All posts by h716a5.icu

Test cricket in winter could become a reality in South African cricket after the experiment to host New Zealand out-of-season was declared a success by players and administrators alike

Firdose Moonda01-Sep-2016Test cricket in winter could become a reality in South Africa after the experiment to host New Zealand out-of-season in August was declared a success by players and administrators alike. The Durban debacle aside, SuperSport Park in Centurion produced a good pitch and pristine outfield, and drew sizable crowds on all four days.”We want to play Test matches at home as much as possible so if that means we have to do it in the winter, we are all for it. Especially in Centurion,” Faf du Plessis, South Africa’s stand-in captain, said. “Everything about the field was really good. The weather was really good, the pitch played well and the outfield was beautiful.”The possibility of dead pitches was one of the reasons why cricket in winter hadn’t been mooted by Cricket South Africa previously. Dry winters everywhere except the Cape – where rain makes it difficult to play – leave surfaces barren. But at Centurion, a significant grass covering ensured assistance for seamers throughout.”This was a great Test wicket – you had all the different combinations and all the factors come into play,” du Plessis said. “Day one, your seamers must play a big role, the wicket must move around and you must be tight as a batting unit. Day two and three must be good batting conditions and then day four and five must bring its different challenges. Maybe the only thing we didn’t see in this match was spin on day four and five, and also, we didn’t see reverse swing. It didn’t happen because the outfield was beautiful, nice and lush, so those are the only things we didn’t see.”Kane Williamson, who regarded South Africa’s first innings total as being ” hugely influential” in the outcome, was a little more measured in his praise of the pitch, which thought may have deteriorated a little too quickly. Batting became progressively difficult as uneven bounce became a factor from the second day.What both captains agreed on was that the outfield was as pleasant to play on as it was to look at. The playing area was re-laid with winter grass for this Test after both South Africa and New Zealand complained of the outfield being too hard, during an ODI series in July-August 2015.The de-seeding process, which involved planting different grass to the usual summer carpet, took place in April. It was far different to the work done at Kingsmead in Durban, where the outfield was decompacted in June, making it hard to recover in time for the first Test.That doesn’t mean Durban is completely unsuitable for winter cricket. Had flash floods in July and unseasonal downpours on the second day of the first Test not taken place, more play may have been possible. Durban’s warm days could be factored in while drawing the winter schedule. However, it is likely that concentration of out-of-season activity is likely to be on the Highveld where clear skies and mild sunshine are a guarantee.One venue that is particularly keen to continue hosting winter cricket is the SuperSport Park. “It’s like asking a kid if they want ice-cream,” Jacques Faul, Titans CEO said. “We would definitely do it again. We considered it a huge success.”While the stadium did not see a sell-out crowd, the local association was happy with the numbers they got. Faul put down the response to proliferation of sporting activities at this time of year, which includes rugby. Attendance swelled to 9000 on days one and two – a Saturday and Sunday – and dropped to around 3500 on day three and 2000 on day four.”That’s what we budgeted for,” Faul said. “We would have liked to start on Friday but that was impossible because of the regulations about the number of days teams needs between Tests. Ideally, we would like to have it Friday to Tuesday.”

Tottenham Hotspur are targeting Feyenoord's star striker Santiago Gimenez, according to reports.

Who could join Spurs this summer?

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy currently has many plates spinning in north London, not least his desire to secure a permanent replacement for Antonio Conte and new sporting director.

Headway has been made behind-the-scenes, according to reports, with there being suggestions that Slot is firmly in pole position for the Tottenham hot seat.

Spurs have also been tipped with interest in former Spain and Barcelona manager Luis Enrique, Sporting Lisbon's Ruben Amorim, Brighton's Roberto De Zerbi and Celtic’s Ange Postecoglou (Evening Standard).

However, Slot is believed to be out in front, and his appointment could even happen within the week if all goes to plan, at least according to Football Insider.

Tottenham have even earmarked potential signings for the Slot era, with links surrounding Feyenoord playmaker and Turkey international Orkun Kokcu.

Alongside the 22-year-old, it is now reported that Spurs are targeting Feyenoord's Gimenez as well, with 90min sharing some news.

