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1

Cricket Anyone / Ridley Jacobs

« on: January 15, 2006, 10:52:51 PM »

Ah know that name go raise men monkey glands but I curious to find out whappen to him and Lara?

I was watching d 400 not out DVD again last night and Jacobs was at the crease when Lara broke the record and they seemed friendly enough. I got vex after he blast Lara and the team after he retire. I had the utmost respect for him when he was playing, seemed a dedicated player and a religious man but he sour dat by running he mouth.

What really happen with him to fall out so and put men on d spot.

Ah hoping allyuh men who have the contacts in cricket could clear this up for me.

2

Cricket Anyone / Lara, Bravo amoung "Players of the Year"

« on: December 30, 2005, 09:46:11 PM »

Lara, Bravo among ‘Players of Year’

Allrounder ‘possible top talent for World Cup’

Source: Trinidad Guardian reprint from Peter Roebuck

Brian Lara and his protege, Dwayne Bravo, are the only two West Indian cricketers featured in the annual list presented as Players of the Year, by noted writer Peter Roebuck.

Lara, by virtue of another stupendous period, where he hit four Test centuries and also eclipsed Allan Border’s mark to become the game’s highest run-maker, makes the Team of the Year.

Roebuck, the former Somerset captain in the 1980s who was unlucky not to play for England, said: “Brian Lara bats at No 4. As everyone knows, he has been in terrible form. Indeed, he has been playing so badly that some thought the game was up. Yet Lara has scored 11204 Test runs at an average of 53.86.

“A great player’s bad patch is a lesser man’s golden run.”

Bravo did not feature in the Team of the Year, but Roebuck believes the young Trinidadian is the man to watch in 2006 and beyond. He is backed as a possible top marker for the 2007 World Cup.

By virtue of Bravo’s brilliant batting, clever bowling and bravado in the outfield, he gained the nod as the Emerging Player of the Year.

This year Bravo hit two Test centuries: 109 against South Africa in Antigua and his memorable 113 against Australia in Hobart, which respected former Australia skipper Mark Taylor thought was one of the best Test innings he had ever seen.

Irfan Pathan, India’s left-handed allrounder, who opens the batting and bowling in Test cricket, was also tipped as a young player to watch.

“In recognition of progress made in 2005, Pathan has been chosen as 12th man,” Roebuck wrote.

He then poked fun by adding: “Not another Indian soul has been summoned. Consideration was given to inviting Sourav Ganguly to serve as fitness guru, but the moment passed.”

He continued: “Readers of Indian descent, convinced that only a complete nincompoop could consider omitting Sachin Tendulkar from any side, had better skip the rest of this humble offering.”

Roebuck’s team is interesting.

He picks England’s Marcus Trescothick to open with Matthew Hayden of Australia—using the two big, flat-footed lefties at the top of the order—with Aussies skipper Ricky Ponting at No 3, followed by Lara.

Inzaman-ul-Haq is slotted in at No 5—and it is hoped he does not run out anyone—followed by Jaques Kallis of South Africa and England’s Ashes hero, Andrew Flintoff, the Player of the Year.

Now comes the contentious selection. Tatenda Taibu will guard the stumps—ahead of Adam Gilchrist, Kamran Akmal, Mark Boucher, Brendon McCullum.

Roebuck praises the former Zimbabwe skipper for the way he “has tried to hold together not just a young team, but an entire cricket community.

“For his pains, he has been threatened by loathsome opportunists with their fingers in the pie. Taibu has scored runs at second drop, taken 17 chances, led with unfailing enthusiasm and conducted himself with dignity.”

The other members of the side are Shane Warne, the ace leg-spinner, Glen McGrath, Australia’s icon of fast bowling, and Makhaya Ntini, South Africa livewire pacer.

3

Cricket Anyone / Chanders Stays For Kiwi Series

« on: December 29, 2005, 11:49:14 PM »

Chanders Stays for Kiwi Series

BY VINODE MAMCHAN (Trinidad Guardian)

Guyanese Shivnarine Chanderpaul will remain captain of the West Indies cricket team for their tour to New Zealand in February next year.

G-Sport was informed that the West Indies selectors and coach Bennett King have discussed the captaincy issue and have agreed to give the dependable left hander another chance to improve his leadership qualities.

If Chanderpaul fails to make an improvement, a new captain will be appointed when India visit the West Indies in May.

Chanderpaul took over the West Indies captaincy last year and led the West Indies in 11 Tests, in which eight were lost, one won and two drawn.

