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The defending champions' lead at the top has been cut to just six points, and with crucial matches coming up, a domestic title isn't yet secure

It was all too easy for Lyon. Thiago Mendes had time to ping a ball to the far post, which Sael Kumbedi dinked across the face of goal. Substitute Bradley Barcola sauntered to meet his pass, unmarked, and couldn't miss from six-yards out.

Three passes, and Paris Saint-Germain were beaten.

PSG would muster something resembling a fightback, but never found an equaliser. Lionel Messi was jeered every time he touched the ball. Kylian Mbappe tried to do far too much, spurning open passes and instead running into chunks of Lyon defenders. By the end of it all, Messi was making a swift beeline for the tunnel as the visitors celebrated a famous 1-0 win at Parc des Princes.

The loss was another disappointing result in a long line of poor performances from PSG this calendar year. They have lost five times in Ligue 1 since the turn of the year, as well as going out of the Champions League and the Coupe de France.

As such, they have gone from sure-fire league winners, up by 11 points over Marseille as recently as March 5, to nursing an increasingly precarious six-point lead, with some tricky fixtures still to come.

This has not been a bottling — not yet. But it very easily could become one. And for a side so superior in individual quality and spending power than the teams around them, a failure to win Ligue 1 would be PSG's biggest embarrassment yet.

Ironically, it might be PSG's biggest flaw as a side that will save them. Indeed, the Parisians have a poorly assembled squad, reliant on star power and hopeful that the pieces in between can keep everything intact.

That poor construction has hurt them repeatedly, with their front three's insistence on operating on a separate plane of responsibility seeing them suffer high-profile losses.

This time, though, the big hitters will need to show exactly why they were brought on. It is Messi and Mbappe, and not the nine poor souls who surround them, that are now required to respond.

(C)Getty ImagesA two-man team

Ask manager Christophe Galtier, football advisor Luis Campos and club chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi, and they will all insist that PSG are more than a two-man team. But look at the way PSG play — and even their promotional campaigns for next year — and that notion will be quashed.

Still, that two-man dynamic has served the Parisians well so far. Messi and Mbappe are both having fine seasons — albeit with some inconsistencies. Messi has 13 goals and 13 assists in Ligue 1, and provided a memorable match-winning free kick against Lille. Mbappe has done his bit, too, with 19 goals to his name, recently breaking PSG's all-time goalscoring record without appearing to try.

And in years past, that has been enough. Before Messi, it was Neymar strutting his stuff, the Brazilian and Mbappe leading the Parisians to an almost-inevitabile league title. Granted, there was a blip in 2021, but PSG were bested by Galtier's excellent Lille side, and only lost out on the final day.

This season, though, there is no obvious challenger. Lens, who were only promoted back to the top-flight three years ago, have emerged as their closest rivals in 2022-23, but in reality the chasm should be much larger given PSG's power.

AdvertisementAn often ineffective duo

And Messi and Mbappe, theoretically the duo that would ease PSG across the line, have seen their impact wane.

Across PSG's five Ligue 1 losses in 2023, the pair have not mustered a goal or assist between them. Neymar, when fit, was far from impactful, either, scoring once, adding an assist from a corner, and getting sent off for diving — all before suffering a season-ending ankle injury.

Mbappe and Messi are allowed to have poorer games; contrary to popular belief, they don't necessarily need to be on the scoresheet for their side to win.

But they should be able to impact play. If Messi doesn't score, he should pull the strings from deep. If Mbappe doesn't assist, he should make the runs that free up space for others.

In recent weeks, though, their influence has dropped. PSG have become inherently predictable, with the opposition quite comfortably marking both Messi and Mbappe out of the game. Messi, in particular, is going through something of a drop in form — while noise around his current refusal to pen a new deal certainly hasn't helped, either.

(C)Getty ImagesThe players around them

Every time Messi and Mbappe put in a poor performance, the blame always seems to fall somewhere else. So often attention turns towards the lack of legs from Vitinha or a defensive error from Danilo Pereira.

These are fair criticisms, and, of course, can contribute to a result, but placing the blame on the pseudo-spectators around Messi and Mbappe is increasingly harsh. Indeed, they are not players there to be critiqued so much as accepted. They are connective tissue, there for support — an occasional spurt of attacking quality is a bonus.

It is a failure of PSG's recruitment around Messi and Mbappe that has truly damaged the side.

