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Jose Mourinho says he was “eliminated” as Roma manager by an ownership group that “knows little about football”.

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Portuguese dumped by Serie A giantsHad enjoyed success in EuropeTaken aim at American owners in ItalyWHAT HAPPENED?

The charismatic Portuguese was relieved of his duties at Stadio Olimpico on January 16. He had delivered Europa Conference League glory to the Italian capital, while also guiding the Giallorossi to the Europa League final in 2023.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

His departure left many supporters disappointed, despite struggles for consistency this season, and Mourinho has pointed the finger of blame for his departure firmly in the direction of The Friedkin Group – who are headed up by American billionaire businessman Dan Friedkin.

WHAT MOURINHO SAID

Discussing the knockout stages of this season’s European competitions, Mourinho has told : “The European competitions are about to begin, in particular the Champions League, perhaps the most important competition on the world calendar. I won’t be there at these final stages, not because I’ve already been eliminated, but because I was ‘eliminated’ by someone who knows little about football. That’s life, full of ups and downs, and I’m growing, despite the unexpected and unfair dismissal. But I will return, with even more enthusiasm and confidence, for these UEFA matches.”

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Mourinho added when asked what advice he would offer to those chasing down continental glory in 2024: “I’ve participated in many matches and have reached the final several times. They are truly special matches, for us coaches, for the fans and, obviously, for the players. I therefore have enough experience and knowledge to know how to move forward, even when we have opponents with a much greater potential than ours. At this stage I always keep in mind, in the first game you always play to win, in the second, you know what you need to go to the next round. Win with one goal, draw or even lose by one or two goals. And knockout matches are managed on this basis.”

ESPNcricinfo previews the latest round of matches in the NatWest Blast

Freddie Wilde05-Jun-2015North Group
Yorkshire v Lancashire, Headingley, Leeds, 6.30
Headingley is sold-out for the blockbuster Roses match between third-placed Yorkshire and Lancashire, last season’s beaten finalists, who lie seventh. In a round replete with England players, Yorkshire possess a squad teeming with international quality after Joe Root and Adam Lyth have been released to join the likes of Jonny Bairstow, Tim Bresnan, Adil Rashid and Glenn Maxwell. Andrew Hodd and Will Rhodes miss out on selection.Lancashire do welcome back Jos Buttler but are without James Anderson who was not released by the ECB. Alviro Petersen is also not in the squad having attended a Cricket South Africa player-of-the-year event on Wednesday. Tom Smith is left out.Northamptonshire v Worcestershire, The County Ground, Northampton, 6.30
Worcestershire add international pairing Moeen Ali and Saeed Ajmal to their squad, with Sachithra Senanayake ending his brief stint at the county. Northamptonshire meanwhile welcome Olly Stone back into the squad after an injury for what will be Shahid Afridi’s last match with the county before he departs for the Caribbean Premier League. Both Northamptonshire and Worcestershire have played just two games, with Northamptonshire having lost them both and Worcestershire winning one and losing one.Nottinghamshire v Leicestershire, Trent Bridge, Nottingham, 6.30
Leicestershire will be pleased with their start that sees them sitting fourth in the table after four matches but they face a tough challenge away to Nottinghamshire who have added Stuart Broad and Ben Hilfenhaus to an experienced and high-quality squad already boasting Alex Hales, James Taylor and Darren Sammy.Leicestershire welcome overseas signing Umar Akmal for his first match of the season. Akmal comes into the T20 Blast on the back of some excellent form for the Lahore Lions in the Super 8 T20 in Pakistan. Andrea Agathangelou and Matthew Boyce also come into a 14-man squad that is without Kevin and Niall O’Brien who are on international duty as well as Grant Elliott whose spell at the county is over.Derbyshire v Durham, The 3aaa County Ground, Derby, 6.30
Derbyshire will be looking to build on their impressive victory over Lancashire last week when they host Durham. Durham have named Ben Stokes in their 14-man squad but are without Calum MacLeod who is on national duty and have left out Graham Onions and Barry McCarthy from last week’s squad.Derbyshire meanwhile have named Nathan Rimmington in their squad for the first time after his introduction was postponed by injury. Rimmington replaces Hashim Amla in the squad. He has also ended his stint at the county.Sam Northeast is skippering a Kent side who have become the season’s surprise packet•Getty ImagesSouth Group
Kent v Gloucestershire, The Kent County Ground, Beckenham, 5.30
High-flying Kent, who have won four from five, host Gloucestershire, who haven’t played since Michael Klinger’s hundred carried them to victory over Essex in Game Week 2. Kent have added Matt Hunn and Ryan Davies to their squad that beat Somerset and have left out David Griffiths. James Tredwell is still out with injury. Gloucestershire meanwhile haven’t included Robbie Montgomery in their squad.Somerset v Hampshire, The County Ground, Taunton, 5.30
Hampshire moved to second in the South Group with a strong win against Middlesex on Thursday and will take a big stride towards the quarter-finals if they can win a tough fixture away to Somerset. Somerset have added Tom Groenewald to their squad from their thrilling defeat against Kent. All eyes will surely be on Chris Gayle who has plundered 243 runs from his two innings in the T20 Blast this season.Glamorgan v Middlesex, The SWALEC Stadium, Cardiff, 6.30
Both these counties have shown glimpses of promise this season but both have been beaten twice and a third defeat could quickly turn a promising start sour. Glamorgan, who have won the last four encounters between the two sides have not yet named their squad. Middlesex, meanwhile, have added Kyle Abbott to the squad that was beaten by Hampshire on Thursday.Surrey v Essex, The Kia Oval, London, 6.30
Only five matches into the season it is already approaching must-win time for Essex who are at the bottom of the South Groups having lost four matches. Essex have, in fact, lost eight of their last nine matches having won all of the eight preceding that. They face a Surrey side also in need of a win having lost two of their three matches.England Test captain Alastair Cook will make a rare appearance for Essex having been released by England and is joined in the squad by Aron Niijar and Jamie Porter with Nick Browne, Mark Pettini and Callum Taylor making way. Surrey have added Aneesh Kapil to last week’s squad and may add Gary Wilson depending on the outcome of Ireland’s Intercontinental Cup match against the UAE which is taking place in Dublin.

