Cricket And Cricketers

Exiles And Kings - Richard Jones

2008-11-09T02:56:00.000-08:00

Sweet Summers: The Classic Cricket Writing of JM Kilburn

2008-11-09T02:54:00.000-08:00

An evocative new book 'Sweet Summers: The Classic Cricket Writing of JM Kilburn' (Great Northern Books) edited by award winning writer, Duncan Hamilton, with an introduction by Geoffrey Boycott, captures a time when the true spirit of cricket existed.

"JM Kilburn was one of cricket's major romantic poets: the Coleridge to Neville Cardus' Wordsworth." Duncan Hamilton

"He was the very best of cricket writers." Dickie Bird

"Nowadays, I believe there are too many writers attached to cricket who know bugger all about it - Jim was different." Geoffrey Boycott

For more than forty summers, from 1934 to 1976, J M Kilburn's authoritative and elegant essays on cricket, captured the beauty of the game and the legends gracing it, among them Donald Bradman, Fred Trueman, Jack Hobbs, Keith Miller, Garfield Sobers, Hedley Verity and Walter Hammond. He writes of the days when 8,000 people watched Yorkshire's County Championship matches; when he travelled by ship on an Ashes tour with his friend Len Hutton; and of a bygone but beautiful period when one-day matches, coloured clothing and rampant commercialism in cricket simply didn't exist.

The scent of those long-lost 'sweet summers' is found in this new book: a collection of Kilburn's writings from the Yorkshire Post, Wisden and The Cricketer as well as his ten published books including 'In Search of Cricket'. Expertly compiled by Duncan Hamilton (author of the 2007 William Hill award winning book 'Provided You Don't Kiss Me: 20 Years with Brian Clough') this book is perfectly timed as present-day cricket stumbles from one controversy to the next. In addition to Kilburn's cultivated and insightful words, the book also contains 42 superb archive images.

Duncan Hamilton says, 'Kilburn is worth reading not only because he was a knowledgeable and respected interpreter of cricket - well balanced, tough-minded and scrupulously honest in his verdicts - but also for the valuable historical and social perspective that reading him provides. Most of all he demonstrably cared about cricket. His heart was in it - and belonged to it.'

Geoffrey Boycott, has provided the introduction to the book, in which he says, 'When I was growing up in Fitzwilliam, television didn't dominate cricket in the way it does today. Even radio coverage of it was spasmodic. If I wanted to know what was happening at Headingley, I turned to the Bible of Yorkshire cricket - the Yorkshire Post and Jim's report, which was read like scripture throughout the county'. Later as a player, Boycott came to know Kilburn well and respected his judgement and his integrity, explaining: 'Jim was someone I could trust implicitly. Later on in my career, as the desire for tabloid scandal profoundly altered the relationship between journalists and players, I was always wary about talking to reporters who I didn't know. You could find something you'd said - usually innocuously or half in jest - either grossly inflated or ripped out of context and then spread across the back pages in huge dark type. Jim was different.'

The book also contains contributions from other leading cricket writers, commentators and legendary players including Dickie Bird, Richie Benaud, Richard Hutton, John Woodcock, Matthew Engel, Christopher Martin-Jenkins, Geoffrey Moorhouse, David Frith, Derek Hodgson, Brian Close, Ray Illingworth, Stephen Chalke, Harry Gration, Chris Waters, Bob Appleyard and Don Wilson.

'Sweet Summers: The Classic Cricket Writing of JM Kilburn' edited by Duncan Hamilton, introduction by Geoffrey Boycott.

Hardback, £16.99, published by Great Northern Books - telephone 01274 735056 or go to www.greatnorthernbooks.co.uk.

Considered the most forward-thinking coach in international cricket, Bob Woolmer’s tragic and untimely death at the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean do

2008-11-09T02:46:00.000-08:00

Considered the most forward-thinking coach in international cricket, Bob Woolmer’s tragic and untimely death at the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean dominated headlines around the globe for months. One small comfort is that he had just completed his magnum opus, a lifetime’s wisdom gathered from playing and coaching cricket at the highest levels.

Bob Woolmer’s Art and Science of Cricket represents the first time that a cricket coach and a sports scientist, both experts in their field, have combined their experience, insights and knowledge to create the most comprehensive book on playing and coaching cricket published to date. The book covers all the essentials such as batting, bowling and fielding but, unlike other coaching manuals, the aim of this book is to develop all-rounders who can show mental as well as technical strength.

The technical chapters contain photos of Allan Donald, Jacques Kallis and Jonty Rhodes demonstrating the techniques and the book also contains a foreword by Richie Benaud. Bob Woolmer’s Art and Science of Cricket is divided into four parts; Discovering Cricket, Cricket Techniques, Thinking Cricket and Cricket Science. Including the latest cutting-edge research on the science of cricket, from answers to the mysteries of swing and spin to injury prevention and treatment, this trailblazing book is set to become the definitive cricket manual, telling you everything you need to know about becoming the best cricketer or coach that you can be.

AUTHOR DETAILS

Bob Woolmer was considered the most forward-thinking coach in international cricket at the time of his tragic death at the 2007 World Cup. He played at the highest levels of the game, from county to the Packer circus and the Test arena, but it was as a coach that he created an enduring legacy, whether with the South African and Pakistan national teams, as High Performance Manager for the International Cricket Council, or as motivator and mentor for township clubs in South Africa.

Professor Tim Noakes co-founded the Sports Science Institute of South Africa and is the Discovery Health Professor of Exercise and Sports Science at the University of Cape Town. He also directs the UCT/Medical Research Council Exercise Science and Sports Medicine Research Unit. An A-rated scientist, he is the author of four editions of Lore of Running (the ‘runner’s Bible’). He takes a keen interest in cricket-related research.

Dr Helen Moffett is a freelance writer, academic and avid cricket fan, and has lectured all over the world on the social, political and cultural aspects of the game. She has co-produced two films on cricket and nation-building in South Africa, and is the first woman to have been invited to give the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Lecture in the West Indies.