As per their information, Tottenham have joined the growing list of sides interested in signing the Mexican, with Aston Villa, Brentford, Brighton, Crystal Palace and Leicester City also in the mix.

Gimenez has apparently caught the eye of Spurs chiefs alongside both Slot and Korkcu as they eye a Feyenoord raid, despite their general manager previously insisting the forward is not for sale.

Who is Santiago Gimenez?

The 22-year-old stands out as one of Feyenoord's key players – contributing with crucial goals on their way to securing this season's Eredivisie title.

Gimenez stands out as their top goalscorer with 15 in the Dutch top flight, registering a further two assists and averaging their joint-highest rate of attempts at goal per 90 alongside Kokcu (WhoScored).

ESPN podcast host Herculez Gomez even claimed he could go on to break the record for goals in a single European season from a Mexican player, calling Gimenez the "real deal".

Former Liverpool star Dirk Kuyt has also praised the star attacker for his pace and finishing.

“He’s back here in the middle of the defenders and he’s really fast, said Kuyt (via Get Belgian and Dutch Football News and One Football)"Watching the keeper before he shoots, the rest. In my opinion, he is currently the best striker in the Eredivisie."

High praise from a former Premier League star, it will be interesting to see if Spurs follow up on their interest in the North American.

Manchester City star Ilkay Gundogan has been offered a longer contract to join Barcelona, as the La Liga giants attempt to lure the midfielder to the Camp Nou this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano.

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What's going on with Gundogan and Man City?

The German midfielder has been in sensational form for Pep Guardiola's side, with his stunning brace away at Everton taking his total goal tally to nine this season.

The 32-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season, and it is currently unclear whether he will extend his stay at the Etihad Stadium.

Barcelona are heavily interested in a move for the veteran, following the departure of Sergio Busquets, and have reportedly offered him a longer deal than City have.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano revealed that Gundogan has received proposals from both clubs, with a decision to be made at the end of the season.

"For Ilkay Gundogan, we know he's only focusing on Manchester City now. Gundogan wants to win all the titles with Man City, and then to make a decision. So we have to wait on Gundogan," he stated.

"The proposal of Barcelona is there and what Barcelona are doing to tempt Gundogan, is to offer a longer contract. Manchester City are prepared to offer a contract extension to Gundogan, but Barcelona are offering a longer contract.

"So this is the strategy of Barcelona to convince Gundogan, let's see what the player will decide at the end of the season."

Should City keep Gundogan?

Even at his older age, Gundogan has proven to be invaluable for Guardiola's side again this season. He has previously been described as "incredible" by his manager, and he would likely be a big loss if he were to depart this summer.

If City win the Champions League this season, then Gundogan may feel he has accomplished all he can in Manchester and may elect to leave. Although City may not stand in his way out of respect for the midfielder, who would depart as a club legend, they would need to replace the £140k-per-week star.

Chelsea's Mateo Kovacic has been linked, and finances would likely not be an issue for Man City as they seek a top-class replacement.

Guardiola recently praised Gundogan's leadership qualities, and given his experience, there may only be a handful of players who could come in and bring what the Germany international does to the team.

Pakistan A romped to an eight-wicket win with 97 balls to spare against Sri Lanka A in the opening game of the triangular series, also involving England Lions, on Monday

