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Schwarzer out of match against New Zealand, 1st Ld-Writethru, SOC

May 24, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) Veteran goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer will miss Australia’s friendly against New Zealand on Monday with a thumb sprain. Schwarzer’s injury during a practice session Wednesday will give Adam Federici, 25, the start at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia’s final home match before the World Cup in South Africa.

Team officials said Sunday the 37-year-old Fulham goalkeeper’s World Cup appearance is not in jeopardy. Federici played for Reading in the English championship this season.

Star striker Harry Kewell will also miss Monday’s match for Australia as he recovers from a persistent groin injury. Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek, who said his side’s six-day training camp in Melbourne was a success, will cut the provisional Australia squad from 31 to 27 on Tuesday.

He must select his final 23-man World Cup squad by June 1. “We’ve had a fantastic training camp, great training facilities, the boys have all done a fantastic job,” Verbeek said.

“But they know I have to make a few decisions before I go to South Africa and they have done everything to show us they are ready and want to be part of the World Cup selection.” Australia opens Group D preliminary play against Germany on June 13 in Durban.

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Pak skipper Younis Khan fractures finger

September 19, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Benoni (South Africa), Sep.19 (ANI): Pakistan cricket team’s Champions Trophy dreams suffered a major set back when captain Younis Khan fractured his finger during a warm-up match against Sri Lanka here.

Doctors have advised Khan complete rest for the next three days. It is unsure whether he will be playing in the next two practice games on Saturday and Sunday.

Notwithstanding Khan’s injury, Pakistan, however, trounced Sri Lanka by 108 runs in the first warm-up match ahead of eight nation tournament.

The Pakistan team is staying in Johannesburg’s Santon Sun Hotel while in South Africa.

Team manager Yawar Saeed has expressed satisfaction over the security arrangement.

“Over half a dozen security guards have been deputed to guard the floor where Pakistan team is staying. I think in recent times this is one of the best security cover the team is provided with,” The News quoted Saeed, as saying. (ANI)

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Injured Haddin to miss Champions Trophy

September 3, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Sydney, Sep 3 (ANI): Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin has been officially ruled out of Australia’s Champions Trophy title defence in South Africa later this month because of a broken finger.

The New South Wales gloveman had surgery on the ring finger of his left hand after returning home from Australia’s unsuccessful Ashes tour.

“After discussion with Brad’s surgeon and the Cricket Australia medical staff, it is clear Brad will not have recovered sufficiently for him to be considered for any part of the ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa,” team doctor Trefor James said on Thursday.

Haddin said he was disappointed to miss the series but at least the surgery had been a success, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

“My finger will be 100 per cent when the recovery period is finalised. I am aiming to be available for selection for the one-day series in India (in October),” he said.

“In the past I have been able to recover from finger injuries and surgery very quickly and I am hopeful this will again be the case,” he added.

Australia have asked the International Cricket Council to allow Tasmania’s Tim Paine to replace Haddin in their 15-man squad for the Champions Trophy. (ANI)

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Proteas say Botha is a key player for 20-20 World Cup

April 15, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Johannesburg, Apr.15 (ANI): South Africa have backed off-spinner Johan Botha as a key player in their Twenty20 World Cup plans despite him being placed under the scanner for suspect action.

The International Cricket Council says Botha, who was also reported following the Sydney Test of January 2006, has been cited following Monday’s fourth one-day international against Australia in Port Elizabeth.

On-field umpires Brian Jerling of South Africa and Sri Lanka’s Asoka de Silva and third umpire Rudi Koertzen, also of South Africa, laid the latest report.

“Match referee Ranjan Madugalle has informed both the ICC and the South Africa team management of the report, as per the ICC regulations governing the reporting process,” the ICC said on Tuesday.

“The umpires’ report cited concern over two types of delivery employed by Botha, his quicker ball and his doosra.”

Botha will now undergo independent analysis by a member of the ICC’s panel of human movement specialists within three weeks. The ICC are due to receive a written report within a further two weeks.

