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West Indies captain Carl Hooper said he was very disappointed with theresult yesterday as the West Indies fell to defeat by 37 runs in thesecond Cable & Wireless Test against India at the Queen’s Park Oval,Trinidad

Ezra Stuart24-Apr-2002West Indies captain Carl Hooper said he was very disappointed with theresult yesterday as the West Indies fell to defeat by 37 runs in thesecond Cable & Wireless Test against India at the Queen’s Park Oval,Trinidad.I think coming into the last day here, we really fancied our chancesand it was disappointing the way we sort of ended up, 30-odd runsshort, Hooper told reporters after the match.Set a challenging 313 runs for victory, the Windies fell for 275,digging their own grave with most of the batsmen falling to falsestrokes rather than brilliant deliveries from the visitors.The captain said that at no stage did he give up on the West Indiesgetting the runs needed for victory.Right to the very last end, I thought that we had a chance. Thirtyodd runs is not a lot runs but you needed somebody. Shiv [Chanderpaul]maybe needed to take a few more chances but that’s the game, Hoopernoted.Chanderpaul remained 67 not out as wickets fell all around him.I thought from the outset they would try to make runs difficult tocome by and that’s what they did. They bowled straight and locked upboth the offside and onside, He said.The thing to do, I suppose is to capitalise on the bad balls and keepthe scoreboard ticking with the singles. I think it was a bitunfortunate we lost Brian [Lara] and then almost immediately after,myself.That set us back a whole lot and obviously put the pressure on peoplelike Chris Gayle, who I thought played well and ShivnarineChanderpaul, Hooper said.Despite losing his second consecutive Test at the venue after the lossto South Africa last year, Hooper said he could find no fault with thepitch.We had the knowledgeable experts predicting how it was going to playand so on but I thought we had a belter of a Test wicket, Hooperdeclared.Coach Roger Harper also expressed disappointment with losing the Testand going down 1-0 in the five-match series.This is very disappointing. We had a similar situation here againstSouth Africa last year and most members of the team were here and weshould have learnt from that experience and unfortunately we came upshort, Harper said.I think, you can’t fault the effort. Everyone fought hard but I thinkwe need to play a little smarter, added Harper.He noted the batsmen’s failure to carry on for bigger scorescontributed to the Windies’ inadequate totals of 245 and 275 in theTest.In Guyana, we managed to put a very good total on the board. One ofthe things we talked about there was that batsmen that got in, got tostart carrying on. I think here we didn’t see that, Harper noted.He also zeroed in on the West Indies’ bowling in the first session onthe opening day after India were sent in to bat.I thought we definitely could’ve bowled a lot better in that firstsession. Had we done that, it may have meant India making 40, 50 less,Harper conceded.

Barry Fry insists Ivan Toney is the missing piece of West Ham United’s jigsaw, having seen the Brentford ace fire his side into the Premier League.

Toney enjoyed a stunning season in the Championship in 2020/21 and capped it with a goal in the play-off final over the weekend, as the Bees beat Swansea City 2-0 at Wembley.

The former Newcastle United ace scored 31 goals and registered 10 assists in 45 games and will be champing at the bit to take on Premier League defences next season.

The 25-year-old has been heavily linked with a potential exit from the club in recent weeks and the Hammers have been touted as a potential landing spot.

It remains to be seen, of course, if the Irons will be able to convince Brentford to sell Toney now that they have confirmed their promotion to the Premier League.

But Fry has revealed that he told David Sullivan to buy Toney when he was playing for Peterborough United, before he was sold to Brentford for a fee of up to £10m.

Asked about him potentially moving to the Irons and if he is the player they lack, Fry, who worked closely with Toney at Posh, told Football FanCast: “He [Moyes] has got a couple of Championship players, one he bought from Brentford (Said Benrahma) and the other boy, he bought from Hull (Jarrod Bowen), and they’ve been tremendous, they’re young, they’re hungry, they want to listen, they want to learn and Ivan Toney’s that as well.”