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jul-2016
ScorecardFile photo: Sharjeel Khan hit seven fours and three sixes in his 74-ball 90•Associated PressPakistan A romped to an eight-wicket win against Sri Lanka A in the opening game of the triangular series, also involving England Lions, in Cheltenham on Monday.Pakistan A’s bowlers backed Babar Azam’s decision to field as Sri Lanka A were dismantled for 199 in 37.5 overs. In reply, Fakhar Zaman (74) and Sharjeel Khan (90), their openers, shared a 155-run stand that helped Pakistan cruise. They eventually sealed the win with 97 balls to spare.Pakistan’s bowlers hunted in packs, but it was Mohammad Asghar, the left-arm spinner, who inflicted the bulk of the damage, taking 4 for 41 in 10 overs.Asghar, introduced in the 14th over with Sri Lanka A reduced to 94 for 3 after a blazing start, struck in consecutive overs to remove Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Ashan Priyanjan, the captain. Angelo Perera then resisted with 35, but there was little contribution of note otherwise.Abbas, the right-arm pacer, took three wickets, but was expensive and leaked 50 runs in seven overs. Bhatti took 2 for 40 in eight overs, while left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz took the last wicket to fall – Lakshan Sandakan.Any hopes Sri Lanka’s bowlers may have had of picking early wickets and bouncing back were emphatically shattered by Zaman and Sharjeel, who kept them at bay for 23.1 overs, scoring at well over a run-a-ball. Zaman hit seven fours and three sixes in his 77-ball knock, while Sharjeel was equally aggressive by striking at 121.62 courtesy 12 fours and four sixes.Both batsmen were dismissed in the space of 25 deliveries by Kasun Rajitha, the right-arm medium pacer, but Umar Siddiq and Abdul Rehman Muzammil made sure to avoid further losses.The second match of the series takes place on Tuesday, with Pakistan facing off against England Lions at the same venue.

Imran Tahir, who took a match-winning 7 for 45, said he was able to focus solely on attacking in light of South Africa piling up 343 for 4 against West Indies in St Kitts

Firdose Moonda16-Jun-20162:21

‘Every wicket very special for me’ – Tahir

A side normally known for its seam prowess, South Africa, now have a record-breaking spinner to boast about too. Imran Tahir’s 7 for 45 against West Indies are the best figures by any bowler from his country in ODIs.While picking up that haul, Tahir also became the quickest South African to 100 wickets. The legspinner has played 58 matches, one fewer than Morne Morkel who held the previous record.Tahir was able to do his job without worrying about keeping the runs down thanks to his team-mates putting up 343 for 4 in 50 overs. “I had the freedom to bowl whatever I wanted to because the boys put a decent total on the board, especially on a track like this,” he said. “They put us in a position where the bowlers could do whatever they want to do and try to attack and that’s what we did and things went well for us.”South Africa posted the only score over 300 in the Caribbean tri-series so far to silence criticism about their long tail, but it did not always look like it would be enough.West Indies were racing along at 58 for 0 after six overs when Tahir was introduced. His over, full of sliders and googlies, was the first not to include a boundary and his next one produced a wicket – Andre Fletcher caught at deep midwicket. It underlined Tahir’s ability to be effective even against big-hitting batsmen with the field restrictions in place.”They [West Indies] are attacking players and we know that. When someone attacks you, there is always an opportunity and that’s what I look for,” Tahir said. “The West Indian boys can chase anything. It is a big challenge as a spinner to play modern day cricket, where you have to have five players in the circle. Thanks to technology, you can sit and see the opposition’s mistakes and try to learn from them. It’s very challenging as a spinner but it’s good as well because that makes you perfect.”After his initial breakthrough, Tahir was brought back in the middle overs, a period when he has controlled proceedings for South Africa over the last two years. On Wednesday, he removed Marlon Samuels, West Indies’ match-winner when they chased 266 against Australia, for 24.It is unusual for South Africa to play two specialist spinners but they have done so in every match of this series – and once even fielded three. The combination of Tahir and left-arm wristspinner Tabraiz Shamsi has helped the balance of their attack and showed that they do posses bowlers who can exploit slower surfaces.”He is a very good talent,” Tahir said of Shamsi. “I’m very happy to see him bowling like that. I’ve been working with him for a long time. He is a brother to me. We played together for a few years in domestic cricket and it’s really nice to see him doing what he is doing.”In a country that has lacked for spin-bowling role-models, Shamsi will have few better teachers than Tahir, who broke the back of West Indies’ chase and then returned to feast on the tail. He got rid of Jason Holder and Carlos Brathwaite off successive balls and Kieron Pollard later in the same over to take his second career five-for, and then topped up with two more wickets to end with figures better than any South African so far.”I feel really proud. I will take that any day,” Tahir said. “I’m just really pleased. When things like this happen, you feel good about yourself and all the hard work you’ve done in the nets.”

Tottenham Hotspur fans, and those from other clubs, were understandably baffled when the news came to light regarding their interest in Julian Nagelsmann. Or rather, the lack of.

