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The relationship between a manager and his players is often a very complex one

Despite what they might say in the confines of a dressing room, managers will seldom shame their players in the public domain.

Although, that isn't to say that they are totally exempt from criticism in press conferences and interviews, especially when the man in the technical area is at risk of losing his job. The pressure faced by managers can sometimes lead to them airing their dirty laundry in public, but it very rarely ends well as supporters are left to pick sides between players and their boss.

Steven Gerrard made the mistake of replacing fans' favourite Tyrone Mings in the role of captain at Aston Villa whilst simultaneously questioning his mentality. The Villa boss soon restored the England centre-back to his starting XI after his public shaming didn't go down too well with those in the stands.

With that incident fresh in the memory, here are a collection of other scenarios where players have been publicly thrown under the bus by their managers.

GettyDuncan Ferguson & Moise Kean

Duncan Ferguson has taken charge of just five matches in his coaching career, all of which came during two separate stints as caretaker manager at Everton. Although, in that time, he created enough headlines to last a full season.

Perhaps the most iconic memory of his brief managerial career came when he took the Toffees to Old Trafford in December 2019. With Everton 1-0 in front with 20 minutes left, the Scotsman replaced the injured Bernard with highly-rated Moise Kean.

However, the young forward didn't even see out the game as he was brought off for fellow striker Oumar Niasse in the dying minutes. Ferguson tried to play down talk of a fall out following the match but, having ignored Kean after substituting him, it was clear that the caretaker boss was far from impressed.

AdvertisementGettyRoberto Mancini & Carlos Tevez

To say Carlos Tevez was a character during his playing career would be a huge understatement. Before retiring just a couple of months ago, the Argentine was a player capable of single-handedly winning a match whilst equally capable of winding up a whole fan base in the blink of an eye.

His move across Manchester – from United to City in 2009 – understandably raised eyebrows but he didn't let the controversy affect his performances on the pitch. Although, during the 2011-12 season, Tevez and his manager at the time, Roberto Mancini, had an almighty falling out.

Their feud came to a head when City travelled to Munich to face Bayern in the Champions League. With the German giants 2-0 in front, Mancini looked to his bench to bring Tevez into the action but the striker refused to go onto the pitch, having been frustrated at not being included from the start.

After the game, the usually-calm Italian was livid, he said: "For me it’s a bad situation because it is impossible for a player to refuse to play and help the team. He was disappointed that he didn’t play but we play with 11 players. To do that is just impossible."

Mancini then added: "He is finished for me. If I had my way he’d be out of the club.”

GettyThomas Tuchel & Callum Hudson-Odoi

Callum Hudson-Odoi has found regular game time hard to come by at Chelsea despite signing a bumper contract in September 2019. He has struggled to fit into Thomas Tuchel's sytem and has often been played outside of his regular position in one of the two wing-back roles.

However, in February of last year, the Blues boss brought the winger on at half-time for Tammy Abraham with Chelsea a goal behind against Southampton at St Mary's. Despite the visitors equalising through a Mason Mount penalty, Tuchel had seen enough from Hudson-Odoi and replaced him with 15 minutes left of the match.

He didn't mince his words after the game when asked why he made the harsh decision to re-substitute the young forward. He told : "We brought in Hudson, but with Hudson I was not happy with the energy and the attitude in the counter pressing so we decided to take him off again because we demand a lot, we demand 100% and I had the feeling he is not right in the shape where he can help us."

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GettyJurgen Klopp & Dejan Lovren

Jurgen Klopp is widely considered one of the coaches with the best man management qualities in world football. So for that reason, it was very out-of-character when he singled Dejan Lovren out for criticism following Liverpool's heavy 4-1 defeat against Tottenham at Wembley in October 2017.

It was far from the Croatian's best game in a Reds shirt and he was culpable for both of the home side's opening goals; missing a header for the first and missing the ball in a similar fashion for the second. While public shame is never the correct way to address a poor performance, Liverpool supporters totally resonated with Klopp's post-match comments.

