Tag Futebol

This one-sided game added fuel to the debate. Not whether the Champions Trophy should be scheduled for the last half of September in a small, damp north-European island, but whether the Rose Bowl should be hosting international cricket. (And, given that its stands were painted sky blue with great swathes of fans wearing the Indian one-day kit, delphinium or gentian somehow seemed more appropriate than rose.)The new Southampton ground, make no mistake, is a magnificent venue. Everyone has a cracking view even when wandering round or queuing for beer, it sits beneath attractive wooded slopes, the pavilion is light and graceful, and it’s a stone’s throw from the motorway network. With the extra seating brought in for the occasion, it can seat a respectable 16,000, so what’s the problem?Maybe there isn’t one, but a key ingredient of international cricket is still missing. The Rose Bowl doesn’t yet have an international-standard pitch. Even India, arguably the finest batting line-up in the game (admittedly without Sachin Tendulkar), and facing Kenya’s modest attack, could not ignite this match.The Southampton wicket remains a grudging, curmudgeonly pitch that tends to suffocate an innings. One-day internationals thrive on harder, faster surfaces than here, and this fixture suffered.Despite the best efforts of the most partisan and enthusiastic set of fans the Rose Bowl can have seen in its short history – if you looked very carefully, you could just make out the odd pocket of Kenyan leaf-green in the fervent light-blue sea – onfield sparkle was in short supply.With play beginning at 10.15 on a dewy autumnal morning, the Indian top order were justified in playing safe, and in the first 15 overs the crowd had to content themselves with more Mexican waves than boundaries. Virender Sehwag, though, can do only so much playing safe, and he had already gone to an ugly heave across the line that would have caused a wince or two on the village green.Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman looked secure, if not at home. They prospered against largely innocuous bowling, but the stodgy pitch and treacly outfield prevented any fireworks. Both managed just four fours in their fifties as India hit only ten boundaries in their first 30 overs.Against far sharper bowling, Kenya naturally found it even harder going. India’s effervescent supporters, clanging, cheering, shouting and klaxoning their team towards the rout, probably wouldn’t complain, but it could all have been so much more entertaining. And as the Kenyans’ strength remains their batting, it should also have produced a closer game.It might seem churlish to complain when the Indians totalled 290, but the Rose Bowl is due to host Test cricket in the near future. It has excellent facilities, it just needs the pitch to go with them.Hugh Chevallier is deputy editor of Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack.

David Christmas marked his return to the Minor Counties three-day game with a barnstorming innings which gained Lincolnshire maximum batting points in their first innings at Barrow-in-Furness.Christmas, sidelined from county cricket by injury for much of last season, powered his way to an unbeaten 73 off 72 balls as Lincs were bowled out by Cumberland for 365 in 94 overs.Skipper Mark Fell returned to his long-held tradition of losing the toss and saw his side put in to bat on a lively pitch with plenty in it for batsmen and bowlers. The opening partnership of James Clarke and Paul Pollard got Lincs off to an excellent start as they put together a steady stand of 134.Clarke made 71 off 123 balls, including 10 fours, but was first to go, falling lbw to spinner Horne and Pollard followed shortly afterwards, caught behind off Marcus Sharp for 63, in which he hit eight fours.Lincs then lost Mat Dowman for 17, lbw Jason Quint to a ball which kept low, and the same bowler dismissed Jon Trower, clean bowled for 10.Martyn Dobson and Fell both made 28 and Oliver Burford 18, but it was the arrival of Christmas at the crease which got the scoreboard ticking over rapidly once again.Christmas came out at number nine after Burford became Horne’s third victim, caught by Ashley Metcalfe to make it 244 for seven. And when Bob Chapman was caught by Graeme Lloyd off Horne with the total on 265, Christmas and Jonathan Davies added 31, of which Davis hit 12.Last man Elliot Wilson then joined Christmas as Lincs battled to gain maximum points by making 325 off 90 overs. After the 89th , the total had reached 314 and when five runs had come off the first five balls, Wilson made sure that of valuable extra point with a huge six which cleared the sightscreen behind the bowler.But from here, it was Christmas all the way as the last wicket stand grew to 69, bowler Jason Quint going for five fours and a six off one over.The innings finally ended with Wilson run out, having contributed just nine runs to the partnership and Cumberland went out to bat with just 13 overs remaining.But this was long enough for Davies to ensure that Lincs went into the second day in a good position, the former Cleethorpes bowler taking an early wicket as the home side finished on 26 for one.Lincs main concern at the end of the first day was an injury to wicketkeeper Burford who was hit in the face and had to leave the field for the last few overs, but it is hoped he will be fit to return for the rest of the Cumberland innings.