Many viewed the German as the outstanding option to take over their managerial vacancy, as a young out-of-work tactician already boasting fine pedigree, and all the fresh and innovative ideas to lead a struggling outfit into a brighter future.

However, as of last week, Daniel Levy reportedly boasted no intention of meeting the 35-year-old and did not consider him a contender for the job. Meanwhile, Chelsea move ever closer to appointing Spurs' former touchline hero Mauricio Pochettino, denoting a truly sad state of affairs for the long-suffering fans of the north London club.

Seeing the leading candidate revealed to be nothing more than a concept dreamt up by the media, it has left many confused as to the direction the chairman seeks to take.

Whilst journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke had revealed an alternative four-man shortlist boasting "Arne Slot, Roberto De Zerbi, Xabi Alonso and Ruben Amorim", fresh news has since come to light regarding a new candidate that has entered the race.

As reported by FCInternews, Spurs have reportedly already opened talks with the agent of Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi.

How does Simone Inzaghi set up?

Enjoying just his second job in senior management, the Italian coach has earned widespread success for his work first with Lazio and now the Nerazzurri.

Having already begun to fill his trophy cabinet with various pieces of Italian silverware, the 47-year-old is seeking the ultimate prize this season and is set to lead his team to an unprecedented Champions League final barring a colossal collapse in their second-leg tie with AC Milan.

He has earned such success with a brand of football shrouded in his 3-5-2 system that promotes aggressive attacking from the wing-backs. Given this was a system Antonio Conte aimed to employ, the squad should take little time to adapt to his methods.

With those similarities, it could be argued that the former striker even boasts a smarter alternative to Nagelsmann, who would likely have endured a long transitional period to uproot a squad that has solely played three-at-the-back, over various transfer windows.

It was brutally showcased in their 6-1 loss at St James' Park just how hopeless this squad would be with just four defenders, which again merits distancing the 4-2-3-1 boss away from the job.

Not only this, but across the two teams he has overseen, Inzaghi has enjoyed a fine return of 258 wins from 442 matches, having scored a remarkable 906 times across this period. He will seemingly not repeat the failures of his compatriot, but instead hopefully find a balance that makes them a potent attacking threat once more.

After all, he is viewed as "one of the best coaches in Europe" by his brother Filippo Inzaghi.

Having spent time at such a prestigious club and impressed, perhaps Levy might be onto something should he prefer the Inter boss over Nagelsmann.

South African pace bowler Kagiso Rabada proved an instant hit with Kent supporters by claiming two wickets on debut to help steer Spitfires to a tense 10-run win over NatWest T20 Blast rivals Sussex Sharks in Canterbury