There's few more beautiful sights in football than a player finding the back of the net after defying gravity – but who did it best?

Premier League fans have been treated to hundreds of amazing goals since the competition's inception back in 1992, with some of the best players in the world producing moments of wizardry that defy belief. There is one specific type of goal that elicits more joy than any other, though, because of the technical ability and sheer audacity that is required to pull it off.

Instant hero status is bestowed on those that manage to execute a perfect overhead kick. They are rarely seen during normal passages of play, not least because of the inherent risk of embarrassment that comes with the shot selection.

But there is no defence against it when its done right. For a player to get a strong enough connection to beat a goalkeeper with their back to goal everything has to be perfect, from their positioning and timing to their concentration and general poise.

The English top-flight has probably seen more of these wondrous goals than any other league in Europe, and picking out the best of them for a top-10 list is no mean feat. But every so often a return to the archives becomes a necessity.

There will always be those who take to the skies in a bid to write their name into Premier League folklore, and GOAL is here to rank the greatest overhead kicks in the competition's history to date…

10Sebastian Haller (West Ham vs Crystal Palace, 2021)

West Ham supporters never really saw the best of Sebastien Haller, who arrived at the London Stadium from Eintracht Frankfurt in a club-record £45 million ($57m) deal back in July 2019. A modest return of 14 goals from 54 appearances highlights the fact that the Borussia Dortmund striker wasn't settled in England, but one of those efforts still ranks among the best of his entire career.

It came when Crystal Palace visited West Ham in December 2021, as David Moyes' side found themselves in dire need of inspiration after falling behind to a first-half header from Christian Benteke. Haller provided it as he swivelled in mid-air to meet a Vladimir Coufal cross from the right wing, with his powerful effort nestling perfectly into the top corner.

Palace goalkeeper Vicente Guaita could only watch on helplessly as it flew past him, and it earned West Ham a valuable point in their pursuit of European qualification. Moyes described Haller's strike as a "wondergoal", which was more than fitting, and served as a reminder of his superb natural instincts in the box.

Advertisement9Gary Cahill (Aston Villa vs Birmingham City, 2006)

Gary Cahill is best remembered as a quick, reliable defender who rose to the top because of his impressive ability to the read the game. But the former Chelsea and Bolton star also had an eye for goal. He bagged 28 Premier League goals in total, including a sublime bicycle kick to open his account when he was on the books of Aston Villa.

