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Mark Taylor believes Ricky Ponting has to do more to stop Australia’s on-field exchanges escalating into significant incidents

Cricinfo staff27-Dec-2009Mark Taylor believes Ricky Ponting has to do more to stop Australia’s on-field exchanges escalating into significant incidents and has called for all players to follow the spirit of cricket. In the final two Tests against West Indies the hosts had four players reported, with Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson and Shane Watson fined for their indiscretions.The spate of incidents has led to the “ugly Aussies” tag being dusted off and Taylor, a former Test leader, said it was important for a captain to know when the players were close to crossing the line. “I just think the Australians could be a bit more pro-active in trying to nip these things in the bud, rather than letting things escalate,” Taylor said in the Sunday Herald Sun. “To be fair to Ricky, it’s not always easy.”It can be hard to control a situation if you’re not out in the middle and two of your batsmen are in the heat of battle. But as a captain, you have to make an honest appraisal of whether your players are close to crossing the line.”Taylor, a Cricket Australia director, said as captain it was important to “think a bit from the opposition’s point of view – not just your own”. “We saw a couple of incidents in Perth and they weren’t great,” Taylor said. “The Watson appeal I just thought was a bad look for the game. It was embarrassing for all concerned.”Sometimes there can be a decision where someone feels robbed and it can escalate pretty quickly, but that’s where, as a cricketer, you need to keep your head and accept there are ways in which you can’t react. It’s incumbent upon all sides to play within the spirit of cricket.”Watson was fined for his excessive celebration after dismissing Chris Gayle in Perth while Haddin and Johnson also received small penalties for their involvement in a lengthy exchange with Sulieman Benn, who was suspended for two ODIs. Doug Bollinger escaped with a reprimand in the second Test in Adelaide.

Liverpool will head into the January transfer window with some important decisions to make.

They are well within reach of securing another Premier League title but they will have to negotiate the choppy waters of a winter period without Sadio Mane and most importantly, Mohamed Salah.

The Egyptian sensational has been nothing short of mesmerising this term, finding the net on 19 occasions already.

He has had to lift his game in the absence of Roberto Firmino but when he heads off to the African Cup of Nations with his offensive colleague next month, the club’s lack of depth could be exposed.

Of course, Diogo Jota will be a good stand-in having taken his tally to the campaign to nine strikes, but no one is ever coming close to replicating what Salah offers Jurgen Klopp’s men.

Adding to their ranks in the New Year would be a smart decision from Michael Edwards and FSG, but who will they turn to?

One player mooted with a switch to Anfield is Porto forward Luis Diaz. The Colombian featured against the Reds in the Champions League earlier this season and has demonstrated some jaw-dropping attributes this term which would make him a perfect fit in Merseyside.

Indeed, he has found the net 12 times in only 19 appearances this term for the Portuguese outfit, putting in some dazzling displays from the flanks.

He recently scored a screamer in a clash with Vitoria Guimaraes, rifling an effort right into the postage stamp after cutting inside. It was a goal that summed up why he’d be such a good capture for Liverpool, especially when Mane leaves his role vacant on the left wing next month.

That beautiful goal was perfectly summed up by Marino Peixoto, a Portuguese football enthusiast, who took to social media to say the following:

“The rate at which Luís Diaz is churning out otherworldly performances coupled with his ability to score screamers like this on a consistent basis is genuinely frightening. Only a matter of time before somebody pays an astronomical fee for him.”

And what may that fee be, I hear you ask? Well, it’s thought that Porto would be willing to part with the player if their price tag of €50m (£42m) is met.

That shouldn’t deter Liverpool who are clearly in need of adding further bodies to their ranks.

Diaz’s ability to carve out offensive opportunities for both himself and his teammates is inspirational and as presenter Manas Singh says, he is a “livewire” in the final third.

