Jose Mourinho set to make the unsurprising decision to sell Dean Henderson

According to reports in The Sun, Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson is the subject of a three-way tussle and is already in talks with Bristol City having been given the green light by Jose Mourinho to leave Old Trafford this summer.

What’s the word, then?

Soccer Football – League One Play-Off Final – Rotherham United v Shrewsbury Town – Wembley Stadium, London, Britain – May 27, 2018 Rotherham’s David Ball has a penalty saved by Shrewsbury Town’s Dean Henderson Action Images/Jason Cairnduff EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Plea

Well, The Sun says the 21-year-old stopper is a target for the Robins, along with Stoke City and Premier League new-boys Fulham, having obviously been told he could leave the Red Devils.

Mourinho already has David De Gea, Sergio Romero, Joel Pereira and Sam Johnstone – as things stand – at his disposal, which means that the former Shrewsbury Town loanee is ultimately surplus to requirements.

The report adds that United, whose fans want the club to sign a £65,000-a-week star to challenge Ashley Young at left-back/left wing-back, rate him at £1m, and it seems he will be on his way in the coming days and weeks.

How did Henderson do last season?

He impressed as the Shrews narrowly missed out on promotion from League One to the Championship having been beaten by Rotherham United in the play-off final last month.

The 21-year-old kept 19 clean sheets and conceded 38 goals in 48 league games for Town, and his impressive displays have caught the attentions of clubs in both England’s second tier and the Premier League.

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Is it the right decision to sell him?

It probably is, yes.

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While United already have the experienced De Gea and Romero available, both Johnstone and Pereira are both well ahead of Henderson in the pecking order, and it is difficult to see how he is ever going to make it at Old Trafford.

It will be interesting to see where he ends up before the transfer window slams shut on August 9, and he could even come up against the Red Devils next season if he replaces David Button at Craven Cottage.

West Ham should forget Alfie Mawson and sign James Chester instead

West Ham United are reportedly looking to tie up a deal for Swansea City defender Alfie Mawson, but they should forget about the 24-year-old and sign Aston Villa centre-back James Chester in a bargain £10m deal instead.

Sky Sports reported on Thursday that the Irons are in talks with the Welsh club to sign both Mawson and goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski following the Swans’ relegation from the Premier League, and a potential deal relies on them agreeing on a transfer fee for the duo.

Meanwhile, The Telegraph reports that Aston Villa are under pressure to raise £50m from player sales over the course of the next two transfer windows, and Chester may be one of the players that is available.

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The Telegraph say that the Wales international could fetch up to £10m and is a target for Brighton and Hove Albion and Stoke City, but perhaps the Irons should be taking a close look at him too following another impressive Championship campaign.

The 29-year-old played every minute of their 49-game league season as they were beaten play-off finalists, and he captained the Midlands outfit when John Terry was absent through injury.

The Welshman excelled alongside the former Chelsea skipper and he showed the defensive qualities he brings having made 378 clearances, 71 tackles and 54 blocks, as well as winning 150 aerial duels, as per WhoScored.com.

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Decent on the ball with an 87% passing accuracy, Chester has the ability and experience to make a real impact in the Premier League again for West Ham, whose fans want the club to sign a £16.2m free-kick specialist to replace Manuel Lanzini, and it will be interesting to see if the £10m price tag could tempt them to make a bid.

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Player Ratings: England 0-1 Belgium

During an underwhelming evening in Russia, in a game no team particularly wanted to win, a disjointed performance saw England miss out on qualifying from World Cup Group G in pole position.

That honour instead goes to Belgium, which Roberto Martinez will no doubt accept begrudgingly based on his pre-match comments, after Gareth Southgate made wholesale changes to the starting XI that so easily dispensed of Panama last time out.

Neither side showed much quality until former Manchester United youngster Adnan Januzaj creamed a beautiful curler beyond the reach of Jordan Pickford on the 51st minute.