"It was just really bad, bad, bad defending," said the German. "The second [goal], a counter attack, when the ball passes Lovren it is already too late. If I am involved in this situation on the pitch, then Harry cannot get the ball. It wouldn't happen if I was on the pitch, but I am in the middle of the technical area in trainers."

The European champions were 2-0 down within 20 minutes as they were bested by the German side in the penultimate game of the group stage.

Real Madrid's unbeaten start to the season has finally come to an end!

RB Leipzig brought the European champions crashing back down to earth with a well-deserved three points.

Vinicius Junior found the net and Rodrygo fired in a very late penalty, but it was not enough against a German side who were more than up to the challenge.

Josko Gvardiol, Christopher Nkunku and Timo Werner were on target to upset Carlo Ancelotti's team who were just too flat and lacking inspiration for too much of this match.

The Spanish champions remain top of the group, however, with just one game left to play.

With Leipzig now a point behind them, they have a battle on their hands for that coveted first place in Group F.

GettyThe Winners

Vinicius Junior:

He pulled a goal back for his side by getting free in the box and sending a fantastic header into the back of the net. More than that, however, the Brazilian was once again all over the attack, always looking for a way to give his side a chance against the Germans. He set up Rodrygo well at 2-0, but his attacking team-mate couldn't get his shot on target – once again showing that he is the man Madrid can rely on while Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema is out of commission.

Josko Gvardiol:

There has been growing interest from across Europe in the centre-back and he certainly showed why this evening. He got ahead of Antonio Rudiger to pounce on a great chance and nod his side into the lead to show that he can be a danger up front. He also looked strong in defence, though, and was comfortable on the ball.

Christopher Nkunku:

The best player on the pitch. He was such a livewire against a strong Madrid defence. His goal was well taken but he was a big threat throughout this match. It's no surprise to see so many teams willing to pay big money to sign the France attacker as most defences would find it tough to keep him quiet.

AdvertisementGettyThe Losers

Rodrygo:

Try as he might, he just could not get into this game. The forward must be commended for his determination in dropping back to try and get involved but very little worked in his favour until he won the last-minute penalty that was too little, too late.

Carlo Ancelotti:

He made some questionable choices with his starting XI, lining up with a flat midfield and a lack of attacking inspiration. Ancelotti then waited too long to mix up his midfield, only bringing Eden Hazard on for the last 10 minutes. A match like this will surely have him pushing for new signings in the January window.

Thibaut Courtois:

For the first time this season the Belgian goalkeeper has conceded more than once in a game. Courtois let three goals slip this time around, and while he was not totally to blame for any of them, he will feel he could have done better with Gvardiol's opener and went to the ground too early as Nkunku fired in the second.

GettyReal Madrid Ratings: Defence

Thibaut Courtois (6/10):

The goalkeeper produced some strong saves but he made it easy for Gvardiol to knock in the opener by diverting a save back into the middle of the box. Later in the half, he came too far out, was easily beaten and lucky to see a long-range shot hit the side of the net. There wasn't much he could do about the home team's second goal, though.

Lucas Vazquez (5/10):

Got forward a lot and tried hard to help his team create something from the wing as he took the place of Dani Carvajal, who has underwhelmed so much this season. However, he is clearly not the answer to Madrid's problems on the right. Just not good enough.

Eder Militao (7/10):

Overall he looked good and was once again a wall at the back for Madrid. Saying that, he let Timo Werner go free in the vital moment as the German attacker moved towards the back post and tapped in the goal that made it 3-1.

Antonio Rudiger (6/10):

Quite underwhelming as he did not react to the loose ball that Gvardiol jumped at to open the scoring then failed to stand up to a couple of other Leipzig attacks.

Nacho (5/10):

A third start in the Champions League for Carlo Ancelotti's men this season and while he was not terrible, he did nothing to stand out either before he was replaced by David Alaba with just over 20 minutes left.

