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The Frenchman doesn't just have two elite clubs dancing to his own tune – he also has an incredible level of control over the entire transfer market

Unlike nearly everyone else connected with Paris Saint-Germain, Kylian Mbappe was in good spirits during Saturday's Ligue 1 clash with Lorient. While those seated around him at Parc des Princes were bitterly frustrated watching the champions try – and fail – to break down the team that finished 10th last season, Mbappe was spotted several times laughing and joking with new PSG signing Ousmane Dembele. And why not? The game did nothing other than prove just how important he is to PSG.

The day before, Luis Enrique had stated that he was still hoping to see an amicable resolution to Mbappe's contract stand-off with Nasser Al-Khelaifi & Co – but the new coach pointedly added: "The philosophy of this club is very clear: that the club is above everything and I share it 100 percent."

Undoubtedly admirable and heartfelt sentiments on the part of Luis Enrique – but simply not applicable in this case. The events of the last few days have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that Kylian Mbappe is bigger than Paris Saint-Germain. Right now, in fact, he's probably the most powerful player in the world.

(C)GettyImagesAcutely aware of his own worth

The morning after being given what must have felt like a terrifying glimpse of a future without Mbappe, PSG announced that the France captain had been welcomed back into the fold with open arms.

To casual observers, that would have looked like a remarkable turn of events. PSG, remember, had seemingly stood up to Mbappe at long last. When a letter confirming his intention to leave the club in 2024 was mysteriously – and conveniently – leaked to the press, Al-Khelaifi insisted that Mbappe would have to find himself a new club before the close of the transfer window. PSG understandably had no intention of losing the world's most valuable player on a free transfer next summer.

Things turned so toxic that PSG rather pettily took down Mbappe posters in and around their stadium, stopped selling his shirt in the club shop, while also resorting to the mother of all guilt trips by claiming that if Mbappe leaving for nothing would result in a "wave of redundancies".

They even accepted an offer from Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal for Mbappe, in an attempt to force his hand. Mbappe, though, refused to even discuss the transfer. Why? Because he can. He's the man in demand, the player holding all the aces here – and he knows it. This is a young, generational talent who is acutely aware of his own worth, particularly to PSG.

Advertisement(C)Getty Images'Cornerstrone of the club's project'

Al-Khelaifi made Mbappe "the cornerstone of the club's project" last year for a reason. They are utterly dependent upon him, and not from a sporting perspective. His goals can be replaced. As former sporting director Leonardo pointed out, Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Chelsea have all won the Champions League since Mbappe joined PSG – so it is possible to win the trophy without him.

But PSG's superstar-obsessed owners clearly do not believe that is possible for a club with no competition in France to maintain relevance on the global stage without a player of Mbappe's stature – one that is immensely popular with young fans from every background – and certainly not at this moment in time.

With Lionel Messi and Neymar having left this summer, Mbappe is their one remaining icon – and the one most important to their brand. They could build a better, more cohesive and functioning team with the money made from selling Mbappe, one capable of finally realising their dream of conquering Europe, but without the World Cup winner, they would just not be as attractive a proposition in terms of marketing and commercial opportunities, or even just in terms of attracting social media followers.

Mbappe and his team know all that, which is why they could afford to simply sit tight and call PSG's bluff.

Getty ImagesMaking Madrid wait too

Because it's not as if Real Madrid are going anywhere. Mbappe led Florentino Perez down the garden path last summer, and yet the Spaniard still clearly wants to sign him. He is even prepared to wait until next year to do so.

Again, though, Mbappe will decide if or when he moves to Madrid. He may yet sign an extension at PSG, but if he does, it will be once again done on his terms. Indeed, do not be surprised if he manages to 'persuade' PSG to put a 2024 buy-out clause into the agreement – and for a fee that he knows Madrid will be willing to meet.

In that sense, Mbappe is displaying an element of control over not only his career – but also the transfer market – that we have never seen before.

He has been a little fortunate in that regard. Cristiano Ronaldo had to move to Saudi Arabia because nobody wanted him in Europe anymore. Lionel Messi was forced out of Camp Nou on account of Barcelona's financial problems. Mbappe, though, is in a position to do as he pleases, and while he decides what's best for him, several other players are stuck in the departures lounge. If Mbappe stays at PSG, Madrid will simply have to sign a goalscorer this summer. And PSG, of course, would need to sign a replacement if he were to leave.