England attempted to respond during one of the rare instances in which the second-choice forward line of Jamie Vardy and Marcus Rashford managed to combine – the former playing in the latter, only for the Red Devils youngster to have his one-on-one saved by Thibaut Courtois.

Some stand-ins did impress, however. Liverpool teenager Trent Alexander-Arnold gave a good account of himself at right wing-back, creating two scoring chances before a 79th minute substitution, and Tottenham’s Danny Rose remained busy on the opposite flank. Chelsea youngster Ruben Loftus-Cheek, meanwhile, continued to show glimpses of his enormous potential.

What do you think of the World Cup so far? Let us know and win any World Cup shirt of your choice.

Late on, substitute Danny Welbeck attempted to stab home a loose ball from a corner, only for Marouane Fellaini to stretch out one of his impassable legs and divert the effort safely behind. Dries Mertens almost extended Belgium’s lead soon after but unlike Januzaj’s effort, Pickford just about managed to get a glove to it.

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All in all though, it was a night that really took the sting out of England’s thrilling start to the World Cup, and the Three Lions now face the daunting challenge of Colombia in the first knockout round on Tuesday.

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So, England fans, who was your Man of the Match from the 1-0 defeat? Let us know by taking part below and giving each player an individual performance rating out of ten…

Suggested Solutions: Marouane Fellaini’s next club

Marouane Fellaini has never been the most popular player at Manchester United since his rushed signing by David Moyes in 2013 and his dwindling contract situation has not done anything for his status among the club’s fans.

The former Everton man is unlikely to be anything more than a Plan B or cover option at Old Trafford under Jose Mourinho but the way that he has refused to commit his future to a club that many of its fans feel he shouldn’t even be at has not gone down well. 

Yet, as June draws to a close, the Belgian international, who is currently at the World Cup and could line up against England on Thursday night, has said that his future will be resolved by the end of the week.

The expectation is that Fellaini will leave Manchester on a free transfer but with no clear idea on where he might head, Football FanCast have taken a closer look at some of his potential options…

Arsenal

At the start of June, reports emerged that Arsenal were interested in a surprise swoop for Fellaini, which would be a major departure from the profile of players that Arsene Wenger used to bring to the club.

Unai Emery may feel that the Belgian, who is valued at £10.8m by Transfermarkt, could do a job on a free transfer, adding another dimension and some steel to a side that has lacked it for so long.

However, Fellaini has often looked like a fish out of water at United and it could be similar at Arsenal, where he may struggle to keep up with the pace of the diminutive playmakers all around him.

Paris Saint Germain

Emery’s former club PSG have also been linked with a move for Fellaini, although with new manager Thomas Tuchel known to prefer the rapid football favoured by Borussia Dortmund, it is difficult to see the Belgian fitting in well.

The French giants want to play attractive football, attract the world’s elite talent and win the Champions League and it is difficult to see how Fellaini would help them do any of those things.

Fellaini could only be brought in as a Plan B, but PSG seldom need that in Ligue 1 and he is too rudimentary to properly trouble Champions League defences.

Stay in the Premier League

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Usually, signing a player from Manchester United would excite fans of most sides in the Premier League but the fact is that signing Fellaini would be a sign of limited intent to play attractive football.

That is not the plan for many of the clubs outside the top six as they want to inspire their fans and convince them that they will play in an attacking style.

The one possible exception is Newcastle, where Rafa Benitez has built an organised side and it is unlikely that he will have any great concerns about improving the playing style next time around.

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Mike Ashley is notoriously reluctant to spend money so the prospect of picking Fellaini up on a free might appeal – this move makes the most sense if the Belgian wants to stay in England.

Move to China

If Fellaini is unable to find a suitable club in England, he may well be tempted to take on a lucrative move to China like some of his Belgian international team-mates.

Axel Witsel and Yannick Carrasco already ply their trade there and Mousa Dembele is reportedly close to a move there as well, which could sway his thinking.

Roberto Martinez has shown with the above examples that playing in China is no barrier to international selection, so it could be an interesting option.