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GettyMidfield

Eduardo Camavinga (5/10):

You cannot deny his talent but he looked out of place in this team as he was playing high up the field. Madrid missed a player like Luka Modric as the away side were lacking some forward thinking in midfield.

Aurelien Tchouameni (7/10):

The best of the three midfielders for the visitors, Tchouameni did not shy away from digging in with a few tackles but was perhaps let down by the shape of a midfield that lacked a proper creator.

Toni Kroos (6/10):

A classy and comfortable passer of the ball as always but he did not have much of an influence on the game.

Mary Earps congratulated Manchester United loanee Grace Clinton after the 20-year-old marked her Lionesses debut with a goal.

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Earps sends message to Clinton on debut 20-year-old bags goal in Austria United keeper benched as Hampton given chance GettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The goalkeeper had an unusual vantage point for England's 7-2 thrashing of Austria in Andalusia on Friday night with manager Sarina Wiegman opting to give Chelsea's Hannah Hampton some international experience.

But Earps was delighted by what she saw from the sidelines, in particular with Clinton, who earned a call up after some impressive performances on loan at Tottenham Hotspur this term.

AdvertisementWHAT MARY EARPS SAID

"So buzzing for you Grace Clinton. What a debut," posted the England number one.

Instagram @1maryearpsGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

While Earps sat out Friday night's romp in southern Spain, Wiegman made it clear that she will keep the gloves when England return to competitive action.

After a stellar year during which Earps swept up a bewildering number of individual trophies, England's number one has regularly paid tribute to Wiegman, emphasising the role that Dutch manager played in restoring her confidence after being dropped by the previous management team.

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WHAT NEXT FOR MARY EARPS?

The Lionesses face Italy in another friendly on Tuesday in Algeciras. Fans will be keen to see if Wiegman picks another experimental team or goes back to something resembling a full-strength line up.

Ryan Harris goes under the knife for knee surgery after this series – he does not know what the future holds. He may play Test cricket again, but at 34 there are no guarantees. Whatever happens, he has delivered one of the great triumphs in Australia’s re