ECB Reporters Network30-Jun-2016
ScorecardKagiso Rabada struck twice on his Kent debut•Getty ImagesSouth African pace bowler Kagiso Rabada proved an instant hit with Kent supporters by claiming two wickets on debut to help steer Spitfires to a tense 10-run win over NatWest T20 Blast rivals Sussex Sharks in Canterbury.On a two-paced pitch that made boundary hitting tricky for both sides, Kent successfully defended 166 for 6 with Rabada claiming 2 for 31 and Fabian Cowdrey 2 for 8 to seal their sides third south group win.After collecting his Man-of-the-Match award 21-year-old Rabada said: “It was a great start for my debut and I’m just happy that I could contribute and that the team has won. It’s a good start for me and hopefully we can get some momentum from this.”It was quite a good wicket but most of the guys felt we fell a bit short runs wise, so credit to all the bowlers because we made it tough for them to score and got wickets at crucial times.”Visiting skipper Luke Wright said: “I was delighted, after the start Kent had, to restrict them to that total. I’d have taken that total any day, so it’s disappointing now and feels like we let that one slip away. But credit to their bowlers, I felt they executed their plans really well.”Also credit to Sam [Northeast] for his decision to bring on Cowdrey when he did. You never know how it’ll go when you bring on a part-time bowler, especially with someone like Ross Taylor batting. But it proved a gutsy decision.”Needing to score at 8.35 an over to surpass Kent’s modest 166, Sussex openers Wright and Chris Nash had faced only eight deliveries when a low sun glinting through the gap between the Pavilion and the Frank Woolley Stand caused a stoppage in play for 17 minutes. As the players stood in the middle waiting for the sun to drop, the irony was not lost on a Kent side who have lost 1,216 overs to inclement weather in all forms of cricket this summer.On his Kent debut, Rabada struck with his 11th delivery by pegging back the off stump of Chris Nash with a 90mph yorker.’Bad light’ came into play again at the opposite end of the ground as this time the setting sun reflected off the windows of the Sky Sports commentary box to dazzle the batsmen and cause a further 10-minute delay.Six balls after the resumption Wright attempted to uppercut against Rabada to be caught superbly on the run at third man by David Griffiths.With James Tredwell bowling frugally, Sussex still required 100 to win with 10 overs remaining, but that was the cue for Taylor to cut lose by taking 17 off a Darren Stevens over.Kent hit back when, in his first over, Cowdrey had Phil Salt caught at cow corner then, Cowdrey’s arm ball wrapped Taylor on the pads flush in front to send him packing one short of his 50.Matt Machan launched into a leg-side six off Griffiths leaving Sharks to score 32 to win off their final two overs. Mitch Claydon conceded nine off the penultimate over, leaving Rabada with 23 to defend in the last.Batting first after winning the toss, Kent made a watchful start through Tom Latham and Joe Denly, who appeared content simply to see off the pace of Tymal Mills.The Kent openers took a brace of boundaries off Nuwan Kulasekara, the Sri Lanka seamer making the first of his three appearances for Sussex, but still seemed too circumspect.Ajmal Shahzad dropped short allowing Latham to clip the first six of the night over midwicket as Kent reached 48 without loss after their six Powerplay overs.   Sussex hauled the run-rate in further to restrict Kent to 89 fwithout loss at the innings mid-point and spark the loss of three wickets in seven balls.After helping to set a record opening stand in matches against Sussex worth 90, Denly’s 40-ball knock for 44 ended with a sliced drive high to deep cover off Nash then, four balls later, Northeast holed out to long-on to make it 99 for 2. The rot continued as Latham clipped off his legs to be caught at deep fine leg for 48.Sam Billings should have gone for 12 when he miscued a Danny Briggs full-toss only for Salt to spill a comfortable throat-high chance at mid-wicket. The drop cost only 10 runs when Billings miscued his next full toss to long-on where Machan pocketed the chance to make it 130 for 4.In his second stint down the Nackington Road slope Mills mixed his pace and lengths superbly to bamboozle Kent’s big-hitting duo of Stevens and Alex Blake.Frustrated by the lack of boundaries, Stevens launched into a straight drive against Jordan to pick out Kulasekara at long-off.Mills conceded his sole boundary of the night in his final over, but wrapped up his excellent four-over stint of 1 for 15 by yorking Cowdrey for a duck. Blake’s unbeaten 36 was full of miscues and mishits as Kent mustered 166.

Manchester United wonderkid Amad Diallo is keen to succeed at Old Trafford, and is set to be given a chance in pre-season, Fabrizio Romano has revealed.

What’s going on with Diallo and Man United?

The Ivorian winger has scored 13 times in 37 Championship games this season, and has helped Sunderland to a playoff place in what has been a productive loan spell.

The 20-year-old joined United for an initial £18m from Atalanta in 2021, and looks set to receive a chance to shine at the club in pre-season.

Speaking on his YouTube channel (4.30), Romano revealed Diallo’s desire to play at Man United, and the club’s plans for him once he returns from loan.

“The dream of the player, I can guarantee to you, is to stay at Man United. He loves Man United, he loves the club. He was living the dream by joining Manchester United, and he wants to stay there to have this opportunity, to have this chance,” he stated.

“So the idea of Erik ten Hag, is to have Amad Diallo in the pre-season, to test him in the pre-season, to see his progress, but the numbers are speaking for Amad Diallo, scoring goals and doing incredible things with Sunderland.

“During July a final decision will be made about him, but the idea is to give him a chance, the player wants to fight for his Manchester United opportunity.”

Could Diallo have a place at Man United next season?

Although United have spent a considerable amount on wingers Antony and Jadon Sancho in the last two years, their inconsistent performances have meant that if Diallo comes in and hits the ground running, he could earn himself a place in the side.

