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Mikel Arteta has opened up on Arsenal's summer transfer plans and admitted that the Gunners 'need a goal threat' next season.

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Arteta admits Arsenal lack 'goal threat'Gunners linked with Real Madrid's RodrygoRodrygo tipped to leave Spanish giantsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Arsenal's inability to push into the final gear in the Premier League has been visible yet again as the Gunners are set to finish second title race for the third straight year. Arteta's side have lacked a killer edge in front of goal in a number of tight affairs, and that has cost them in the Premier League and the Champions League this season. As such, the North Londoners are said to be targeting a striker this summer and have been linked with Sporting's Viktor Gyokeres and also Real Madrid winger Rodrygo.

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Rodrygo is said to be unhappy at Real Madrid, with the rise of Jude Bellingham and the signing of Kylian Mbappe, having thrown him down the pecking order. Arteta has revealed that Arsenal do indeed plan to improve their attack heading into the new season, which could hint that links with the Brazilian may be credible.

AFPWHAT ARTETA SAID

Speaking to the media, Arteta said: “I think the biggest thing is that, and using the word pride. We have brought the club into a position, into a place that next season: ‘You have to win a major trophy.’

“That means that everybody believes, that we have the level, that we have shown the consistency, and we are an elite team in this country and in Europe. And if you don’t do that, then what’s going to happen? So, for me that’s the biggest statement, that Arsenal is there. If you want to win major trophies, you have to be the best in the market, no? The teams that win have the best players, always, always at this level.

“What we have, what is clear as well with the amount of injuries that we had in the front line, that we need a goal threat and we need the firepower out there. Understanding that the context can change tomorrow, you know, and we cannot rely just on the numbers that we had before. And we have to add goal, we have to add creativity, we have to add numbers and that will be in different positions.

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WHAT NEXT FOR ARTETA?

Arsenal have already confirmed their second-place finish in the Premier League, and as such, Arteta will be free to try out different combinations as fringe players look to prove their worth to the Gunners' squad. As for Rodrygo, it is said that the Brazilian is waiting to talk to the new Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso before deciding his future with Los Blancos.

GOAL goes over everything fans need to know about the unique transfer window opening from June 1-10 ahead of the Club World Cup

FIFA has opened a special transfer window from June 1-10, allowing teams to make roster additions ahead of the 2025 Club World Cup. It's an unprecedented move to allow players to swap clubs this early in the offseason. Still, with the marquee event beginning in just over two weeks on June 14, they opted to open the window so teams could bolster their core ahead of the competition.

Likewise, U.S. Soccer has reportedly sanctioned a window to run during the same timeline, but has limited it to the MLS teams competing in the tournament – Inter Miami, Seattle Sounders, and potentially, LAFC. The face Liga MX side Club America Saturday evening in a Club World Cup playoff game, with the winner clinching a berth in the competition.

FIFA and U.S. Soccer have introduced new rules and amended existing ones ahead of this summer’s competition, aimed at facilitating player movement. As a result, clubs participating in the tournament have additional flexibility in the transfer window – though some of the changes may not be widely known or understood by fans.

Some players have an opportunity to sign a short-term contract to compete, strictly in the competition, before entering free agency this summer. Others are completing pre-agreed transfers, while some are swapping new clubs entirely on multi-year deals. Then, there's a unique case like Trent Alexander-Arnold and Real Madrid, as have now paid the $11.3 million(€10 million) to secure his services ahead of the competition despite his contract ending on June 30.

GOAL goes over and explains everything you need to know about the Club World Cup transfer window.

Getty Images SportWhy does the transfer window exist?

With the Club World Cup expanding to a brand-new 32-team format, FIFA wants to showcase the event to viewers around the world as a marquee competition one year out from the 2026 World Cup. In normal circumstances, the governing body would open two transfer windows throughout a calendar year, one in the winter and one in the summer, but with the redesign of the tournament, FIFA wanted to ensure teams could be at their best for the competition, thus opening this window.

“Member associations of clubs participating in the competition shall have the possibility to establish an exceptional additional registration period from June 1-10, 2025. For the avoidance of doubt, no member association is obliged to establish such an exceptional additional registration period," FIFA said in its original statement.

FIFA rules state that teams are only allotted 16 weeks of transfer business per year, which is typically four in January and 12 in the summer. To ensure that the summer window stays open until Sept. 1 as planned, the window will be closed June 11-16, reopening from thereonward.