The Report by Brydon Coverdale05-Mar-2014
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsRyan Harris goes under the knife for knee surgery after this series – he does not know what the future holds. He may play Test cricket again, but at 34 there are no guarantees. Whatever happens, he has delivered one of the great triumphs in Australia’s recent Test history, bowling the team to a series victory over South Africa, the world’s No.1-ranked side, when it seemed almost inevitable that Graeme Smith would be farewelled by his men with a fighting, fitting draw.Vernon Philander and Dale Steyn batted together for 75 minutes as Australia sought the two remaining wickets they needed for victory and as the shadows grew longer, the looks on the faces of Michael Clarke and his men became more desperate. With five overs left, Clarke asked Harris for one last effort and he delivered, yorking Steyn first ball and then slipping one past Morne Morkel’s bat two balls later to clatter the off stump and deliver a 245-run win, and a 2-1 series success.Harris finished with 4 for 32 from 24.3 overs, a remarkable achievement for a man who looked spent. At times throughout the day he was hobbling and he pulled up in his delivery stride once late in the day, stretching and checking on his knee as he walked back to his mark again. Mitchell Johnson picked up three wickets but Harris was the man who delivered when it mattered most, including by getting rid of the stonewalling AB de Villiers after lunch.Ryan Harris delivered for Michael Clarke on the last day•Getty ImagesFor much of the day it seemed that South Africa might just pull off one last draw for Smith. Under his leadership they won a lot but just as notable has been their ability not to lose. Their last series defeat before this was against Australia five years ago. Smith will leave the game having lost only two of his last 27 Test series as captain. That is some sort of record. In the end, his men were unable to keep the Australians out for long enough.That a day on which only 194 runs were scored in 93.3 overs could be so gripping is encouraging for Test cricket. This day was never going to be about the runs; South Africa could have batted until day seven and not reached their target of 511. It was simply a question of wickets – could Australia claim the six they needed throughout the day. South Africa’s ability to bat out a draw in similar circumstances in Adelaide a year and a half ago suggested that it would be tough work.And as in Adelaide, de Villiers and Faf du Plessis did their best to deny Australia. They came together after the nightwatchman Kyle Abbott frustrated the Australians during a near two-hour innings of defiant defence. At times when he faced Johnson all nine fielders were in catching positions. Eventually he fell for 7 from 89 balls when he shouldered arms to a James Pattinson ball that nipped in and clipped the top of off stump.De Villiers was laborious but effective for South Africa’s purposes, using up 326 minutes and 228 balls for his 43. Harris was the man who got rid of de Villiers, who pushed half-heartedly outside off stump and got a thick edge behind off a ball that nipped away just enough off the seam. It was a vital breakthrough after lunch, although an equally important one came just before tea when Steven Smith struck in the first ball of a new spell, drifting one in and turning it just enough to have du Plessis lbw for 47.That left four wickets needed in the final session. Worryingly for Clarke, Nathan Lyon was having no impact, just as had been the case in that Adelaide draw. At times he bowled too quick, and like his colleagues, offered up too many balls that the South Africans could leave. The Australians became frazzled and frayed, but Clarke managed to manufacture a wicket by placing a leg slip, Lyon, who pouched a leg glance off Johnson to end JP Duminy’s innings on 43.But Philander and Steyn were not going to fold quickly. Philander was the only South African who really played his shots throughout the final day, but rarely did he create a chance. Even more impressive was that he spent part of the innings battling a painful blow to his hand after an accidental beamer from Pattinson jammed him on the right glove. Another glove-related incident was to come.Immediately before the final hour began, the Australians won an out decision from Aleem Dar when Johnson banged in a short ball that tickled Philander’s thumb on the way to being caught, but Philander asked for a review. The third umpire, Richard Illingworth, felt there was enough evidence that Philander’s hand was off the bat at the time when the ball struck his glove and overturned the decision, much to the dismay of the Australians, and things really heated up on the field after that.Whatever Clarke tried did not seem to work. Philander and Steyn just batted on and on. The bowlers wearied, and sent down ball after ball that could be left alone. Until Clarke asked Harris to finish the job. Two wickets in three balls, both hitting the stumps. An emotional series win for Australia, whose summer ended with seven wins and one loss. A gut-wrenching loss for Smith in his final match.But mostly, it was a fittingly tight way for the campaign to end. Australia had the better of the series, but South Africa made them earn it. It was not until the last five overs of the last hour of the last day of the last Test of the series that the outcome was determined. And if every Test series was like that, the game would be in pretty good shape.

Wriddhiman Saha has said he rates his innings of 35 in the Adelaide Test two years ago higher than his century in the IPL final

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Jun-2014Wriddhiman Saha has said he rates his innings of 35 in the Adelaide Test two years ago higher than his century in the IPL final. In the final Test of a wretched tour of Australia for India, Saha put on 124 with Virat Kohli and helped him score his maiden Test century. The IPL century, he said, would have “tasted sweeter” had his innings won the final for Kings XI Punjab.”Although the context was completely different, I would rate the innings of 35 in the Adelaide Test and a century stand for the sixth wicket with Virat Kohli closer to my heart,” Saha told . “I am proud of the century in IPL final but that was a Test match. Virat was batting brilliantly and I could support him in his bid for the maiden Test hundred.”Ryan Harris, Ben Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle bowled during that phase. I played 94 balls and it was my second Test match. Till I got out, I wasn’t uncomfortable against pace and swing, which gave me confidence that I can play at the highest level. This IPL century would have tasted sweeter but need to accept that KKR collectively batted better than us. We could never stop them from maintaining that run-rate.”During his innings against Kolkata Knight Riders, Saha was severe on Sunil Narine, scoring 35 off 18 balls against the West Indian offspinner. Saha said he made no attempt to try and read Narine’s variations from his hand.”Since I was playing Narine for the first time, I decided that I won’t try to pick him from his hand,” he said. “Rather, I decided to stay on the backfoot and wait for that extra split second so that ball does what it intends to do. Rocking back helped me execute those slog pulls effectively.”Saha has been MS Dhoni’s long-time understudy in the Test squad, and his form in the IPL – in which he scored 362 runs at a strike rate of over 145 – has now given him a chance in the ODI team, with Dhoni rested for the tour of Bangladesh. Despite earning his place on the back of his batting form, Saha said he remains a wicketkeeper-batsman rather than a batsman-wicketkeeper.”I am a specialist wicketkeeper whose job is to also do well with the bat,” he said. “Keeping was, is and will remain the top-most priority. For example, in this upcoming tour of Bangladesh, I will not bat higher than No. 6 or No. 7. I am practical about the fact. I won’t bat before Ajinkya (Rahane), Cheteshwar (Pujara) or Suresh (Raina). So I would rather see myself as a keeper-batsman than other way round.”