Based on the above evidence, FSG must do all they can to ensure he swaps the blue and white of Porto for the red of Liverpool next year. The thought of him lining up alongside the likes of Salah and Jota is a mouth-watering one. Klopp’s attack could be about to get even scarier; imagine that.

AND in other news, FSG must seal Liverpool swoop for “Jota-esque” £13m beast who sent VVD “for a hot dog”…

What is Steven Smith Until Michael Clarke’s latest adventure into the gossip pages it was the question in Australian cricket

Peter English10-Mar-2010What is Steven Smith? Until Michael Clarke’s latest adventure into the gossip pages it was the question in Australian cricket. It is also a familiar one that is often wondered about Cameron White. Are they legspinners who are handy batsmen, or the other way around?Australia’s selectors see Smith as an allrounder in every aspect, with the chairman Andrew Hilditch saying the 20-year-old was picked in the Test squad for New Zealand because of his “exciting stroke-play, legspin bowling and gifted fielding”. The absence of a glowing adjective before “legspin bowling” appears intentional.Smith is having regular tutorials with Shane Warne and was called into the Test squad at home when Nathan Hauritz was in doubt in Perth and Melbourne. He has debuted in both Twenty20s and ODIs and delivered cool spells under pressure, but he has been picked in the Test squad with a first-class bowling average of 62.26. Like White, Smith has one major deficiency as a legspinner: he doesn’t have a big-turning ball.That weakness ruled out White as a slow bowler after four Tests in India in 2008 when the selectors tried to manufacture a long-term weapon. He has barely been used in a game since. It is no fun following the era of Warne and Stuart MacGill, who could turn it square.”Smith is a batsman without the big legbreak needed for Tests,” Kerry O’Keeffe told Cricinfo. “He tends to find a way to winkle batsmen out. I applaud the selection. He can make runs at No.6 and be eased into the side and develop his bowling further so he can be used as a second spinner behind Hauritz.”O’Keeffe, who played 24 Tests as a legspinner in the 1970s, said Smith had a greater feel for slow bowling than White, who began his career tagged as the next Warne. “I see Smith as a No.6 who offers much more with the ball than Michael Clarke or Simon Katich,” he said.Terry Jenner, another former Test legspinner, said in December Smith was not ready for Test action, calling his initial squad selection “bewildering” and “illogical”. “When he gets everything right he has a magnificent leg break, and he’s still working through that,” Jenner said. “He can’t be consistent yet because he’s only a kid.”O’Keeffe and Jenner have watched a string of spinners with potential be washed away since Warne retired, including Dan Cullen, Cullen Bailey, Jason Krejza and Beau Casson. Smith has two ways of getting into the side for next week’s first Test in Wellington: wriggling in ahead of the out-of-form Marcus North or replacing Clarke if he stays at home. The second option is extremely unlikely and the incumbent North is expected to have another chance to secure his place.With the bat Smith can be a brute and he has excelled in all forms this season. Last week he scored 177 for New South Wales in Hobart to convince Hilditch and Co he was ready. After adding 72 not out against South Australia at the SCG on Wednesday he took his Sheffield Shield tally to a mightily impressive 744 at 82.66.”As an old fuddy-duddy, I worry about the batting technique with White and Smith when the ball does a bit,” O’Keeffe said. “The technique they have has shortcomings when the ball darts around, but that only happens once a year.” Smith will be analysed heavily whatever he does.