To prevent any unfair advantages, the June window ahead of the tournament is open to all European clubs, not just those participating in the Club World Cup.

Watch every FIFA Club World Cup game free on DAZNStream now

In the U.S., however, the federation has reportedly sanctioned a window for the teams competing in the tournament to engage in transfer business as well. It will not be open to the entire league, though, as the Canadian federation would not sanction the window with no teams competing, and MLS did not want to exclude the three franchises based in Canada from transfer business. As a result, it's only open for the teams competing.

Liga MX clubs participating in the Club World Cup window are also allowed to participate in transfers.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWhat happens if a players contract expires during the competition?

European contracts typically run from July 1 through June 30, which presents an issue for players out of contract this summer who are set to compete for a team in the Club World Cup.

To solve the issue, FIFA added a mid-tournament registration window from June 27-July 3 that allows clubs to replace those out-of-contract players with individuals who joined them at the end of their contracts, or were brought in from other clubs near the end of the additional transfer window. If a club wanted to add a player whose contract was expiring mid-tournament ahead of the competition, a pre-agreement would need to be made – with Real Madrid and Alexander Arnold being the perfect example.

The Spanish club has brought him in ahead of the competition by paying Liverpool a fee, despite his contract running out mid-tournament.

What additional transfer rule changes are there?

+ The Club World Cup does not follow FIFA rules that state a player can only represent two clubs during a season, so if a player is signed by a third different team for the competition, they will be able to compete as the tournament is exempt from that regulation.

+ Regulations also state that players are exempt from representing their national teams during the competition, but note that teams must release players for the FIFA international window that runs from June 2-10, right before the start of the tournament. During the competition itself, the only international tournament that directly conflicts with it is the CONCACAF Gold Cup, with the 16 nations from the region theoretically being the only countries affected by the rule. Notably, for the U.S. men's national team, that includes Juventus duo Tim Weah and Weston McKennie, and Borussia Dortmund midfielder Gio Reyna.

+ Lastly, clubs were asked to submit a 50-man provisional roster for the tournament that will be shaved down to 35 by the start of the competition.

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Getty Images SportWhat else do you need to know about the Club World Cup?

Key Dates:

The opening match of the tournament sees Al Ahly take on Inter Miami, and will be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Saturday, June 14.

The final of the competition is at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday, July 13.

How to watch:

FIFA announced a broadcast deal with DAZN on Dec. 4, 2024, and matches will be streamed around the world on the platform, available for free.

Who is playing?

Thirty-two teams from around the world will be competing in the competition, with the Group stage outlined here.

What else?

Any other questions fans may have, ranging from qualification to prize money to tickets, can be found inGOAL's ultimate Club World Cup guide.

The spinner is expected to return for the final ODI on June 7

ESPNcricinfo staff31-May-2023Rashid Khan has been ruled out of the first two ODIs against Sri Lanka with a lower-back injury. The Afghanistan Cricket Board stated that “he will remain under full medical observation, and is expected to return for the final ODI on June 7”.The three-match series begins on June 2, with the second game to be played two days later at the same ground. Just seven days after the ODI series, Afghanistan are scheduled to play a one-off Test against Bangladesh in Chattogram.Rashid was recently involved in the IPL, where his side Gujarat Titans lost the final to Chennai Super Kings on Monday night. He was the tournament’s joint second-highest wicket-taker with 27 strikes.In Rashid’s absence, Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Noor Ahmad will have to shoulder extra responsibility in the spin department.Noor also had a successful IPL stint for Titans, grabbing 16 wickets from 13 games at an economy of 7.82. However, he has played only one ODI and one T20I for Afghanistan.Last month, Afghanistan announced a strong 15-member squad, led by Hashmatullah Shahidi, for the Sri Lanka ODIs.Having sealed direct qualification for the upcoming ODI World Cup, Afghanistan will be looking at this series to get their preparations going for the marquee event. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will treat it as a build-up for the Qualifier tournament in Zimbabwe, starting on June 18.