Either way, Mbappe is the potential catalyst for a chain reaction that would see a succession of forwards switch clubs.

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imago imagesSpineless PSG panic under the pressure

Not that he'll care about that, of course. For now, his sole focus will be on seeing what else PSG are willing to offer him to sign a contract extension. They bent over backwards for him last summer, while this time around they have replaced Neymar, with whom Mbappe fell out, with his France team-mate and good friend Dembele. More Mbappe-approved moves yet be made at the Parc des Princes.

Of course, the club have tried to make out that a relationship that appeared broken has now been mended thanks to "very constructive, positive talks" between the two parties led to the player being "reinstated into first-team training" on Sunday morning. In truth, though, a desperate and spineless PSG panicked under the pressure and decided to give Mbappe everything he wanted once again.

In the era of player power, not one has more than Kylian Mbappe.

Shahid Afridi said a good performance in the two-match series against New Zealand would build into Pakistan’s preparations for the 50-over World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Dec-2014There might not be much relevance to a Twenty20 contest right now, but Shahid Afridi said a good performance in the two-match series against New Zealand would build into Pakistan’s preparations for the 50-over World Cup.Pakistan have had a tough time in one-day cricket over the past 12 months. They lost to Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup final in February, and conceded a three-match series to the same opposition in the UAE. Recently, they were beaten by a young Australia side 3-0. But an upswing in their Test form has put the team in a good frame of mind.”I think the boys are feeling very confident ahead of the series and my side is a very well-balanced one,” Afridi said. “You can’t compare the T20s with the ODI cricket. It’s a totally different format. But I think a victory, and to have a winning combination is very important. You feel more confident after a victory. Each victory and each game before the World Cup is important to us.”Afridi also voiced confidence in his bowling resources. Umar Gul, who has recovered from knee injury and appears fit for international cricket after going through six first-class matches in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. Wahab Riaz is also making a comeback after hurting his knee during the second ODI against Australia in October. Since then, he’s played two four-day games during which he bowled 68 overs.”Both Umar and Wahab have performed very well for Pakistan in the past,” Afridi said. “They are both looking very fit and they seem to be in good form. I am very happy to see them in the squad.”With Mohammad Hafeez under scrutiny for his action and Saeed Ajmal – the top wicket-taker in T20s – suspended from bowling, Afridi sees an opportunity for fringe players to shine.”Our spinners have done very well despite Ajmal’s absence and played a very important role in our wins. I believe that Pakistan has got good bowling strength. We have bowlers sitting who are waiting for their chance to get into the team. It’s not as if we are struggling to find another spinner. I think we have always been blessed with good bowling combinations.”

Bangladesh will prepare for the upcoming World Twenty20, which they are hosting, with three T20 matches against their A team

Mohammad Isam03-Dec-2013Bangladesh’s preparation for the upcoming World Twenty20 begins next Tuesday as the senior side gear up to face the A team in three Twenty20 matches. A two-man selection panel has picked a youthful second-string side against a Bangladesh team which includes Shakib Al Hasan, the allrounder having recovered from dengue fever, which he contracted on the eve of the first ODI against New Zealand in October.The team will however be without the experience of Tamim Iqbal, as the left-hand opener is still recovering from an abdominal injury that resulted in him missing out on the third ODI of the New Zealand series, as well as the one-off T20 match. They will be led by Mushfiqur Rahim, who has been given an extension till the 2015 World Cup as captain.Nasir Hossain will lead a strong A team which includes Imrul Kayes, the second-highest scorer in the Dhaka Premier League, as well as Marshall Ayub who played two Tests in October. The side is packed with three allrounders in Farhad Reza, Muktar Ali and Alauddin Babu – who, admittedly, recently conceded 39 runs off an over in a DPL match.All three matches will be held at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, with the first two – on December 10 and 12 – being played in the evening. The final game, on December 14, will be played in the afternoon.The series is the brainchild of Bangladesh coach Shane Jurgensen who, like the members of the team management, is looking to fix the team’s problematic T20 setup. Bangladesh are currently No. 10 in the ICC Twenty20 rankings, 15 rating points behind Ireland. They have won only two of their last ten international matches in this format.In the World Twenty20, which they are hosting, Bangladesh will take on Afghanistan, Hong Kong and Nepal in the first round of the competition, from which only one team will qualify to the following stage.Squads
Bangladesh: Mushfiqur Rahim (capt & wk), Anamul Haque, Shamsur Rahman, Shakib Al Hasan, Naeem Islam, Soumya Sarkar, Mahmudullah , Abdur Razzak, Sohag Gazi, Mashrafe Mortaza, Ziaur Rahman, Rubel Hossain, Al-Amin Hossain.Bangladesh A: Nasir Hossain (capt), Jahurul Islam, Mohammad Mithun, Imrul Kayes, Mominul Haque, Marshal Ayub, Sabbir Rahman, Nazmul Hossain, Farhad Reza, Arafat Sunny, Elias Sunny, Muktar Ali, Alauddin Babu.

