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Malaysia are truly the minnows of women’s cricket with only one international match under their belt

Cricinfo staff06-Jul-2007

The Asian Cricket Council’s women’s tournament hosted by Malaysia should help generate an interest in the game in the country © Getty Images
Sports teams are referred to by all sorts of names – the Proteas, the Black Caps, the Wallabies, the All Blacks, the Lions, the Tigers. But what sort of sport do you think Colonel Gerard’s Angels play? A self-defence sport like karate, perhaps?Not these angels – they are Malaysia’s national cricketers and will be playing at the Asian Cricket Council’s (ACC) women’s tournament next week. They take their name from Colonel Gerard Denis Singam of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), who combines his military day job with his interest in cricket by being the chairman of both the Armed Forces Cricket and the Competitions Committee of the Malaysian Cricket Association (MCA).Malaysia are truly the minnows of women’s cricket with only one international match under their belt – a friendly against Singapore in May 2006 that they won by 58 runs at Johar Baru. But when they host the ACC tournament from July 11 to 18 they will be up against teams with similar playing experience. Hong Kong and China played their first international match against each other in June, though Hong Kong did tour Pakistan in September last year. Bangladesh, Nepal, UAE, and Thailand are also limited in their exposure to competitive cricket and that makes the tournament wide open right from the start.However, the Malaysian women are not easing up on their practice and fitness regime. Most of the national players come from the armed forces and thus the sobriquet, Colonel Gerard’s Angels. “We have a long way to go,” Gerard was quoted as saying by the MCA website.”In the friendly matches against Air India and Singapore last year, they [the Malaysian players] got hit all over,” Gerard said. “I honestly thought then that I will never see these players again. But I was wrong. They have never looked back and have been training very hard.”Gerard, considered a pioneer for women’s cricket in the country, first suggested the idea of an Armed Forces team after the formation of the Air Force squad in 2003. In April 2006 the national team was set up with most of the players picked from the Armed Forces squad.Most women cricketers around the world are amateurs who work to be able to play the game. This means they get to train only around the time of a tournament. Colonel Gerard’s Angels have no such problem. For two weeks every month the players train at the RMAF Base at Sungai Besi.The training regime starts with a jog at 6am everyday, followed by breakfast, and then cricket practice at the Bellamy ground for the rest of the morning. By 2.30pm they hit the gym where they do three sets of 20 push-ups and side sit-ups. Boot camps, still a novelty in men’s cricket, are not so extraordinary for women, it seems.The ACC tournament will give these ‘angels’ a chance to convert the hard work into success and more importantly take a break from the matters of national defence to play some cricket.

Francesco Farioli has opened up on his hopes for his next job and admitted he's a "very demanding person" following his surprise departure from Ajax.

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Farioli discusses expectations for next jobManager left Ajax after late title collapseRoma showing interest in the Italian tacticianFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Farioli made headlines with his coaching style at Ajax but made a shock exit last week, bidding goodbye to the fans with teary eyes after a disastrous title race collapse in the Eredivisie. As per Football Italia, Farioli is now looking for new opportunities but made it clear that whichever club signs him must know that he's a "very demanding person". Roma are among the first clubs that have shown interest in the former Ajax manager, with Claudio Ranieri set to depart this summer.

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Farioli and Ajax were on the verge of winning the Eredivisie this season but things didn't go as planned after the Dutch club fumbled and threw away a sizeable nine-point lead in their last five matches. As a result of their terrible form towards the end of the campaign, arch-rivals PSV capitalised and clinched the title. Soon after, Farioli bid the Amsterdam club and the fans goodbye, announcing his exit from the club.

WHAT FRANCESCO FARIOLI SAID

In a conversation with Ziggo Sport (h/t Football Italia), Farioli said: "There’s a lot of speculation, a lot of rumours. But I do want to get back into coaching. Just like it was with Ajax, I don’t care about the brand or the size of the club. What matters to me is how things are done, and last summer Ajax was exactly what I was looking for.