Shakib had held that position for just under five years, since May 2019

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Feb-2024Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi replaced Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh as the No.1 ranked allrounder in the ICC rankings, on Wednesday. Prior to this, Shakib had held this position for just under five years, since May 2019.Shakib hasn’t played for Bangladesh since the ODI World Cup in India last year, and has been ruled out of their upcoming white-ball series against Sri Lanka due to an eye condition. He has, however, been in action for Rangpur Riders in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League season.Nabi claimed the top spot following his 136 against Sri Lanka in the opening ODI of the three-match series, in Pallekele. Chasing a mammoth 382, Nabi’s hundred at No. 7 and Azmatullah Omarzai’s unbeaten 149 lifted Afghanistan from 55 for 5, but the team fell short by 42 runs. Nabi also took a wicket in the same game to move up by one place to be seventh in the ICC’s latest ODI bowlers’ ranking.Full rankings tables

Click here for the full team rankings

Click here for the full player rankings

South Africa left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj remains the leader among bowlers with Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga gaining 14 spots to equal 26th and Dilshan Madushanka moving up by four places to be 33rd.In the batting list, Sri Lanka’s Charith Asalanka climbed five positions to occupy 15th following his unbeaten 97 in the second ODI. Pathum Nissanka jumped 10 spots to be 18th after his unbeaten 210 in the opener.Meanwhile, in the Test bowling chart, New Zealand quick Kyle Jamieson went up six places to eighth following his six-wicket haul against South Africa in the series opener at Mount Maunganui. He also moved up two places to be 13th on the list for Test all-rounders.

Mason Greenwood remains in red-hot form for Marseille in pre-season, with his goal tally being taken to five through three appearances.

Opened pre-season with a hat-trickPenalty converted in latest outingLinked with teams in Europe & SaudiFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The ex-Manchester United forward enjoyed a dream start to his 2025-26 preparations when netting an 11-minute hat-trick against Dutch third-tier minnows Excelsior Maassluis. He was then on target again in a draw with OC Charleroi.

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Some neat footwork and fine finishing has been showcased by Greenwood, with the 23-year-old looking to build on a debut campaign in France that saw him share Ligue 1 Golden Boot honours with Paris Saint-Germain’s Ballon d’Or contender Ousmane Dembele.

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GettyDID YOU KNOW?

Greenwood’s efforts across the summer so far bode well for Marseille, with confidence flowing before competitive action begins. His latest effort was a calmly converted penalty against Girona that saw the in-form winger send the goalkeeper the wrong way.

Shane Warne has saved Australia from the prospect of following on before Old Trafford

Andrew McGlashan13-Aug-2005

Old Trafford is not the first that Warne has saved Australia from the follow-on © Getty Images
Australia won’t be following on at Old Trafford, thanks to the efforts of Shane Warne who brought up his half-century in the brief passage of play possible. Being asked to bat again by the opposition is not something Australia has had to contemplate very often in recent times. At Sydney in 2003-04 India had the option to stick Steve Waugh’s men in again, but declined, and during the 2001-02 season New Zealand gave them a real scare at Perth before being thwarted – with Warne again to the fore.In a similar situation to the one developing at Old Trafford, New Zealand amassed a commanding first-innings total of 534 before reducing Australia to 270 for 7 – 65 runs shy of saving the follow-on. Warne and Brett Lee then joined forces, adding 72 to take Australia past that mark with three wickets to spare. Today, in Manchester, it was Warne and Jason Gillespie halting England with an unbeaten stand of 44.Warne eventually fell at Perth within one run of, what then, would have been his first first-class century. He could have nudged a single, but decided to go for glory, and attempted to reach the landmark with a six. However, he was caught at deep midwicket off Daniel Vettori, leaving him to wait until his stint with Hampshire in the early part of this season to register three figures.That 99 at Perth is still Warne’s highest Test score but, given continued support from Gillespie and the remaining two batsmen, Lee and Glenn McGrath, he may yet have another chance to reach that elusive hundred. Warne may think twice about trying to reach it with a six this time, although the manner in which he charged down the track to Ashley Giles, surviving a stumping and then hoisting him for four, suggests otherwise.Warne has never been one to reach landmarks quietly and, in the match in which he has taken his 600th Test wicket, you wouldn’t bet against him having another moment to savour.