PUBLICATION DETAILS

Publication Date: 1st August 2008
Price: £30 Hardback
ISBN: 978 184773 3146

www.bobwoolmerbook.com

PA Photos - 100 Years Of Cricket

2008-11-09T02:38:00.000-08:00

For the first time in its 140 year history, PA Photos offers up some of the most memorable sporting images from its massive archive in a landmark series of books that spans the whole of the 20th Century.

Most of the images featured in the books have lain unseen since first being used as news pictures. Hand-picked by PA Photos’ own archivists, each image has been scanned especially for these books, many from glass plates, ensuring the best possible quality of reproduction.

Sports fans will find these books a compelling addition to their shelves - a chance to see the people, and witness the great moments, of the last hundred years of the most popular sports in Britain. The general reader will be equally fascinated by the unique insight into our recent history that these pictures provide: to modern eyes, the crowds and backgrounds are as interesting as the subjects themselves.

PUBLICATION DETAILS

Type: Paperback
Date: November 2008
Price: £14.99

Buy online: click here

Krejza Reflects On Unbelievable Test Debut

2008-11-08T03:08:00.000-08:00

Picked in the eleven as a gamble, Australia off-spinner Jason Krejza walked into the record books by taking eight wickets on debut in the final test against India on Friday.The 25-year-old bowler took five wickets in the space of 26 balls in his post-lunch spell as India collapsed to 441 all out to give Australia hope of a series-levelling victory."It's a bit of a blur still," Krejza told a news conference of his five-wicket burst."I tried to keep doing what I was doing. I was happy to get the wickets. It's still unbelievable to me."It was an important session this morning, we wanted to get a couple of wickets earlier, but it's definitely swung back into our favour."Krejza, a tall, loopy spinner, was chosen in place of seamer Stuart Clark as a second specialist spinner to exploit the spin-friendly conditions as Australia bid to avoid their first series defeat in three years."It's incredible. It's still pretty unbelievable, against the best players of spin in the world," said the bowler, who shifted from pace to spin as a young boy following two stress fractures in his back.Among his victims were Rahul Dravid, Vangipurappu Laxman, Virender Sehwag and Saurav Ganguly, four of India's top batsmen, and his rise comes at a time when Australia are struggling to find a replacement for the retired Shane Warne.Opener Simon Katich struck 92 not out and put on 115 for the unbroken third wicket with Michael Hussey (45) as the visitors moved to a confident 189 for two at stumps."We've got two batsmen who are very good and got us into a good position to win the game," said Krejza, whose father is a footballer from the Czech Republic and whose mother comes from Poland.Krejza became the sixth bowler and third Australian after Albert Trott and Bob Massie to take eights wickets on debut.He also entered the record books for conceding the most runs (215) by a test debutant."I think that's what good about Ricky (Ponting), a lot of spinners would have got taken off," he said of the skipper.

Records Tumble As Australia Women Win Again

2008-11-08T03:06:00.001-08:00

Captain Karen Rolton's eighth international century and a second to opener Alex Blackwell headlined a record-breaking day for the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars as they cruised to a 118-run win against India at Manuka Oval.Rolton's century (101) set the world record for the most number of One Day International centuries by a woman. Her first century in more than three years was scored off just 91 balls and helped the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars post 281 for three, their highest score against India.Blackwell's second One Day International century was brought up in the 49th over with twin sister Kate at the non-striker's end. On both occasions when she has reached triple figures at international level, Alex has had Kate at the other end to congratulate her.In reply, India was bowled out for 163 in the 46th over after again failing to mount a serious run chase."I had a good off-season, so I was really looking forward to this series. I hit the ball well in the Twenty20 match and was disappointed over the couple of games because I had plenty of opportunities but didn't take my chances to get a big score," Rolton said."As a team, we wanted to work on a few things today, especially with our batting. We wanted to try and score 300, so we fell just short of that."Bowling wise, I thought everyone did well. It was good to get a few more overs out of Leah Poulton and she managed to get her first international wicket. Emma Sampson and Ellyse Perry bowled really well to get two and three wickets each, and to finish with a couple of run outs was very pleasing."Rolton's feat was one of many on a remarkable day for Australian women's cricket. Among the day's other milestones:* The Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars recorded their highest score against India (281-3)* Two players scored centuries in the same One Day International innings for Australia for the first time against a top-four ranked nation* Alex Blackwell scored her second international century and highest score (106 not out from 145) and carried her bat through the innings;* Rolton and Blackwell recorded the second highest partnership (166) for Australia against India for any wicket* Leah Poulton claimed her first international wicket.After winning the toss and electing to bat, the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars posted 281 for three with Rolton and Blackwell's contributions ensuring the home team posted a huge total.India's innings began disastrously with MD Thiruskamini run out off a no-ball in the fourth over.For the third match in a row, India's chase never threatened the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars. By the 17th over, India had slumped to 51 for four with star batter Mithali Raj dismissed for 22. Despite a spirited 56-run partnership between Anagha Deshpande and Priyanka Roy, the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars were able to keep the pair's efforts in check before cruising to another emphatic win.Ellyse Perry led the wicket-takers for the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars with 3-21, while Emma Sampson took 2-24.The final match of the series will be played at Manuka Oval in Canberra.

ICC Urges 2011 Cup Hosts To Step Up Preparations

2008-11-08T03:04:00.001-08:00

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has told the four host countries of the 2011 World Cup to speed up their preparations for the event.ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat told representatives of the Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh cricket boards during a meeting in New Delhi this week that they needed to fast track preparations that are running 10 months behind schedule.The joint World Cup committee met formally for the first time since it was formed in June 2007."The ICC had advised us to go into overdrive," Saleem Altaf, the director-general of the Pakistan board, told Reuters on Friday. "The budget for the World Cup would be approved next year in June."Altaf said the ICC would also be contacting the respective governments to discuss a common visa for World Cup visitors."They want a common visa like the one issued for the last World Cup in West Indies in 2007," he said.India is due to host 22 matches, including the final of the tournament, with 14 matches in Pakistan, nine in Sri Lanka and six matches.Pakistan and Sri Lanka will host the semi-finals while Bangladesh will host the opening ceremony.