Captain Alex Gidman and James Franklin both fell agonisingly short of centuries but Gloucestershire still had the best of the opening day of their County Championship match

Cricinfo staff17-May-2010
Scorecard
Captain Alex Gidman and James Franklin both fell agonisingly short of centuries but Gloucestershire still had the best of the opening day of their County Championship match against Glamorgan in Cardiff. Gidman (97) and Franklin (95), the former Glamorgan allrounder, put on 155 in 46.2 overs as Gloucestershire finished the day on 303 for 5 after they had been reduced to 27 for 3 inside 10 overs.This was a crunch early season meeting between second and third in the table – both sides with three wins to their name. Glamorgan were without in-form strike bowler James Harris, who has been called up to play for the England Lions in a three-day clash against Bangladesh at Derby starting on Wednesday.But the Welsh county did include former England offspinner Robert Croft, who went into the match requiring just 11 wickets to reach 1,000 in first-class cricket for Glamorgan. He has been surplus to requirements for the last four games. But it was the Glamorgan seamers, Huw Waters and David Harrison, who made an early impact on Gloucestershire’s batsmen.Waters struck in his second over, trapping Jonathan Batty lbw and three overs later the other opener Chris Dent was also went lbw, Harrison the wicket-taker this time, as the visitors found themselves reduced to 17 for 2. Glamorgan were convinced they had a third wicket when Gidman appeared to be caught at first slip by Jim Allenby off Harrison. But the batsman stood his ground and the umpires – George Sharp and Stephen Gale – ruled that the ball had not carried.The third wicket did arrive however when Hamish Marshall made it a trio of leg-before dismissals to give Waters, who produced impressive early figures of 2 for 14 from 10 overs, his second victim. Gidman made the most of his good fortune and began to put together an impressive partnership with Franklin as bat started to dominate ball.Either side of lunch, which Gloucestershire reached at 74 for 3, Glamorgan began to wonder where the next wicket was going to come from. Gidman reached his 50 from 116 balls and Franklin reached his own half century from six fewer deliveries.But just as in Gloucestershire’s previous match when he made 99, Gidman failed to reach three figures as he became the fourth batsman to go leg before, the wicket going to Allenby this time. Fifteen overs late Franklin also perished in the nervous nineties, caught behind off Dean Cosker. But Steve Snell and Chris Taylor then carried on the good work finishing the day with an unbeaten partnership of 121 from 23 overs.

United States women's national team captain Lindsey Horan has demanded more "in all aspects" in an honest assessment of Monday's shock loss to Mexico.

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USWNT suffered shock loss to Mexico on MondayU.S. now faces a tougher Gold Cup routeHoran delivers honest assessment of defeatWHAT HAPPENED?

The USWNT was deservedly beaten on Monday in a result that saw La Tri qualify for the knockout rounds of the Gold Cup in first place in Group A. A mistake from veteran Becky Sauerbrunn allowed Lizbeth Ovalle to break the deadlock shortly before half time and Mayra Pelayo put the cherry on the cake with an outstanding strike in stoppage time.

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Speaking to reporters after the game, Horan said: "First off, Mexico played a really good game so we don't want to take anything away from that. But we were not on point today. We need to be better all aspects of the game. I could go into so many details but I think just across the board we need to be better."

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

By qualifying in second place in Group A, the USWNT can now expect a tougher Gold Cup quarter-final. Horan and her team had already secured a place in the last eight before facing Mexico but the shock loss means the U.S.'s route to the success will be trickier.

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DID YOU KNOW?

Mexico's win on Monday was just its second-ever against the USWNT and its first since 2010. Meanwhile, the U.S.'s incredible unbeaten record against CONCACAF opponents was broken, this its first loss on home soil to a team from the same confederation since 2000.

Michael Hussey has said his team is ready to face Harbhajan Singh, who has had confrontations with Australians in the past, when they take on India in the Super Eights in Colombo