Diallo has predominantly played on the right for Sunderland, and could inject more goals into a side which lacks them. United’s top scorer behind Marcus Rashford is Bruno Fernandes, with six league strikes this season, and Sancho and Antony have just nine between them.

Pre-season could be the perfect opportunity for the 20-year-old to establish himself in the side, but if he fails to make an immediate impact, then a loan could be considered further down the line.

United have been linked with Harry Kane, given their need for a centre-forward, but if they fail to land the Englishman, Diallo could fill in through the middle as a squad option in the early stages of the season whilst the club assess the options in the transfer market.

Tottenham Hotspur have slowly cultivated an unwanted toxic atmosphere within the club, which more recently has spilled over onto the pitch.

The players have been struggling for some time now, resulting in their abhorrent form which has brought just one win since early March.

With European football seriously in jeopardy and Ryan Mason the man expected to steady the ship, their need for a new permanent manager to enter the dugout has never felt greater. Daniel Levy is clearly aware of this, hence the ever-changing nature of the favourite, amongst the various candidates.

One such name which refuses to lose traction is that of Luis Enrique, who reportedly came in for talks earlier this week alongside Julian Nagelsmann.

The Spaniard boasts a huge pedigree and has overseen some of the world's top talents during his impressive career in management. However, he will have never experienced a dressing room like this.

It will take some serious upheaval to transform the failing Lilywhites culture, gutting the majority of the playing staff of the losers that have come before.

Whilst many would push Eric Dier to the front of that list, Enrique's work with Sergio Busquets could pose an interesting thought experiment with regard to the future of the 29-year-old.

Having featured in defensive midfield before, but predominantly as a centre-back of late, the inconsistent England international could occupy the former role with the perfect tutor to mould him in the image of one of the best to have ever done it.

Can Eric Dier be Luis Enrique's next Sergio Busquets?

Busquets is a true legend of the game, yet has never been famed for his exceptional technical quality. Having so often been surrounded by true show-stoppers, partnering Xavi and Iniesta in a midfield sat just behind Lionel Messi, the general has been happy performing out of the limelight.

However, it is this selflessness and willingness to silently do the dirty work that has made him ever-present in some of the greatest footballing sides of our generation, as well as being Enrique's most-used player (181 appearances) throughout his career.

The 34-year-old powerhouse was a mainstay for Spain during their historic 2010 World Cup and subsequent EURO 2012 victory, and boasts as many as eight La Liga titles alongside three Champions Leagues with Barcelona.

No matter the turmoil or changes that have gone on around him, the midfield anchor has remained a constant.

Breaking up play and offloading to a more technically proficient teammate; it is a role that could certainly benefit Dier, who often draws scorn for trying too much when his quality is often lacking.

Back in 2021, pundit Frank McAvennie even suggested that the dud was "awful" and "not good enough" for Spurs.

This season, where he has featured mainly at centre-back, the £27m-rated titan has only managed a 6.88 average rating. The move into defence was one initiated by Jose Mourinho, but whilst part of Mauricio Pochettino's engine room from 2015 to 2018, his average rating instead did not drop below 7.01.

The pinnacle of this role came during the 2016/17 campaign, where his 7.10 rating was maintained by an 87% pass accuracy, 1.4 tackles and 4.1 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

It is clear that within the right system, Dier can thrive in midfield, With Enrique's expertise and a philosophy that would get the best out of the £85k-per-week flop, perhaps the Spaniard could be the catalyst that transforms this player and the club as a whole.

Darren Sammy has called for West Indies’ players and administrators to put their “egos” to one side and work for the betterment of the game in the region

Andrew Miller26-May-2016Darren Sammy has called for West Indies’ players and administrators to put their “egos” to one side and work for the betterment of the game in the region, as he prepares to return to competitive action for the first time since leading his side to victory in the World T20 at Eden Gardens last month.Sammy, who has arrived at Hampshire for this season’s NatWest T20 Blast, will sit out tomorrow’s clash with Middlesex at Uxbridge due to registration issues, and instead make his first outing of the campaign in next Thursday’s home match against Kent.Either way, he will not be making a triumphant homecoming for West Indies during their Tri-Nations Series against South Africa and Australia, which gets underway in Providence on June 3, having been cut from the WICB’s list of contracted players back in January.Sammy defends team-mate Gayle