Tendulkar Rested For First Three England ODIs

2008-11-08T03:00:00.001-08:00

India's Sachin Tendulkar has been rested for the first three matches of a seven-match one-day series against England starting at Rajkot on Nov 14."Considering the hectic schedule ahead and the amount of cricket he has already played this season, Sachin Tendulkar requested that he be rested for the first three ODIs," an Indian board statement said on Wednesday.Indian selectors named a 15-man squad for the matches at Rajkot, Indore (Nov 17) and Kanpur (Nov 20) with Murali Vijay the only new face.The Tamil Nadu batsman is expected to make his international debut in the final test against Australia starting on Thursday after being brought in as replacement for opener Gautam Gambhir, who is serving a one-test ban.The other four one-dayers will be played at Bangalore, Cuttack, Guwahati and New Delhi.England arrive on Thursday and will also play two tests in Ahmedabad and Mumbai in December.India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Yusuf Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, Ishant Sharma, Pragyan Ojha, Rudra Pratap Singh, Virat Kohli, Murali Vijay.

Pakistan Coach Criticises Yousuf's ICL Switch

2008-11-08T02:57:00.000-08:00

Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam has criticised batsman Mohammad Yousuf's decision to defect to the unofficial Indian Cricket League.
Yousuf, a veteran of 79 Tests and 269 One Day Internationals was picked for Pakistan's One Day International series against the West Indies before the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was informed of his decision to play for the Lahore Badshahs in India.
"Yousuf has been the backbone of the middle order batting but since he is no longer eligible to play for Pakistan, we must look ahead and groom a replacement," Alam said.
"Yousuf's decision is not only ill-timed but unfortunate as well. I am positive we can overcome his loss as we have the talent to find a suitable replacement in time," he added.
The PCB has also threatened to file a legal case against Yousuf if he does not return money invested in him to prevent him joining the ICL last year.

New Zealand Bank On Pace For First Australia Test

2008-11-08T02:50:00.000-08:00

New Zealand have named five fast bowlers in their squad to take on Australia in the first of two Tests in Brisbane later this month.
Captain Daniel Vettori is the only spinner in the squad which plays Tests in Brisbane from November 21st and Adelaide from November 28th.
All-rounder Jacob Oram and bowler Michael Mason are unavailable due to injury but Chris Martin returns after missing both series in Bangladesh.
New Zealand warm up with a four-day match against reigning Sheffield Shield champions New South Wales from November 13th.
New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (captain), Aaron Redmond, Jamie How, Jesse Ryder, Ross Taylor, Peter Fulton, Daniel Flynn, Brendon McCullum, Grant Elliott, Gareth Hopkins, Tim Southee, Iain O'Brien, Kyle Mills, Mark Gillespie, Chris Martin

Laxman Hoping 100th Test Is Special

2008-11-06T22:15:00.000-08:00

Indian batsman Vangipurappu Laxman hopes his rich vein of form against Australia will continue when he plays his 100th Test match from Thursday.

"It's a great moment for me and for all the people associated in this journey of mine. I hope I can make it special," Laxman told Indian media on Wednesday.

The stylish middle-order batsman will become the eighth Indian to play in 100 Test matches when he takes the field against the world's top-ranked side in the final Test at Nagpur.

The hosts lead the four-match series 1-0 after winning the second Test in Mohali by 320 runs. Two Tests ended in draws.

Six of Laxman's 13 Test centuries have come against Australia, including a second double hundred in last week's drawn third Test.

"I have always enjoyed playing against them. It gives you a lot of satisfaction to do well against the top side in the world," said Laxman, 34.

"They have always been number one since I started playing international cricket."

An elegant stroke-maker, Laxman took the cricket world by storm in 2001 by making a then Indian Test record 281 against Australia in Kolkata, rallying the team to victory after being asked to follow on and sparking a comeback series triumph.

Laxman, who made his Test debut in 1996, has scored 6,313 runs at 45.41.

He will join Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Sachin Tendulkar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid and Saurav Ganguly in the select band of Indians to play in 100 tests.

Salim Malik Claims He Is New PCB Academy Coach

2008-11-06T22:05:00.000-08:00

Former Pakistan captain Salim Malik, who had a life ban for alleged involvement in match-fixing overturned last month, said on Tuesday he had accepted a job as head coach of the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) national academy.

"The board has asked me if I wanted to be head coach at the national academy and I have given them my consent," Malik told reporters in Lahore.

"I am itching to renew my ties with cricket which has given me so much and this position allows me to pass on my expertise to youngsters," Malik said.

A PCB official said the board would issue an official statement on Wednesday.

"Look, nothing is final as yet; the chairman only had some discussions with Malik that is all," the official said.

PCB chairman Ejaz Butt declined to comment. "I have nothing to say now on this," Butt said.

Malik, who played 103 tests, was banned by the PCB in 2001 on the recommendation of a judicial inquiry which carried out an 18-month investigation into allegations of match-fixing made against Pakistani players.

The inquiry commission recommended a life ban for Malik and fines for other senior players including Wasim Akram, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis.

Malik challenged his punishment in the courts and it was lifted last month, when a civil court judge said imposing the ban had been beyond the PCB's powers.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has yet to ratify the court's ruling and officially allow Malik's return to cricket.

"The court has cleared me and vindicated my position that I am innocent of these match-fixing charges," Malik said.

Harbhajan: India Not Distracted By Ganguly Retiring

2008-11-06T22:02:00.000-08:00

Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh does not believe that the retirement of former captain Saurav Ganguly will affect India's performance in the fourth and final Test against Australia in Nagpur.

The match, Ganguly's 113th and last, begins tomorrow with India taking a 1-0 series lead into the match.

"I don't think it will be a distraction. We will focus on cricket, simple," Harbhajan said at a news conference.

"We are looking forward to playing some good cricket, which is what we have been doing in this series, and we are looking to finish this series 2-0," he added.

Harhbajan himself will return to the side after missing the third Test in New Delhi, which was drawn, with a toe injury. The opening match in Bangalore was also drawn before India won by 320 runs in Mohali.

"I am 100 percent fit to play," he confirmed.

