Gloucestershire have signed Andrew Tye, one of the outstanding performers in the Big Bash League, as their second overseas player for the 2016 NatWest T20 Blast.Tye, a 29-year-old fast bowler and a team mate at Perth Scorchers of Gloucestershire’s profolic batsman Michael Klinger, was a key part of their victorious Big Bash League campaign in 2015.He took 14 wickets at an average of 18.3 and a strike rate of 16, prompting Australia T20 captain Aaron Finch to describe him as the “find of the tournament” on Twitter.Tye said: “I am delighted to have signed for Gloucestershire for the NatWest T20 Blast. I have heard great things about the club from many sources, including my Perth Scorchers team mate, Michael Klinger.”A specialist death bowler and clean-hitting lower order batsman, Tye’s form in 2014/15 saw him secure an IPL contract with the Chennai Super Kings.Despite hailing from Perth, Tye will be no stranger to English conditions, having played Second XI cricket for Somerset, Durham and Northants.He will be available for the duration of Gloucestershire’s NatWest Blast which kicks off under floodlights against Sussex Sharks in Bristol on May 20.Gloucestershire’s head coach Richard Dawson said: “I saw him last year in the Big Bash where he was very impressive in helping Perth Scorchers win the competition. We are looking to make improvements in T20 cricket this year and get through the group stages. Andrew will help us achieve that. He is a highly-skilled bowler who will significantly add to our T20 cricket.”A late bloomer, Tye only made his professional debut in 2013 at the age of 26, but he has gone on to cement his place in the team in all three formats of the game.
Kapil Dev has challenged the Indian board (BCCI) to remove him from his position as chairman of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) for associating with the Indian Cricket League (ICL). The ICL was launched by the Essel Group a few months ago and intends to organise a Twenty20 tournament in October.Kapil, who joined the ICL’s executive board as its chairman and was sent a letter from the BCCI on the issue, told an Indian news channel, “I have already sent my reply to them. They can remove me from the NCA if they want to.”They only wanted me to contribute to the game of cricket, and when I am doing so they cannot challenge me. If I can do something for the game and the young cricketers through the Indian Cricket League, I will not budge.”Kapil also reacted to the BCCI decision concerning pensions for players joining ICL. “I did not go to them asking for pension, and if they want to stop it, what can I do? Let them stop it.”Kapil, India’s only World Cup-winning captain, didn’t know what made the BCCI see a potential rival in the ICL.”Why do they see ICL as a parallel or rebel body? The BCCI is trying to promote the game in India and if somebody else is pumping in more money why is it a problem with them?”This league can help the BCCI only. This can help Indian cricket and shape so many careers. What is BCCI’s problem?”Speaking to the same channel, Niranjan Shah, the secretary of the BCCI, made it clear that players like Kapil would have to make a choice. “We have decided not to recognise ICL in our Working Committee meeting as no state association was in its favour. We don’t want to promote anybody who wants to be a parallel body. We have a policy and there will not be any re-think on this.”Kiran More, another former player to join the ICL, had resigned from his post as secretary of the Baroda Cricket Association.
Tom Moody, Sri Lanka’s coach, has the qualifications to become Australia’s next coach, says Arjuna Ranatunga, the former Sri Lanka captain. He fears Moody will return to Australia after the World Cup in 2007 and take over from John Buchanan.Ranatunga said Moody had shown diplomacy and savvy when dealing with a complex Sri Lankan cricket board. “With all the controversial things happening in Sri Lanka, it’s very, very important with the cricket board changing that you can deal with this as, all these things can affect the team,” Ranatunga told Melbourne’s newspaper. “I thought he has handled everything very well. He has done a good job so far.”Moody also fits the criteria that Shane Warne wants in the next Australian coach. “I don’t have a preference but I would like to see someone in the job who has international playing experience and understands actually what the guys are going through,” Warne said during a team camp earlier this week.Since becoming Sri Lanka’s coach in 2005, Moody has had several sucessful campaigns that include reaching the finals of the VB Series in Australia last summer, a drawn Test series in England and the subsequent 5-0 one-day series whitewash.Moody and Tim Nielsen, the coach of the Australian Centre of Excellence, are considered the leading candidates to replace Buchanan, who confirmed this week that he will quit after the World Cup.Ranatunga said he expected Cricket Australia to pursue Moody. “Normally after the World Cup there are a few changes. I am sure he will get an offer from Australia. That’s normal procedure – we train people, we get people in, then some other country will take them. I think he has been wonderful so far.”