Villa hosted Birmingham City in April 2006 with both sides struggling at the wrong end of the table, and Villa ended up taking the spoils with a 3-1 victory, as Cahill grabbed their all-important second goal after an incredible leap.

The ball was headed in his direction after an ugly goalmouth scramble, but Cahill's finish was a thing of beauty as he rose to turn home an unstoppable first-time volley. It was a piece of athleticism that no one knew he had in his locker at the time, but it set the tone for him to go on and become a genuine goalscoring centre-half.

8Rory Delap (Southampton vs Tottenham, 2004)

When most football fans hear the name Rory Delap, they think of Stoke City's throw-in specialist who successfully riled up legendary Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger on multiple occasions. But the Ireland midfielder was also very capable of conjuring up something spectacular.

Delap delivered his career-best strike for Southampton against Tottenham at St Mary's in March 2004, after going exactly two years without a goal. No one expected to see Delap running into the box to try and latch on a loose ball, but that's exactly what he did, and he had the speed of thought to adjust his body for a bicycle kick after realising it was dropping behind him.

Delap couldn't have hoped for a cleaner connection as his shot then rocketed past Kasey Keller in the Spurs net. It proved to be the difference between the two sides and ensured that Delap will always have a special place in the hearts of Saints' supporters.

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7Andy Carroll (West Ham vs Crystal Palace, 2017)

Andy Carroll was once considered to be the brightest talent in English football. The Newcastle academy graduate was unplayable on his day, a big brute of a centre-forward who caused nightmares for defenders in the air, but injuries prevented him from reaching his full potential.

After a failed spell at Liverpool, Carroll joined West Ham on a permanent deal in 2013, and went on to score a respectable 34 goals for the club. His standout effort came in a 3-0 home win against Crystal Palace in January 2017, which to this day probably remains the best goal ever scored at the London Stadium.

Michail Antonio stood up a cross for Carroll to meet at the back post and he turned his body perfectly to execute an acrobatic overhead kick, which was barely visible as it flashed into the net. The crowd was left stunned, but it came as no surprise to then-West Ham boss Slaven Billic, who said after the game: "He does it in training, although he is normally hitting the post! I am afraid he will get injured when he does it in training."

Lancashire ended a run of three games without a win in the Friends Life t20 by narrowly beating Leicestershire in a last-ball thriller at Old Trafford.

07-Jul-2013Lancashire 155 for 4 (Katich 62*) beat Leicestershire 151-7 (Smith 84, Kabir 3-26) by four runs
ScorecardSimon Katich finally found reward for his good form for Lancashire in Twenty20•Getty ImagesLancashire ended a run of three games without a win in the Friends Life t20 by narrowly beating Leicestershire in a last-ball thriller at Old Trafford.Michael Thornely hit the penultimate ball of the match for six over cow corner to leave five needed off the last before he was run out by wicketkeeper Gareth Cross trying, somewhat against the odds, to run all of them.Lancashire have not been at their best with the bat throughout their North Division campaign and it was no different here.Simon Katich’s unbeaten 62 off 43 balls underpinned a total of 155 for four, but it had looked like being higher after they had made 43 from the first four overs. Leicestershire’s spinners Jigar Naik and Shakib Al Hasan then barely conceded five runs an over between them and .It looked like costing Lancashire for large parts of Leicestershire’s reply, which was fired by a superb career best 84 off 66 balls from Greg Smith, who also scored a half-century in his only other appearance in this year’s competition.Smith helped to take the equation to 21 off the last two overs with six wickets in hand before Kabir Ali struck twice in the penultimate, including the dismissal of Smith, to leave 16 needed off the last.Kabir, in his best match to date for Lancashire at the tail-end of his career, returned 3 for 26 from his four overs, but it remained touch and go until the final ball as the New Zealand seamer Mitchell McClenaghan conceded eleven off the last.Earlier, Karl Brown had proved his power by slog-sweeping a huge six off left-arm seamer Rob Taylor which almost cleared one of the new two-tiered stands.But Brown did not fill himself with glory later. Stephen Moore was run out following a mix-up with Brown, who later threw his wicket away when he advanced to Shakib and was stumped after an ugly swipe.But Katich, the former Australia left-hander, continued his good form in this competition with five fours and a six over mid-wicket off Josh Cobb’s part-time offspinners. He has scored 199 runs from five innings for Lancashire but his support has been inconsistent.Despite losing three wickets inside the first 10 overs of their chase at a cost of 70, Leicestershire were favourites for long periods with Smith at the crease. But when he offered a sharp low chance to Ashwell Prince at mid-on off Ali in the penultimate over, their chances were already fading away.