West Indies Women clinched the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka 2-1 after the last match in Barbados went in favour of the hosts by 45 runs by the Duckworth-Lewis Method

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Apr-2012
ScorecardWest Indies Women clinched the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka 2-1 after the last match in Barbados went in favour of the hosts by 45 runs by the Duckworth-Lewis Method. Allrounder Shanel Daley starred for West Indies by scoring 63 with the bat and picking up three wickets.Sri Lanka struck early with the ball, dismissing opener Juliana Nero. Daley and World No.1 batsman Stafanie Taylor put on a 74-run stand for the third wicket. West Indies captain Merissa Aguilleira also chipped in with 20 to help the team post 168 in a rain reduced 40-over match. Shashikala Siriwardene was the most effective bowler for the tourists, picking up 4 for 40.West Indies fast bowler Subrina Munroe made life difficult for Sri Lanka’s top order with the ball by picking up two wickets. The Sri Lankan middle order showed some resistance but Daley and Taylor struck regularly to wrap up the match and the series.

Seam bowler Nuwan Kulasekara won’t be joining Sri Lanka’s Test squad in South Africa and instead the uncapped Kanishka Alvitigala will fly out along with Dhammika Prasad

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Dec-2011Seam bowler Nuwan Kulasekara won’t be joining Sri Lanka’s Test squad in South Africa and instead the uncapped Kanishka Alvitigala will fly out along with Dhammika Prasad ahead of the second Test in Durban.Tillakaratne Dilshan, the Sri Lanka captain, had said that both Prasad and Kulasekara would be added to the touring party to bolster the pace-bowling options following Nuwan Pradeep’s injury, but the sports ministry hadn’t approved the selections and instead the nod has gone to Alvitigala. Kulasekara is likely to arrive for the one-day series next month.Alvitigala, 25, has taken 51 first-class wickets at 32.35 in 25 matches with a career-best of 5 for 34 and has previously represented Sri Lanka A including on the tour to England earlier this year.Sri Lanka’s pace-bowling options have been stretched to breaking point in recent months with a string of injuries to contend with. Before the tour of South Africa four seamers, including Prasad and Kulasekara, were ruled out with injury and Sri Lanka lost Pradeep after he broke down during the warm-up match in Benoni.Sri Lanka were crushed by an innings and 81 runs in the opening Test at Centurion and although the pace attack was able to cause South Africa some problems they couldn’t sustain pressure. Chanaka Welegedara, the left-armer, took 3 for 96 and Thisara Perera claimed 3 for 114 but Dilhara Fernando, the most senior bowler, only managed 1 for 128 in 28 overs.

A round-up of matches from the seventh match-day of the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifiers

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Mar-2012Group AUSA captain Aditya Mishra led his side to victory with 62, but Scotland still progressed on run-rate•ICC/Ian JacobsNepal’s romantic run in the tournament is over after they lost to Canada in a match in Sharjah that decided third place in Group A. Nepal looked in with a big chance after they kept Canada to 101 but needed to chase the target in 12.2 overs to lift their net run-rate above Canada’s and seal a berth in the knockouts. At 21 for 0 after three overs in the chase, that looked possible, but two strikes from Junaid Siddiqui changed the course of the game and Nepal, who knew they had to keep playing their shots, ended up being bowled out for 83.Nepal’s openers Anil Mandal and Prithu Baskota were both dismissed attempting heaves over midwicket in the fourth over leaving Nepal in trouble. They still had their leading run-getter in the tournament, Paras Khadka, but when he was bowled trying to loft Zahid Hussain’s left-arm spin in the fifth over, Nepal’s hopes diminished. The batsmen, knowing they had to get to the target in just over 12 overs, kept going for their shots and kept getting out, and Canada completed their fifth win of the group stages.The bowlers had given Nepal a chance, restricting Canada to 101 for 8. Khadka had kept things tight for Nepal in the middle overs, taking 2 for 15 in four overs, after Shakti Gauchan and Chandra Sawad had struck up front.An aggressive half-century from Mohammad Shahzad and three wickets from medium-pacer Aftab Alam ensured Afghanistan beat Bermuda in Dubai and finished the group stage with a perfect record. Afghanistan had already qualified for the knockouts, but have gained a significant advantage by finishing top. They are potentially just one match, a preliminary final against Namibia, the first-placed team in Group B, away from qualifying for the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka this October. It also means that even if they lose that game they will have another chance to get to the final.It was a fairly comfortable victory for Afghanistan, with Shahzad’s unbeaten 64 helping them reach 177 for 5 and Bermuda never really threatening the target apart from a brief but violent cameo from Janeiro Tucker. The required-rate in the chase never dropped below 9, and Bermuda fell 15 runs short.Afghanistan got off to a rollicking start, with Karim Sadiq hitting Kamau Leverock for three fours off the first four balls of the match. They were pegged back when both openers were dismissed in the space of eight balls, but Mohammad Shahzad picked his moments to attack, and rotated the strike the rest of the time, to put Afghanistan on course for a big score. Shahzad preferred clearing the ropes to finding the gaps, and hit five sixes in his 64 off 38 balls. Asghar Stanikzai gave Shahzad support in a 56-run third-wicket stand, before Gulbodin Naib went beserk in the end, hitting three sixes and a four in an eight-ball 26 not out. Afghanistan looted a scarcely believable 72 runs off the last four overs to reach 177.Bermuda’s chase never really got going, with regular wickets preventing them from accelerating. The required-rate was nearing 12 after 12 overs, before Janeiro Tucker slammed four consecutive sixes off Samiullah Shenwari’s legspin in the 13th. Tucker exited for 37 off 16 balls off the last ball of that over, and Bermuda’s challenge faded. The require-rate kept rising, and only a 16-run final over reduced the margin of what was in actuality an easy win for Afghanistan.

A dashing innings from Stephan Myburgh led a big win for Netherlands over Hong Kong in Sharjah that ensured Netherlands finished second in Group A. Myburgh and opening partner Michael Swart smashed 23 runs off the fifth over of the game, and Netherlands never let go of their stranglehold from then on. They pushed on to reach 201 for 5 and kept Hong Kong to 118 in the chase to record the second-largest margin of victory in the tournament so far: 83 runs.The sixth over went for 17 runs, with Myburgh hitting the second off his five sixes, the seventh for 14 runs and the eighth for 15. Swart’s dismissal for 38 off 22 balls did not stall the scoring-rate, as Tom Cooper hit the second and third balls he faced for boundaries. Myburgh scored 68 off 36 balls, and once he departed Cooper kept hitting the big shots, finishing with 42 off 25 balls.Jamie Atkinson’s 64 off 45 balls in the chase had a few flourishes: he hit two fours and six in the sixth over, and two sixes and a four in the seventh. But with no one else contributing Hong Kong were never in the game and slumped to a fifth defeat. Tom Cooper followed up his innings with a spell of 4-1-8-2.

Papua New Guinea managed a 14-run victory over Denmark in Abu Dhabi despite a six-wicket haul from medium-pacer Aftab Ahmed. Late strikes from Aftab, who finished with 6 for 22, kept PNG to 148 after they were 116 for 3 in 14.5 overs. Denmark, though, did not have the batting strength to chase the target, and were restricted to 134 for 8.Aggressive innings from Mahuru Dai and Geraint Jones had given PNG a solid platform but Aftab’s wickets meant they could not launch in the way they would have wanted to and they were bowled out in exactly 20 overs. Denmark slipped to 24 for 2 in the chase but three fours from Freddie Klokker in the sixth over lifted them. In the same over, though, quick Willie Gavera took his third wicket, dismissing Rizwan Mahmood and Denmark were never able to recover.