The decision to keep him for the three Tests in New Zealand ends speculation as to who who will take over the captaincy, following the most recent defeat of the West Indies against Australia 3-0.

In the last few weeks, there have been calls from several quarters to remove Chanderpaul whose leadership was described as less than inspiring. Among the names championed to replace him were batting maestro Brian Lara, Wavell Hinds and talented wicket-keeper batsman Denesh Ramdin.

Last week Sir Everton Weekes said he would like to see Lara leading the team again, but another legend Sir Vivian Richards was not sure who should get the job.

While Sir Everton suggested that the time was right for Lara to get back the leadership, Richards was not sure saying that the call was very tough and he doesn’t know if Lara was the right choice.

Meanwhile, the West Indies team for the series against New Zealand will be chosen after the fifth round of the Carib Beer Cup series. The selectors have asked for more time to see the players who returned from Australia in action.

A lot of players are also recovering from injuries and will be need the time out in the middle to address the selectors.

The tour of New Zealand gets going on February 16 with a Twenty20 clash against the hosts at Eden Park, Auckland. This would be followed by five one day internationals before the first of three Tests from February 9 at Auckland.

WEST INDIES NEXT INTERNATIONAL ASSIGNMENT

February

18 -1st ODI (d/n) at Westpac Stadium, Wellington (Sun 19—Reserve Day)

22—2nd ODI at Queenstown Events Centre (Thu 23 - Reserve Day)

25—3rd ODI (d/n) at Jade Stadium, Christchurch (Sun 26—Reserve Day)

March

1—4th ODI at McLean Park, Napier (Thu 2—Reserve Day)

4—5th ODI at Eden Park, Auckland (Sun 5—Reserve Day)

9-13—1st Test at Eden Park, Auckland

17-21—2nd Test at Basin Reserve, Wellington

25-29—3rd Test at McLean Park, Napier

4

Football / ESPN World Cup Predictions and US moaning about the draw

« on: December 12, 2005, 01:08:06 PM »

Sorry if this was posted before, just got on the board for the first time today.

This guy is writing for ESPN.


Three days have passed since Friday's surreal, D-star-studded-globo-mondo-pseudoraffle for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

   Heidi Klum
OK, don't be distracted by Heidi Klum. But doesn't the ball resemble Kenny from "South Park" or an imperial stormtrooper?

In the last 55 hours, I have gone into World Cup Diary superplanning mode. The groups have been analyzed, the international "football" press has been pored over and laughed at, an itinerary has been planned, train timetables downloaded, incomprehensible German spoken and misunderstood over international phone lines, air travel booked, and with hotel reservations being near impossible to secure, virtual German cars (for European delivery, and big enough to sleep and write in) have been built on German car Web sites. In other words, writing this column has been avoided.

And now, as I finally put milky fingers to a Cheerios-dotted keyboard (I have even fed my toddler to avoid writing), I have come up with only two conclusions. One, I will no longer be rooting for Ghana or Trinidad and Tobago. Two, the official World Cup ball looks alarmingly like Kenny from "South Park."

Plus, I have one observation. I'm not saying that the World Cup draw is fixed. But could it really be anymore difficult to understand? Plus the guy hosting it really looked like a magician. Next time he should at least be wearing a T-shirt -- he could have been hiding all 32 team names and a bunny rabbit up those sleeves.

Complete World Cup Coverage
Check out Soccernet for more coverage and reaction to the World Cup draw.

What follows is the Davies World Cup Diary (henceforth to be known as the DWCD -- mainly so my wife doesn't know what I'm talking about when I'm planning a five-week trip to Germany right after she has another baby) pre-pre-World Cup analysis of the eight groups, A through H, drawn in Leipzig, Germany, on Friday -- plus the matches I am already salivating over as I watch from the press box in less than six months time, enjoying the finest sausage in the history of mankind.

GROUP A
Germany
Costa Rica
Poland
Ecuador

Once again, I'm not saying the World Cup draw is fixed but the host nation could play Andrea Merkel and Franz Beckenbauer up-front and still win this group in a stroll. The one match I plan to attend from this group is Germany vs. Poland on June 14 in Dortmund. It's just so 1939!

GROUP B
England
Paraguay
Trinidad & Tobago
Sweden

   Wayne Rooney
Wayne's world: Hey, who says Rooney can't score a triple hat-trick in one game?