Australia’s young allrounder Glenn Maxwell has declared he will be his side’s “x-factor” in the World Twenty20

Daniel Brettig17-Sep-2012Glenn Maxwell is headed for a breakout display at the World Twenty20 … or a sobering brush with reality at the same tournament.Having turned heads with a handful of spiky performances in his first appearances for Australia during their recent ODI and T20 series in the UAE, Maxwell has arrived in Sri Lanka flushed with confidence ahead of his team’s opening match against Ireland on Wednesday.He has spoken with plenty of brio about the sorts of displays he is capable of producing over the next three weeks, which in his mind will be match-turning efforts of the kind produced by the world’s very best. They are bold words from a 23-year-old with six international matches to his credit, and Maxwell will now need to back them up with plenty of action.”I’m very confident I can perform now at this level. Hopefully I can be that x-factor that Australia needs to win this tournament,” Maxwell said in Colombo. “I feel like I can become that x-factor in all three facets of the game and hopefully be that flair that Australia really wants to see.”That could mean a run out, a brilliant catch, a breakthrough wicket with the ball or big hitting. I’m really embracing that ‘x-factor’ tag. I don’t really have too many doubts, I don’t think I’m going to try to back down any time soon either.”Among a series of useful cameos in the UAE, Maxwell said he gained most from an unbeaten half century to guide Australia home in the third ODI in Sharjah. That innings clinched the series for Michael Clarke’s team, and gave Maxwell the belief that he could follow it up with even greater things at the World T20.”When I got the boys over the line at the end, that gave me the confidence to do anything in the squad,” he said. “I feel like I can give Australia more runs at the top of the order rather than the bottom. Hopefully a hundred is not too far away and it comes in this tournament.”Running his eye over other teams in the tournament, Maxwell said he expected England to shrug off the loss of Kevin Pietersen, the player of the tournament when Paul Collingwood led the team to victory over Australia in the final of the 2010 edition.”England has been a bit of a powerhouse. KP is one of the world’s best players but they’ve been able to cover for him pretty well,” Maxwell said. “I don’t think they’re going to miss him too much.””Their middle order is quite strong. Eoin Morgan gives them amazing versatility, he’s a great finisher and a really tough player to get out. Their bowling attack is excellent. They’ve got a great bowling coach in David Saker who has drilled them really well.”Maxwell’s words carry as much conviction as some of his strokes have done so far. Australia will hope for more of the same from Wednesday.

Ben Cox responded to a vote of confidence with a career-best performance for Worcestershire in the draw with Hampshire at New Road.

14-Sep-2013
ScorecardBen Cox, seen here in one-day action, secured his future at New Road•Getty ImagesBen Cox responded to a vote of confidence with a career-best performance for Worcestershire in the draw with Hampshire at New Road. The rain-wrecked game was effectively dead as soon as Worcestershire avoided the follow-on but it was a big day for Cox.After his impressive innings of 65 from 113 balls, chief executive David Leatherdale confirmed he has been offered a new contract.Cox’s third half-century in Championship cricket – coupled with an unbeaten 61 by Shaaiq Choudhry – helped Worcestershire to 351 for 8, still 77 behind. A declaration then left Hampshire to make 69 for 2 before the teams agreed on the earliest possible finish at 4.20pm.Cox has had numerous ups and downs since 2009, when he was taken out of his studies at Bromsgrove School to score 61 against Somerset at Taunton in his first appearance in the championship. He has since had to compete for the wicketkeeping berth with Ben Scott and then the Australian Michael Johnson, but he is now the only senior gloveman in the squad following Johnson’s release last Tuesday.There were two ways the match could have gone on the final day. Worcestershire wanted to set up a run chase but Hampshire took the more difficult option in trying to enforce the follow-on.When Cox and Ross Whiteley resumed at 189 for 5, the home side still needed 90 to avoid batting again and they made it for the loss of only one wicket.Matt Coles often strayed down the leg side but James Tomlinson did make a breakthrough when bowling Whiteley for 38. From this point, Cox and Choudhry were in control. When the second new ball was taken, Cox confidently pulled Tomlinson for six and in the seamer’s next over he dismissed the follow-on threat with a well-timed cover drive.The last opportunity to open the game up passed by when Worcestershire batted on for bonus points after lunch. They added only four runs in 20 minutes before Cox edged to gully, giving Hampshire’s loan signing Coles his third wicket of the innings, but by then the match had lost its competitive edge.Hitting 10 fours in nearly three hours, Choudhry put on 78 with Cox and then 58 with Jack Shantry, who was bowled by Chris Wood for 27. Worcestershire called a halt after finding a bizarre way of collecting a fourth batting point. Wood flattened Choudhry’s leg stump but was called for a no-ball which nudged the total past 350.