David Fulton reminded the England selectors of his Ashes credentials with a seventh Championship century of the season as Kent replied strongly to Northamptonshire’s 355 all out at Wantage Road.The 29-year-old opener, tipped for a possible call-up to face Australia at Headingley next week, reached three figures for the third time in as many innings, and finished the day 116 not out with the visitors on 202-1 – a deficit of 153.Fulton had a stroke of luck on 28 when he miscued a drive off Graeme Swann and Adrian Rollins spilled a straightforward catch at extra cover, the fielder looking to throw the ball up before he had it under control.But otherwise he unveiled some superb attacking shots and cracked 17 fours in his 146-ball knock, adding an unbroken 174 in 40 overs for the second wicket with Ed Smith (59 not out).They came together when Michael Strong trapped Robert Key leg-before for 20, and made the most of some less-than-impressive bowling and fielding from a Northants side struggling at the wrong end of the first division table.Play got under way two and a half hours later as a result of heavy overnight rain, and the hosts added 78 more runs for the loss of their last five wickets.Martin Saggers reached 50 first-class victims for the summer when he removed Toby Bailey, while Ben Trott wrapped up the innings by sending back David Ripley and Jason Brown with successive balls.

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The Sri Lankans’ Test preparations suffered another severe wobble when their top order collapsed for the second time in the tour match against Queensland. After folding to 5 for 45 in the first innings, the visitors were in more trouble at 4 for 55 as they tried to overhaul the 85-run deficit created by Andy Bichel’s muscular century.Ashley Noffke continued his fine match when he raced through the openers Sanath Jayasuriya and Marvan Atapattu before Michael Vandort and Thilan Samaraweera added to the tourists’ pain. They finished the day at 4 for 62, still 23 runs behind, and will rely on Mahela Jayawardene (22) and Chamara Silva (2) to ease the headaches of a side already missing Kumar Sangakkara with injury.Jayasuriya began the tour with a century on a flat surface in Adelaide, but he has struggled with the pitch’s pop at Allan Border Field and managed only three runs for the game. Noffke, who captured five victims on Friday, forced him to fend a lifting ball to Clinton Perren and he departed to similar dismissals on both occasions.The exit of Atapattu, who was lbw to Noffke for 7, was less of a concern as he has performed strongly in both games, but Michael Vandort missed an opportunity for a meaningful contribution when he went for 26 to an excellent legside take from Chris Hartley. At least the Sri Lankans have an idea of what they will face at the Gabba from Thursday after dueling with a high-quality attack.Shaun Tait’s elbow injury means Mitchell Johnson is a virtual certainty for the first Test even though he has struggled for wickets in this match. He took one on Friday and was again out-bowled by Noffke, who had 2 for 8 off six overs in his opening spell. Bichel chipped in late to dispose of Samaraweera and complete a satisfying day of personal achievement.Bichel smashed seven sixes, the most in a first-class innings for Queensland, and 11 fours as he led the Bulls from the early-morning trouble of 4 for 60 to relative comfort. Entering at No. 6 in a bowler-heavy line-up, Bichel started the day cautiously but expanded his repertoire as he got comfortable and reached three figures shortly before tea.”I was a bit lucky today, I got away with a few things, but it worked for me,” Bichel said. “I’m feeling quite comfortable with the bat in my hand and I hope that continues.”The rescue mission of 125 from 168 deliveries ended when he top edged a sweep off Malinga Bandara, who suffered the most bruises from Bichel. Taking advantage of a dropped chance at mid-off on 18 and a run-out escape, Bichel hit freely and rushed to 99 with two sixes in a Bandara over before flicking a single to midwicket for his century.A couple of mistakes in the field did not help the bowlers, who were unable to shut down a pesky lower order despite regular movement off the pitch. Farveez Maharoof was the most successful with 3 for 72 while Bandara picked up 2 for 89 and Jayasuriya claimed the final two wickets as Queensland were dismissed for 285. Maharoof was unlucky, forcing numerous plays and misses, and eventually gained a reward when he had Hartley caught behind for 8 after Noffke had fallen for 34.Bichel and Noffke, who lost a ball with a six over mid-on, combined for an 80-run stand before Johnson and Bichel added 94 in quick time to pass the Sri Lankans’ first-innings total of 210. Johnson may have struggled for impact with the ball over the opening two days but he contributed a lively half-century to complement the work of Bichel.Maharoof, who was pleased with his return, said there was a lot of work to do on the final day. “Whoever gets in just has to bat on,” he said. “You can’t do that much on this wicket, the only thing you can concentrate on is playing down the line and occupying the crease. The first day the pitch was a bit spongy, but it’s dried out a bit and it’s taking off from a length.”

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details4:24