"It was the right step for my career, and now we’ll see what comes next. We’ll see if and when that opportunity arrives.

"I’m a very demanding person. Before I join a club, I lay all my strengths and weaknesses on the table. ‘Demanding’ is probably the best word to describe me. I want to find a club that’s willing to fight alongside me."

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Reports have claimed that Jurgen Klopp is also on Roma's shortlist to replace Ranieri. The Italian club is said to have approached the former Liverpool manager but his agent has denied the claims. Ajax, on the other hand, have also begun preparing for life after Farioli, with former manager Erik ten Hag among the names being considered.

The analyst delivered pointed remarks about recent complaints from the two Americans, suggesting they 'correct it on the field'

Lalas advised players to prioritize positive perceptionCharacterized responses as immature and counterproductiveSuggested on-field performance is the way to answerGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED

U.S. soccer icon Alexi Lalas addressed the growing tension between current USMNT players and former national team stars following public comments from Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah. The two forwards  expressed frustration with criticism they've received from former national team players, including Lalas. 

Lalas said the current generation needs to prioritize winning over public feuds, especially when they have a fan base disappointed in performances.

“For a team that has produced so much angst and, you know, relative worry and concern and – even at times anger and disappointment – for what they have done, the decisions that they've made, what has happened on and off the field? You should be doing anything and everything to look good, to get into the good graces of an American public that is dying to love you, is dying to like you, and is dying to support you" Lalas said on his State of the Union podcast.

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Lalas said on-field performance remains their most effective response to critics.

“So each and everything that you do that possibly puts you in a negative light and makes you look like weaklings or the babies that you are accusing others of, of labeling you as, that's a problem,” Lalas added. “You can correct it ultimately on the field. And that's where the rubber meets the road. That's where your legacy, whatever it ends up being, it should be so lucky that it is even close to a Landon Donovan.

"That's where it's going to happen less than a year from now, next summer. But criticism, come on, man. It's not even close to what other players or other countries, or other teams get. And whether it's me or anybody else out there, I think we would all stand by the criticism that we have made either of the individual players or of this team.”

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Pulisic and Weah recently opened up about the comments that Lalas, Tim Howard, and Landon Donovan made over the summer, with both players expressing their frustration in the latest episodes of the PULISIC docuseries

“I think those guys are chasing checks,” Weah said in the documentary. “And for me, I just feel like they're really equal, honestly, because they've been players and they know it's like when you're getting bashed and those are the same guys, that'll turn around and shake your hand and try to be friendly with you at the end of the day.”

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The USMNT returns to competitive action in September’s international fixtures against Korea and Japan.

Australia’s new T20I captain Mitchell Marsh has confirmed his recovery from a hamstring “is on track” despite initially taking longer than expected, although he admits he can’t afford a setback in the build-up in Australia’s first World Cup match against Oman on June 6 in Barbados.Marsh has not played since his last appearance for Delhi Capitals in the IPL on April 3 due to a right hamstring strain. He was flown home from the IPL to Perth on April 12 to do his initial recovery with Australia team physiotherapist Nick Jones, who is also based in Perth.Two weeks later, Capitals confirmed he would miss the remainder of the IPL after Marsh’s initial recovery from the injury had taken longer than anticipated.Related