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Everything you need to know about the new Barcelona kits for the 2023-24 season

Barcelona and Nike team up once more for another top-drawer kit campaign, as the La Liga heavyweights seek to celebrate their return to the top of the Spanish football pyramid. With Xavi restoring much-vaunted league silverware to Camp Nou, supporters will be ready to celebrate a temporary move to the Olympic Stadium with a fresh fit to suit a champion.

👕 Shop the Barcelona 2023-24 kits at Nike

Nike unveiled the all-new Barcelona 2023-24 home kit on June 15, inspired by the first women’s supporters’ club from 1971 who played the first-ever women’s football match at the Spotify Camp Nou. The new home kit has the classic broad stripes in original blaugrana colours but with a significant detail – the badge set into a diamond. The away kit was unveiled on July 26, releasing an all-white kit for the first time in over 40 years that is inspired by club legend Johan Cruyff.

The American sportswear giant has been the club’s long-term apparel provider, and is extending that partnership across the upcoming season, as the Blaugrana look set to stick with tried-and-tested classic colours for their latest crack at football domination.

So, what new kits will Barcelona wear in 2023-24? GOAL takes a look at the jerseys that are set to be sported by Robert Lewandowski, Gavi and more, while we also give you the lowdown on rumours and leaks alongside details on how to buy them online.

Barcelona 2023-24 kits

Nike unveiled the all-new Barcelona 2023-24 home kit on June 15. The new kit is unique as it is the Club’s first to be inspired by the women’s team.

The home kit features the classic broad stripes – synonymous with Barca – in the original blaugrana colours, the significant detailing coming through with the badge set in a diamond.

The diamond represents the first women’s team to ever play a game of football at the Spotify Camp Nou, an example of Barça’s pioneering spirit, always adopting a leading role in both sport and society, allied with continued success. 

The jersey will feature the men’s and women’s team main partner, Spotify, whose logo is on the front, alongside the Nike logo. The Ambilight TV and Bimbo brands will be on the men’s and women’s first team jersey sleeves respectively. The UNHCR/ACNUR logo will again feature above the number on the back. 

The Barcelona 2023-24 home kit is available to buy right now from Nike, with a replica men’s shirt retailing at £79.95.

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Barcelona has released its first white-away kits since 1979. The innovative design pays tribute to the man who developed Barca's playing style – Johan Cruyff. Based on the second kit worn by the blaugranes during the 1970s. Just like the first kit harks back to the spirit of the Barça Women’s team that played their first-ever game at the Spotify Camp Nou in 1970. The jersey is predominantly white and features red and blue stripes on the sleeve cuffs.

The kit is available to buy now from Nike for £75.00.

As with the away strip, there is not too much known about the finer points of the 2023-24 third kit Barcelona will sport this coming season, though if their anticipated change number sticks to its planned design, it will need a face-lift.

Early leaks and speculation suggest Barcelona’s third option could opt for a colour tone not seen on their alternative options since the 2019-20 campaign, with a return to an aquamarine-eseque hue, alternatively described as mint and turquoise.

Simple block patterns with little deviation bar traditional Barcelona trim are anticipated,, but as it stands, there is no concrete info on both design and collar structure for this option.

As with plenty of other third-choice kits for next season, not much is known about an exact release date, but you can expect it to match the price of their other strips, retailing at an anticipated £75.00 through Nike.