Harbhajan is one short of 300 Test wickets and will take over the mantle as senior spinner following the retirement of Anil Kumble.

"It (Kumble's) will be very big shoes to fill," Harbhajan said.

"We all know his contribution to Indian cricket and the number of matches he has won," he said of test cricket's third highest wicket-taker.

"At the same time there are young bowlers, like Amit Mishra, who now have a chance to claim a permanent place in the team. They are good bowlers and are doing well."

Mishra took seven wickets on debut in Mohali when he replaced the injured Kumble. The Nagpur Test will also be the 100th Test for VVS Laxman, who scored an unbeaten 200 in New Delhi.

Kumble Retires To Ovation

2008-11-05T06:15:00.000-08:00

India's captain Anil Kumble is carried off by his team-mates after the end of the fifth and final day's play of the third Test cricket match against Australia in New Delhi November 2, 2008. Kumble announced his retirement after the match.

India skipper Anil Kumble has announced he will retire after the third Test against Australia, an Indian cricket board official said on Sunday.

The 38-year-old is Test cricket's third-highest wicket-taker with 619 wickets, trailing only Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan and Australia's retired Shane Warne.

"(Kumble) has conveyed his decision to the Delhi association president that he will retire after the game and will make his formal announcement after the match," an Indian official said.

Wearing a faded blue India cap, Kumble was given a guard of honour by his team mates before entering his favourite ground to bowl for one last time before retirement.

The fans at the Ferozshah Kotla stadium gave him a standing ovation and he was chaired off by team mates at the end.

In 1999, Kumble took all 10 Pakistan second innings wickets at the venue to become only the second test bowler to achieve the feat and bowl the team to a series-levelling win.

Kumble, who has played 132 Tests, had been facing mounting questions over his future and missed the second Test against the Aussies in Mohali due to a shoulder injury.

He also suffered a finger injury in the current Test, which ends in Delhi on Sunday, and only returned to bowl after having 11 stitches inserted.

In 1999, Kumble became only the second bowler in Test cricket to claim all 10 wickets in an innings, emulating England's Jim Laker at the same Ferozshah Kotla ground.

Louw Debut And Smith Out Of Twenty20 As Kleinveldt

2008-11-05T06:11:00.000-08:00

Graeme Smith will miss the Twenty20 International against Bangladesh on Wednesday as Rory Kleinveldt and Johann Louw will make their Twenty20 International debut in Johannesburg.

"Graeme is making very good progress and are monitoring him on a day-to-day basis," acting selection convener Gerald Majola said. "We are confident that he will return at some stage of the Bangladesh tour and we will be guided by our medical team in that regard."

Johan Botha will continue to captain the side as Dale Steyn will also make his first international appearance of the season after recovering from a recent illness.

"We decided not to replace Smith in the squad with an additional player as we do not want to disrupt franchises who are preparing for the next round of SuperSport Series matches starting on Thursday," Majola explained.

South Africa: Johan Botha (captain), Loots Bosman, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Herschelle Gibbs, Rory Kleinveldt, Johann Louw, Albie Morkel, Morne Morkel, Justin Ontong, Dale Steyn

Michael Vaughan Announces Youth Cricket Programme

2008-11-02T22:55:00.000-08:00

England cricket captain Michael Vaughan has launched a new nationwide initiative designed to encourage more young people to start playing cricket.

The Yorkshire star wants cricket to become a children's leisure activity once again and is at the forefront of the Michael Vaughan Cricket (MVC) programme.

As he prepares to jet off to the cricket World Cup in the West Indies, Michael launched MVC with the help of more than 30 local primary school pupils.

The initiative will start with a series of cricket camps in 10 cities across the UK, providing a full week of cricket coaching, fun, games and activities for children aged five and upwards.

Michael Vaughan said: "I'm desperate to see cricket, once again, played for enjoyment and leisure in the parks, gardens and streets of Britain, and I hope this programme will be an essential part of that revival.

"To continue to be a strong cricketing nation in world cricket, its essential that we build a broad base of children not only playing cricket, but excited about it as well. I hope that this new programme will see an influx of young players from all parts of our society go on to make cricket the national sport is should be."

The five day camps are designed to introduce boys and girls from all communities to the game by using age-specific programmes that enable children as young as five to start playing cricket, and more importantly, continue to play cricket afterwards.

Michael Vaughan Cricket is being backed by the King's Foundation, a national children's sports charity whose programmes have already been enjoyed by over half a million children, both in the UK and overseas.

Richard Holmes, Chief Executive of The King's Foundation, said: "We've developed a creative, enjoyable and exciting programme for Michael Vaughan Cricket that were confident will see a new generation of children playing cricket for enjoyment and leisure.

"Children throughout the UK deserve the opportunity to learn and enjoy this great national sport. Were confident that Michael Vaughan Cricket will see more children enjoy the challenge and excitement of cricket in a way theyve never experienced before."

Faye Dale, who plays for Durham County Womens Cricket, said: "Having played and coached children in county cricket, I'm convinced that this programme will have a huge impact on children's cricket in the UK."

MVC will run in the following cities this summer: Birmingham, Bradford, Cheltenham, Harrogate, Leeds, Loughborough, Northampton, Nottingham, Sheffield, Wakefield, and York.

The King's Foundation seeks to develop children through sports both in the UK and in Africa. The charity runs King's Camps, the UKs leading multi-activity sports camps.