From Bourda to Sabina

Andi Thornhill22-May-2002From Bourda to Sabina. All the pre-Test talk was about the pitch. What kind of surface the teams were likely to encounter?How much bounce will the pacers get? Would they favour the spinners?These were questions asked repeatedly in the prelude to the Cable & Wireless series between the West Indies and India.And mind you, the groundstaff at the respective grounds were very forthcoming with their answers as well.Bourda was, well, Bourda – placid and full of runs.The Queen’s Park Oval, usually tricky and very much in favour of spin, wasn’t supposed to be like that this time. Head curator Brian Davis said that it would be to the liking of the fast bowlers.He appeared to have influenced the selection of both teams to the point where the West Indies resorted to four pacers and India quite shockingly went in with three seamers leaving out their most successful, contemporary bowler, leg-spinner Anil Kumble.That India won wasn’t quite the proof of the pudding, that the pitch was indeed conducive to pace.Kensington turned out to be the right mix – some moisture, some grass, some dryness, some bounce.The perfect setting for a series-equalling win for the West Indies. The Antigua Recreation Ground, traditionally a batsman’s paradise, didn’t change its character.India 513 for nine declared and the West Indies 629 for nine becomes self-explanatory.The groundsmen at Sabina promised a surface that would be "competitive". But is too much emphasis being placed on the state of the pitches?I think so.At the end of the day it is more to do with the overall proficiency of both teams that decide success or failure.You can have any type of surface but if you don’t have the bowlers necessary to exploit the conditions or conversely the batsmen to deal with any problems that might arise you’re as good as dead.This is not to say that I don’t believe that groundsmen should not consciously try to provide the home team with the kind of pitch to favour them but the ability to capitalise is vital.I find that often when teams fail to play to their true potential the pitch is one of the first things they look to blame without accepting the results any critical analysis might produce about their performance.I am a firm believer in the theory that usually you get out what you put in. Only if pitches could talk they might agree.

Turning Newcastle United into European football contenders is not worth the money it will cost in Mike Ashley’s eyes, football finance expert Kieran Maguire explained in an exclusive interview with The Transfer Tavern.

While Newcastle are miles behind the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool, making a challenge for Champions League football very unlikely, there is understandably a feeling that the club at least have the potential to fight for a Europa League spot.

With a capacity of 52,000, Newcastle have one of the largest stadiums in the country and are an English outfit with a rich history.

Ashley, however, will not try to unlock that potential on the basis that qualifying for the Europa League or Europa Conference League is not worth the money that will have to be put in to get there. That is what Maguire believes is in the back of the Newcastle owner’s mind.

“In order for Newcastle to push on and to be challenging for the top half of the table, for Europa League and Europa Conference League places, he would have to spend significantly more money,” The Price of Football author told TT.

“I suspect he will take the view that the rewards of getting into Europe’s minor competitions simply aren’t worth it because we’ve got Leicester, Everton, Arsenal, Spurs, possibly Wolves and West Ham.

“To get ahead of those involves spending an awful lot of money and that’s not Mike Ashley’s track record.”

Indeed, there is a lot of competition now to get into Europe. So if Newcastle want to join the party, then they have to improve their squad every summer, which you just cannot see happening under this current regime.

Carl Hooper expects New Zealand to come bouncing back for this weekend’s back-to-back matches in St Lucia after their disappointing batting performance in the opening rain-ruined Cable & Wireless One-Day International

Haydn Gill07-Jun-2002Carl Hooper expects New Zealand to come bouncing back for this weekend’s back-to-back matches in St Lucia after their disappointing batting performance in the opening rain-ruined Cable & Wireless One-Day International.The West Indies cricket captain said here after Wednesday’s abandoned match at Sabina Park that the tourists’ preparations might have been one of the reasons for their modest all out total of 176 in 49.4 overs..I thought we bowled well, fielded well and caught well. That’s important, but having said that, we were under no illusions, Hooper said.This was New Zealand’s first run out. They were off the international scene for quite a while. They would have been short of work. We’ve got to push this behind us.New Zealand, one of the most under-rated sides in world cricket, have not had the most ideal preparations.Their recent tour of Pakistan was cut short by a bomb blast outside their Karachi hotel a few hours before the start of the second Test and, on arriving in the Caribbean, they were kept indoors for a few days because of rain.They are not going to be as easy to knock over in the next game, Hooper said.We expect that the competition is going to get much harder as they slowly get acclimatised to conditions.West Indies and New Zealand have not met on many occasions in the past decade, and because of their recent series against India, Hooper’s men might not have had ample time to do their homework on their opponents.We just managed to get some footage of the last series against Pakistan and a few Test matches against England, Hooper said.That is the only footage we’ve got about the New Zealand players, but I’m sure as we go on we’ll learn a bit more about them, just as they will learn something about us.Hooper himself has never played a Test against the Black Caps, who inflicted a 2-0 Test series and 5-0 One-Day International series triumphs when the West Indies toured New Zealand in 1999.We are excited about playing against New Zealand. We don’t play against them too often. The last time we played them in New Zealand, we got a drubbing and we want to do well this time around, he said.While Hooper might not have played against them in the longer version of the game, he has seen enough of them to know their value.The New Zealand side I have been seeing for the last few years is a side that plays together and they fight really hard, he said.Their recent run, however, especially in limited-overs matches has been unimpressive.Prior to Wednesday’s match, which was abandoned without the West Indies having a chance to chase their target because of rain, New Zealand had lost each of their last six One-Day Internationals, and all told, 13 of their previous 17 matches.Their only meaningful match practice ahead of this series was a 50-overs-match against a University of the West Indies Vice-Chancellor’s XI at the Frank Worrell Oval on Monday.To get out on the field, therefore, did have some benefit in spite of Wednesday’s washout.We had another 50 overs in the field. We are short of a gallop with the preparation we’ve had here. Just being outside was probably the best scenario for us in a way, New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming said.One of the many New Zealand batsman who failed to get going at Sabina Park, Fleming praised the quality of the West Indies’ bowling on the pitch that offered assistance in the early stages.I felt they bowled extremely well. I thought they got good bounce, which might have suggested there might have been moisture in the wicket underneath, he said.They had great control. That comes from playing a lot of cricket and playing a good batting side like India.West Indies went into the match with all-rounder Ryan Hinds in preference to fast bowler Corey Collymore, who was used in all three matches against India.The Indians are much better players of spin, hence why we used four quicks against them, Hooper explained.No disrespect to the New Zealanders, but they are probably not as fluent against the spin as the Indians. We thought somebody, like Ryan Hinds, who has been sitting on the sidelines for quite a while, should be given the opportunity to play.