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In line with the expected classy designs of their home and away strips, Barcelona’s 2023-24 training kit looks set to keep the tasteful feel intact, opting for a two-tone number between contrasted shades of grey.

A lighter, soft-steel hue forms the bulk of the main body, while darker, slate-coloured accents cover the arms and shoulders for an impressively deft effect.

The Blaugrana are no stranger to a grey number of course, though it is historically a shade reserved exclusively for their goalkeeper kits, with this season’s change strip for shotstoppers bearing some tonal similarities.

There is no official release date set for the pre-match jersey, but with stock suggested to be close to the shelves, we can expect to see a summer 2023 launch.

Nasir Jamshed’s rapid half-century helped Chittagong Kings beat Khulna Royal Bengals with five balls to spare in Mirpur

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Feb-2012
ScorecardNasir Jamshed’s rapid half-century helped Chittagong Kings beat Khulna Royal Bengals with five balls to spare in Mirpur. They and Barisal Burners are the only unbeaten teams in the Bangladesh Premier League after two games.The Kings lost the toss at the Shere Bangla Stadium and watched the Royal Bengals openers make a strong start. Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Herschelle Gibbs had added 89 by the 11th over, when Gibbs was dismissed by Mahmudullah for 34 off 39 balls. Mahmudullah also dismissed Chanderpaul in the 15th over, for 59 off 50 balls with his team on 114 for 2. Two other West Indians, Dwayne Smith and Andre Russell, ensured the Royal Bengals had a strong finish. They scored 52 in five overs and gave their bowlers 171 to defend.Jahurul Islam fell early but Jamshed, the Pakistan batsman, gave the Kings a quick start. He had a partnership of 88 with Jason Roy for the second wicket and put the chase on course. The innings stumbled when Roy and Mahmudullah fell in the 11th over, and Dwayne Bravo didn’t make much either. Jamshed, however, held one end up, scoring rapidly to deal with the asking-rate. He hit 86 off 47 balls, with ten fours and a six, to steer the Kings to victory in the final over.

Former Kent batsman Michael Carberry took his Canterbury run-spree for July to 303 in three innings as he put his old side to the sword and helped inspire Hampshire to a seventh South Group win as they beat a youthful Kent by 62 runs.

29-Jul-2013
ScorecardMichael Carberry has now scored 303 runs at Canterbury in July•PA PhotosFormer Kent batsman Michael Carberry took his Canterbury run-spree for July to 303 in three innings as he put his old side to the sword and helped inspire Hampshire to a seventh South Group win as they beat a youthful Kent by 62 runs.Fresh from scoring 154 and 66 in the corresponding County Championship clash here two weeks ago, Surrey-born Carberry returned to hit 11 fours and a six in an unbeaten 83 as Hampshire posted an impressive 20-over total of 185 for 6.In pursuit a young host side, without the likes of Rob Key, Brendan Nash, Michael Powell, Vernon Philander and Charlie Shreck, were held to 123 for 9 as offspinner Liam Dawson caused havoc with competition-best figures of 4 for 19.Kent lost openers Daniel Bell-Drummond (12) and Fabian Cowdrey (13) in the fifth over of their reply bowled by Dimitri Mascarenhas and, by the end of the Powerplay, were already 30 runs off the pace set by Hampshire. By the mid-point of their reply Kent’s asking rate had already soared to 12 an over, but Darren Stevens briefly warmed to the task by clubbing three sixes in the space of 11 balls, only to lose Sam Billings to a catch in the deep off Dawson.Three balls later and without addition, Stevens top-edged a sweep off Dawson to fine leg to go for 39 off 28 balls and, when Dawson had Alex Blake stumped first ball to make it 69 for 5, Kent’s hopes of a third win and completing a double over Hampshire were in tatters.With a home quarter final tie already assured, Hampshire set out to avenge their sole South Group defeat at the hands of Kent by batting first on a pristine pitch that helped openers Carberry and James Vince to put 20 on board within nine deliveries of the start.Vince clubbed a brace of leg side sixes off Mitch Claydon, but the on-loan Durham seamer won quick revenge by clipping the top of Vince’s off stump as he again heaved toward cow corner. Carberry upped his tempo by taking four boundaries in Claydon’s next over, but Mark Davies stemmed the flow by having Jimmy Adams caught off a thick edge by Claydon at short third man, yet even so, Hampshire cantered to 62 for 2 by the end of their six Powerplay overs.To his credit, rookie offspinner Adam Riley, Kent’s most frugal bowler with 0 for 21, and veteran seamer Stevens temporarily restricted the boundary count to limit Royals to 84 for 2 at the innings mid-point, but Carberry ploughed on to a 33-ball 50 with seven fours and a six. He helped add 94 in 11.1 overs with Neil McKenzie before the latter was run out for 45 when attempting a sharp single to Stevens at wide mid-on.Then, a fit again Hants’ skipper Mascarenhas fell to a spectacular overhead catch at long leg by Ben Harmison after hooking at a Matt Coles bouncer. Coles picked up a fortunate second scalp Sean Ervine clipped a low full toss to long-on, and Claydon closed with a costly 2 for 55 when he bowled Dawson with the final delivery of the innings. But Carberry refused to budge and carried his bat for 83 from 56 balls.