Readers of DWCD 2002 will know that I am incapable of objectivity when it comes to the country of my birth. I will be in Frankfurt to see Wayne Rooney score a triple hat-trick in a 12-nil mauling of Paraguay. In Nuremberg to see Frank Lampard smash 10 against Trinidad and Tobago in a 15-1 thrashing (the one being a 110-yard corner into the roof of his own net by Beckham to keep Paul Robinson on his toes for the next round). And in Cologne to witness Gary Neville, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand and Ashley Cole making history as the first back line to all score hat tricks in a 25-nil humiliation of my wife's family and Sweden in Cologne. Paraguay through in second on goal difference.

GROUP C
Argentina
Ivory Coast
Serbia and Montenegro
The Netherlands

The group of death cubed. I hate Argentina but I love them. Lionel Messi and Juan Riquelme are my favorite non-Chelsea, non-England players in the world. This is, despite England beating them in Geneva last month, the second best team in the tournament behind Brazil. Ivory Coast, Serbia and Montenegro and The Netherlands will all provide competition, but mostly for each other. For a Chelsea fan, this is a group full of intrasquad intrigue with Arjen Robben (Netherlands), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast), Hernan Crespo (Argentina) and the former Chelsea striker, Mateja Kezman (S&M) all involved. I can't wait for The Netherlands vs. Ivory Coast in Stuttgart on June 16, and the instant-classic-in-the-making Netherlands vs Argentina in Frankfurt on June 21. But I'm not counting out Serbia or Montenegro.

GROUP D
Mexico
Iran
Angola
Portugal

I just can't get too excited about this group. Had the U.S. been seeded over Mexico, this would have presented some great storylines. Portugal gunning for revenge over the U.S. after the 3-2 U.S. victory in South Korea, the U.S. trying to avenge its 2-1 defeat to Iran at the '98 World Cup in France. Not to mention a game the entire world would have been watching from a geopolitical perspective. And I'm not talking about the game we're left with, Portugal vs. Angola, which I might attend on June 11 in Cologne. Apparently the two nations are somewhat connected. Who knew. I thought it was Mozambique.

   World Cup draw
Did the U.S. land in a tough group when our magician host pulled its name from his sleeve?

GROUP E
Italy
Ghana
USA
Czech Republic

Yikes. That was the word that escaped my mouth when the U.S. was drawn in with Italy and the Czech Republic and uh-oh. That was what my toddler repeated after me after Ghana and its "Bull" in center midfield, Michael Essien, were added to the Group of Near Death mix. I will be more than rooting for the U.S. against Pavel Nedved, Jan Koller, Milan Baros, Vladimir Smicer and even Chelsea's Peter Cech on June 12 in Gelsenkirchen; against Alessandro Nesta, Luca Toni, Alberto Gilardino, Francesco Totti and Gianluigi Buffon on June 17 in Kaiserslautern (3 p.m. kickoff on a Saturday in the U.S. -- ABC might want to promote this one); and against Chelsea's Essien and a scarily physical Ghana in Nuremberg on June 22.

But my first thoughts were yikes and uh-oh. And after 48 hours, I still feel the same. Check a map. For Italy and the Czech Republic, these are basically home games, the U.S. has a horrible record on European soil and Ghana is the African team that everyone wanted to avoid. I have no doubt that the U.S. was the team that all the European nations wanted to avoid also. And for good reason. It is superbly coached, conditioned and plays with speed and confidence. The rest of the world will be rooting for the U.S. to fall flat on its face. Tell your soccer-hating friends that if they couldn't care less about how the U.S. does in these games, they are right in line with the French.

GROUP F
Brazil
Croatia
Australia
Japan

I fell in love with Japan at the 2002 World Cup. I am both overjoyed for Australia that it has made a World Cup and hoping with every ounce of my being that it loses every game (very complicated being English). Croatia was impressive during qualifying and possesses footballers of guise and guile. But this group is all about Brazil. In fact, this World Cup is mostly about Brazil and whether any team truly believes it can beat them. I think Argentina and England are really, really good. There are a bunch of other capable sides. This is a single-elimination tournament after the group stage. No best-of-five or best-of-seven to protect the better team over the longer haul. Any one of eight or nine teams could win it. But they won't. Deep down, with Leite Adriano, Kaka, Ronaldo, Christiano Ronaldo and Robinho it has to be Brazil. June 18 is Brazil vs. Australia in Munich and I wouldn't miss it for the world. Who will get to wear their yellow shirts?

   Heidi Klum
Umm ... sure, the lion is cute and everything, but couldn't you just run another picture of Heidi?