Amazing Ad-Venture For Brent Students

2008-11-02T22:51:00.000-08:00

A fascinating cricket ad designed by Aashil Pindolia and Nayur Arjan, students at Claremont High School in Brent, will be launched across London on 4th June. The poster, which will be featured on bus shelters donated by Clear Channel Outdoor UK, is part of a London-wide advertising campaign designed by talented state school students from the capital and supported by the Minister for London Schools, Andrew Adonis.The project, part of the Department for Education and Skills ‘London’s Schools Celebrating Achievement’ campaign, invited London students to design an ad highlighting something they have achieved with the help and support of their school.Aashil and Nayur’s design - a packed cricket box adorned with newspaper clippings - follows the story of their school cricket team’s rise from borough also-rans to district champions; mainly thanks to the teamwork ethics instilled by their P.E. teacher, Mr Nielson – a football coach with little knowledge of cricket! The other creatives, designed by Jamal Senior from Stockwell Park High School in Lambeth; Alia Hague, Amber Alexander, Amita Hanspal and Carleianne Cimbracruz-Parnintuan from Lampton School in Hounslow; and Kelly Byrne from King’s Wood School in Havering, will also be featured on outdoor media space across the capital; and the centrepiece of the campaign, a T-shirt emblazoned with the words “I went to a London state school and all I got was 8 A*s”, will be featured on four of Clear Channel’s bespoke ‘Golden Square’ billboards in the centre of London.The campaign marks the fourth year of the London Challenge programme, which is successfully raising standards in many of the capital’s schools as a result of sustained investment and targeted support. Since 1997, the number of students at London state schools obtaining five good GCSEs has risen by more than 16,000, and inner city areas that were once written off as educational disaster zones are showing dramatic improvement.Nayur said:“We have really enjoyed working with Leo Burnett and David Hiscock to turn our design into the finished poster. It looks really good and we can’t wait to show everybody at school. We are grateful that we’ve been given the opportunity to thank Mr Nielson and our school for helping us to become borough champions.” Schools Minister, Andrew Adonis,said:“London schools are getting better and better with the help of the London Challenge programme. “This advertising campaign designed by London students demonstrates the creativity and talent that exists in our schools. These fantastic designs are an excellent way of promoting the dramatic improvements that have taken place in London schools which we plan to build on in the future. I look forward to seeing the posters on display across the capital.”The posters will be on display at sites on Lambeth Palace Road, Borough High Street, Shoreditch High Street and Cricklewood Broadway; or at bus shelters around Hounslow, Brent, Havering, Lambeth and the rest of London.The ‘London Schools Celebrating Achievement’ campaign highlights the progress made by London schools. Ofsted reported in December that London schools have improved dramatically and standards are rising faster than in schools nationally. Almost one in three London schools achieved outstanding GCSE results in 2006 and the number of pupils in inner London gaining five good passes has doubled since 1997.

Red Rose Primary School Enjoy npower Power Day

2008-11-02T22:42:00.000-08:00

npower were on site at the Riverside today (Wednesday 6 June) in advance of next week’s npower Test Match between England and West Indies to work alongside two groups of Year 6 children from Red Rose Primary School, Chester le Street. The children took part in an npower Power Day as part of the npower Urban Cricket Scheme, at the Playing for Success Study Support Centre. The two groups took part in three interactive sessions, each of them containing useful information and tips on Natural Power, Team Power, Body Power and Game Power. Durham Academy player Scott Borthwick joined the afternoon group for a photograph at the end of the session.The Natural Power group challenge helped the groups learn all about forms of renewable energy which they then had to present back to the other groups. The Team Power challenge linked together important skills such as team work, communication and problem solving. The Body Power session was held in the Indoor Training School and the children used a variety of interactive equipment including a reaction board and rowing machines as well as doing a sprinting challenge. Durham CCC Study Support Centre Manager, Christine Petty said, “Both groups had a great day out and it’s very appropriate that Red Rose Primary School were here today for Day 1 of Durham’s LV County Championship match against Lancashire! The npower Power Days give the children a great introduction to cricket as well as teaching them about general health and fitness.”Tickets are still available for Friday 15, Sunday 17, Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 June (days 1, 3, 4 and 5) of the npower Test Match between England and the West Indies at the Riverside. Ticket prices start at just £10 for juniors and £20 for adults. For more information or to book please contact the Durham County Cricket Club Box Office on 0870 389 1991 or visit www.crickettickets.net

Brentwood Beat Favourites For Place In National Finals

2008-11-02T03:39:00.000-08:00

Brentwood School’s U13 cricket team has triumphed over favourites Millfield School to win a place in the National Finals of the Bunbury Cup.The national competition features hundreds of schools and Brentwood has beaten some tough opposition to make it this far. Wins against Surrey Champions (Parkside School), Sussex (Warden Park School), and Buckinghamshire (Dr Challenor’s Grammar School), plus the home win by four wickets over Somerset (Millfield) mean that Brentwood School will be representing the whole of the South of England in the final to be played at Oundle School in Peterborough on July 12. Their opponents will the winners of the Northern (Harrogate Grammar) v Midlands (Loughborough Grammar) semi-final, yet to be played.Master in Charge of U13 cricket, Mr Taker (an Old Brentwood who enjoyed playing cricket as a pupil himself), commented: “We believe this is the first game that Millfield have lost in two and a half years. As defending champions, they were expected to win this year. The fact we have six First Years in our team makes the achievement all the more remarkable. Brentwood School U13s have only reached the second round of this competition in previous years and they are now the first Essex school to have progressed this far. We have had some very tough draws and have certainly earned our place in the final. I’m quietly confident that we will do well in the final – the boys are noisily confident!“They have worked tremendously hard – they train every day in the summer term and play two or three matches a week. They are the most enthusiastic bunch of cricketers I’ve ever worked with. They are so keen to learn, and in the words of Clive Woodward, they always learn something from their victories.” The 14-strong squad is made up of First and Second Year day boys plus a boarder. “We would like to encourage more young cricketers to board here,” added Mr Rees, Master in Charge of U12 cricket and Boys’ Boarding Housemaster. The U13s reached the Bunbury Cup by winning the Essex Cup last July. The same side were also delighted to beat Eton U14s in a friendly earlier this year. © Brentwood School