• McDonald confident Marsh will be fit to bowl for start of the World Cup

• 'Where do you fit him in?' – Hazlewood says Fraser-McGurk's time will come

• Mitchell Marsh to miss remainder of IPL 2024 with hamstring injury

• Takeaways: Why Fraser-McGurk and Smith missed out on T20 World Cup selection

• Fraser-McGurk and Smith left out of Australia's T20 World Cup squad

Speaking in Perth on Thursday after being confirmed as Australia’s captain for the World Cup, Marsh said he was still working back to full fitness but was confident he would be right for the World Cup.”The hammy is good, it’s coming along really well,” Marsh said. “It’s pretty much exactly where we want it to be. It’s one of those things. Just got to get it right over the next three weeks and get on the plane.”If we had to play tomorrow, I would be in a bit of trouble. Still a couple of weeks away, and the timing probably sits perfectly barring any setbacks.”Marsh’s hamstring concern is part of the reason why Cameron Green has been included in the 15-man squad ahead of the in-form Jake Fraser-McGurk. If Marsh needs to play as a batter only or needs to be managed early in the tournament and anything were to happen to the other injury-prone pace-bowling allrounder in Marcus Stoinis, Australia would not have had a pace-bowling option to bat in their top seven.”Anytime there’s a World Cup team picked, there’s only 15 and some guys have to miss out,” Marsh said. “But I think we’ve got a really great squad that we’ve picked, we’ve got a lot of versatility, a lot of experience. And that brings a lot of excitement.”Australia T20I captain Mitchell Marsh poses in their new jersey for the T20 World Cup•Cricket Australia

Australia are holding two separate training camps in Brisbane across each of the next two weeks for the players who aren’t playing in the IPL. Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa, Ashton Agar, Josh Inglis and Marsh will head there to get some nets and fitness preparation done before heading to the Caribbean. Marsh is a chance to be at both camps but would likely be on light duties for the first one. Others who missed out on the squad but could still be taken as a travelling reserve, including Xavier Bartlett, are also likely to be involved. Bartlett is set to head to England for the T20 Blast at the end of May.Australia’s other major fitness concern heading to the World Cup is David Warner, who is still recovering from some deep bone bruising in his finger after copping a blow on the hand while batting against Lucknow Super Giants on April 12. He missed a game and then returned to play against Sunrisers Hyderabad but was still experiencing soreness and hasn’t played since. It is understood he could return to batting later this week but Australia’s chairman of selectors George Bailey was unsure when he would be pain-free again.”It’s still causing him a fair bit of discomfort,” Bailey said on Wednesday. “So obviously we’ll monitor that. Hopefully, he can get back and play a couple more games in the IPL to finish off, but I think it’s just one of those ones, just some deep-seated bone bruising and is going to take a little bit of time.”But I don’t think anyone’s going to be able to give him a really definitive answer on how long that’ll be.”Marsh has backed Warner to be a vital cog in Australia’s campaign in what will be his swansong from international cricket after retiring from Test and ODI cricket earlier this year.”It’s been a long last hurrah, hasn’t it for Davey?” Marsh said. “We’re always really excited to have him in the team. Just the experience that he brings. I think if we look back at his career. There’s been so many big moments that you need your big experienced players to stand up and Davey has always been one of those. So we’re lucky to have him.”

أشاد لاعب خط الوسط الأرجنتيني ألكسيس ماك أليستر بزميله الدولي المصري محمد صلاح والتزامه على الرغم من كل ما حققه من نجاحات وأرقام قياسية.

وكان ليفربول قد خسر لقب الدرع الخيرية بعد الهزيمة ضد كريستال بالاس بركلات الترجيح في المواجهة التي جرت بينهما على ملعب ويمبلي.

اقرأ أيضًا.. محمد صلاح: لن أشعر بنشوة أخرى مثل يوم فوزنا بالدوري الإنجليزي في آنفيلد

وفي مقابلة مع موقع “The Players Tribune” قال الأرجنتيني عن صلاح: “الوصول قبله لصالة الجيم أمر مستحيل، في كل مرة أحاول الوصول مبكرًا أجده هناك”.

وأضاف: “في يوماً ما سألته متى تنام؟، أنا أصغر منه بـ7 سنوات وحاولت أن أنافسه وأذهب معه لمدة ساعة في تمارين البطن، في اليوم التالي استيقظت وجدت أن الألم يمنعني حتى من الجلوس على السرير”.