ScorecardBangladesh A’s bowlers staged a superb comeback against a young Kent side, reducing them to 40 for 6, before a late order rally boosted them to 123 for 8 by the close. Syed Rasel was the star with the ball, claiming for 5 for 35 after the Bangladesh batting had been undone by Martin Saggers, who returned 5 for 48 including Tushar Imran for a blazing 86.There was little sign of the wicket surge to follow when Bangladesh progressed to 62 for 1 after winning the toss but they soon slumped to 84 for 4. Tushar staged a recovery in partnership with Nazimuddin, the pair adding 75. Tushar stroked 16 fours in his 90-ball innings, before Saggers had him caught by the debutant Neil Dexter, and Nazimuddin was eventually caught off David Stiff.The tail did not offer much resistance and neither did Kent’s top order as Rasel and Shahadat Hossain caused problems with the new ball. Michael Carberry and Kevin Jones – another debutant – registered golden ducks and three figures was a long way off at 40 for 6.However, Saggers produced his best impersonation of an allrounder when he put bat-to-ball in a positive 37. Paul Dixey – a 17-year-old wicketkeeping making his first appearance – played a gusty supporting role with 24 before he was Rasel’s fifth wicket and Bangladesh will fancy their chances of a first innings lead.
England’s loss is county cricket’s gain. Following their elimination from the NatWest Series, England’s players are set for their first taste of Twenty20 cricket. The majority of the centrally contracted squad will be released in time to play in the final round of matches on July 15, while James Anderson and Ashley Giles will be allowed to participate in earlier matches as well.The decision, made by Duncan Fletcher, is another boon for a competition that has taken off in style over the past week, and Lancashire fans will be especially pleased to see Andrew Flintoff back in action for their Roses clash at Headingley on July 14. Flintoff, however, will not be taking on his captain and Yorkshire counterpart Michael Vaughan – Vaughan has been ordered to rest until the semi-final of the C&G Trophy, against Gloucestershire on July 17.Three centuries have already been scored in this season’s Twenty20 Cup, and Flintoff and Somerset’s Marcus Trescothick are among the likeliest contenders to emulate such a feat. Meanwhile, Steve Harmison and Paul Collingwood will both be turning out for Durham, with Harmison eager to disprove the theory that the 20-over format is no place for a bowler.The first Test against West Indies begins at Lord’s on July 22, and with that in mind, four of the players who were not involved in the NatWest Series – Mark Butcher, Graham Thorpe, Simon Jones and Matthew Hoggard – are all scheduled to play for MCC against West Indies at Arundel from July 13. Hoggard and Jones, who are on the comeback from injury, will be assessed nearer the time.
England all-rounder Craig White is expected to be out of international cricket for three months after undergoing a rib operation.The surgery was carried out this morning after the 33-year-old Yorkshireman suffered a series of problems with his side over the winter.A statement released by Yorkshire revealed that a piece of rib approximately two inches in length had been removed during surgery.White suffered a side strain during last summer’s Test series against India. After he scored an unbeaten 94 in the Trent Bridge Test, it prevented him from bowling for the remainder of the season.The injury resurfaced during the winter, and White took part in England’s World Cup campaign despite the pain in his side.”It is a problem that has recurred two or three times over the winter,” said Yorkshire’s medical consultant Wayne Morton.”It got to the stage where if we didn’t do something about it and rehabilitate it properly he would be in a situation where he always had to compromise.”White will be ruled out of England selection for around three months, but Yorkshire are hoping that he will be able to return to County Cricket sooner, possibly as a specialist batsman.