A worthy, reasonably priced reference on world cricket

Martin Williamson22-Jul-2007Encyclopaedia of World Cricket by Roy Morgan (SportsBooks Ltd, 2007)
344pp, £17.99
Thanks in part to the ICC’s policy of global expansion, in part to the spread of expats from the traditional cricket-playing countries, and in part to the effort of a relatively small number of passionate individuals, cricket is now played in at least 127 countries, with about 105 taking part in international fixtures.Understandably, the bulk of media coverage concentrates on the Test-playing countries – some would argue only the main three or four – and the rest barely get a mention … despite Cricinfo’s best endeavours!In his excellent guide to life beyond the Test world, Roy Morgan looks to correct the imbalance. In a world where the ghosted and often bland biography prevails, it’s a refreshing change to read a book which will never top the bestseller lists but is necessary, informative, well researched and interesting.The book opens with a thought-provoking essay on why the game has expanded as it has – and the reasons are not as obvious as they might seem – through to fascinating country profiles to which Morgan wisely adds colour with accounts of important matches and biographies of leading players. He also does this for major Test-playing nations as well, but trying to condense, say, Australia’s cricket history into six pages and to include three famous victories by them is rather pointless. He perhaps would have been better advised to leave the Full Member countries alone and concentrate on the remainder.It’s much the same with tournaments and competitions. More on events such as the ICC Trophy and less on the World Cup proper might have been advisable, and at times there is a suspicion that some of this information is included as padding.That might be slightly unfair, though, and the book’s title makes it clear that it is about the game wherever it is played. The only thing is that there already are many in-depth accounts of the game in most of the major centres, and where Morgan succeeds is in highlighting cricket outside those.But those criticisms – to which the absence of photographs ought to be added – should not detract from the book itself. This is an excellent, reasonably priced encyclopaedia of world cricket and adds considerably to the profile and understanding of the game.

Peter Chingoka, chairman of Zimbabwe Cricket, is confident his country are well on their way to being a Test nation again

Interview by Osman Samiuddin21-Jan-2008

Chingoka: ‘Democracy must rule. That is what it is’ © AFP
Zimbabwe’s Test status is likely to come up for review again this year …
It’s not a general question of coming up for review, we have to be clear. Firstly, in February 2006, after we had problems at the end of 2005 and early 2006, Zimbabwe Cricket took the decision [for suspension] on its own. We initiated this, so it was a voluntary thing. And it’s voluntary to be saying we are coming back in. As soon as we believe we are ready, we will let the ICC know.How far, then, are Zimbabwe from becoming a Test side again? There have been a few four-day matches, some with promising performances.
There has been that, yes, but we must remember, all this time we have really played most of our cricket at home. If not at home, we have played the four-day games in South Africa. This is the first chance we have had to play outside, so after this, after this series in Pakistan, we go home, we regroup and we take stock of where we are.A key indicator of progress will be the domestic system’s ability to constantly produce players for international cricket. How viable is the domestic cricket structure currently? There are reports that standards are not very high right now.
The standard is reasonably good and improving all the time. It is not yet perfect. We do need some additional resources. By that I mean possibly bringing in one or two players from outside Zimbabwe to play so that it helps younger players. Kenya playing last year [in the Logan Cup] was useful. Also, we could look at Namibia taking part and helping us as much as helping themselves as well. We are also playing the South African competition. So we are playing tough cricket where the players learn the hard way.Robin Brown, Zimbabwe’s coach, said recently that schools cricket and the academy and Under-19 structures were doing some good work. Tell us a little more about that.
We have an academy which operates, but the structures were burned down unfortunately. We are in the process of repairing that now. We take youngsters between the age of 17 and 23, those with promise and potential to be high performers, and we take them through not just the different facets of cricket, but we make them rounded people. Things like public speaking, how they control their financial management, know more about diets and nutrition and sports psychology.The U-19s we have over the last three U-19 World Cups have excelled. We got to the quarter-final last time and the time before that we beat both Australia and New Zealand when the tournament was hosted in Bangladesh. At U-19 level we can mix it with the best.Brown was appointed coach in September and that seems to have sparked something in the side. Were there problems for the players with Kevin Curran?