Group BKenya’s 48-run victory over Uganda in Dubai did not lift their net run-rate enough for them to go above Scotland in the Group B table. Scotland lost to USA later but their net run-rate stayed above Kenya’s by the slimmest of margins, to get them through to the knockout rounds as the third-place team from Group B.After scoring 167 for 3, Kenya ran through Uganda’s line-up, restricting them to 119 for 8. Shem Ngoche struck two early blows and the chase meandered after that. Ngoche picked up another wicket to finish with 3 for 20 and his brother James took 2 for 15 in his four.Kenya had measured their innings well. The strategy from openers Duncan Allan and Alex Obanda was to get a boundary an over to maintain a brisk run-rate. Obanda went on to get 46 off 42 balls, and lent support to his captain Collins Obuya, whose 57 off 35 balls included three sixes. A 19-run final over boosted Kenya’s total to 167, but even a big win was not enough to get them through to the knockouts.

Aditya Mishra’s 62 helped United States of America upset Scotland in a tense finish in Dubai. Mishra’s dismissal in the final over meant USA had to wait till the penultimate ball to finish the match, leaving Scotland’s net run-rate 0.007 ahead of Kenya’s, sealing third place in Group B for them. If USA had finished the match a few balls earlier, which they seemed on course to do when they needed 11 off the last two overs, they would have denied Scotland entry into the next round of the tournament.Nevertheless, USA would be pleased with the way they managed a challenging chase of 162. Steven Taylor was aggressive early, scoring 40 off 30 balls and allowing Mishra to play second fiddle in the 78-run opening partnership. Mishra paced his innings well, and when USA took 11 runs off the 17th over, to leave them needing 20 to win off three overs, Kenya would have had their hopes up. The 19th over went for just seven runs, though, and Mishra was run out off the first ball of the 20th, leaving Orlando Baker to keep his cool and score the winning runs.Scotland had reached 161 thanks to Jan Stander’s 58 off 31 balls that included five sixes. A steady flow of wickets – they lost eight – meant they fell a few runs short of a winning total. Luckily for them, though, the total was just enough to ensure qualification for the knockouts.

Gerrie Snyman and Raymond van Schoor scored 70s to help make it seven wins out of seven games for Namibia in the group stages, as they beat Italy by 27 runs in Dubai. Namibia finish top of the group and will face Afghanistan in a match whose winner will automatically qualify for the final, and the World Twenty20.van Schoor was the aggressor in the early part of the 144-run opening partnership, but Snyman soon caught up with a string of sixes between the 12th and 15th overs. Snyman was dismissed for 78 off 49 balls but van Schoor stayed till the end, reaching 73 not out and helping Namibia reach 194 for 2.Italy’s openers got the chase off to a swift start, but they lost wickets in the middle overs, and ended up well short. Alessandro Bonora provided some entertainment with a few big hits down the order, but the required-rate was always on the rise.

Ireland completed their Group A programme with a comfortable 44-run win over Oman in the Sheikh Zayeed Stadium. The result meant Oman ended the tournament as the only side without a win. Read the full report here.

The first stage of the knockouts are on March 22, with Ireland playing Canada and Netherlands taking on Scotland. The winners of those two games will play each other on March 23, with the victor taking on the loser of the March 22 game between Afghanistan and Namibia on March 24. The team that wins that match will have to play the final on the same day, against the winner of Afghanistan v Namibia. Both finalists will feature in the World Twenty20 later this year.

A ten-for from fast bowler Michael Chinouya helped Mid West Rhinos to an innings and 92-run win in their first Logan Cup of the season, against Southern Rocks at the Masvingo Sports Club