And they have tried to amend things in recent years. Some of the signings this summer were admittedly shrewd. Renato Sanches, Fabian Ruiz and Vitinha were all the sort of high-energy midfielder with a bit of attacking flair that new manager Galtier needed.

And with super-recruiter Campos making the sporting decisions, it figured that those newcomers would make an impact — or at the very least avoid the mistakes of their predecessors.

But it's sort of fallen into the same cycle. Galtier ripped into his players back in January for not running enough to support Messi. Danilo slammed the team following the Lyon loss. And then there have been the standard looks of puzzlement after every ball that ends up in the PSG net.

PSG, though they have a freakish amount of spending power, blew their budget to keep their front three paid. What can the €30 million mercenaries around them do?

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(C)Getty ImagesAccountability from the big names

The responsibility, then, falls on Mbappe and Messi — those it was always supposed to. The PSG system, whatever it was supposed to resemble, is starting to collapse.

And it can all go very wrong from here. PSG aren't just supposed to win the league every year, they're predestined to win it. This is of no discredit to the other 19 teams in Ligue 1. There are, indeed, some good sides in the division.

Marseille, with their fine collection of Arsenal veterans and young stars, knocked PSG out of the French Cup. Lyon have developed some exciting talents and showed that they were capable of competing with the best with their win last weekend. The perception, then, that PSG should smash every team, is wide of the mark.

But that the Parisians are regarded as ordained to win the competition isn't unreasonable. Ligue 1 is not a farmer’s league; PSG are just far better than the other 19 teams in it.

So, it comes down to the players leading the line that chairman Al-Khelaifi threw hundreds of millions at. Messi and Mbappe simply have to turn up.

This is no new concept for either player. Messi dragged some poor Barcelona sides to cup wins toward the end of his tenure there. A 19-year-old Mbappe was instrumental in winning France a World Cup in 2018 — and almost did it again four months ago. These two are, inherently, big-game players.

And now there are nine big games to go. With a six-point lead this should all be rather comfortable. Even an out-of-form PSG are capable of beating anyone in the league. But something that used to be a certainty is now looking under threat.

They travel to Nice on Saturday, before hosting second-placed Lens seven days later. Given current form, it would now not be a shock were PSG's lead at the top to have evaporated in the coming week or so.

Last month, PSG were knocked out of the Champions League. That was a disappointment. If PSG throw away Ligue 1, it will be an outright embarrassment.

With VAR about to be introduced in the Premier League for the first time, Goal rounds up its most memorable (and contentious) decisions

It's fair to say that VAR (Video Assistant Referee) has garnered more critics than fans, with its use in tournaments such as World Cup, the Champions League and Copa America causing more disruption than orderliness.

Sure, the stakes are higher when VAR is used in knockout competitions, but ahead of its first season in the Premier League – which is certain to be eventful – here are some of VAR's most eventful instances across football.

GettyScotland vs Argentina, 2019 Women’s World Cup

The 2019 Women’s World Cup was memorable for many reasons, though its VAR-related controversies were one of the main talking points.

In an eventful round of 16 fixture, Scotland looked to have secured a 3-2 victory over Argentina. There was controversy already when a decision was made to award Argentina a penalty three minutes from full-time, only for goalkeeper Lee Alexander to save it. The real chaos ensued, however, when VAR judged that Alexander was off her line.

The penalty was retaken, and this time Florencia Bonsegundo scored to pull one back for her side, levelling the score at 3-3 and sending Scotland home at the death.

The new goalkeeping rule was already causing ire throughout the World Cup, with the new regulations introduced on June 1 stating that goalkeepers must have one foot at least partly on the goal line when the kick is taken, and neither can stand behind or in front of the line.

AdvertisementGettyArgentina vs Brazil, Copa America semi-final 2019

Argentina vs Brazil’s semi-final match in the 2019 Copa America made headlines not only because of the high-profile nature of the game, but because of the VAR-related controversy that caused Lionel Messi to heavily criticise CONMEBOL.

"There is no doubt, the whole thing is set up for Brazil," he said. "I hope the VAR and referees don't play any part in the final and that Peru can compete but it looks tough to me.

"I did not want to be part of this corruption, we shouldn't have to be part of this disrespect we suffered during the Copa America."

His anger refers to two incidents in the final 20 minutes of the game, when Sergio Aguero was about to run in onto a Messi pass before tumbling over Dani Alves in the box. The ball was then cleared, with Gabriel Jesus bursting forward to play the ball to Roberto Firmino who scored the second goal. In Messi’s opinion, VAR should have awarded a penalty following Alves’ foul, which would have changed the course of the game.