Daniel Brettig26-Sep-2012No Australian Twenty20 team has been as aggressive in word or deed as the one about to face India in a critical Super Eights match at the World T20. So there is understandable anticipation about the rejoining of an old battle with Harbhajan Singh, famously provocative in the past but so far this tournament doing more with the ball than with his choice of words.Australia showed plenty of intent in the field in their opening match against Ireland, David Warner and Shane Watson particularly active in their efforts to rile the opposition. Watson later said this was part of how the team “gets up” for a serious contest. Any attempts at a similar approach against the West Indies were momentarily silenced by the blazing bats of Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels before George Bailey’s team notched a rain-assisted victory.Harbhajan’s recall was always likely to tempt another encounter with Australia, a team with which he has a history of confrontation and controversy, not least the 2008 Sydney Test match and its aftermath. While his striking display against England suggested a Harbhajan more focused on his bowling than anything else, the sight of the green and gold may stir that old familiar feeling.Michael Hussey, a witness to much of the aforementioned history, said he expected Harbhajan to resume his famously provocative ways, and counselled his younger teammates to remain true to themselves in dealing with any verbal confrontations.”I prefer to walk away and not worry about it,” Hussey said. “If he [Harbhajan] wants to use his energy up sledging and carrying on, that’s fine. Some other guys really thrive on it. Davey Warner, he likes a little bit of interaction out there and it gets him going.”So I don’t think there is a right way or wrong way to handle it but I think it’s up to the individual to know he’s going to try these tactics so you’ve got to be ready for it, and be sure it doesn’t affect your concentration but handle it in your own way. I just think let him [Warner] go, let him play his way. That’s what has given him success so far.”The match against India is the first of a testy trio that also features South Africa and Pakistan, leaving Hussey to reason that a first-up victory would ease a great deal of pressure from the team’s shoulders.”If we can win that first one in the Super Eights, it does give you that confidence and that little buffer that you know you just need one out of the last two to get through,” Hussey said. “It’s pretty much an early grand final really in the context of the tournament. But that relaxed attitude is important as well. We need to make sure we’re not too tense.”All the [batsmen] are playing well in the nets and they’ve got a lot of confidence, and that’s a big part of Twenty20. You need to have no doubts in your mind or fears, you’ve got to trust yourself and let your instincts take over.”The coach Mickey Arthur treated Australia’s player to two days off after their qualification for the next phase, though he then extracted a measure of recompense by pushing the players through a decidedly rigorous Tuesday training session.”We have had a few relaxing days but I expect that’s all about to end,” Hussey said. “Training yesterday [Tuesday] was very long and pretty intense and a welcome back to reality really. The pressure and tension are only going to rise as we get closer to that India match because it’s a huge game.”

Eddie Howe is reportedly now targeting a record Newcastle United move for Kieran Trippier in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Will not go away…

The possibility of Trippier moving to St. James’ Park is simply one rumour that will not go away.

The Daily Mirror reported last month that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) Public Investment Fund (PIF) believe that they can tempt him back to the Premier League in January, while The Northern Echo have recently claimed that the North East club are hopeful that they can persuade him to leave Atletico Madrid given the emergence of Marcos Llorente in his right-back position.

Nonetheless, given that he played under Howe while they were both at Burnley, a potential move does make a lot of sense.

The Latest: Howe’s top target

As per 90min, Trippier is now Howe’s ‘top target’, after sources revealed that he ‘remains keen’ on a move back to the English top flight, after a move to Manchester United last summer fell through.

However, it will take ‘some persuading’ for him to move to Tyneside, and so the new owners will offer him the biggest contract in the club’s history, worth £150,000-per-week, far more than the £82,000-a-week that he is currently earning in La Liga.

The Magpies would also likely have to pay a club-record transfer fee, or very close to it, in order to sign him next month.

The Verdict: Expensive, but worth it

There is no doubt that bringing in Trippier would be expensive, and could be questioned given that he is 31 years of age now.

However, money should be no object to the mega-rich consortium, and he would offer so much of the valuable experience needed to pull themselves out of the drop zone.

Described as a ‘warrior’ by England manager Gareth Southgate back in June, Trippier was a won the La Liga title last season ahead of the likes of Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, and has so much knowledge and know-how that can be passed down to the squad.