GROUP G
France
Switzerland
South Korea
Togo

Can't wait to see how well South Korea will do in a European-based tournament. I'm sure that France will improve upon its performance in '02. But it is a long way from its form in '98 and Switzerland will pose a credible threat. The game I won't miss of this group will be the instantly surreal classic, South Korea vs. Togo in Frankfurt on June 13. Have a feeling that game might be on ESPN5.

GROUP H
Spain
Ukraine
Tunisia
Saudi Arabia

Spain has landed in the group of deathly boring for the second World Cup in a row. Spain vs. Ukraine in Leipzig on June 14 will decide the group winners. But I'll be in Dortmund, full of beer and sausage, watching Germany play Poland. And after the game I'll write the DWCD and file it back to Bristol, Conn., for Page 2. Before settling down for the night in my black BMW530xi sportswagon with navigation, 18-inch star-spoke wheels and premium sound, staring out of the panoramic moonroof at the starry sky above, dreaming of the 15 goals England will slot past Trinidad and Tobago the next day in Nuremberg. At the World Cup anything is possible. But mostly if you're Brazilian.

Michael Davies, a native of London, covered the World Cup for Page 2 in 2002. He was the executive producer of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire."

5

Football / Treble Teammates to meet in Germany 2006

« on: December 10, 2005, 05:22:07 PM »

Sorry if this has been posted before. Found it on the Man U website.

Germany 2006: Treble Team-Mates Go Head To Head
 
 
Team-mates from United's Treble-winning side may lock horns in the 2006 World Cup Finals after England were drawn against Trinidad & Tobago in Group B.

Dwight Yorke, the Caribbean qualifiers' talisman, is set to come up against his old colleagues Gary Neville and David Beckham in Nuremburg, Germany on 15 June.

Yorke's head-to-head with Rio Ferdinand will also be an interesting one. Both of them were record signings for the Reds in 1998 and 2002 respectively.

Beckham is already relishing a reunion with Yorke, who now plys his trade with Sydney FC in Australia.

"I'm looking forward to playing my old friend Dwight when we play Trinidad," says Beckham. "We shared some great memories together at Manchester United."

England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson reacted to the draw by saying, "I don't know much about Trinidad and Tobago."

Elsewhere in the draw, Argentina have been paired with Holland in Group C, providing the enticing prospect of Ruud van Nistelrooy facing Gabriel Heinze if the left-back is fit in time.

Group G features South Korea and France. While United's Ji-sung Park will be integral to the Korean side, Mikael Silvestre and Louis Saha will be desperate to impress French manager Raymond Domenech in the months before the finals.

In Group D, Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal will play Mexico, Iran and Angola. Meanwhile, Tim Howard will be hoping to be selected for USA's games against Italy, Ghana and the Czech Republic in what is arguably the 'Group of Death'.

Only three of the eight groups, A, F and H, are devoid of any interest to United fans. Unless, of course, Fergie signs players from Germany, Brazil and Spain in January!
Here is the full World Cup draw:

GROUP A: Germany, Costa Rica, Poland, Ecuador

GROUP B: England, Paraguay, Trinidad & Tobago, Sweden

GROUP C: Argentina, Ivory Coast, Serbia & Montenegro, Holland

GROUP D: Mexico, Iran, Angola, Portugal

GROUP E: Italy, Ghana, USA, Czech Republic

GROUP F: Brazil, Croatia, Australia, Japan

GROUP G: France, Switzerland, South Korea, Togo

GROUP H: Spain, Ukraine, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia

Report by Ian McLeish

6

Cricket Anyone / Apparently WI cricket is an embarassment to the game

« on: December 07, 2005, 05:31:45 PM »

http://www.cricket365.com/features/soapbox/story_18218.shtml

Check d second paragraph. Is not d first time Peter May dis we, a couple weeks ago he was talking about putting we out of our misery in a relagation league with d USA and Gambia.

Ah figure he gyul get mash by Lara.

7

General Discussion / Fatima days

« on: November 27, 2005, 10:18:25 PM »

hahahah......i love this site...i'll call father gregory for all yuh know.....

he still dey???

I remember when he was still bro. Gregory, ah wasn't required to stay for Religion because I'm Anglican but I used to stick around to ketch kicks off that man instead of going to d hall. He have some antics dey...

8

Football / Who carrying the game in the US?

« on: November 14, 2005, 12:46:29 AM »

I hope its not FSC again. Comcast playing up and tell me they could only upgrade my cable to the sports package at the end of the week since Hurricane Wilma have their staff stretched.

Anywhere in SFL showing it? I up for a lime if anything.