The BCCI has altered the draw of the Vijay Hazare Trophy knockouts, swapping the line-up for the pre-quarterfinals which will be played in Rajkot on Wednesday

Amol Karhadkar18-Nov-2014The BCCI has altered the draw of the Vijay Hazare Trophy knockouts, swapping the line-up for the pre-quarterfinals which will be played in Rajkot on Wednesday. Interestingly, the BCCI doesn’t have any explanation for the manner in which the draw was revised.According to the original draw which was finalised by the tour, programme and fixtures committee and circulated to all the participating teams ahead of the season, the winners from the West and North Zones were to play one of the pre-quarterfinals, with the second-placed teams from both groups competing in the other.Mumbai topped the West Zone league standings, with Gujarat finishing second. In the North Zone, Punjab emerged champions, with Delhi joining them in the knockouts. As a result, Mumbai should have been facing Punjab and Gujarat should have been up against Delhi.However, according to the final draw circulated to the 10 participating teams in the knockouts and the three host associations, Mumbai are to play Delhi, while Punjab will face Gujarat on Wednesday. Three of the four teams involved in pre-quarterfinals expressed surprise over the sudden swap. “We were surprised when we saw that the draw was modified but we can’t really do anything about it. As a team, we will have to face the team we are asked to play against,” a coach of one of the four teams told ESPNcricinfo.When asked about the modification in draw, a senior BCCI administrator who is responsible for domestic cricket said he will “check and get back”. However, he did not respond to further requests. Secretary Sanjay Patel was unavailable for comment.

AB de Villiers has said that South Africa are not the underdogs going into the series, pointing at India’s poor record away from home