Howe and Trippier also have a good relationship dating back to their time with the Clarets, as Howe once claimed that he is ‘one of the best crossers of the ball’ that he has ever worked with (The Bournemouth Echo), while Trippier in turn has claimed that Howe is a ‘great manager’ and has expressed his admiration for helping him personally (The Burnley Express).

Nonetheless, bringing Trippier to the Toon to work with him could well be a match made in heaven.

In other news, find out which ‘very talented’ Premier League ace NUFC are now eyeing here!

Liverpool have confirmed their place in the round of 16 Europa League and Jurgen Klopp has emphasised the importance of the competition.

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Liverpool win 4-0 vs LASKQualify for the knockout stagesKlopp does not deprioritize Europa LeagueGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Liverpool defeated Austrian team LASK 4-0 at Anfield to guarantee their place in the UEFA Europa League round of 16. With this victory, they qualified for the knockout stages and sealed the title of Group E victors. The game was a display of Liverpool's offensive capabilities, with goals from Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz within the first fifteen minutes followed by a second-half strike by Mohamed Salah. After the match, Klopp revealed his relief after having qualified for the knockouts with one game in hand as they now face a packed fixture list till the start of the year. Klopp also maintained that the club would not be treating the Europa League as a secondary objective this season.

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Speaking in the press conference, Klopp said: "What do you mean how much of a priority? In comparison to other competitions or whatever? Unfortunately, my career is not like this where I can choose, to be honest. I have to take what I get. When we play the competition it's the most important competition on the planet. Easy as that. But now we play the Premier League on Sunday and so that is then the most important competition, definitely. We want to go as far as somehow possible [in the Europa League]."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Liverpool are favourites for the Europa League but having put themselves firmly in the Premier League title race, the demands on Klopp’s side are likely to be significant when the competition resumes. They are involved in a multi-club title fight with Manchester CIty, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Arsenal as Klopp's men sit third, two points behind leaders Arsenal but also only four points ahead of Manchester United in sixth.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

Liverpool's last Europa League group-stage game will be played on December 14 against Union Saint-Gilloise and are expected to field a lighter squad for the clash as it is one of their eight matches in the next three days. They next play against Fulham at Anfield on Sunday, December 3.

Mikel Arteta has a few fitness doubts ahead of the Gunners' clash against Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday

Arsenal take on Bournemouth on Saturday looking to maintain their advantage at the top of the Premier League.

Mikel Arteta’s side go into the game on the back of three successive wins, the latest coming on Wednesday night when they cruised to a 4-0 success against Everton at Emirates Stadium.

So how are things shaping up at Arsenal ahead of Saturday’s crucial clash? Below, GOAL takes a look.

Getty ImagesArsenal team news

The Gunners will make late checks on Eddie Nketiah, who limped off the pitch following his second-half substitute appearance against Everton in midweek.

Jorginho is also a slight doubt having been suffering with illness, but should be fine to make the squad, although Thomas Partey is expected to return to the starting XI.

Gabriel Jesuscontinues to step up his recovery ahead of his long-awaited return to action.

He has been working outside and should soon be able to start full contract training with the rest of the squad, providing he does not suffer a setback.

Saturday’s game will come too early for the Brazilian, however. 

Mohamed Elneny is out for the remainder of the season having undergone knee surgery in January.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesKey man: Bukayo Saka

It has to be Saka. Arsenal’s star man stepped up when his team needed him yet again on Wednesday night, producing the moment of class that ended Everton’s stubborn resistance.

Saka now has 10 league goals to his name this season and every one has either been an equaliser, or a goal to put Arsenal in front.

Time and time again he is delivering at key moments and it would be no surprise to see him do the same once again on Saturday.

Saka's goal and assist against Everton takes his direct goal involvement tally in the Premier League to 19 this season, only Erling Haaland and Harry Kane have more.

GettyTalking point

There is always a lot of debate ahead of games over the need for Mikel Arteta to rotate his squad.

Saturday will be the third game in a week for Arsenal, and Arteta named an unchanged starting XI for both of the previous two against Leicester and Everton.