Harlands Victorious As Flintoff Attends Asda Kwik Cricket Final

2008-11-02T03:38:00.001-08:00

On Friday 13th the National Final at Headingley Carnegie, the Asda Kwik Cricket National final took place. Rain forced the proceedings indoors, but it did not stop it being a very memorable day for all involved, with England star all-rounder Andrew Flintoff making an appearance, presenting the award, and meeting the kids. The eventual winners and new ASDA national champions are Harlands Primary School from Sussex. The day saw the 16 best year 6 sides in the country coming together to fight it out for the right to become national champions. As the largest cricket tournament for this age group, it could be the spring board for some future England stars, and is a great initiative for grassroots cricket in England. Each team had to make it through district, county and regional finals to get here, which is no mean feat considering that nearly 130,000 players have been involved, spread across 40 counties. Starting more than a month ago playing small district finals, to even make it to this stage is a fantastic achievement, but they were all still gunning for 1st prize. Flintoff said “By reaching this stage you have all proved yourselves to be among the best young cricketers in the country for your age”, before telling them to go and “have fun.”The 16 sides were split in to 4 groups of 4, with each region throughout the country represented. Some had travelled most of the country to get there, such was the scale of the event. The groups are detailed below with the region they were representing:-GROUP A 1. SOUTH WEST (A) Chandag Junior Scool, Somerset2. WEST MIDLANDS (A) St Peter’s Primary, Shropshire3. EAST (A) Halesworth Middle, Suffolk 4. NORTH WALES Ysgol Owen Jones, Flint GROUP B 1. SOUTH Uplands Primary, Berkshire2. WEST MIDLANDS (B) St Edward’s Middle, Staffs3. SCOTLAND Ladyloan Primary, Arbroath4. SOUTH WALES Sageston Primary, PembrokeshireGROUP C 1. NORTH WEST Scotforth C of E, Lancashire2. SOUTH EAST Harlands Primary, Sussex3. EAST MIDLANDS Abbey Primary, Leicestershire4. NORTH EAST Archbishop C of E, YorkshireGROUP D 1. EAST (B) Dallow Primary, Bedfordshire2. SOUTH WEST (B) St Michael’s Middle, Dorset3. NORTH Valley gardens Middle, Northumberland4. NORTHERN IRELAND Donemana Primary, StrabaneGroup AThe first group saw South West and Somerset Champions Chandag start against St Peter’s Primary from Shropshire and the West Midlands. Good bowling saw St Peter’s victorious with 196- 3 compared to Chandag’s 188-8. Halesworth Middle School, Suffolk and East Champions then beat North Wales Champs Ysgol Owen jones 219-2, to 213-4.Chandag’s next game saw them succumb to Halesworth with 196-5 compared to 209-1. St Peter’s Primary School then defeated the North Wales champions with 194-7 compared to 185-4 from Ysgol Owen Jones. That left Chandag to play Owen Jones who they defeated with 222-2 compared to 219-3. Halesworth then confirmed themselves as semi finalists and strong contenders for the cup with a nail biting win over St Peter’s, with 204-0 compared to 202-3. Group BBerkshire and South Champions Uplands began strongly against St Edward’s Middle School from West Midlands, scoring 224-2 to win comfortably against 205-5. South Wales Champions then defeated Scottish Champions Ladyloan Primary with 208-2 compared to 190-8. Uplands played Ladyloan next and scored 208-1. This proved too many for the Scots who finished on 191-6. St Edward’s Middle then beat Sageston with 222-4 compared to 202-3.Despite looking good for a semi final spot, Uplands were surprisingly overcome by the South Welsh who put in a great performance to beat the strong Berkshire unit. The match was a thriller, with Sageston eventually ending on 222-2 to win by one run. This meant that when St Edward’s middle beat Ladyloan with a massive 244-4 compared to 225-2, they instead qualified for the Semi Final.Group CSussex and South East Champions Harlands School showed ominous early from as they comfortably defeated North West and Lancashire Champions Scotforth St Pauls 258-0 compared to 165-8. The other game was Leicestershire and East Midlands Champions Abbey Primary against North East and Yorkshire champs, Archbishop C of E Primary. Archbishop’s 222-2 was too much for the 201-5 that was scored against them. Abbey Primary were up next to play Scotforth and got their first win on the board with an impressive 223-2 compared to Scotforth’s 210-2. Harlands then continued strongly with 235-3 compared to Archbishop C of E’s 202-6.The keenly awaited Yorkshire Lancashire derby saw victory for the Lancashire side, scoring 206-0 compared to Scotforth’s 175-5.Harlands confirmed its semi final spot defeating Abbey Primary 225-3 compared to 198-6.Group DBedfordshire and East Regional qualifiers Dallow started against South West qualifiers St Michael’s Middle school from Dorset, but Dorset’s representatives proved too strong, scoring 220-2 compared to 211-2.North and Northumberland Champs Valley Gardens Middle won their first game against Northern Ireland’s best side Donemana, 225-2 to 207-6. Valley Gardens continued strongly to beat Dallow, 219-4 compared to 208-3. St Michael’s then scored 220-2 to see of Donemana. Donemana however, having travelled across from Ireland, recorded a well deserved win against Dallow, scoring 215-2 to 212-3 in a great match.Valley Gardens confirmed their Semi Final spot when St Michael’s scored 210-4 and they scored 216-2.Semi FinalsHalesworth Middle School from Suffolk was first up to play St Edward’s Middle School from Staffordshire. Harlands from Sussex were drawn to play the impressive Valley Gardens from Northumberland. In two good games, Halesworth and Harlands qualified for the National Final, a massive accomplishment for these year 6 children and Harlands were the eventual winners. Congratulations on a fantastic achievement.All the schools represented themselves very well, and the buzz created when they all met and chatted with Andrew Flintoff was fantastic. 7 ASDA stores turned up to dish out food and drink to the kids and support ASDA’s drive to get kids healthy and active. ASDA Kwik CricketA modified format of cricket focusing on the game’s core skills and rules, Kwik Cricket has involved nearly one million children in its structured county, regional and national competitions since it’s inception in 1988.In 2007 alone, the ASDA Kwik Cricket competition is set to involve in excess of 125,000 teams including over 1800 district festivals. Kwik Cricket has been designed by the ECB to take young cricketers all the way from the playground to the Test arena to create future generations of England stars. David Collier, ECB chief executive, said: “Enthusing following and participation among young people is a core objective of the ECB Strategic Plan 2005 – 2009 and Kwik Cricket accomplishes this aim magnificently. “This year the competition is more popular than ever with over 125,000 children in 12,000 schools taking part in 1,800 local festivals across England and Wales. We are delighted to have ASDA as sponsors of this competition - their presence at the festivals and finals with fresh fruit and water for the children delivers a very positive message about the benefits of an active lifestyle and healthy living.”