Knee injury ends Hodge's first-class career

Brad Hodge has played his last first-class game after a knee injury ruled him out of what was intended to be his finale against New South Wales in Newcastle starting on Friday

Cricinfo staff16-Dec-2009Brad Hodge has played his last first-class game after a knee injury ruled him out of what was intended to be his finale against New South Wales in Newcastle starting on Friday. Hodge struggled with knee soreness after aggravating an existing problem during Tuesday’s FR Cup match against South Australia.He announced his impending retirement from first-class cricket last month after family commitments won out over the desire to add to his six Test caps. Hodge leaves the first-class arena with 17,084 runs at 48.81 from 223 appearances, with 51 centuries and a top score of 302 not out.However, Hodge is keen to play on for Victoria in Twenty20 and one-day cricket and he has not given up hope of making the Australia squad for the ICC World Twenty20 in the West Indies next year. The Bushrangers will reassess Hodge’s fitness next week before the one-day against New South Wales in Sydney.Victoria have also lost Darren Pattinson to a calf strain, while his brother James Pattinson is having his workload managed and will miss Friday’s Sheffield Shield match. Jon Holland, Steven Gilmour and the uncapped left-arm fast bowler Will Sheridan have been included in a 12-man squad.New South Wales will again be captained by Moises Henriques, who at 22 last week became the fourth-youngest skipper in the state’s history. The legspinning allrounder Steven Smith will rejoin the side after a quick trip to Perth to act as cover for Nathan Hauritz in Australia’s Test squad.Victoria squad Chris Rogers, Nick Jewell, Lloyd Mash, David Hussey, Cameron White (capt), Andrew McDonald, Matthew Wade (wk), John Hastings, Jon Holland, Bryce McGain, Steven Gilmour, Will Sheridan.New South Wales squad Phillip Hughes, Phil Jaques, Usman Khawaja, Moises Henriques (capt), David Warner, Ben Rohrer, Daniel Smith (wk), Steven Smith, Grant Lambert, Stephen O’Keefe, Aaron Bird, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc.

Graham Napier bludgeons Northern Districts

A summary of the fourth round of matches in New Zealand’s domestic one-day competition

Cricinfo staff23-Dec-2009Graham Napier produced the kind of innings which made him a bankable limited-overs name last summer, clubbing an unbeaten 73 from just 29 balls to get Central Districts home by three wickets over Northern Districts in Palmerston North. Napier walked to the middle in the 42nd over with CD’s score at 219 for 7, chasing 301 for victory, and larruped five sixes in an astonishing innings to take them home with 15 deliveries to spare at Fitzherbert Park.Napier’s whirlwind knock turned the match around amazingly. His half-century needed 20 balls – second in New Zealand’s domestic one-day half-century after Peter McGlashan did it in 19 balls against Auckland in 2007-08 – and he put on an unbeaten 87 in 38 balls with George Worker (27 not out).ND had a solid total to defend after teenager Kane Williamson made a career-best unbeaten 107. His second 50-over hundred encompassed 106 balls and featured seven fours and three sixes. Aiding ND were the opener Anton Devcich (54) and McGlashan (53). Williamson then turned his arm over for figures of 3 for 48, which included snapping a 57-run stand for the third wicket between Tim Weston and Peter Ingram. Williamson added Ingram (59) by beating him in flight and winning a leg-before appeal and then got rid of Jacob Oram for 35, but Napier’s assault turned the tide.At Colin Maiden Park, Auckland beat Wellington by 81 runs. Key to this win were the internationals Daryl Tuffey and Ravi Bopara as Auckland, after posting 230, dismissed the opposition for 149.Bopara continued his impressive run of form with 43 and wrapped up the Wellington tail to finish with figures of 3 for 34 off seven overs. Tuffey claimed 3 for 12 off eight overs, which included getting rid of the openers Matthew Bell and Cameron Merchant. From 61 for 5, Wellington were boosted temporarily by Stewart Rhodes (36) and Luke Woodcock (34) in the middle order, but the house collapsed in the 42nd over. Michael Bates and Roneel Hira chimed in with two wickets each.Auckland’s total was set up by Andrew de Boorder (57), Reece Young (41) and Bopara’s 68-ball effort. The match also witnessed the return of Lou Vincent, but he made just six opening the batting for Auckland. Of the Wellington bowlers, Jeetan Patel and Andy McKay were the most successful, taking three wickets each.