Despite that hectic schedule, the likelihood is that he will once again resist the urge to make changes this weekend – especially with Thursday night’s Europa League game in Lisbon on the horizon.

Arsenal's manager will certainly make changes for that game, with the likes of Kieran Tierney, Fabio Vieira and Jakub Kiwior all expected to come in, so it’s likely that he will keep things as they were for Bournemouth.

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(C)Getty ImagesWhat has Arteta said?

Despite scoring four goals against Everton, Arteta wants to see his side add even more creativity to their game, knowing that they will continue to come up against defensive low blocks between now and the end of the season.

“That’s something we’re going to need,” he said. “To create a lot of opportunities against this block is really difficult because when we find openings, we have to be clinical and ruthless. 

“I think the way Bukayo scored the first goal [against Everton] was top.”

With Sunday's Gold Cup final set to renew the biggest rivalry in Concacaf, Goal selects the players who have been the tournament standouts

The Gold Cup final that Mexico and U.S. national team fans were hoping for is finally here, and Sunday's final will be an opportunity for players from both teams to cap the strong tournaments they have already put together.

The United States has won all five of its matches at the Gold Cup, allowing just one goal along the way while scoring a tournament-best 15. Gregg Berhalter's squad has helped ease the fears generated by two pre-Gold Cup defeats to Jamaica and Venezuela, though struggles against Curacao in the quarterfinals rekindled some of the concerns about whether the Americans have the quality to defeat Mexico in the final.

It hasn't been all smooth sailing for El Tri either, with Tata Martino's squad needing a penalty shootout to hold off Costa Rica in the quarterfinals and overtime to eliminate Haiti in the semifinals.

Despite those difficult matches, Mexico has shown the individual quality expected when the Gold Cup began, with some familiar faces shining, and some new ones impressing.

The same can be said for the USMNT, which has had some relatively new faces step up into prominent roles and enjoy breakout tournaments.

Which American and Mexican players have enjoyed the best Gold Cups so far? Here are Goal's selections for the combined USA-Mexico Gold Cup XI:

Guillermo Ochoa | Mexico | GoalkeeperWithout a doubt the El Tri No. 1, Ochoa helped Mexico to the final with a save to win a shootout against Costa Rica in the quarterfinals. Though he’s 33 years old, Ochoa hasn’t dropped a bit from his form in the 2014 World Cup and has his sights set on a third World Cup as the starter in 2022. His Gold Cup campaign indicates he’s up to it.AdvertisementGetty ImagesLuis 'Chaka' Rodriguez | Mexico | Right Back“Chaka” may not be a perfect fullback, but he does what he needs to do in Tata Martino’s system. He gets forward to join the attack, scoring in a pre-tournament friendly and coming close in the tournament proper, and also defends well enough to avoid catastrophe. While Fernando Navarro also is available this tournament, it’s clear why Martino has stuck with Rodriguez as his first choice at right back.Getty ImagesAaron Long | USA | Center BackOne of the breakout stars of the Gold Cup for the United States, Long overcame a hamstring injury suffered a month before the Gold Cup to help anchor a U.S. defense that has allowed just one goal in six matches. Long's one-on-one defensive ability, range, and attacking quality as a threat to score on set pieces make him the ideal well-rounded defender. What makes Long's emergence even more impressive is that the 26-year-old hadn't even received his first national team cap until last October.ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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Patrick SmithWalker Zimmerman | USA | Center Back

One of the surprises of the Gold Cup, Zimmerman beat out Matt Miazga for the starting role in central defense and took full advantage, providing a perfect complement to Aaron Long. His aerial prowess and increasing confidence on the ball have helped him adapt to Gregg Berhalter's system. His growth as a player at LAFC playing for Bob Bradley is clear, and the United States hasn't allowed a goal at the Gold Cup with Zimmerman on the field.