India’s batting would need to perform collectively to get past a tough New Zealand in the semi-final of the Under-19 World Cup

George Binoy in Townsville22-Aug-2012India have made it to the semi-final of the Under-19 World Cup in Townsville despite their batting unit performing well below potential. Their bowlers have brought them this far, defending targets in two group games and dismissing Pakistan for 136 in the quarter-final. They’ve also done the batsmen’s job twice: Kamal Passi making 24 off five balls to reach a competitive total against Zimbabwe, and Harmeet Singh and Sandeep Sharma adding a nerve-shredding 10 for the last wicket to eliminate Pakistan.Five of India’s top seven batsmen have made half-centuries in the tournament but no one averages over 40. Vijay Zol, who has 150 runs in four innings, is the best with 37.50. Three of the batsmen who went past 50 did not make it past 60. The highest score is Unmukt Chand’s 78 against Zimbabwe. What India need against a New Zealand side that will not willingly yield an inch is for batsmen to perform collectively and for them to not stop soon after getting a half-century.”Each one has clicked at different times, but we have not clicked together, now it’s just a question of mental preparation,” India’s coach Bharat Arun said. “Good thing is, each and every one of them is confident, they’ve got some knocks at different points. It’s time for them to come together on the big occasion.”Batsmen from most teams have struggled in Townsville, especially at the Tony Ireland Stadium, and especially against the new ball. India were 34 for 3 against West Indies, 139 for 0 against Zimbabwe, 98 for 5 against Papua New Guinea and 8 for 3 against Pakistan.”They have seen it for themselves,” Arun said when asked if the top-order batsmen had learned from Harmeet and Sandeep’s straight-bat and patient approach against Pakistan. “We have learnt from our mistakes, seen our videos. Hopefully we’ll offset all those things that we’ve done.”It is about understanding the conditions, no matter how many times you played there, there’s always something in it for the bowlers. I guess each and every one [of the batsmen] understands that you cannot dominate from the word go. You need to settle down and then you will be able to do something on this wicket. The batsmen have realised that; hopefully they [will] come good.”Chand, being an opening batsman, along with Prashant Chopra, has had the hardest job of getting past the new ball, which he’s managed to do twice. Against West Indies, Chand batted until the 20th over to score 22, and against Zimbabwe he made a half-century. He spoke of the importance of battling through the first 15-20 overs, saying even a run-rate as low as two or three was no problem if the wickets had been protected.”It [batting] does get easier once the ball stops doing its bit [after 15-20 overs],” Chand said. “You need to apply yourself, which we have been lacking in … if [those who have been playing well] can convert the starts into bigger ones and finish the game off, that can be really good for the team.”Like New Zealand, India also entered the final four after a tense victory, against Pakistan. With emotions running high over the last 36 hours, it was important for the team to soak in that achievement and then move past it. Chand said the team had successfully done so.”Until yesterday [Tuesday] we were talking about the previous victory, there were calls from back home, so all that was there,” Chand said. “From today, from the practice session, we are focussed on tomorrow’s match. We want to leave Pakistan game as a memory.”India will hope their batsmen stop adding to their bowlers’ burden, so they’ll be able to move past New Zealand, leave the semi-final as a memory, and set up a title clash against Australia on Sunday.