LEEDS, England – Steve Waugh has made a shock appearance in the nets atHeadingley, fuelling speculation he might recover from a torn calfmuscle in time for next week’s Fifth Ashes Test at The Oval.Waugh’s first thought while being stretchered from the field at TrentBridge 11 days ago was his tour was over and he may as well pack up andgo home to his family in Sydney.But the Australian captain decided to undergo 12 laborious hours oftreatment every day from 8.30am in the faint hope he would recover intime for one last appearance on English soil.Waugh is refusing to ask team physiotherapist Errol Alcott the mosttempting question – “will I be able to play?” – because he doesn’t wantthe answer to affect his determined bid to regain fitness.When Waugh thought the nosiest onlookers had left, he snuck into thenets and batted for about 15 minutes without any discomfort as coachJohn Buchanan threw him balls from short range.”Stephen was fine, but he hasn’t got much time left – one week,” said anAustralian Cricket Board spokesman.”Having a light hit is a different matter from playing a Test match.”It would be nothing short of remarkable if 36-year-old Waugh was able tolead Australia onto The Oval for a farewell appearance in England.But Alcott, masseuse Rebecca Lauder and fitness coach Jock Campbell areworking overtime to expedite his recovery from an injury which normallytakes between four and six weeks to mend.Last week, Waugh said: “When I did the injury I gave myself a nought percent chance of being back for The Oval and while I’ve improved sincethen, I still have to give myself only a tiny chance of being right.”Tiny has become just a little bigger.Full days of physiotherapy, massage, pool work, bike work and lightweights give cause for optimism but there is still no guarantee he willavailable.Motivating him is the fact that Australia will be awarded the substituteAshes trophy at the Oval, he might never again play in England, andentering the twilight of his career, every Test is special.He posed for the cover photograph of his upcoming Ashes diary thisafternoon.In Waugh’s absence, interim captain Adam Gilchrist leads Australiaagainst England in the Fourth Test at Headingley tomorrow, starting at11am (8pm AEST).England is yet to trim its 13-man squad because captain Nasser Hussainis completely flummoxed by the pitch.”I’m not sitting on the fence,” said Hussain.”But it could seam, swing, spin or it could be flat.”Australia: Adam Gilchrist (c), Ricky Ponting (vc), Matthew Hayden,Michael Slater, Mark Waugh, Damien Martyn, Simon Katich, Brett Lee,Shane Warne, Jason Gillespie, Glenn McGrath, Justin Langer (12th man).England (from): Nasser Hussain (c), Michael Atherton, MarcusTrescothick, Mark Butcher, Mark Ramprakash, Usman Afzaal, Alec Stewart,Alex Tudor, Robert Croft, Andy Caddick, Darren Gough, Alan Mullally,Richard Johnson.
So many authorities, so many agendas. Football today is at the whim of so many different authoritative bodies that the work they do is arguably conflicting. Just take England for example. The top clubs have to deal with rules from the Premier League, the FA, UEFA and FIFA. It isn’t possible for clubs to adhere with full effect to all of the agendas set out in front of them. Furthermore the actions of some undermine the proposals of others. How can UEFA expect the European clubs to take them seriously on the implication of the financial fair play rules when there are never ending exposures of widespread corruption within FIFA? It may not be UEFA’s fault but ultimately if the top governing football body does not set an example how are people supposed to learn. FIFA has its own agenda, mainly the spread of football to nations that do not currently participate to any high level. However this goes against the idea of a meritocracy that UEFA is trying to introduce. FIFA giving the World Cup to Qatar is like saying that this year’s Champions League Final should be played in someone’s back garden in Luxembourg. The agendas don’t match. But what are we going to do about it?
What this really comes down to is an argument that has plagued politics for years: central vs. local government. Which is the more effective way to govern?
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Centralised Government
So what are the benefits of organizing sport through a more centralised system? Firstly: clearer objectives. Not only that but a clearer prioritisation of objectives that clubs and countries must adhere to. Centralised government provides, in theory, better organisation by using the top minds to set out plans for the whole of football instead of letting lesser minds at lower levels determine how things are run.