Match referee gives harshest assessment of Kotla pitch

The possibility of the Feroz Shah Kotla being disqualified from hosting the 2011 World Cup remains high

Cricinfo staff29-Dec-2009The possibility of the Feroz Shah Kotla being disqualified from hosting the 2011 World Cup remains high after ICC match referee Alan Hurst classified the pitch as “unfit” in his official report to the ICC, which was forwarded to the BCCI. The report was submitted in the aftermath of the abandonment of the fixture between India and Sri Lanka due to a dangerous pitch.The classification is the harshest among the six stated categories – very good, good, above average, below average, poor and unfit. The venue could have got away with a fine had Hurst classified the surface as “poor” but given his most critical assessment, the consequences could be much worse.”This pitch did not meet the requirements for an ODI match,” Hurst is quoted by the as saying in his report. “This meant the players were unsure of what the ball would do. Playing shots was risky because of the unpredictable bounce. However, of more concern was the dangerous bounce that occurred randomly and accounted for batsmen being struck on a number of occasions.”At the other extreme, bounce was often very low. This pitch did not allow players to play with any confidence and was totally unsuitable for international cricket.”The ICC’s latest code of conduct regarding poor pitches states that a first such breach should be met with “a suspension of the venue’s international status for a period of between 12 and 24 months together with a directive for appropriate remedial action and the need for prior ICC re-accreditation as an international venue”.The BCCI has been given 14 days to respond to Hurst’s report. Its reply, in addition to the report, video footage of the abandoned game and other significant documents, will be studied by the ICC’s chief referee Ranjan Madugalle and its cricket operations manager Dave Richardson, who will determine the penalty.In his report, Hurst also enumerated 14 points to chronicle the lead-up to the abandonment. “Early on Saturday morning the fourth umpire Subrat Das went to the ground to check that a number of things were in place. He reported to me that the wicket was quite green in patches, but the Curator had told him that extra rolling during the day would mean that ‘the green would turn to brown’. It was still quite green tinged when the umpires and I did our ground inspection later that afternoon,” he wrote.Hurst recorded that the Sri Lanka coach Trevor Bayliss and manager Brendon Kuruppu approached him at two stages during the game – in the tenth and the 24th over -expressing concern over the behaviour of the pitch. The report noted that play had to be stopped on three occasions — at 9.54am, 10.05am and 10.46am — for Sri Lanka’s batsmen to receive medical treatment after being struck by the ball.Of all the deliveries that bounced excessively or kept low over 23 overs, the umpires estimated that six were outright dangerous. Following complaints by players, the field umpires Shavir Tarapore and Marais Erasmus consulted Hurst, who walked out onto the field and spoke to the two captains, who agreed the pitch was unfit for play.”At the edge of the ground I spoke with President DDCA (Delhi & Districts Cricket Association) Mr Arun Jaitley, Mr Narinder Batra DDCA Treasurer, BCCI Hon Secretary Mr Srinavasan, DDCA Vice-President Mr Chetan Chauhan and other local officials. I was asked whether another prepared pitch on the square could be substituted,” Hurst said. “I went to the square with Mr Chauhan to look at the option, which had been partially prepared as back-up prior to the game.
Although reasonably hard, it was quite heavily, but unevenly grassed. In keeping with the Playing Conditions, I then spoke with the Captains about this option. Both gave emphatic negatives.”Following the embarrassment, and facing the prospect of a dire penalty, the BCCI, in an act of damage control, moved quickly to dissolve its grounds and pitches committee. The DDCA pitch panel members resigned soon after, but any moves to rectify the situation may have come too late.The ICC had warned the DDCA in November about the condition of the pitch and said it required “considerable improvement” before hosting its next fixture. “There is an ODI at this venue on 27th December 2009 and considerable improvement of the pitch block will be required by then to make the pitch provided more acceptable” said the report, a copy of which is with Cricinfo. The inspection was carried out on November 4, three days after third ODI of the India-Australia series.