Rowledge march on in the National Village Championship, sponsored by TheCricketer magazine, following a 47-run victory over Buckinghamshirechampions, Dinton

Mike Vimpany23-Jul-2002Rowledge march on in the National Village Championship, sponsored by TheCricketer magazine, following a 47-run victory over Buckinghamshirechampions, Dinton.They are now through to the quarter-finals and play either Linton Park(Kent) or Langlebury (Hertfordshire), both past winners, at Rowledge onSunday August 4.David Lloyd (69), Darren Mitchell (41) and Dave Booton (40) top scored asRowledge totalled 200-6 in 40 overs.Mitchell (4-18) and teenage left-armer Matt Warner (3-20) did the damage asDinton were dismissed for 153.

Speaking in a football.london Q&A, reliable correspondent Alasdair Gold has dropped a behind the scenes Tottenham Hotspur transfer claim involving Fabio Paratici.

The Lowdown: Paratici and Spurs

While Tottenham weren’t able to get former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte through the door, sporting director Fabio Paratici is now set for a big role in north London.

Indeed, reports in the Athletic and the Telegraph believe that the 48-year-old will have a major say on footballing matters including Spurs’ manager search and both incoming/outgoing transfers.

The Latest: Gold drops behind-scenes transfer claim

Speaking in a Q&A, football.london correspondent Gold has backed the reports while dropping an enticing claim involving Paratici.

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As explained, the journalist believes that he has already commenced work in north London on outgoings as Spurs attempt to bolster Tottenham’s finances for possible signings this summer.

“Paratici is working already on potential transfers out to create funds for signings,” Gold stated when asked if Spurs have deals lined up and ready to go.

“The good thing about a director of football structure is that it creates the continuity and the squad and the head coach comes in to coach that.

“Of course certain players can be tailored to different types of head coaches but ultimately you choose a head coach that fits the club and target rather than randomly going after contrasting managers – yes, exactly as Tottenham have done this summer.”

The Verdict: Good news…

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Spurs will need to adopt a sell-to-buy policy and operate within their means.

News of Paratici’s immediate hustle behind the scenes will come as a boost for the club given the transfer window is now open and Tottenham will want to operate as quickly as possible.

The priority, of course, is appointing a new manager at N17 but laying the groundwork for summer deals is arguably just as crucial.

Spurs ended up finishing seventh last season in what was a disappointing campaign and supporters will be hoping Paratici can build the foundations for a much stronger 2021/2022, regardless of who leads the side from the dugout.

In other news: Paratici eyeing this big name for Spurs, Harry Redknapp called him ‘top class’…find out more here.

A disciplined bowling display and a positive response to the task of chasing a challenging target saw Hampshire close requiring just 97 more runs to secure a much-required Frizzell County Championship victory over fellow strugglers Somerset.