Firdose Moonda in Johannesburg04-Dec-20130:00

‘We’re under pressure here’ – AB de Villiers

AB de Villiers’ most explosive expressions are usually seen when he is at the crease. The cheeky lap shot, the powerful smack down the ground, and the crisp drive are his way of composing lyrics, scribbling sentences, and doodling dreams.It’s rare for de Villiers to use the spoken word with the same kind of fierceness, more so in his role as South Africa’s one-day captain. Usually his public statements are motivational, complimentary and courteous. But on the eve of his team’s biggest ODI assignment since the Champions Trophy, that changed.De Villiers launched an unusually aggressive attack against the visitors, warning them that South Africa will not be taken lightly despite the difference in rankings between the two teams.”Some of the knowledgeable people will say we are underdogs but there is no way we are going to stand back and allow that to happen in home conditions,” de Villiers said. “If we play to our full potential, there is no one in the world who can stop us here. We must remember we are playing against a subcontinental team in our conditions and they have a very bad record here.”He has a point. India have won only five matches out of the 25 they have played against South Africa in this country, and they have never won a bilateral series here. Although Pakistan last week became the first team from the subcontinent to beat South Africa in an ODI series at home, de Villiers still considers it their fortress. South Africa have won 68% of matches they played at home.De Villiers believes they can extend that record over the World Cup and Champions Trophy winners, even though the current South African ODI squad has struggled to dominate any opposition in the last two years. “We are under pressure here in our own country,” he said. “We just lost a series so confidence is not hugely high but I still have confidence in the guys that we can beat the No.1 team.”Conditions are being prepared to allow South Africa to show off their strongest suit – fast bowling – with what de Villiers called “a lot of grass” on the pitch the day before the match. That strategy has backfired on South Africa in the past, with the opposition quicks enjoying the surfaces as well, but de Villiers does not think it will happen this time because of the lack of strength in India’s pack.”They are certainly not the best bowling attack in the world,” he said. “It’s an area where we feel we can get on top of them.” Numbers back de Villiers up on that. India’s bowlers conceded over 300 in five of their last eight ODIs, and over 260 twice. They failed to defend 303 against Australia, and 288 against West Indies. Their seamers in particular, took a beating.But the other side of that argument is that the Indian batsmen have been consistently excellent this year, so much so that they have often made up for their bowlers being hit for big scores. Their totals have soared as high as 383, with their powerful line-up proving that almost anything is chaseable. De Villiers, however, predicted that there will be no such overflow of runs in the upcoming series owing to South African conditions, in which even the hosts have struggled sometimes.South Africa have not crossed the 300-mark in their last 16 ODIs as they have grappled with trying to get combinations in the top-order right. That’s not a statistic that concerns Villiers. “It’s not a worry that we haven’t gone over 300 because I don’t believe we have played on the grounds that have allowed us to do so.”South Africa have played on slow surfaces in the UAE and Sri Lanka most recently and at home, where de Villiers has repeatedly pointed out that the size of the grounds makes big totals more difficult to rack up. While that may be the reality, it does not paper over South Africa’s problems when posting totals, especially when chasing. Their penchant for losing wickets, just when they are getting going, as well as their struggle for sizeable partnerships are issues that need immediate sorting.When the series against Pakistan ended, de Villiers blamed a “lack of care” for those shortcomings, and he expects South Africa to put that right this time around. Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis are the likely anchors, while Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy, David Miller and de Villiers himself are the big hitters in the side.”We’ve got a couple of guys who know their roles really well. One or two need to bat for as long as possible and the rest of us are attacking,” he said. “The balance is there, we just have to get it right. We showed we can be very dangerous as a team, when we have wickets in hand.”India have done the same, but on surfaces with good bounce and carry, de Villiers seems to think they will come off second best and in saying that, he has laid down the gauntlet for what could be a short, but hotly contested series.

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West Brom fans have taken to Twitter to discuss a move for Fulham misfit Aboubakar Kamara, who has been linked with a transfer to the Hawthorns following a number of ill-disciplined incidents involving him at Craven Cottage, as reported by The Daily Mail.

The 23-year-old has scored three Premier League goals this season, but was involved in an on-field scuffle with Aleksandar Mitrovic over the taking of a penalty in the 1-0 win over Huddersfield Town – the Serbian is the designated taker, but Kamara took the ball from him and missed his kick.

Amazingly, the Frenchman has also recently been arrested, according to a separate report in The Daily Mail, and could have no future under Claudio Ranieri as his discipline spirals out of control.

Thogden has ranked his top 5 sets of Championship away fans for Pl>ymaker FC. Did your club make the list? Find out in the video below…

As a result of that, the Baggies are interested in bringing the forward to the Midlands to provide added depth to their attack, having lost all of Harvey Barnes, Oliver Burke and Bakary Sako this month.

