle the distribution of revenue throughout the game.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  The bill and Bassam's amendment are still up for discussion in the House of Lords over the coming weeks.

Champion tree-climber, swimmer and one-time fast driver Mashrafe Mortaza talks about the things that make him tick

Interview by Mohammad Isam15-Jan-2013We hear you’re an expert tree climber?
I have been climbing trees since my childhood. Whoever has climbed trees will tell you it is very hard to go up coconut and palm trees. One night I fell off a coconut tree and it hurt, but I didn’t break anything. My friends told me that since I wasn’t hurt, I should go up again. And so I did.Did tree climbing ever come handy in your fast bowling?
I think more than the climbing it was my swimming in the Chitra river that helped me. From a very young age I swam in the middle of the river, mainly against the tide. I remember I could do it for two hours at a time, so that has helped make my body very flexible, and helped me recover so many times from injury.Are fast cars still a passion?
Not only cars, I used to ride motorcycles very fast, too. But I have stopped doing both since Manzarul Islam Rana died in 2007.Is it true that Dav Whatmore, the former Bangladesh coach, wasn’t too keen on sitting alongside you while you were driving?
[] Yes, that was the day I was getting married. Dav was one of the invited guests and I picked him up from the Jessore airport. I was driving a Toyota Corolla-G. I put him in the front seat and just took off. I think he was scared, but he didn’t say much!Bangladesh’s most popular bachelor, Shakib Al Hasan, got married recently. As a married man yourself, what is one piece of advice you would like to give to him?
There’s a life outside cricket which is much bigger, so I hope he takes this opportunity to have the benefit of this new phase in his life.Tell us about one wicket you enjoyed planning and taking.

It has to be the wicket of Sachin Tendulkar in 2004, which was also the only time I got him out in Test cricket. I had him leg-before off the first ball of the second day. He was in good form after scoring a double-hundred in the first Test in Dhaka, so I just wanted to bowl as straight as possible, stump to stump. The ball moved in and I trapped him.The wicket of Rahul Dravid in the first Test, where I had him bowled, was also one I enjoyed taking, because I had planned it.What is the fastest you have ever bowled?

It was on my first tour with Bangladesh, in New Zealand in 2001. I bowled very quick at the time. I was clocked at 145-146kph.Is there a fast bowler you would like to learn one skill from?
My idol is Courtney Walsh, for his personality on and off the field and his greatness as a bowler, but one thing that I have always loved is Glenn McGrath’s line and length. In every condition, he knew where to bowl, and invariably it was the right area. I just admired his consistency, where he always bowled in one place.What is one thing a tourist should never do on the streets of Dhaka?
He cannot be careless about his moneybag and mobile phone.Tell us about a sledge you cannot forget.
I tried to get on Damien Martyn’s nerves during the Fatullah Test of 2006. He wasn’t having the best time with the bat and I kept needling him about getting dropped. He replied a few times but I kept saying things. In the end I think I had him confused with the way our conversation was going!Have you ever done anything on the field for which you got a rap on the knuckles?
During the first over of the Asia Cup final [2012], Mohammad Hafeez was having some issues with his helmet and he kept me waiting a few times. It got on my nerves and I gave away ten runs, I remember. I was quite ticked off, and had I said what I had in mind, I would have been in trouble.What has been the most high-pressure moment of your cricketing career?

I have never really had such a moment, but every time I got out injured and felt helpless because I couldn’t play, it was very stressful. That is when I was under pressure. When a player gets dropped, he can bat or bowl his way back into the team, but I have had ten major operations on my leg and every time I had a layoff, it was a long one.Is there a match from the past where you wanted to be the player who turned the game on its head?

I missed the Multan Test in 2003. I so wish, even today, I had bowled in the Pakistan second innings, especially the closing stages of that game. We were closing in on a great victory against Pakistan but we ultimately lost by one wicket. I still wonder what would have happened if I was given the ball when we needed that last wicket we never got.Tell us something we do not know about you.

I think I would have to say it is my adaptability when it comes to being comfortable with my surroundings. If you tell me to sleep in a cow shed, I think I can sleep well there. I have slept in the best of hotels, but I can adapt better than others.