“If the player is found to have been bowling with an illegal action he will be suspended from bowling in international cricket with immediate effect,” the ICC says.

“He would have the option of applying to the ICC for a re-assessment of his bowling action at any time in order to return to bowling in international cricket.”

The 26-year-old has taken 41 wickets in 45 ODI matches and captained South Africa to a 4-1 series victory in Australia in January.

In the current series, Botha has taken three wickets at an average of 58.00. South Africa leads the series by three games to one.

Botha is free to play in Friday’s game five against Australia at the discretion of Cricket South Africa, the ICC says.

Cricket South Africa chief Gerald Majola wants the issue to be quickly resolved ahead of the T20 World Cup in England in June.

“This is disappointing as Johan was cleared after working very hard on his action following the ICC finding fault before,” Majola said.

It’s believed that Botha’s “questionable” bowling action has been a major talking point in the Australian dressing room throughout the current ODI series. (ANI)

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Prince clashes with de Villiers, Harris before Cape Town Test

March 18, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Cape Town, Mar.18 (ANI): Tensions in the South Africa team remain high ahead of the third Test on Thursday after reports that Ashwell Prince clashed heatedly with teammates in a domestic match.

Prince, who has been brought back into the side after five Tests on the sidelines, is said to have been involved in an ongoing verbal slanging match with Test batsman AB de Villiers and spinner Paul Harris this week.

Witnesses said it became heated and abusive, although no reports were made.

Prince plays for the Eastern Cape Warriors and the other pair for the Northern Titans.

It is understood Prince had the Proteas acting captaincy taken from him a day after he got the job.

Sources close to the team said Prince, who was upset at being brought back as an opener, demanded the decision be reviewed and that as he was acting captain he should have a say in it.

Cricket South Africa chief executive Gerald Majola was outraged at the demands and Prince apparently was removed as captain and replaced by Jacques Kallis.

Mark Boucher had acted as captain during the second Test, replacing Graeme Smith who had broken his hand.

Neil McKenzie filled in when Smith was injured in Sydney but was not asked to do the job because it is believed selectors had already decided to drop him.

Smith is furious at the situation and has fallen out with selectors, but says he will be in the rooms during the third Test, starting tomorrow, to guide the side.

South Africa is down 2-0 in the series and had been confident of a win which would have gained it the world champion title.

Prince aired his displeasure with selectors early in the series, claiming he had only discovered he would not play in the first Test when contacted by a journalist.

He has refused to comment on the captaincy controversy, but is said to be furious that de Villiers, who has opened before, stays at No.5, which was Prince’s spot until he broke his hand before the first Test in Australia.

Prince and newcomer Imraan Khan will open the batting in the knowledge that one of them will be dropped when Smith returns from his broken hand.

Yesterday, coach Mickey Arthur called on the players to come together as a team. (ANI)

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Proteas fined for slow over-rate in T20I in Melbourne

January 14, 2009 By Rajesh Leave a Comment

Dubai, Jan.13 (ANI): The South Africa team was fined for maintaining a slow over-rate during its 52-run defeat against Australia in the first Twenty20 International (T20I) in Melbourne on January 11.

Ranjan Madugalle of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees imposed the fines after Johan Botha’s side was ruled to be one over short of its target when time allowances were taken into consideration, an ICC statement to the press said.

In accordance with the ICC Code of Conduct regulations governing over-rate penalties, players are fined five per cent of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time, with the captain fined double that amount.

As such, Botha was fined 10 per cent of his match fee while his players received five-per-cent fines.

The offence is contrary to Section J of the ICC Code of Conduct which relates to slow over-rates. For such offences, the decision of the ICC match referee is final and binding. (ANI)

Filed Under: Sports News Tagged With: Australia, code of conduct, Dubai., elite panel, Emirates, Johan Botha, match, Melbourne, offence, proteas, ranjan, referee, referees, south africa team, target, time allowances