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Nov-2012
ScorecardA ten-for from fast bowler Michael Chinouya helped Mid West Rhinos to an innings and 92-run win in their first Logan Cup of the season, against Southern Rocks at the Masvingo Sports Club. Chinouya took five wickets in each innings to finish with a career-best match haul of 10 for 76, and was ably backed up by batsmen Brendan Taylor and Jaik Mickleburgh in the thumping victory.Rhinos chose to bowl and did not let any of the Rocks batsmen build big innings. None of the batsmen even got to a half-century, wicketkeeper Richmond Mutumbami’s 45 being the top score as they were bowled out in 50 overs for 149. Rhinos began their innings strongly, with two half-century stands, but the bedrock of their total of 398 was the third-wicket stand of 187 between Taylor and Mickleburgh. That helped them to a lead of 249, which was comfortably beyond the Rocks line-up that failed a second time. Again it was only keeper Mutumbami who touched 40, and again they were bowled out in 50 overs, this time for 157.
ScorecardMashonaland Eagles suffered their second defeat in as many games in the Logan Cup, as they went down to Mountaineers by six wickets at the Mutare Sports Club.Eagles chose to bat and contributions from the whole line-up – Nos. 1 to 9 got into double digits – helped them to a competitive 343. Unlike Eagles, Mountaineers built their innings around three main contributors: opener Tino Mawoyo top scored with 130, while Timycen Maruma and Kevin Kasuza contributed half-centuries down the order to carry Mountaineers past Eagles’ score, to 377.In the second innings, Mountaineers – chiefly thanks to fast bowler Tendai Chatara – were able to knock off Eagles top order with ease, reducing them to 15 for 4. However, a rearguard effort from Tinotenda Mutombodzi, who made a hundred, and Regis Chakabva and Sikandar Raza – both of whom fell for 49 – lifted them to 270. Chasing 237, Mountaineers too were in early trouble at 13 for 3 but partnerships of 98 and 126 followed among Mark Pettini, Greg Lamb and Maruma, to carry them to victory.

South Africa haven’t won in four matches in Durban, something they will be out to correct. India stood up in Johannesburg, something they will be out to repeat

The Preview by Firdose Moonda25-Dec-20130:00

Dravid: Big challenges after taxing Test

Match facts December 26- December 30, 2013
Start time 1000 local (0800GMT)Jacques Kallis will be playing his final Test•Getty ImagesBig Picture Test match cricket probably does not get tougher or tenser than the Wanderers last week. It also doesn’t get more tight. After five days of one of the best quality matches in recent times, there was no winner which has increased what’s at stake in this Boxing Day Test.For South Africa, that grew even more when Jacques Kallis announced the Durban match would be his last. South Africa will want to give him a send-off that includes a series win but will also have on eye on important points on the ICC rankings and intangible ones the teams need to prove to themselves and their fans.India have already done the last of those. Their batsmen performed beyond expectation and showed their ability to adjust to conditions that are regarded as some of the toughest in the world. Their bowlers had the measure of their opposition for the majority of the first Test. Having pushed the No. 1 ranked team to the edge, India will see no reason why they can’t tip them over, especially given the venue of the second Test.Durban is where India beat South Africa the last time they were here. Graeme Smith’s men have not won any of the last four matches they have played at Kingsmead, which gives them all the more reason to push for one here. They are a proud and proven team, who have claimed victories all over the cricketing world and now need to get an important one on their own turf and will take heart from their record to do that.South Africa have not lost a series in almost five years. Their last defeat came in February 2009 against Australia. Since then, they have played 13 series, won seven and drawn six. Of those, four of the shared spoils came at home. Being the top-ranked team is important to them and this series will play a crucial role in staying there.India’s next assignment is against New Zealand while South Africa take on third placed Australia at home so the outcome of this match could be crucial for the rankings over the next few months.Form guide (last five completed games most recent first)