If we put this in football terms it would be similar to taking away the powers of the FA and having a FIFA committee determining what the FA should be doing each year. The benefit of this is that, in theory, with more people to choose from FIFA should have more competent people working for it who have better strategies at hand. Certainly the FA is not the best-run organisation in the world and at times it definitely seems as though it could do with some help. Moreover, if the FA is not directly accountable to FIFA or UEFA then the rules they could be imposing might contradict measures imposed by other bodies. Also, with one higher organisation dictating the agenda for our country there wouldn’t be conflict between the FA and the Premier League.
Local Government
The benefits of local government, or localized football authorities, are that it is far easier for them to identify the problems at hand within the areas of governance. They should also, in theory, be more efficient with their resources as the amount of red tape involved is less than it would be if they had to report everything back to, and have their actions approved by, a higher body. Ultimately this is the deciding factor.
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Football as a sport is too large to be governed by one singular institution. But that does not mean that our system does not need to be altered. There needs to be local authorities that are properly represented by both FIFA and UEFA. The local authorities need not be directly accountable to the higher bodies but they should have some input into the agendas of the more international organisations. There is no ‘either or’ argument for this debate in football just as there isn’t in politics. The lack of cohesion in the organisation of football is damaging for the game but inevitably a worldwide body would not have the ability to identify and address the problems that football faces in each country. The representation of each country in FIFA and UEFA is what needs to improve. Only then can we combine the necessary authority of a singular body with the local expertise of national organisations.
Mark Hughes has quashed speculation linking him with the manager’s job at Bayern Munich, insisting he is fully committed to Fulham.Reports have suggested that Hughes, who took over at Fulham at the beginning of the season after Roy Hodgson’s departure to Liverpool, is on the shortlist to take the reins at the German club after confirmation current manager Louis van Gaal would leave at the end of the current campaign.But the Welshman denied he was considering leaving Craven Cottage.”I wasn’t aware that I was in for the (Bayern Munich) job,” Hughes said. “I’m not interested as I am quite happy here at the moment.””If an opportunity presents itself in the future then we will see, however, I am not even considering looking at the moment.””I am enjoying my time at the club and I think we are going in the right direction. I think if we can invest more in the players next season I believe we can kick on. That’s certainly my focus at the minute.”Hughes’ side face Everton this Saturday, and the Fulham boss hopes to have midfielder Dickson Etuhu available for the game at Goodison Park.Etuhu aggravated a hamstring injury against Blackburn a fortnight ago, but Hughes may be handed a major boost by the midfielder’s return to fitness.”Etuhu twinged his hamstring last week but he trained today (Thursday). We will just have to wait and see how he does tomorrow,” Hughes said.But despite the possibility of a return for Etuhu, fellow-midfielder Steve Sidwell will not be available for the trip to Merseyside because of a knee injury.The game, which is the Premier League’s late kick-off on Saturday, looks set to be a tight affair with Fulham sitting 11th in the Premier League, only two places behind Everton.However, Fulham are yet to pick up a point at Goodison Park in the Premier League and have only scored five goals in their last nine games at Everton in the league.
Blackpool have completed the signings of four players just a matter of days before their Premier League season-opener against Wigan Athletic.
Seasiders boss Ian Holloway has been frustrated over a number of potential targets, but has finally landed defender Craig Cathcart and midfield trio Elliot Grandin, Malaury Martin and Ludovic Sylvestre.
Twenty-one-year-old centre-half Cathcart joins for an undisclosed fee from Manchester United on a three-year contract, having failed to break into the first-team set-up at Old Trafford.
His only senior experience came during loan spells with Plymouth Argyle and Watford.
French winger Grandin, 22, heads to Bloomfield Road from Bulgarian side CSKA Sofia, with the former Caen and Marseille wideman having agreed a two-year deal.
Martin has impressed during the pre-season campaign with Holloway's side and the 21-year-old has penned a one-year contract to seal his switch from AS Monaco.
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Finally, Sylvestre, 26, has signed a two-year contract to head to England from Czech club Mlada Boleslav, having played twice for Barcelona earlier on in his career.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email