Given his recent moments of madness, West Brom supporters aren’t too sure over a move for Kamara if their reactions on Twitter are anything to go by…

Nick Compton’s hopes of featuring in the Ashes have been thrown a lifeline by the England selectors after it was confirmed that he will play for Worcestershire against the touring Australians

George Dobell and Daniel Brettig at Taunton26-Jun-2013Nick Compton’s hopes of featuring in the Ashes have been thrown a lifeline by the England selectors after it was confirmed that he will play for Worcestershire against the touring Australians in a four-day match starting next Tuesday.On his 30th birthday, 48 hours after he was omitted from the England team to play Essex in the pre-Ashes warm-up match, Compton’s defiant 81 for Somerset against the Australians made plain his fervent desire not to be left out. The England selectors have proved they remain interested in fulfilling Compton’s wish by facilitating his availability to face the tourists for a second time ahead of the first Investec Ashes Test, which begins on July 10.ESPNcricinfo understands that the England management have requested Somerset release Compton from Friends Life t20 duty – a competition in which he was not necessarily going to feature anyway – and that Worcestershire have agreed to find room for him in their side.While Geoff Miller, the national selector, had stated that England saw Joe Root as “currently the best opening partner” for Alastair Cook when announcing the England squad to play Essex, the move to involve Compton in next week’s tour match is a sign that the door has not been closed on him entirely.At Taunton, with Miller’s words ringing in his ears, Compton began unsteadily against James Pattinson’s outswing but reeled off a string of pleasant shots in an innings that fell 19 runs short of a timely century when Michael Clarke took an agile, juggled catch from the spin of Nathan Lyon. Compton was steely in approach but did not appear restricted by his intensity, as in recent times, scoring his runs at a brisk pace off front and back foot.As telling as any of Compton’s aggressive strokes was a moment of defensive composure to dig out a Mitchell Starc yorker that was screeching towards leg stump before his bat jammed down. Starc’s subsequent success with the second new ball showed how sharp Compton had needed to be at that moment.Lyon’s dismissal of Compton was deserved, for it was the offspinner who had come closest to defeating him earlier when a beseeching lbw appeal was declined. Compton had offered no shot to an offbreak that spun back from outside the line of the stumps.When dismissed Compton swished his bat in frustration, as much at Clarke’s successful juggle as missing a century. But even as he trudged off the ground, perhaps fearing that the England career he had won for himself little more than six months ago was slipping inexorably away, moves were afoot to give him another chance against Australia’s bowlers.

The Pakistan Cricket Board’s Interim Management Committee, led by Najam Sethi, has sought the help of the Pakistan government in an attempt to revive international cricket in the country

Umar Farooq16-Dec-2013The Pakistan Cricket Board’s Interim Management Committee, led by Najam Sethi, has sought the help of the Pakistan government in an attempt to revive international cricket in the country. The board will soon meet Pakistan’s prime minister Nawaz Sharif soon, Sethi said, adding that the support of the government could help get a chance to host international games.”I really wish to begin a campaign and use all diplomatic channels for the return of international cricket to our country,” Sethi said at a press conference on Sunday. “We want to host international matches and want our stadiums to be fully filled and fans cheering for the teams.”We have requested the prime minister to help us in this regard and we are going to meet him very soon. He called us for a meeting a few days ago but it was canceled due to Chuck Hagel’s (US Secretary of Defense) visit. But the meeting will be held soon. I think it will help. An adjournment motion has also been put in the assembly and I think that will also help.”Recently, the Pakistan People’s Party, a leading political outfit, submitted an adjournment motion in Pakistan’s National Assembly suggesting that the issue of the revival of international cricket in the country be discussed in the House. The motion said that it was unfortunate Pakistan did not host too many international games as the sport, apart from providing entertainment for cricket fans, was a major source of revenue.Pakistan has not hosted an international game since March 2009, when masked terrorists attacked the team bus carrying Sri Lanka’s cricketers in Lahore. Apart from injuries to Sri Lankan cricketers, the incident also resulted in the death of six security men and two civilians. Following the incident, Pakistan was stripped of its hosting rights for the 2011 World Cup.Since the attack, Pakistan have played most of their ‘home series’ in the UAE. The PCB, under former chairman Zaka Ashraf, had tried to bring cricket back to Pakistan, inviting foreign players to participate in a Twenty20 league, but the plan was later shelved.The PCB had invited the Bangladesh Cricket Board for a series in 2012, but Bangladesh withdrew after committing to the tour. The West Indies Cricket Board had also refused to send its A team to Pakistan.