وواصل :”محمد صلاح هو سقف اللاعبين في ليفربول، هو من يضع المعايير هنا وأفضل محترف شاهدته في حياتي، إنه وحش”.

وحول كواليس انتقاله إلى ليفربول: “لقد جاء يورجن كلوب ذات يوم لرؤيتي وكان الأمر أشبه بموقف من أفلام جيمس بوند، لقد التقينا سراً وكنت مصدوماً لأنه فعل ذلك من أجلي، كنت قد فزت بكأس العالم لكنني لم أكن نجمًا على الإطلاق، لقد شرح لي أنه يريدني لأنني أذكره بجوندوجان الذي طوره في دورتموند ليصبح أحد أفضل اللاعبين بوكس تو بوكس في العالم”.

وأكد ماك أليستر: “من تلك اللحظة التي تحدثت فيها مع يورجن، علمت أن قدري هو المجيء إلى ليفربول، الأمر كان متعلقاً بما أوصله كشخص، كانت محادثة رائعة وبداية علاقة مذهلة”.

وأتم: “يجب أن أظهر الامتنان لسلوت أيضاً، كان الجسر المثالي بعد كلوب، كنت قريبًا جداً من يورجن لدرجة أن زملائي كانوا يسخرون مني قائلين كلوب هو والدك، اذهب وعانق والدك”.

وحول أفضل ما حدث في مسيرة ماك أليستر مع النادي أو منتخب الأرجنتين، أشار: “الفوز بالبريميرليج وكأس العالم حلمين لم أستيقظ منهما بعد”.

وأكمل ماك أليستر: “الدوري الإنجليزي أصعب بطولة في العالم وأصعب من دوري أبطال أوروبا، البريميرليج يمتد لتسعة أشهر ذهنياً وعاطفياً وبدنياً إنه مرهق حتى الموت”.

واختتم عن أليسون بيكر: “نمزح معه لأنه مثالي، لا يفعل أي شيء خاطئ، شعر مثالي، عائلة مثالية، حارس مثالي”.

Barcelona sporting director Deco has delivered a powerful challenge to teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, declaring that the path to becoming the world’s best lies entirely in his own hands. With sky-high expectations at both club and international level, the 17-year-old Spain international is being tipped for greatness by those inside Camp Nou.

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Deco says Yamal’s greatness depends entirely on himselfBarcelona starlet ended season with 18 goals, 21 assists17-year-old tipped for greatness by club and countryFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Deco addressed Yamal’s rapid rise and potential, calling him a “phenomenon” while making it clear the forward’s future depends on his mindset and own ethic, which has come under question from fans over the summer. The 17-year-old has become a key starter for both Barcelona and Spain, with Deco urging him to keep striving for the top.

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Speaking to Marca, Deco said: “Lamine Yamal is a phenomenon. Being the best in the world depends on him.

“He’ll be at Barca for the next few years, competing at the highest level, in the Champions League, in La Liga, competing with Real Madrid and the big clubs.

“I also say this for the Spain national team, which will shine in tournaments because it’s very strong.

“He grew up in the neighbourhoods of Mataro, and that’s helped him to become so mature now. He understands he has a responsibility as a player.”

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Yamal was instrumental in Barcelona’s domestic treble-winning campaign under Hansi Flick, finishing the 2024/25 season with 18 goals and 21 assists. His explosive form has made him a Ballon d'Or contender and a cornerstone for both Barcelona and Spain ahead of a packed 2025/26 calendar that will end for the 17-year-old with La Roja's World Cup campaign in the United States.

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The 17-year-old superstar will lead Barcelona’s frontline again next season alongside Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha as they aim to defend their domestic crowns and go on to win the Blaugrana's sixth Champions League title. With the 2026 World Cup also looming, the pressure — and spotlight — will only grow for the generational talent.