The second incident refers to Arthur seemingly heavily shoving Nicolas Otamendi deliberately with his shoulder as the Argentine international was about to meet a left-wing corner, though no foul was given.

GettyMan City vs Tottenham, 2018-19 UCL

During Man City’s drama-filled quarter-final clash with Tottenham in the UCL, two notable VAR-related events came up. The first was when Fernando Llorente scored to make it 4-3 to Tottenham, therefore sending the Londoners through on away goals.

Llorente scored in the 73rd minute, but on replay, it looked as if the ball was close to hitting his hand or elbow area before falling into the net – prompting calls of handball.

The referee reviewed the incident on the pitch side monitors but ruled out a handball, allowing the goal and incensing the Etihad supporters.

Man City needed to score one more goal to keep their UCL hopes alive, and Raheem Sterling looked to have saved the day in stoppage time when he scored his hat-trick to level the score at 4-4. VAR, though, deemed that when Aguero received the ball at the start of the play, he was offside when the ball touched Bernardo Silva, therefore disallowing the goal and breaking City hearts.

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Getty ImagesManchester United vs PSG, 2018-19 UCL

Handball issues – and debating how deliberate they are – have played an important role in VAR awarding penalties after further review.

Paris Saint-Germain’s last-16 clash with Man Utd in the Champions League was jam-packed with chaos and controversy when, in the 89th minute, Diogo Dalot played a ball into the box as his team were desperately looking for a last-minute goal at the Parc des Princes to keep their quarter-final hopes alive.

Dalot’s ball clearly struck PSG’s Presnel Kimpembe in the box, though VAR was consulted to deem whether or not his movement to block the ball was deliberate (the ball was likely sailing high of the goal otherwise).

To the shock and fury of the PSG side (as well as Neymar, who had been watching from the stands), the referee awarded Man Utd the penalty – and Marcus Rashford dutifully converted in the dying minutes of stoppage time to send the Red Devils through to the last eight.

“This is a disgrace,” Neymar wrote on Instagram. “Four guys who know nothing about football watch a slow-motion replay in front of the television. It was nothing! What can [Kimpembe] do with his hand while his back is turned? Go f*** yourselves!”

Who are the top earning American players in Major League Soccer? Goal breaks down the top 10

The MLS players union released its salary data last week, and the numbers showed some interesting trends. 

Three Americans were in the top 10 in the league in terms of total compensation, while a fourth landed in the top 25. 

Even among Americans Toronto FC dominated the list of high earners, but Sporting Kansas City and Orlando City each placed a pair of players on this list. 

Here's the rundown of the top 10 highest paid Americans in Major League Soccer.

USA Today Sports10Michael Bradley, Toronto FCThe U.S. national team captain and Toronto star is the highest-paid American in the league at $6.5 million per year. AdvertisementGraig Abel9Jozy Altidore, Toronto FCThe former AZ standout returned to MLS to a big payday and will make $5 million in total compensation in 2018. USA Today8Tim Howard, Colorado RapidsThe highest paid goalkeeper in the league is also the Colorado Rapids' highest earner at $2.5 million this season. ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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USA Today7Clint Dempsey, Seattle SoundersDempsey took a cut in pay for the 2018 season but still ranks among the five best-paid American players at $1.7 million this season.

Tim Southee won New Zealand a thriller the last time they met Australia in a T20I six years ago, but now, the stakes are almost as high as the altitude as they face off in a crucial encounter in Dharamsala