It’s going well at the moment. Under Robin’s care we have done quite well, but I don’t want to over-criticise the predecessor because he could’ve done something to be planting a seed, which Robin also propagated. Robin is doing well, he seems to be enjoying it, he’s doing a good job for the team. We keep monitoring that, talking to the players as well as Robin himself and the technical people around him to see that we are getting the best team around the young players.Do you feel Zimbabwe cricket is in a better state now than it was three or four years ago?
Yes and no. Starting with the no side, the popular question that everybody asks is: what happened to this player or that player. From that point of view, the idea would’ve been for these young fellows to be sort of dovetailing in. In as much as we try to make it an all-inclusive squad, there were people that were against that whole idea. Some people thought it was an elitist sport that must remain elitist. As a policy there was no way we could subscribe to that, so there was a downside to reconstructing. But the reconstruction process also takes care of the fact that a lot of the players people would’ve asked questions about would have reached their sell-by date in any case by now. Some were near 36, 39 – the fullness of time has arrived for them. Zimbabwe must be such an interesting subject that a 2004 story seems to be news still. Why is this? I never hear anybody raking up old quotes about Australia when they had their problems between players and administrators, but Zimbabwe seems to be a topical nation. Fashionable. The positive side is obviously from our administration point of view, that we have a much, much more stable version now. It’s a structure that covers all the four corners of the country, which was not the case before. We now have ten provincial associations that are active. We followed the government in imitation, where we have ten provinces and all of them are active. Most of them are solid first-class anyway, when they are on, and in all aspects they are carrying out serious progressive programmes. From a structural point of view we are better off now and the quality is just what we have to work on now. Before we only had five provincial associations and of those five we had an additional two that were only involved in districts cricket.A player who was involved in the exodus in 2003-04 has said that to a different degree both players and administrators were to blame for what happened. He also suggested that a more serious, mature attempt to integrate black players could have been made by the team. How do you feel about that?
Before I answer your question, Zimbabwe must be such an interesting subject that a 2004 story seems to be news still. Why is this? I never hear anybody raking up old quotes about Australia when they had their problems between players and administrators, but Zimbabwe seems to be a topical nation. Fashionable.Well, that is his opinion and he is entitled to one. I said to you earlier that there were some people prior to 2006 who believed that cricket is a game for only one sector of the community. There is no way one could accept that. There is no way one could accept that you don’t give equal opportunities to everybody who makes himself available to play for their country. That is where the board stood, that is where the board stands now. And I am sure incoming boards in the future will stand for this, to say: equal opportunities for all people that are Zimbabweans.Four years ago no one said that. Four years ago no one in the Western media went to ask him to say what he has said now. Four years ago we were not even given an opportunity to state our side of the story.A number of countries refuse to play Zimbabwe in bilateral competition. What is the best way of dealing with this issue, especially if governments get involved?
I haven’t been given a genuine reason for them saying why they don’t want to play us, so I can’t really respond to that with logic. What we see is people telling us about safety and security concerns, which we have said time and again are not applicable. We can’t comment without knowing exactly why they are doing it.In so far as the game is concerned, all countries have had problems at one time or another. There are times when England has had problems. Before 1999, England were not in the top five. New Zealand in the late 90s were also not there. They were allowed to regroup, reconstruct and move on. Surely, we are entitled to do the same? Surely we are allowed to reconstruct and be allowed to come back into the fold and take our rightful place as we will do when we are ready?By doing so the game will get stronger. By doing so we are true to the vision and mission of the ICC which talks about the globalisation of the game and is not in the business of shrinking the game. It means we have an opportunity of ensuring that Africa becomes the next growth centre … for other countries in Africa to come through and play Test cricket, countries like Kenya, Namibia, Uganda, and I could name a couple more.