Thorpe Says Howzat To Surrey Youngsters

2008-11-02T03:36:00.000-08:00

Graham Thorpe, the former England and Surrey Cricketer today launched the Brit Howzat Project at the Brit Insurance Oval. The Scheme allows thousands of school children in Lambeth and south London to receive cricket coaching, a lesson in the Ben Hollioake Learning Centre, a tour of the ground and tickets to a First-Class match.In the past the scheme has only run for ten weeks in a year. Now, thanks to its partnership with Brit Insurance, the Howzat project has trebled in scale to run for 30 weeks of the year. With sessions running four mornings a week, this now allows over 2,000 local children to benefit.The Brit Howzat project has been set up to broaden the reach of the game in Lambeth, and maximise the facilities that the Brit Insurance Oval has to offer. Receiving tickets to a Surrey match during the summer gives local school children the chance watch a live professional game at the leading Test Match venue. Hugh Robertson, Shadow Minister for Sport and the Olympics and Paul Sheldon, Chief Executive of Surrey County Cricket Club were both at the launch to see one of the classroom based Howzat sessions in action.Paul Sheldon Chief Executive of Surrey County Cricket Club said “Schemes such as the Brit Howzat Project are key to the future of the game, as the Twenty20 season approaches and with the IPL in full swing, it’s important to utilise the excitement and interest that this generates to get more young people involved in cricket.”Graham Thorpe said of the project “The community programme appears to grow every time I visit. It really is at the heart of the Club here and there are always plenty of youngsters using the facilities at the ground. It’s great to see that the different schemes reach out across the county too.”

Surrey Stars Go Back To School In Sutton

2008-11-02T03:35:00.001-08:00

Surrey County Cricket Club players Pedro Collins and Matt Nicholson were both on hand yesterday to take part in some cricket coaching sessions at Westbourne Primary School in Sutton. The day was part of Surrey County Cricket Club’s community programme and was being led by the Club’s community coaches The visit gave the pupils the chance to have a taste of cricket and take part in ball skill activities and cricket-based games. They also had the chance to meet two of the county’s top cricketers. After the coaching session the players took part in a Q&A session to answer any questions that the children had about cricket and the life of a professional sportsman.Speaking at the event Matthew Nicholson said ‘For me as a player it’s great to see the work that the community coaches do across Surrey. There are so many potential cricket stars of the future in schools like this, so it’s important that clubs like Surrey give them a chance to be involved with the sport.’Westbourne Primary School in Sutton is for children aged from four to eleven and also has a nursery class for pre-school pupils. The school has extensive sports programme and is commited to developing cricket at every levelSurrey County Cricket Club has a well established commitment to the community, charity and the environment. Partnerships with local schools form part of that commitment. Brit Insurance has been able to support the Club’s vision of spreading cricket into all corners of the county by contributing £3,000 per school per year to their Playground Markings scheme which has benefited fifteen schools across the county.With the brightly coloured markings and wall targets, the scheme provides a cost-effective way of transforming an outdoor space into a fun and vibrant environment fit for playing cricket, and a variety of other games.

ASDA Kwik Cricket Welcomes Record Numbers In 2008

2008-11-02T03:34:00.001-08:00

Stuart Broad, England cricketer and ASDA Kwik Cricket ambassador, has launched ASDA Kwik Cricket 2008 at Thurgarton Cricket Club in Nottingham with a surge in participation amongst primary school pupils.ASDA Kwik Cricket 2008 sees 23% more teams taking part than last year and a phenomenal rise in girls taking part, up 97% on last year with over 25,000 girls aged 7 to 11 registered to take part.Broad was joined by England’s Ashes-winning women cricketers Sarah Taylor and Katherine Brunt - for interviews, click here.Kwik Cricket celebrates its twentieth anniversary this year and Broad recollects his early days with the plastic bat and ball. “Like many of my England team-mates, Kwik Cricket was the first form of the game that I played, and I loved it. It’s so easy to pick up the basic skills of catching, throwing, hitting and running from cricket which makes it a great game for children to play."Pete Ackerley, ECB Head of Development said, “ASDA Kwik Cricket is the gateway to our sport for thousands of youngsters at primary school, and the growth is incredibly encouraging for the long-term future of our sport."Clare Connor OBE, ECB Head of Women’s Cricket said, “I offer my sincere thanks to everyone involved in encouraging such a meteoric rise in the number of young girls playing cricket. We are fast moving away from being a minority sport in schools for girls and becoming a key player in girls’ physical education development."The growth in ASDA Kwik Cricket reflects the increased participation in all levels of the recreational game which has seen a 27% increase nationally and a 45% increase in women and girls cricket in 2008.Michelle Payne, ASDA Kwik Cricket Project Manager said: “It is great news that so many children are turning to cricket and we are delighted to work closely with the ECB to sustain such significant increases in participation. Once again, ASDA will focus on children within communities and help them make healthy choices about their lifestyle and eating patterns."ASDA and the ECB work in partnership to promote the benefits of a healthy lifestyle to children, using the ASDA Kwik Cricket Festivals and England player appearances as an opportunity to discuss healthy eating issues with youngsters.ASDA Kwik Cricket is now on the curriculum at over 8,000 primary schools which together with over 4,500 ECB affiliated cricket clubs provides an introduction to cricket and with record numbers participating again this year, the initiative is one of the largest Primary School Programmes in England and Wales.Thurgarton CC is an ECB Focus Club and was one of the first clubs to benefit from the £30 million investment the ECB has made to cricket clubs and their facilities in 2007-08.