A chance to impress for Abhinav Mukund

The Tamil Nadu left-hand opener, has taken a major step towards national selection by being included in the Board President’s XI squad to take on the South Africans in Nagpur from Tuesday

Kanishkaa Balachandran02-Feb-2010He has a triple-century, hundreds on Ranji and Irani Trophy debuts, a quadruple-century opening stand, a 50-plus average after three first-class seasons and an IPL contract – all this before his 20th birthday. And now Abhinav Mukund, Tamil Nadu’s left-hand opener, has taken another step towards national selection by being included in the Board President’s XI squad to take on the South Africans in Nagpur from Tuesday.Abhinav was named in the squad to take on the touring Sri Lankans in the same fixture last year but the weather prevented him from actually playing. If he takes guard against South Africa, it will be his first knock against an international quality attack, and his survival skills and longevity at the crease will be put to test.The emergence of Abhinav, one of several newcomers starting to find their feet, coincided with – or perhaps was responsible for – the revival of Tamil Nadu’s fortunes on the domestic circuit. The team was in a rebuilding phase after losing a bunch of players to the ICL, and the prime indicator of that revival was the emergence of a strong top order featuring Abhinav and M Vijay.Shortly before the 2007-08 season, Abhinav toured Sri Lanka with the India Under-19 squad where he hit 399 runs in two matches at 99.75. He wasn’t handed a Ranji debut immediately. In fact he had to sit out Tamil Nadu’s first two games but on the morning of the third, against Karnataka, a team-mate’s misfortune gave Abhinav the break he needed.”Honestly, I wasn’t expecting that call-up at all. I was looking forward to another four days of rest when R Ashwin (the offspinner) pulled out with an injury on the morning of the match,” Abhinav told Cricinfo from his home in Chennai. “I came in at the fall of the first wicket and got off the mark with a boundary off the first ball. From then on, I was in the zone.”He has self-belief and youthful exuberance, and is willing to take risks but perhaps his most handy trait is that he’s tough to dismiss once he gets his eye in. He followed his debut hundred with another ton against Saurashtra and almost made it three in a row, falling for 96 against Himachal Pradesh.That streak was matched by Vijay, who hit a similar purple patch on his debut. The two have chemistry at the crease that has translated itself into massive partnerships, including 462 in their 2008-09 Ranji season opener against Maharashtra in Nasik. They were three short of the Ranji record when Vijay fell for 243.”We understand each other’s game very well,” Abhinav says. “We have similar styles, we like to settle down first before going for the big shots. We share a great rapport on and off the field.”Abhinav remembers the final moments of that triple-hundred vividly. “I never expected to get close to a triple,” he says. “I was dropped on 202 and by then was mentally tired. I batted till 247, expecting a declaration but the captain Dinesh [Karthik] gave me another 10 to 12 overs. From then on I just slogged.”That knock was like the pilot episode for a fantastic show that continued through the season, in which he scored 856 runs at 85.60, finishing fourth in the list of run-getters in the Ranji elite group. He also had a 100% conversion rate, going on to score hundreds on each of the four occasions when he crossed fifty. A ton in the Ranji ODI finals guided Tamil Nadu to the title and he began the next season with another century, in the Irani Trophy against Mumbai.That Abhinav took to cricket itself wasn’t surprising, given that his parents played the sport too. A regular on the school cricket scene, Abhinav took it up seriously only in his final year at school.Were his folks pleased with his career choice? “Well my mother found it difficult to digest,” he says. “She wanted me to study, which is natural in many families in the south, where there’s a stress on academics. I did find it hard mixing studies with sports.” He’s still trying to juggle between the two, now pursuing a Commerce degree on the side.He furthered his cricket education in 2009 when he won the Border-Gavaskar Scholarship to spend five weeks at the Center of Excellence in Brisbane. That stint not only tightened his technique but also introduced him to the life of a professional sportsman.”I learnt how to be self-sufficient in life. The facilities were amazing. It was a good experience batting against the Kookaburra ball, especially against the bowling machine. I also got good exposure against the short ball.”Like Gautam Gambhir, he’s a powerful cutter and driver of the ball off the front foot through the off side, and doesn’t mind the odd slash. Having been brought up on flat wickets, however, Abhinav is yet to be tested in conditions where the ball swings for considerable periods. A few A-team tours will do him a world of good, as will an opportunity against the South Africans. He says he’s received offers from clubs in the UK, but he’s yet to commit to them because of the upcoming IPL and the league season in Chennai. Another area he’s working hard on is his fielding. He feels his worth as a utility player may just give him more opportunities in Twenty20 cricket.With another Ranji season just ended, Abhinav already has noteworthy achievements jotted down on his CV. Frequent injuries have opened the doors to fringe players in India like S Badrinath and Sudeep Tyagi. At this rate, his name may crop up more often in selection meetings.