But with Magala and Parnell picking up injuries, South Africa are rather thin on fast-bowling resources

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Sep-2023

Keshav Maharaj has been “cleared for selection” for South Africa’s white-ball squads for the ongoing exchanges against Australia at home. However, Sisanda Magala has been ruled out of the second T20I with a left knee injury, Wayne Parnell has had a recurrence of a left shoulder injury, and Marco Jansen has been released from the squad to take part in his sister’s wedding festivities and will miss the second and third T20Is.Maharaj hasn’t played international cricket since the Johannesburg Test against West Indies in March because of a ruptured left Achilles. He is available from the second T20I onwards, with South Africa 1-0 down having lost the first game by a whopping 111 runs. His rehabilitation “has progressed positively”, a CSA statement said, confirming that he had “successfully participated” in a pre-season 50-over match for Hollywoodbets Dolphins against AET Tuskers on Tuesday.This is along expected lines. When the squads for the games against Australia were announced on August 14, Maharaj was included, with white-ball head coach Rob Walter saying, “he is ahead of where we thought he would be, so things look positive”.Regarding Magala, CSA said that he “felt discomfort during training and subsequent scans revealed an infrapatellar tendinopathy”. The medical team will continue to manage him ahead of the third T20I on Sunday.With Parnell out for the immediate future and Jansen, who had played the first T20I unlike Parnell, South Africa’s fast-bowling resources look fairly thin. Apart from Jansen, the first T20I featured Lungi Ngidi, Gerald Coetzee and Lizaad Williams in the pace attack, and while Williams got three wickets, all five bowlers on view – Tabraiz Shamsi the lone spinner – conceded at least 40 runs from their four overs, Ngidi going for 49.The T20I squad doesn’t have another quick bowler.

RB Leipzig are aiming to offload Dutch midfielder Xavi Simons for lucrative sum in the summer window.

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Simons wants to leave RB LeipzigGerman club aiming to cash-in on the 22-year-old The Red Bull-owned club won't feature in any continental competition next season Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to a report by The Athletic, Dutch midfielder Xavi Simons has informed his club, RB Leipzig, that he wants to move this summer. The 22-year-old believes his developmental stage at the Red Bull Arena is over, and the club too, agrees that this is the right time to sell the player, who has two years left in his contract.

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Simons initially joined Leipzig back in 2023 summer window on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, before securing a permanent move in January 2025. However, the German club, which finished seventh on the standings, witnessed their worst season ever since qualification to the German top-tier – Bundesliga, and failed to achieve a place in any continental competition. The club now, are willing to sell the midfielder; however, they will look at offers which are more than €70m ($80.6m/£59.7).

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Simons delivered 21 goals and 23 assists across 76 appearances for Leipzig.

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The Dutch midfielder will now wait for Leipzig to weigh the potential offers and go ahead with the one that suits both him and the German club.