The Preview by Brydon Coverdale17-Mar-2016Match factsFriday, March 18, 2016
Start time 1500 local (0930 GMT)Big pictureSix years ago, Australia and New Zealand played a highly entertaining T20 match at Lancaster Park in Christchurch. Brendon McCullum blasted a 56-ball 116 and scooped audaciously off Shaun Tait, New Zealand racked up 214, Australia matched them in the chase, and Tim Southee kept things tight in the Super Over to seal a memorable win for the home team. And they haven’t met in a T20 match since.Strange as it seems, February 28, 2010 was the last time these Trans-Tasman neighbours played each other in T20 cricket. Now they finally reconnect in the shortest format and the stakes are almost as high as the altitude. Dharamsala is the venue for Australia’s opening match of this World T20, but New Zealand already have a win on the board against hosts India. Another one here and they will be in prime position to progress to a World T20 semi-final for the first time since 2007.New Zealand’s spin success against India in Nagpur augurs well for their hopes in this tournament. Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi and Nathan McCullum between them picked up nine out of ten wickets against India, and given that Australia can struggle against the turning ball in the short form it may just be advantage New Zealand. A few more runs from the top order would be handy, though – New Zealand were wobbling at 13 for 2 in the second over against India before recovering adequately.Quite what to expect from Australia remains a mystery. Punished at home by India in three T20s, they moved on to South Africa and found some form, but then were outdone by West Indies in a warm-up in Kolkata. They too have three spinners available, including the allrounder Glenn Maxwell, but neither Ashton Agar nor Adam Zampa had played a T20 international three weeks ago. This is a big step up. Australia are preaching “flexibility”, which is admirable, but there is something to be said for stability as well.Form guideAustralia: WWLLL (last five completed matches)
New Zealand: WWWLWWatch out forDavid Warner has made his name as an opener but suddenly has become a floater in Australia’s T20 middle order. The switch worked well in South Africa, where he scored 20, 77 and 33, and although it is possible he could open again in this tournament, with other options such as Aaron Finch, Shane Watson and Usman Khawaja, that seems unlikely.Mitchell Santner’s 4 for 11 against India was the best analysis by a New Zealand spinner in T20 internationals, and there is no reason to think he won’t cause problems for Australia’s batsmen as well. Santner has a certain about him – he just seems like a man for any occasion. And the big occasion hasn’t worried him yet.Team newsThere are so many possible combinations Australia could go with that choosing their final XI feels like something of a lottery, which their selection process has more or less been over the past six games. One question is whether to choose all three spinners, another is whether Usman Khawaja can squeeze into the top order, and another is how many fast men are required with a heavy complement of seaming allrounders.Australia (possible) 1 Aaron Finch, 2 Shane Watson, 3 Steven Smith (capt), 4 David Warner, 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 James Faulkner, 8 Peter Nevill (wk), 9 Ashton Agar/John Hastings/Nathan Coulter-Nile, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh Hazlewood.New Zealand may well be tempted to stick with their winning combination.New Zealand (possible) 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Kane Williamson (capt), 3 Colin Munro, 4 Corey Anderson, 5 Ross Taylor, 6 Mitchell Santner, 7 Grant Elliott, 8 Luke Ronchi (wk), 9 Nathan McCullum, 10 Adam Milne, 11 Ish SodhiPitch and conditionsA new pitch has been prepared, which may not turn as much as that used by the Associates recently, but spin is still expected to play more of a role than pace and bounce. There is some rain expected on Friday as well, which could lead to an abbreviated game.Stats and trivia Australia and New Zealand have met five times in T20s for four wins to Australia; New Zealand’s only victory was in the Super Over in Christchurch in 2010 Australia have played only six T20s in 2016 but have used a remarkable 25 playersQuotes”Yeah, I think you have to have something in mind [for a shortened game]. I don’t think a lot of the game-plans or the way each individual plays changes too much but I think you do have to have a few different game-plans if the game is a bit shorter.”
.”It was definitely a lot of happy team-mates after the game [against India]. But we don’t want to get too carried away. It’s just one game in what is a short and condensed tournament. Lot of games to be played.”

Kevin Pietersen has admitted trying to return to international cricket by playing for South Africa is “a thought in my head”

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Apr-20162:02

Cullinan: No chance of KP playing for South Africa

Kevin Pietersen has admitted trying to return to international cricket by playing for South Africa is “a thought in my head.”Pietersen would become eligible for South Africa in 2018 – four years after his England career was ended following the 2013-14 Ashes when he was sacked by the ECB – at which point he would be 37 years old. The chance of appearing at the 2019 World Cup, to be held in England, could appeal to him.The notion of an unlikely international return for the country of his birth was first suggested by Darren Gough, a close friend of Pietersen, and it has not been completely dismissed.”Yes, it is a thought in my head,” Pietersen said as he began his latest stint at the IPL. “If it happens, it happens, if it doesn’t, it doesn’t. Obviously, playing international is something I have done for a very long time.”Do I miss playing international cricket? Do I miss batting in international cricket? Yes, I do very much so you never know. The eligibility for South Africa is still a year away. So we will have to wait and see but it is definitely still an option.”One of the major fallouts during Pietersen’s England career came during the 2012 series against South Africa when he sent derogatory texts about then captain Andrew Strauss to Graeme Smith.He was left out for the final Test of that series before returning in India, where he helped win the series, before a year later relationships unravelled again during the Ashes whitewash which came to a head when Paul Downton, then the managing director of England cricket, said he had never seen a player so “disengaged” from his team.Earlier this year, when Pietersen was initially linked with South Africa, their T20 captain Faf du Plessis was quick to play down the suggestion. “KP is a player who’s had a great career for England. But certainly, from a South African perspective… he’s English,” he said.Last week, Alec Stewart, the Surrey director of cricket, said that Pietersen was unlikely to appear in English cricket again as he focuses on overseas T20 leagues. It was almost a year ago that Pietersen made an unbeaten 355 for Surrey before being told later the same day by Strauss, England’s newly installed director of cricket, that he would not be recalled by England.