South Africa DWLWW
India DWWWWIn the spotlightIt was always coming but it arrived unexpectedly soon. Jacques Kallis will play his last Test in Durban. After 18 years as a Test allrounder, Kallis has decided to reserve the time he has left for limited-overs cricket only with an eye on the 2015 World Cup. That doesn’t mean he won’t want to go out with a bang. After last scoring a century more than a year ago, Kallis has the perfect stage to do it here.Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander were, according to Graeme Smith, the two men who made the decision to play for a draw in Johannesburg because they wanted to leave the open the possibility of winning the series in Durban. Much of the burden of doing that will fall on them. After going wicketless in the second innings at the Wanderers, Steyn will be looking forward to the possibility of swing in the air at Kingsmead while Philander, who has not played a Test at this ground will want to show his style of bowling can be as successful in these conditions as they are anywhere.Having recently become the fastest Indian bowler to 100 Test wickets, R Ashwin may not be used to playing a bit-part role but that’s what he had to do at the Wanderers. Ashwin bowled only six overs in the first wickets and although his load was six times more in the second, he went wicket-less. That should change in Durban. With spin certain to play a role, Ashwin should have the opportunity to come into his own in the latter stages of the match. His contributions with the bat on what could be a tricky surface will also be needed.Team news Morne Morkel’s quick recovery from his ankle sprain means South Africa may not have to choose any replacement seamer and can stick to the same pace attack. Should something go wrong for Morkel, one of Rory Kleinveldt or Kyle Abbott will take his place. They seem certain to make a change in the spin department with Robin Peterson likely to step in for Imran Tahir.South Africa: (likely) 1 Graeme Smith (capt), 2 Alviro Petersen, 3 Hashim Amla 4 Jacques Kallis, 5 AB de Villiers (wk), 6 Faf du Plessis, 7 JP Duminy 8 Vernon Philander, 9 Dale Steyn, 10 Morne Morkel, 11 Imran Tahir/Robin PetersonAfter the way their batting line-up stood up at the Wanderers, India do not have any need to make changes. They may ponder playing a second specialist spinner with Ravindra Jadeja a possibility, but will then have to leave out a batsman. Their pacemen showed what they are capable of in Johannesburg and unless one of them is carrying legs which are too tired to carry on, they should field the same trio in that department.India: (likely) 1 M Vijay, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Rohit Sharma, 6 Ajinkya Rahane, 7 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 8 R Ashwin, 9 Ishant Sharma, 10 Zaheer Khan, 11 Mohammed ShamiPitch and conditionsDurban is the South Africa’s most Indian city – in terms of weather and demographics – and the pitch may end up reflecting that. The surface is expected to be slower than usual and should take turn as the match enters the final two days. Despite Durban gaining a reputation for washouts, the first three days are forecast to be sunny and hot. Rain is scheduled for all of Sunday, with the final day cloudy and cooler.Stats and trivia South Africa’s record at Kingsmead reads like this: played 39, won 13, lost 13, drawn 13. India have only won two Tests in South Africa before this tour. The first was in Johannesburg and the second in Durban – both of which were the venues of this series. Jacques Kallis will play his last Test at Kingsmead. He has four hundreds at the venue, which come consecutively between 2002 and 2006. Quotes “That workload will be in their legs somewhere in the Test match, especially if we can get a good partnership somewhere in their line-up. The more confident we’ve got, the less the toss is a worry for us.”