Cricket Helps State School Children Shine, Says New Report

2008-11-02T03:32:00.001-08:00

Cricket can have a significant impact on children’s attitudes and behaviour in state schools, according to new research.
A Loughborough University report, commissioned by the Cricket Foundation, also highlights how the English game can help improve pupils’ confidence and social skills, overcome cultural barriers and generate enthusiasm within the classroom.
The University’s Institute of Youth Sport evaluated the impact of Chance to shine – the Cricket Foundation’s campaign to regenerate competitive cricket in state schools – and found that a number of schools have used the programme effectively to encourage and reinforce good behaviour.
Both pupils and teachers acknowledge, in the report, the value of cricket for providing young people with positive experiences and helping them to develop ‘gentlemanly conduct’. “With cricket there is very much a code of conduct and code of behaviour such as clapping if somebody gets a six even with the other side,” said a teacher involved in the scheme.
At one school the teacher had organised after-school sessions for a group of disaffected boys as a reward for good behaviour and attendance. The Chance to shine cricket coaching sessions proved an ideal way to re-engage the pupils back into school.
Co-author of the Loughborough University report, Ruth Jeanes, says: “The research demonstrates the potential of Chance to shine to contribute to pupils’ wider educational experience. Children’s physical and social skills were felt to have improved.”
In the report’s survey, only 39 per cent of pupils agree that they and their peers are well behaved in school generally; while 60 per cent agree that pupils are well behaved in Chance to shine sessions.
As one child explains: “It has given us something that we can be good at and we’ve really enjoyed it…because we have been able to show our teachers and each other that we can be good at something, because usually everyone just thinks we are bad and causing trouble.”
A number of teachers support the idea that schools can use competitive sports like cricket to improve children’s self esteem and confidence, both in PE sessions and more broadly within the classroom. The evaluation also shows how cricket can help children from different ethnic backgrounds, whose first language is not English, to integrate in schools.
“A lot of our children have academic difficulties and we do find that in sporting activities they may have a hidden talent” says one state school teacher, “A lot of our Bengali children may have English as an additional language but if you get them on a cricket pitch they are up there with their peers or even ahead …It gives them a sense of self worth that they are good at something which raises their self-esteem.”
The research highlights how the cricket coaching sessions affect children’s attitude to school with 83 per cent of pupils saying they like coming into school when Chance to shine takes place; compared to 64 per cent who usually like school.
Wasim Khan, Operations Director for the Cricket Foundation says: “The Loughborough research reveals the extensive impact the initiative is having on pupils across a number of areas. Through expert coaching and competition, Chance to shine is delivering sustainable cricket programmes as well as contributing significantly to the provision of high quality PE.”
Simon Dyson, Executive Chairman, Chance to shine adds: “We’ve always recognised the power of competitive cricket to help young people acquire skills, values and attitudes. The evaluation appears to validate this conviction and is tremendously encouraging, not only for us, but for the thousands of state school children involved in the programme.”
To view the Institute of Youth Sport’s full report, ‘The impact of Chance to shine’, visit www.chancetoshine.org

Who is the best batsman of the world?

2008-11-02T03:30:00.000-08:00

There are many great batsmen. Household cricket names include Ricky Ponting, Rahul Dravid, Michael Vaughan, Mohammed Yousuf, Jacques Kallis, Sanath Jayasuriya, Kevin Pietersen, Graeme Smith, Matthew Hayden, Kumara Sangakarra, Andrew Flintoff, Virender Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar. Who is the greatest batsman of all? While these players are all great batsmen, we believe that there can only be one winner. Who is that person? Sachin Tendulkar. In 1988, Ravi Shastri said “We have a young batsman in Bombay called Sachin Tendulkar who is sent from upstairs to play the game. He is only 15, a right –handed bat, 5 foot 5 inches tall, but I tell you, he’s going to be a great player.” In fact, Sachin Tendulkar would go on to be the greatest player in the world. At Test level, Sachin has scored 11,782 runs at an amazing average of 55.31, scoring 39 centuries, and 49 fifties. Sachin is the highest run-scorer in Test cricket after Brian Lara. At ODI level, Sachin has scored 16,361 runs at an average of 44.34, scoring 42 centuries and 89 fifties. Sachin is the highest run-scorer in ODIs in history. Sachin is also the leading scorer of centuries in both Test and ODI cricket. Sachin Tendulkar has scored more runs in international cricket than any other cricketer in history.At school, people recognized him as a child progidy. In 1988, Sachin scored a century in every innings he played in. In the same year, he was involved in an unbroken partnership of 664 runs (with Vinod Kambli). His batting was so good that the other team refused to continue, their bowlers in tears! Sachin is also a handy bowler. For example, in 1998 Australia were cruising to an ODI win at 203 for 3 needing just 107 more runs from 19 overs. Then, Sachin bowled and won the match for India with figures of 5 wickets for just 32 runs, taking the crucial wickets of Michael Bevan, Steve Waugh, Darren Lehman, Tom Moody and Damien Martyn. The Wisden, a leading cricket publication, rated Sachin the second best test batsman of all time (after Sir Donald Bradman), and the best ODI batsman in history. When Sachin equalled Sir Donald Bradman’s total of 29 test centuries , he was given a Ferrari 360 Modena by Michael Schumacher. Sachin has so many fans throughout the world. Sachin’s fans often say “Cricket is my religion and Sachin Tendulkar is my God.” Sachin is so famous in Mumbai that he often has to wear a wig and he only watches movies at night. Sachin is the only cricketer to receive the Rajiv Gandi Khel Ratna, India’s highest sporting honour. He was also awarded the Padma Vibhushan by the Government of India in 2008. Sachin is the most sponsored player in world cricket. His sponsors include Adidas, Nike, BAS, MRF, Pepsi, Airtel, Canon, the National Egg Coordination Committee, Boost, Fiat Palio, ESPN Star Sports, and Visa. Sir Donald Bradman said of Tendulkar, "I asked my wife to come and look at him. I never saw myself play, but I feel that this fellow is playing much the same as I used to play. She looked at him and said 'Yes, there is a similarity between the two'. To me, it's his compactness, his technique, his stroke production, it all seemed to gel as far as I am concerned." There can be no higher compliment. And that is why Sachin Tendulkar is the best batsman in the world. What a record!By Joel Philip Thomas, Jagen Sajeev, and Athul Rajeev (12 years) with assistance from Edward trSri Atmananda Memorial School, Kerala, India