Joe Leach nipped a potential Middlesex recovery in the bud before Tom Fell and Moeen Ali hit half-centuries to keep Worcestershire on top

Vithushan Ehantharajah at Uxbridge22-Jun-2015
ScorecardTom Fell struck an unbeaten 75 to mount a strong Worcestershire reply•Getty ImagesDespite the loss of 16 overs in the morning, Worcestershire were able to maintain control of a game that, not for the first time this season, they have bossed for the first half. Even when it looked like Middlesex were about to begin a substantial tail-wag to take them beyond the 110-over mark, Joe Leach took three wickets in 11 balls to nip it in the bud.The first saw James Harris trapped in front – the ball keeping a touch low – and the second came with the very next delivery as Toby Roland-Jones wafted at one he should have left well alone. Tim Murtagh survived the hat-trick ball from Leach, pushing a single into the off side, before Ollie Rayner inside-edged for another to take Middlesex to 300. Rayner it was whose eventual departure gave Leach figures of 4 for 81.With the wicket of Roland-Jones, Leach moved to 35 for the season, surpassing his total return in 2014 in his sixth Championship match. It also meant that Worcestershire have now collected full bowling points from an incredible 35 of their last 36 Championship matches.Credit must go to their bowling coach Matt Mason, a Western Australian who has forged a professional seam attack that pride themselves on not wasting deliveries. He talks about bowling fuller lengths and being brave as bowlers; looking to hit the stumps more often and bring in all modes of dismissal. “Prepare to be driven as opposed to cut and pulled,” is the mindset he has instilled. Leach’s spell was indicative of that.Like all good coaches, he is self aware – “I’m happy to admit I don’t know everything” – and has a strong desire to learn. He picks the brains of his contemporaries and those who know better, whether they are the bowling coaches of international touring sides or close company. Jason Gillespie is a long-term mentor of his and conversation between the two is regular and fluid. It is from Gillespie that he picked up an equation that he now uses as a guide for his bowlers: economy rate multiplied by strike rate, added to the bowling average.If the bowler ends up with a number under 200, they are doing a lot right. All three of the seam bowlers in the Worcestershire attack fall in to this bracket so far in 2015 (Charlie Morris 191.42; Jack Shantry 138.95; Joe Leach 126.09).”It brings in all facets of bowling,” Mason says, “the cost of your wicket and also your ability to take them. It’s a really good way of giving the guys something to focus on.”Worcestershire’s first innings was a slow and steady affair. What enthusiasm there was around in the fold-up chairs after the rains had come and gone was slowly broken down in a mammoth evening session of 45 overs.Daryl Mitchell took 33 balls to get off the mark, by which time he had already lost his opening partner Richard Oliver, who was adjudged to have nicked Harris’ fifth ball of the match through to John Simpson. Oliver’s reaction suggested it was anything but bat.Mitchell was then joined by Moeen Ali, who was also watchful, timing defensive shots into the off side with great clarity and leaving lots. Three fours came off Harris, whose extra pace on to the bat allowed Moeen some substance for his stylish flourishes.Faced with an over of Rayner before lunch, he displayed a bit of force to hit down the ground and then to midwicket to overtake Mitchell. Post-lunch, you could not have scripted a more Moeen display.Scripted is probably the wrong word – “curated” would be more appropriate. Each signature piece to his game was on show; the timing, the placement, the execution. Even the singles were worth remembering. At times the crowd sighed with pleasure when an immaculate drive found a fielder. Even the shots for none were shots for them.He moved into the forties with an indulgent aerial drive through a vacant cover, before going to 46 by top-edging a hook over the keeper’s head. Fifty was brought up with a lazy dab behind point for his 10th boundary. An even lazier stroke brought about his demise as he chipped a slower ball to Roland-Jones at mid-off.After the demise of Moeen, Tom Fell took it upon himself to entertain the crowd. His drives were sweet and measured; his judgement sound and unwavering. Middlesex “ooooed” and “aaaahed” in a bid to convince him that his off stump was not where he thought it was. But he knew better.Unlike Ali, there are no flourishes to his batting but, at the same time, there seem to be no rough edges either. He knows his game, he knows his shots and he knows that his hands and feet need not to be too far away from his body to make the most of bowler error.Even when he flicks the ball around the corner, there is little follow-through where some might exaggerate with a whip of the wrists in a bid to make it seem the shot was more Kingston, Jamaica than Kingston-upon-Thames. His innings was a microcosm of Worcestershire’s work ethic and has them in a strong position going into day three.