Darren Sammy has defended Chris Gayle as an “entertainer” and says his outspoken nature makes him an easy target in the media.
Last week, Gayle revived accusations of sexism with some lewd comments in an interview with The Times. However, Sammy played down the latest row.
“Chris Gayle is the universe boss, a team mate of mine who I admire and respect. I just think people target Chris for no reason.
“To me, Chris is one of our cricketing heroes. He’s an entertainer, first, but a lot of people have jumped on his back.
“I always support Chris because of what he does on a cricket field. Yes, we have a responsibility to ourselves, and the people who watch us, but sometimes I feel Chris is a target for newspaper headlines.”

Instead, Sammy has spent much of the past month on a champions’ tour of his home island of St Lucia. With his team-mate and fellow St Lucian, Johnson Charles, alongside him, he has been parading the World T20 trophy around his country’s schools, honouring the pledge he made during his emotional speech on the podium in Kolkata, when he dedicated the victory to “all our fans in the Caribbean”.However, he is itching to return to the cricket field after a month spent basking in the afterglow of a remarkable triumph, in which he emulated the achievement of the great Clive Lloyd in leading West Indies to a second global title, following their previous victory in the 2012 World T20 in Sri Lanka.”I wouldn’t say up there with Lloyd because what he did with his team was historical,” Sammy told ESPNcricinfo during a Kwik Cricket Festival in Hampshire. “But I can’t stand next to you and say I have not enjoyed it. I got a chance to go home with the trophy, and I took the trophy to the people because I said it was for the people. I saw the reaction from the kids – I was once a kid and I knew how much I felt when I saw my heroes.””I belong on the cricket field and I’ve not been on the cricket field since the World T20, so coming here to Hampshire, I can’t wait to get started.”Despite the satisfaction of West Indies’ triumph – across three formats, following the success of both the Women’s World T20 squad in India and the men’s Under-19 squad in Bangladesh – Sammy’s frustration with the WICB was evident once again earlier this week when he and his fellow exiles, Chris Gayle and Dwayne Bravo, exchanged incredulous messages on Twitter with Kieron Pollard, following his unexpected inclusion in the Tri-Series squad.”It’s sad that for so long it’s been a back-and-forth between the board and players,” said Sammy. “But these three wins show we can win cricket at all levels, and if we could work together, that’s all you need. Players and board working together, sharing a common goal, with no egos. It would be better for West Indies cricket but at the moment it’s just not happening.”They always say sports and politics don’t mix, which is true. But at the end you have to give credit to the most important thing, which is the cricket. And who plays the cricket? The cricketers. That is your product. If you plant corn, you have to take care of it, nurture it, fertilize it and then you can reap the rewards, so it is similar to the West Indies cricket team.”There are movements afoot to reinvigorate the administration of West Indies cricket, and Sammy said he had been inspired to witness a speech made by Sir Garfield Sobers back in April, when a panel of West Indies legends gathered in Grenada to call for the dissolution of the board, in line with the CARICOM cricket review panel’s recommendation.”I listened to Sir Garry speak, and it brought tears to my eyes,” said Sammy. “The same thing he went through, playing 50 years ago, it is still happening. To watch a legend that I look up to, speak with such passion and hurt, it’s sad. The people in charge of West Indies cricket have to make it better, swallow their pride and their ego – and some of us players too – and work for the betterment of West Indies cricket. Because that’s who we play for, the fans.”Despite the distractions, Sammy confirmed that the politics had played a massive part in uniting his team throughout their World T20 triumph.”I’m telling you, it was a massive motivation, a massive drive for the guys,” he said. “We made a conscious effort to go out and play and stay focused. As a team it brought us closer together and in the face of adversity we always tend to rise. We fought like cornered tigers, and it was a very memorable experience, seeing guys committed to one cause.”We should use that in all formats we play, whether one-day or Tests, because once we believe and stick together, we can achieve. I am just hoping that, in the coming months, we could have the right people in place to take West Indies cricket forward.”