“We gained a lot of confidence and there a lot of positives for us. We batted really well. We bowled really well. So if we can repeat the same thing then we have a very good chance of winning this test match.”

ESPNcricinfo previews the first Investec Test between England and New Zealand at Lord’s

The Preview by Alex Winter15-May-2013Match FactsMay 16-20, Lord’s
Start time 11am (1000GMT)Joe Root comes into the first Test of the summer in outstanding form•Getty ImagesThe Big PictureEngland versus New Zealand; the world’s second best team against the eighth best; walkover. Those who said the same thing ahead of the series in New Zealand were left feeling sheepish by the fight New Zealand showed. They came oh-so-close to a momentous upset that was utterly inconceivable given the shambles of a side that was destroyed in their previous Test series in South Africa at the turn of the year.The fact New Zealand recovered from such embarrassment to nearly beat England suggests coach Mike Hesson has been able to quickly restore stability and create an environment where their capable squad have a chance of putting in competitive performances. They come into the first Test at Lord’s in healthy shape and if their batsman can find some runs, they have a bowling attack capable of causing England problems.New Zealand’s batsmen will have to fight harder in more bowler-friendly conditions than what they encountered in March. The Dukes ball will swing more and for longer, and England’s attack, far better prepared for this series with some county cricket behind them, will be eager to assert the dominance that was expected of them in New Zealand. They can be deadly on home soil, and the Kiwis’ batting remains brittle.For that reason, and given a firm kick up the backside, it is still a value bet that England will win comfortably. Their batting cannot be as lethargic as it was in New Zealand – a series they did not want after the main business was done in India. Most of the order have found form in county cricket and they are comfortable against the swinging ball, shown in the sizable totals England have racked up in Test matches in May in recent years.The challenge is there for New Zealand to upset the odds again, and if they show as much desire as was on show in March, they will ask England to produce their best cricket to beat them. But England had a sharp reminder of what happens when they are not fully focussed and know they are playing for places in the Ashes. If England do find their best form, they should be too much for plucky New Zealand.Form guide (Most recent first)
England DDDDWNew Zealand DDDLL
Watch out forAfter impressing on debut in Nagpur, Joe Root proved he is worthy of the hype surrounding him with eye-catching displays in the ODIs in India and New Zealand. He didn’t dazzle in the Tests that followed, but a blazing start to the county season, with scores of 182 and 236 for Yorkshire, and 179 for England Lions against New Zealanders, he will be primed to make his mark in the Test arena.If New Zealand are to cause another surprise, their seam-bowling will have to thrive. Early-season in England couldn’t be better conditions for Tim Southee, a good, old-fashioned pitch-it-up-and-swing-it operator. At only 24, he is the most experienced of the New Zealand attack, and the only one to have played a Test in England.Team newsThere were question marks over all the England bowlers after they failed to trouble New Zealand away from home, where many expected them to prosper. But the selectors have kept faith with Stuart Broad, and Steven Finn is likely to retain his place too, given his good record in Tests at Lord’s. Tim Bresnan is back from elbow surgery and could come into the attack. Graeme Swann is fit again, also after elbow surgery.England 1 Alastair Cook (capt), 2 Nick Compton, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Ian Bell, 5 Joe Root, 6 Jonny Bairstow, 7 Matt Prior (wk), 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 James Anderson, 11 Steven Finn/Tim BresnanNew Zealand also have to decide on the makeup of the bowling attack with Neil Wagner, after 12 wickets against England in New Zealand, set to retain his place after impressing in the warm-up matches. Doug Bracewell is vying for a recall having recovered from the foot injury which kept him out of the series in March. He will play if New Zealand decide to go with a four-man seam attack and leave out left-arm spinner Bruce Martin.New Zealand 1 Peter Fulton, 2 Hamish Rutherford, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Dean Brownlie, 6 Brendon McCullum (capt), 7 BJ Watling (wk), 8 Tim Southee, 9 Doug Bracewell/Bruce Martin, 10 Neil Wagner, 11 Trent BoultPitch and conditionsOn the whole it’s been a fairly dry spring in the UK, and the Lord’s wicket is dry and not set to offer too much bounce. The previous match played at Lord’s, between Middlesex and Surrey, yielded plenty of runs. Overhead conditions will be key. The weather forecast is largely fair with a chance of showers into the weekend.Stats and trivia England’s defeat by South Africa last year ended a 13-Test unbeaten run at Lord’s. They had won six and drawn seven of the preceding Tests at the venue. England cricketer of the year, Matt Prior, needs five catches to reach 100 Test catches in England. Only Alan Knott, with 158, and Alec Stewart, 172, have reached this landmark. New Zealand have won only one of their 15 visits to Lord’s, the victory coming by nine wickets in 1999, but have only lost one of their last six matches at the home of cricket. Tim Southee needs two wickets to become the 12th New Zealander to reach 200 wickets in international cricket.Quotes”We didn’t move the ball as much as we wanted to in New Zealand on what were slow, placid wickets. But if it doesn’t swing for us, and if we don’t move it off the straight this week, we might be having a few panic meetings.”
“Hamish is pretty aggressive and plays a lot of shots, hits the ball in different areas and puts the bowlers off their line and length. I like to occupy the crease and wear the bowlers down.”

Ireland dominated the opening day of their Intercontinental Cup match against United Arab Emirates in Sharjah

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Mar-2013
Scorecard
Ireland dominated the opening day of their Intercontinental Cup match against United Arab Emirates in Sharjah thanks to an unbeaten 99 from Ed Joyce and half-centuries from the openers, William Porterfield and Paul Stirling.The openers were cautious against a spin-heavy attack after they were put in to bat by the home side. It was a return to form for the captain Porterfield who had three ducks in his previous five innings across formats. He and Stirling put on a patient 126 in 46.5 overs before Stirling fell lbw for 61. Porterfield missed out on a century as he edged quick bowler Mohammad Naveed onto the stumps when on 82.Joyce then took charge of the innings. His previous century for Ireland came against the same opponents back in 2005, and he could have completed his hundred on the first day if he had managed a single off the final delivery.Joyce has 28 first-class tons, and said he wasn’t too concerned over being 99* overnight. “I’m not nervous at all. I’ve never been 99 not out overnight before, but I’m just happy to have scored 99 – if I was to get that score every time I would take it,” he said. “It’s a slow and low wicket so if you stay in your crease it can be difficult to score. The lads had given us a great start so I made the conscious decision to try and score about a strike rate of 70, use my feet a bit and maybe take a few more risks than the others. I was a bit more attacking and that helped on that wicket.”