Northamptonshire claimed their opening win of the Natwest T20 Blast campaign with a comfortable six-wicket win over Derbyshire at Wantage Road

ECB/PA11-Jun-2015
ScorecardDay release: David Willey clubbed 60 off 27 balls and also claimed wickets•Getty ImagesNorthamptonshire claimed their opening win of the Natwest T20 Blast campaign with a comfortable six-wicket win over Derbyshire at Wantage Road.David Willey was the star of the North Group contest after being released from England’s national team’s one-day squad, hitting an impressive 60 off 27 balls and two wickets as the Steelbacks overhauled the visitors’ 166 for seven with 13 balls to spare.After losing the toss and bowling first, the home side were encouraged in Willey’s opening over when Derbyshire’s Sri Lankan star Tillekaratne Dilshan tried his scoop shot – only to see middle and leg stump knocked back. It was the Sri Lankan’s final innings before a stint in the Caribbean Premier League.The next four overs yielded 27 runs, with Wes Durston providing most of the momentum. But Chesney Hughes wafted at Steven Crook’s first ball outside the off stump and edged to Ben Duckett which was immediately followed by Wayne Madsen being trapped lbw first ball.That left Derbyshire 37 for 3 but Scott Elstone helped Durston put on 52 for the fourth wicket, with a slog sweep just over midwicket off Shahid Afridi his highlight.As the Falcons tried to up the tempo, Shiv Thakor was run out for 15 when going for a third, although third umpire Mark Benson had to check whether Willey had touched the rope in preventing a boundary before effecting the dismissal.Tom Poynton bludgeoned two sixes off the final over but Durston was left largely alone to keep the attack going. He carried his bat for 77 off 63 balls, with his half-century coming off 41.Northamptonshire lost Richard Levi in the first over, clipping Thakor to Wayne Madsen inside the circle at backward square leg – and Derbyshire sensed they were in the game.But Willey decided to up the rate in exciting fashion, taking 24 off the fourth over – bowled by Dilshan from the Turner Stand End. Two sixes sailed over long-off, followed by a cover drive for four, with the over completed with another huge six down the ground.Willey – who reached his 50 off 21 balls was caught gleefully by Madsen off Palladino – but Afridi picked up where he left off, continuing the frenetic pace.Surviving a tight stumping appeal off Hughes, the Pakistani globetrotter added 34 off 17 before Billy Godleman’s footwork in front of the boundary rope allowed a stunning catch for Thakor’s second wicket.However, Alex Wakely and Steven Crook saw the hosts home, giving them their first win in 2015 and consigning Derbyshire to a fourth defeat in five.

Both teams and players have seen a lot of each other in recent times, including in the IPL. As AB de Villiers said, they respect each other, but also know the relative strengths and weaknesses only too well