Robin Brown’s appointment as coach is “going well at the moment” © Cricinfo Ltd
A couple of incidents in international cricket recently seem to have split the ICC down geographical or racial lines – the Asian bloc coming together on issues, the African countries doing so as well or supporting Asia. How dangerous is that trend?
Democracy. Democracy is that you are allowed an opinion and we respect it. If Zimbabwe want to take a particular line and their mind meets with India, Pakistan, South Africa or anyone, so be it. That is democracy.Given the criticism Zimbabwe cricket comes under, what prevents you from leaving it all behind and getting on with your life outside cricket?
There is no one who has come to us to say exactly where the issues are. If you say so with substance, if you say so with evidence … just general mudslinging in the hope something will stick doesn’t convince me to review my position. You just said now that in hindsight certain people are saying that maybe there are two sides to the story. At the time you people in the media – I don’t mean you personally – only looked at it from one side and went beyond the bounds of just cricket.So coming back to your question, if you say to me that we have failed, for example, in our development programme and that nothing is coming through and you show me a way of doing it better, in a second I will listen to you. If you identify to me areas, other areas in our administration that, with substance, with evidence, you can say, this could’ve been done better, in a second I’ll listen to you. But just generic throwing mud against a wall and hoping it sticks, doesn’t help me, doesn’t help Zimbabwe cricket, because it doesn’t give us a basis on which we can … even if we were to leave now, the people that are incoming must know, with substance, where things could have been done better by the previous administration.What was the reasoning behind the recent removal of lifetime administrators of Zimbabwe cricket, men such as Dave Ellman-Brown?
No one has been removed. You see, we all talk about democracy as a convenience. What has happened is that with effect from 2007 a new constitution for Zimbabwe cricket is in place. That new constitution had to come in place because we are now in a new reality of having ten provincial associations as opposed to what we had, which was five provincial associations plus two so-called associations. The one in Matabeleland, there was no cricket played in the last two years of existence of them being there. So they were just there for political purposes really. There was nothing happening there. The one in Mashonaland, there were only two teams that sometimes played. So we had to get into a new dispensation, with ten new provincial associations. Those ten new provincial associations that we have, there is no way that a constitution that was suitable for five provinces plus two could be adapted for ten provincial associations. That is what has happened. The constitution has come through a democratic process, it is in place, it has a structure, it has got a margin to include certain life members but did not see the need for life presidents and life vice-presidents as we had in the previous situation. Democracy must rule. That is what it is. Nothing personal, just how we move forward.What are the challenges of running cricket in a country where the game was once run by an elite?
It’s taking its natural course now. Selection … there will be some black players unhappy that they have not been selected and there will be some white players unhappy. It’s not because of colour but their ability. It is what we are fighting for: that everybody is given an equal opportunity. Now if you are saying to me that there is a concession from former players that other young black players didn’t have an equal opportunity earlier, then basically you are endorsing what we stand for and what we stand for is equal opportunity.Following on, there are also severe economic problems in Zimbabwe. How does that affect the running of the game?
Yes, there are situations that are tough in general terms and we have to cope like everybody else in Zimbabwe does either in their individual lives or in their business lives. You have to be resourceful, you have to work hard with honest endeavour.There were some people who believed that cricket is a game for only one sector of the community. There is no way one could accept that. There is no way one could accept that you don’t give equal opportunities to everybody who makes himself available to play for their country. That is where the board stood, that is where the board stands now Our situation is even tougher because unlike certain other countries where the infrastructure is already solid for cricket, we are trying to do a balance. We are looking after the top of the pyramid which is hopefully our Test team, but our national team certainly. That is the top and the base is having as many people participate so that we end up with high performers. That pyramid needs to be solid. We have ten provincial associations now; we have to make sure we have activities in each and every one of them. We have to go beyond just the provincial level and have the same at district level and the real grassroots level. There is still a long way to go because of financial constraints but those are the reasons why it is tough to run it anyway. But also the more reason to try and make it a mass sport.There will be better days. Even in the capital now we are drawing a lot of support and goodwill from the corporate world and I am sure that there is no reason why that should not continue for a long time, for as long as the administration is seen to be solid and with the right vision and mission.Malcolm Speed, in a leaked report, revealed that a forensic audit of the Zimbabwe board’s accounts found that they had been “deliberately falsified to mask various illegal transactions”. What is the story there?
We won’t comment on the leak because that is being attended to by the ICC. As far as the report itself is concerned, why is there so much anxiety of pre-empting the report? The report is due to come out. It has not been neutered in any way. Let the report come out and move on from there. And hopefully, if the report is as clean as we are confident it will be, you will give as much space, as much prominence and as much justice and fairness to it as you have done over the last few years. If it comes out, then do justice to that report, give it as much prominence as it deserves and also accept it.What do you want your legacy to be?
That I didn’t do anything personally, that I was, hopefully, a member of a collective that has helped transform cricket from an elite sport to a national sport, which today we can pride ourselves in saying we have taken to second place in terms of popularity. That we have put in a solid enough structure to carry the game in the country, that we have given equal opportunity to everyone to play it, that we have bridged the gap between the haves and the have-nots as far as cricket is concerned. I emphasise this is not me individually but as a part of a collective.