Eagles and Mountaineers edge thrillers

A round-up of the fourth round of games from the Stanbic Bank Twenty20 tournament in Zimbabwe

John Ward15-Feb-2010Mashonaland Eagles inflicted the first defeat of the tournament on the Namibia Vipers, by five wickets, in a final-over thriller at the Harare Sports Club. Their main hero was the former national player, Doug Marillier, whose superb 74 blazed the trail that led to victory.Vipers began unimpressive after Eagles won the toss and fielded. Raymond van Schoor was dropped from a hard chance to slip off the first ball of the match, and in the second over Gerhard Rudolph (1) drove a simple catch into the covers. By the seventh over they were 24 for 3, looking a fraction of the team that overwhelmed Rocks in their first match.Here, however, the improvement began. Norbert Manyande, the former Zimbabwean, joined Dwaine Pretorius and the pair rescued the side through good running and judicious big hitting. Manyande reached his 50 off 39 balls and next ball holed out at long-on. Pretorius quickly followed, caught in the deep for 34, but Tobie Verwey clubbed a couple of boundaries to carry the total to 142 for six.Eagles also made an indifferent start, losing two wickets for 22 before Greg Lamb joined the opener Doug Marillier. They combined well to lift the score to 60 for 2 after 10 overs, before Lamb skied a catch to depart for 19. Marillier upped the rate with a mixture of orthodox and unconventional strokes. On 41 he swept a six over square leg, and reached his 50 with another effortless six over long leg. The 100 came up in the 15th over, not yet quite up with the required rate, but with wickets in hand.With Eagles looking comfortable Elton Chigumbura was run out in a terrible mix-up for 15, and then Marillier quickly followed, trapped in front by Tony Palladino for a magnificent 74 (60 balls, 6 fours, 2 sixes). It set up a tense finish with 15 needed from the final 12 balls. Forster Mutizwa and Regis Chakabva ran superbly to leave five required off the final over. The first ball was a full toss and Mutizwa pulled it superbly for four, and followed it with a single the next ball to take his team home.Meanwhile, in a sterling contest that brought 379 runs, Mountaineers held on by the skin of their teeth to beat Southern Rocks by a single run. Their heroes were Hamilton Masakadza, who scored 102, and Tatenda Taibu, while Rocks produced superb batting from Chamu Chibhabha and Steve Tikolo.Mountaineers banked on getting the best from a tiring track by batting first after winning the toss. After Bernard Mlambo was yorked attempting a wild swish at Blessing Mahwire for 6, it was one-way traffic as Masakadza and Taibu massacred the hapless Rocks bowling.They were on the charge immediately, Masakadza unfurling two crisp strikes for six over long-on and long leg. The 50 came up after six overs and the 100 in 13 – after which they decided to step up the pace. Masakadza gave a hard chance to long-on when he had 80, but in the final over he reached 100 with a straight six and an edged four in successive balls from Anthony Ireland. Masakadza ended with 102 off only 56 balls, including six fours and six sixes. Taibu had done his part, with his unbeaten 71 containing five fours and a six and the second-wicket partnership adding 179.With Rocks facing an imposing total the Mountaineers’ bowlers were a little too confident and Chamu Chibhabha at least was going down, if he must, with all guns blazing. 39 runs came off the first three overs, mostly to Chibhabha, but with seven wides also helping total. The 50 came up in the sixth over for one wicket, making victory still a theoretical possibility. Chibhabha enjoyed a narrow escape, a hard chance on the leg boundary on 48, but reached 50 off 35 balls. Steve Tikolo joined in with some fine strokes, and the 100 came up in the 12th over.With 48 needed off the last five overs, an incredible Rocks victory seemed very possible. But Prosper Utseya struck the vital blow by bowling Chibhabha for 70. This proved the turning point, arresting the momentum at a crucial time. Tikolo was still there and by the last over 15 was needed to win. Tikolo cut the first ball for four, but was then run out in another mix-up. Nine was needed off the last two balls and new man Ian Harvey could only manage only a single off the penultimate ball. In a final act of defiance Alester Maregwede hit the last ball for six but it was not quite enough.