The Preview by Abhishek Purohit in Melbourne21-Feb-20151:45

Agarkar: India need to be at their absolute best

Match factsFebruary 22, 2015
Start time 14.30 local (0330 GMT)Big pictureThis is the second of India’s two high-profile group matches before they move on to less fancied sides. The Pakistan match was, for sure, the one with greater pressure, and India came through with a comprehensive performance – they started strongly with the bat, and despite a poor last five overs, had more than enough on the board in the end.South Africa, on the other hand, lost their top four cheaply against Zimbabwe, but recovered to post 339. Zimbabwe were 137 for 1 before losing steam in the chase. The margin of victory was comfortable eventually, but it is India who will have taken more confidence from their opening match against their biggest rivals.Both sides have played at the MCG in recent months, and will be aware of the challenges it poses, such as the large square boundaries. There will be a massive turnout too in all four tiers of the stands, mostly in favour of India with their fans having travelled from across the world to watch the Pakistan and South Africa games especially and Allan Donald recognised that by terming it a “home” game for India.The match may not have a lot of bearing on qualification for the knockouts, but it has been one of the clashes to look forward to in the group stage. Both teams and players have seen a lot of each other in recent times, including in the IPL. As AB de Villiers said, they respect each other, but know the relative strengths and weaknesses only too well.Form guide(last five matches, most recent first)
India: WLLLW
South Africa: WWLWW
AB de Villiers said there were zero chances of South Africa going for an all-pace attack, and backed Imran Tahir to play•Getty ImagesIn the spotlightThe last time India played at the MCG, a month ago, Rohit Sharma made 138 and missed the rest of the tri-series with a sore hamstring. He returned with 150 against Afghanistan in a warm-up game but could not build on a start against Pakistan. The Champions Trophy encounter between the two sides in June 2013 was the start of the Rohit-Dhawan opening partnership, and his team wouldn’t mind a repeat.AB de Villiers had a start against Zimbabwe too, but left South Africa in a tricky position at 83 for 4 before David Miller and JP Duminy made centuries. Virat Kohli said the kind of freakish shots de Villiers is capable of playing can easily make the opposition’s bowling plans go wrong. The only time he has played an ODI at the MCG, de Villiers hit 91 off 88 last November.Teams newsAfter trying out various combinations during the triangular one-day series, India went back to their three fast bowlers-two spinners attack against Pakistan, and they should stick to that, although Stuart Binny had a heavy workload during training on Friday.India (probable) 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Ajinkya Rahane, 5 Suresh Raina, 6 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Mohammed Shami, 10 Mohit Sharma, 11 Umesh YadavAB de Villiers said there were zero chances of South Africa going for an all-pace attack, and backed Imran Tahir to play.South Africa (probable): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Hashim Amla, 3 Faf du Plessis, 4 AB de Villiers (capt), 5 David Miller, 6 JP Duminy, 7 Farhaan Behardien, 8 Vernon Philander, 9 Dale Steyn, 10 Morne Morkel, 11 Imran TahirPitch and conditionsDe Villiers said that the surface for South Africa’s ODI against Australia at the MCG last November was one of the slowest he had played on. Virat Kohli said there would be some pace and bounce. Those opinions also tell you about the conditions the two players call home. There have been three ODIs here in the past four months. Australia chased down 270-odd twice, and racked up an insurmountable 342 in the third. There was a brief shower in Melbourne on the eve of the match, but weather is likely to clear tomorrow with a high in the mid-thirty degrees.Stats and trivia India have lost three out of three to South Africa in the World Cup, although they have won three out of three against the same opponents in the Champions Trophy, including two semi-finals The sides have met just once before in Australia, in the 1992 World Cup in AdelaideQuote”South Africa are one of the top sides in the world. They have a good balance of batting and bowling, and their fielding has raised standards in international cricket. To get over that hurdle tomorrow will be an immense self-belief booster for us.”
“I’m pretty happy that it’s going to be packed. The last few games I played here it wasn’t full, and it almost feels wrong in a way. You almost get lost in the middle out there, it’s so big. “

Sri Lanka Cricket’s interim committee has taken steps to build indoor nets and a swimming pool at the R Premadasa Stadium in Khettarama, where the national side conducts much of its training

Andrew Fidel Fernando28-Apr-2015Sri Lanka Cricket’s interim committee has taken steps to build indoor nets and a swimming pool at the R Premadasa Stadium in Khettarama, where the national side conducts much of its training. Khettarama currently has 18 practice pitches, and also houses Sri Lanka’s Max Cricket Academy, but many of these facilities are out of use during the monsoon months.”We’re thinking we would like to start work on the indoor nets and swimming pool by June,” interim chairman Sidath Wettimuny said. “At the moment we don’t have facilities for cricketers who need to train on rainy days, early in the morning or late at night, so an indoor facility is vital. Modern training methods also demand a swimming pool for rehabilitation exercises.”We also think it is essential to have indoor facilities in Pallekele, Dambulla, Hambantota, and to repair the Galle facilities as well, finance permitting. That’s a priority for us.”The interim committee will also take steps to grant pay-rises to first-class cricketers, Wettimuny said. SLC currently pays a daily wage of around 2500 rupees (approx USD $19), but the committee plans to triple this sum. “The idea is to make cricket a livelihood for these players,” Wettimuny said.The reshaping of Sri Lanka’s domestic cricket structure has also been a focus for the committee, with Mahela Jayawardene among those making recommendations to revive a provincial cricket tournament. Wettimuny said any serious restructuring of the domestic system would require significant consultation with SLC’s member clubs and associations, but was necessary for Sri Lanka to remain competitive at the international level.