India’s bowlers waited until the last opportunity and ensured that the magnificent work put it over two weeks in Kuala Lumpur was not undone because of three hours of poor batting

George Binoy in Kuala Lumpur02-Mar-2008
The crucial factor that separated India from the rest of the opposition: exposure that U-19 teams have at the international level © Getty Images
After 44 matches packed into 15 days across seven venues in three cities in Malaysia, there’s no doubt that the best team was crowned Under-19 World Champions. India were seeded second coming into the tournament and, although they did not face top-seeded Pakistan, no one can dispute their claim to the trophy.How did India consistently set challenging totals and chase down targets with relative ease compared to the rest of the teams? To say that their batsmen peaked at the right time is only half the answer ; the other half lies in experience, a priceless commodity at this level of sport.Several of their players have played first-class cricket, giving them the experience of playing against older players and against opposition tougher than most of the other Under-19 teams. The two best batsmen – Virat Kohli and Tanmay Srivastava – not only play for their state teams but also represent their zones.The crucial factor giving India the edge over the rest of the opposition, however, is in international exposure. Since the 2006 World Cup, India have toured Pakistan, England, South Africa, New Zealand, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. The tours have helped players understand different playing styles and conditions and, if you speak to them, they cannot emphasise enough the importance of that experience.It’s probably fair to say no other country has invested as much – at least in financial terms – at the Under-19 level. Australia’s coach Brian McFayden said their youth development was part of their state programs and they didn’t feel “the need to take the cream out and spend six months traveling the world”. Ray Jennings, South Africa’s coach, said his team had been put together only in December 2007 and India’s tour to South Africa provided the only competitive matches they had to prepare for the World Cup.The proof of this preparation was seen in Malaysia, where India were not only unbeaten throughout the tournament but also largely untested. It was to their credit that whenever the situation demanded, different players turned in match-winning performances. Their batsmen performed consistently in all the games but failed in the final. However, their confidence was so high that their captain, Kohli, said that if India had struggled South Africa’s batsmen would find it harder.Until the semi-final, India hadn’t lost more than five wickets in any of their games; until the final they weren’t bowled outThere was one external factor that went in India’s favour: they played all their matches at the Kinrara Oval. However, to give undue importance to that factor would be a discredit to the team for they had several difficulties to overcome.Though India’s bowlers won them the final, it was their batting that distinguished them from other teams in the tournament. Until the semi-final, India hadn’t lost more than five wickets in any of their games; until the final they weren’t bowled out.To put their effort in perspective: fellow semi-finalists Pakistan did not make 200 even once; Australia were dismissed for 172 and 129 against the only major teams they played; England did not go past 150 until the play-off stages; and Sri Lanka collapsed for 134 in the quarter-final against New Zealand.Only South Africa’s batsmen showed gradual improvement with 242 and 260 in the knock-out stages but they collapsed in the final, mustering a weak 103 for 8. They had been dismissed by India for 149 in the group stage as well.While bowling and batting are equally important to a team’s success, the majority of the players feel that it’s easier for bowlers to get used to the conditions and sort of opposition far quicker than it is for batsmen to cope to unfamiliar circumstances: for instance quality spinners on slow wickets in Malaysia.While most teams entered the tournament to gain experience against tough opponents in unfamiliar conditions, with a view of developing their young talent, India started with oodles of experience. It was always going to be tough for the rest to challenge them over two weeks of hectic cricket.

An enjoyable stroll through 30 years of one man and his rubbish cricket team

Alan Tyers10-May-2008Not Dark Yet by Mike Harfield
(My Back Pages Press, 149pp) £7.99

This memoir celebrates 30 years in the life of an endearingly hopeless scratch side where the batting averages are a fraction of the waist measurements. The author and a ragtag group of mates, whose abilities range from the largely incompetent downwards, have played one fixture a year against the Oxfordshire village side of Clifton Hampden.The slapstick run-outs, the fights over lbw howlers, the litany of talked-up ringers who turned out to be useless, the desperate struggle to raise 11 players on a Sunday morning – anyone who has played pub or village cricket will recognise and enjoy plenty in this book.Harfield, the team’s captain, traces their triumphs and (mainly) disasters since the first game in 1976, tying the story loosely to current affairs and international cricket in the past three decades.The downside of the book is that the reader will recognise plenty of that material, too: “You guys are history”; Beefy, Lamby, Dickie and the mobile phone; “the bowler’s Holding, the batsman’s Willey”. Much the better stuff is the gentle, droll evocation of the pleasures of cricket and friendship that endure despite the passage of time. encapsulates nicely the “it’s not the winning, it’s the pub after” mentality that keeps thousands of amateurs, and indeed one or two professionals, coming back year after year, convinced against all evidence that this will be the innings where they finally crack that belligerent, buccaneering 50.The book’s title, incidentally, is from the Bob Dylan song, whose opening line: “Shadows are falling and I’ve been here all day” seems pretty much to sum up the feelings of the no-hoper hidden down at long leg, for whom this book will be as welcome as the thought of that keg waiting in the pavilion and the rest of the coronation chicken left over from tea.