Warner and Smith called for Academy return

David Warner and Steven Smith have been named as part-time scholars for the 2010 Centre of Excellence intake in Brisbane

Cricinfo staff05-Mar-2010David Warner and Steven Smith are two of Australia’s brightest international hopes but they are being sent back to school this winter by the national selectors. Warner and Smith, who are both in the Twenty20 side, have been named as part-time scholars for the 2010 Centre of Excellence intake in Brisbane.Warner, who was sent home from the Academy in 2007, has played seven ODIs and 13 Twenty20s while Smith made his debuts in both formats this summer. Jason Krejza, the two-Test offspinner, Moises Henriques and Jon Holland are other players who have been chosen in Australian squads to be included in the 11-man part-time unit. They will spend four weeks in Brisbane and be available for the Academy’s matches.The 14 full scholars include a group of fast bowlers who have already made marks with their states and John Hastings, the impressive Victoria allrounder. Mitchell Starc, James Pattinson, Luke Feldman and Ben Cutting have caused trouble on the domestic scene this summer while the batsman Luke Pomersbach’s rehabilitation from a drink-driving incident continues after he was given a spot.”I’m excited about this group, which has a good mix of under-19 young guns and experienced players with first-class experience,” the head coach Greg Chappell said. “The lists highlight the depth of talent in Australia and shows that the next generation of Australian cricket is in good hands.” The full scholars will complete an 18-week programme that includes the Emerging Players Tournament and a training camp in India.Centre of Excellence 2010 squad Nic Maddinson (NSW), Jason Floros (Qld), Luke Pomersbach (WA), Nicholas Buchanan (Qld), Mitchell Starc (NSW), James Pattinson (Vic), Nathan Coulter-Nile (WA), John Hastings (Vic), Luke Feldman (Qld), Ben Cutting (Qld), Nathan Brain (NSW), Glenn Maxwell (Vic), Ryan Carters (Vic), Ben Dunk (Qld).

Part-time scholars Usman Khawaja (NSW), Moises Henriques (NSW), David Warner (NSW), Steven Smith (NSW), Jason Krejza (Tas), Mitchell Marsh (WA), Josh Hazlewood (NSW), Jon Holland (Vic), Peter George (SA), James Faulkner (Tas), Alister McDermott (Qld).

Development scholars Alex Keath (Vic), Sean Abbott (NSW), Luke Doran (NSW), Adam Zampa (NSW).

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