Richard Isaacs16-Aug-2002A disciplined bowling display and a positive response to the task of chasing a challenging target saw Hampshire close requiring just 97 more runs to secure a much-required Frizzell County Championship victory over fellow strugglers Somerset.Three wickets apiece for paceman Chris Tremlett and the tireless Shaun Udal, who bowled unchanged from the Northern End throughout the day and finished with impressive figures of 3-74 from 35 continuous overs undermined the visitors.Piran Holloway, returning to the side for this game, stood firm as he watched his teammates fall to the patient Hampshire bowlers.Dimitri Mascarenhas started the slide, removing the overnight pairing of Michael Burns and Matthew Bulbeck within 13 runs of each other and when Tremlett struck to dismiss the dangerous Keith Parsons and Ian Blackwell, Somerset were in some trouble at 79-6.Once again, it was wicket-keeper Rob Turner (34) who guided the innings to respectability with Holloway in solid support as they added 69 for the seventh wicket.Turner fell leg before to Udal and it was only a matter of time, despite Andrew Caddick’s lusty 16, until Hampshire would wrap up the tail – Holloway edging Tremlett to Neil Johnson at first-slip two short of a deserved half-century as Somerset were bowled out for 190, setting the hosts 233 in four sessions.In a reverse of recent performances, openers Neil Johnson and Jason Laney set about the target with considerable vigour, passing the best first wicket partnership recorded by Hampshire this season – a measly 56 – in the space of 13 overs!Driving, cutting and pulling all manner of deliveries, they scampered to 97 before Laney mistimed a drive off former Hampshire quickie Simon Francis, much to his delight, to Richard Johnson at mid-on for a 77-ball 46. Both openers were aided by wicket-keeper Turner who dropped two clear-cut chances.But, probably the most disappointing moment of the day was Neil Johnson’s dismissal for an exquisite 57 – Turner making no mistake third time around.A moron who entered the playing arena as Parsons came into bowl Johnson’s final delivery may have disturbed his concentration. He was able to run carte-blanche onto the ground twice without apprehension from the security personnel. The only person leaving the ground seemed to be Johnson.If Hampshire does transpire to lose this game – which they shouldn’t requiring 97 to win with eight wickets in hand – they may well look back to this incident. Victory is paramount to create a gap between themselves and the relegation trapdoor, while defeat will almost certainly consign that side to Division Two.

Despite a superb overall campaign that saw them claim the Premier League title and win the Carabao Cup, Manchester City have been tipped for a summer rebuild ahead of next season.

After falling just short in the FA Cup and Champions League, it seems that Pep Guardiola’s side are looking to make some big name signings ahead of next season, which will likely also see some first-team regulars depart as the former Barcelona boss looks to end City’s woes in Europe after losing the Champions League final to Chelsea last season.

A host of names have been linked with the Citizens now that the transfer window is open, whilst the likes of Raheem Sterling, Aymeric Laporte and Bernardo Silva have all been linked with moves away.

Here’s how Football FanCast predicts Guardiola’s strongest XI could look next season…

After their title win was built on the improvement of their defence, with Ruben Dias a standout signing at the back, it seems unlikely that City will make too many defensive signings this summer.

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Nuno Mendes is one name who has been touted as a potential option at left-back but that seems reliant on whether or not they can get rid of Benjamin Mendy, with Joao Cancelo and Oleksandr Zinchenko likely to rotate their next season, with John Stones and Kyle Walker also likely to keep their regular spots.

Ilkay Gundogan and Rodri will likely be the regular midfield partnership for Guardiola, although a new defensive-midfield signing may be necessary if Fernandinho does not agree to a new contract with the Etihad outfit.

Kevin De Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez keep their place in attacking-midfield roles, with Phil Foden likely to be regular on the wing or through the middle, although the potential £100m signing of Jack Grealish could see him become a starter on the left.

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Up front, Harry Kane could seal a £150m exit from Tottenham Hotspur to sign for Guardiola’s side, with the Citizens seemingly the most likely destination for the England captain.

And, in other news… Bye-bye Bernardo: Txiki should seal Man City swoop for “phenomenal” £27m-rated wizard

Norwich City look set to complete the signing of goalkeeper Angus Gunn from Southampton, with a medical reportedly lined up for him.

The Lowdown: Gunn linked with move

The Canaries are preparing for their return to the Premier League following their triumphant 2020/21 Championship campaign which saw them win the title.

New signings are expected to come in this summer and Gunn has been strongly linked with a move in recent weeks, having enjoyed a spell on loan at Carrow Road back in 2017/18.

The Latest: Medical lined up

It looks as though a move is now close to being completed, with Football Insider reporting that the 25-year-old will undergo a medical on Monday.

Norwich are believed to have fought off late interest from Leeds United, with Gunn deciding to emulate his father Bryan and join the Canaries.

The Verdict: Shrewd signing by Norwich

This is a move which makes perfect sense for Norwich, not only because of Gunn’s family links to the club, but also because of his quality, having being hailed as ‘amazing’ by Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl in the past.

He can provide stiff competition for Tim Krul between the sticks, and at 25 he is still young for a goalkeeper, meaning he should only improve in the coming years. He also boasts Premier League experience and had a decent 2020/21 campaign on loan at Stoke, keeping six clean sheets in 15 appearances and conceding a respectable 21 goals (Transfermarkt).

Squad depth is vital in the Premier League, so having two strong options in goal can only be a good thing for Daniel Farke’s side as they get reacquainted with top-flight football once more.

In other news, a pundit has claimed Norwich have a replacement lined up for Emiliano Buendia. Read more here.