Yorkshire have brought fresh ambition to the NatWest Blast by completing the signing of two of Australia’s most destructive Twenty20 batsmen: Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell

David Hopps28-Jan-20154:03

Glenn Maxwell joins Aaron Finch as Yorkshire aim to fill Headingley for the NatWest Blast

Yorkshire have brought fresh ambition to the NatWest Blast by completing the signing of two of Australia’s most destructive Twenty20 batsmen: Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell.Finch and Maxwell are both expected to play a prominent part for Australia in the World Cup and their arrival at Headingley, coming so soon after Shahid Afridi’s decision to join Northants, is a shot in the arm for England’s T20 tournament as it faces up to comparisons with the Big Bash League.Finch, Australia’s T20 captain, and Maxwell will both arrive at Headingley in late May immediately after their IPL commitments. He had a decent, if not spectacular, tournament in 2014 and will feature in all formats for Yorkshire.Yorkshire have long prioritised their Championship cricket, and took the title in 2014, but with debts of more than £20m they are desperate to translate their reputation as a cricketing county into regular sell-out T20 crowds.Maxwell has the greater challenge of trying to maintain T20 form with only one match a week, a challenge that Kevin Pietersen, among others, has bemoaned as extremely difficult.Yorkshire will be desperate for the alliance of Finch and Maxwell to take them to Finals Day and fill Headingley in the same manner as Surrey and Middlesex are attracting large crowds to The Oval and Lord’s. The advent of floodlights at Headingley, which will allow them to push back start times to 7pm, is also expected to make a sizeable impact.Yorkshire’s Australian coach Jason Gillespie was delighted to secure the signatures of two world-class players. “We’re absolutely thrilled to bits to be able to secure the services of two very exciting players in world cricket,” he said.”I spoke to Glenn a little while ago and just enquired as to whether he would be interested in representing Yorkshire and outlined how we saw how well he could fit into the dressing room and the role we wanted him to play. He jumped at the opportunity, I think that says a lot about our club, that players really want to come and play for us.Aaron Finch says T20 will join the Championship as a Yorkshire priority•Getty Images”Glenn has a fantastic all round game. He’s a clean striker of the ball, a wonderful fielder and he bowls some really good off spin but what I’m excited about is what he can bring to specifically our T20 game: a bit of entertainment and a bit of excitement.”He’ll perform well for Yorkshire, no question and he’ll bring something we need, that middle to late innings hitting and a good fielder as well as bowl some handy overs for us and really put a show on for the crowd. We’ve got later starts with the lights at Headingley so it’s very exciting this year.”Aaron is a great leader, he has a lot of leadership and captaincy experience and having a player like that in the dressing room gives the younger players the opportunity to learn off him. He’s very open with how he likes to go about things and how he tries to adapt to situations in the middle.”Maxwell is no stranger to the English domestic scene. He represented Hampshire in 2012 and 2014 respectively, during their run of five finals in successive seasons, as well as having a stint at Surrey in 2013.”I had two great spells with Hampshire and loved every minute,” he said. “But Yorkshire are one of biggest clubs in the world and to get the chance to play for them is an honour. It gives me a new challenge that I will relish.”Finch emphasised Yorkshire’s commitment to T20 cricket next season. “To have made a contribution to their success of winning the title was really good,” he said. “I relished the challenge of playing the County Championship against the moving red ball: it has certainly enhanced my game.”This year the club will be aiming to win the title again, but there is also a major emphasis on doing well in the T20 competition. There were signs last year that when we get it right we are a difficult side to beat. With more application and an improvement in how we approach the game, we can make a concerted effort in challenging for honours.”Having Maxi playing alongside me will be terrific. He is a true competitor and loves the shorter form of the game.”Yorkshire, unlike some counties, are priocing their tickets compertitively in an effort to fill Headingley with seven home tickets available for £70. Their commitment to T20 gives a clue to the thinking of their chairman Colin Graves, the incoming chairman of the ECB, when he sits down with the chief executive Tom Harrison to plot the future direction of the English county game.”