Nick Gubbins marked his first appearance against boyhood club Middlesex by grinding them down with an ultra-patient unbeaten 98 as he and centurion Liam Dawson wrestled control for Hampshire in the LV= Insurance County Championship.Gubbins batted for six sticky hours and 262 balls on a dry and flat pitch, while Dawson added 111 not out of his own in a slightly sprightlier four hours. The pair put on 190 to break a 100-year record for the fifth wicket for Hampshire against Middlesex, beating the 149 scored by Lionel Tennyson and Tom Jameson in June 1923.Middlesex, who had been asked to field first, had been in the ascendancy at 94 for 4 after Josh de Caires had taken two-for but were kept at bay thereafter as Hampshire reached the close on 284 for 4.Gubbins left Middlesex in 2021, initially on loan, after 152 first-team matches in seven years having come through the age groups. That departure was made with Gubbins keen to play of more his home cricket on batter-friendly wickets – with Lord’s then towards the bottom of the runs-per-wicket tally – and, he hoped, push his case for an England call-up.He has averaged a smidgeon under 36 since his entrance at the Ageas Bowl – with his twin centuries against a Lancashire attack containing James Anderson and Hasan Ali in 2022 the highlight in two inconsistent years.Gubbins has often walked to the crease in the formative overs of innings, and Fletcha Middleton’s footwork-less drive at Toby Roland-Jones in the fifth over meant another early arrival. A frenetic period saw Joe Weatherley dropped at gully, Gubbins almost run out by half the pitch, and Weatherley caught at square leg taking on a shorter Tom Helm delivery – the fast bowler particularly accurate in the morning.The dry pitch, unblemished blue skies, the heat of the sun and the Kookaburra ball – being trialled in this round of Championship fixtures – means spin is likely to be prevalent in this match.Offspinner de Caires, one of four spinners between the two sides, was introduced as early as the 15th over and picked up the wickets of James Vince and Ben Brown. Vince had picked him up for two sixes in his lively 35 before he was leg before to one which straightened before Brown hard-handedly pushed to short leg. De Caires, on his first Championship appearance of the season, only previously had Shan Masood as a first-class victim.The slowness of the pitch needed batters to settle in to succeed, Gubbins took on the challenge and thrived. He only had 32 off the first 100 balls he faced, with his full force and naturally aggressive tendencies shelved for an occupation, which dragged Dawson along with him.In fact, despite coming to the crease 30 overs later than Gubbins, Dawson reached his half-century first. Dawson, perhaps unfortunate not to be named as Jack Leach’s replacement in the England Ashes squad, was a master at manoeuvring gaps, running hard and cutting.He reached his third fifty in his last five Championship innings in 87 balls, before Gubbins punched through the covers later in the over to notch up his milestone in 148 deliveries. Dawson also won the race to three figures, after more careful batting, in 164 balls. It was his 12th first-class century and first at the Ageas Bowl since 2019.Gubbins – who had only faced his former county in non-competitive or 2nd XI games – was given a life after a simple chance was shelled at square leg and despite batting almost all day a century will have to wait.

Sheffield Wednesday will be willing to let an attacking “game-changer” leave this summer, according to an update from former Owls midfielder Carlton Palmer.

Sheffield Wednesday struggling for playoff finish

Danny Rohl’s side have endured a difficult period in their season, having looked like challenging for a place in the Championship playoffs a few weeks ago.

Instead, Wednesday have lost their last three matches in the league, not to mention four of their last five, dropping down to 13th place in the table in the process.

Last Friday’s 2-1 loss at home to Sunderland was another damaging defeat, and it means that the Owls are now seven points adrift of sixth-place West Brom, highlighting how much work needs to be done in the remaining 11 matches.

Regardless of where Rohl’s men finish once the season is done and dusted, fresh faces need to arrive in the summer transfer window, while others will be moved on to pastures new.

Sheffield Wednesday "game-changer" backed to leave

Speaking to Football League World, ex-England international Palmer backed Michael Smith to leave Sheffield Wednesday at the end of this season:

“Now the question is about the likes of Josh Windass, who will be out of contract in the summer (although there is a one-year option in his deal) and Michael Smith. I think he’ll be disappointed that he wasn’t allowed to go to Wrexham and I understand why Danny Rohl wouldn’t have wanted him to go, but he had a chance to go to Wrexham on what would’ve been a two or three-year contract. It’ll be interesting to see.

“I’d be very surprised to see Smith at the football club next season. Given his age and everything else, I think Danny will be looking to bring in a younger player, somebody who can score consistently at Championship level, although Smith has had an impact when he has played or come off the bench this season. Still though, I’d be very surprised to see Michael Smith signing a new contract at Sheffield Wednesday.”

This summer definitely feels like the right time for Wednesday and Smith to part ways, even though Darren Moore hailed him during their time working together at Hillsborough, saying:

“Michael Smith is a game-changer today. The quality showed at the end of it, and that’s what Michael is. He was in the right place at the right time and that’s what quality strikers do.”

Now 33 years of age, Smith is out of contract with the Owls at the end of the current campaign, and given his age, it makes little sense in him being handed an extension, considering his best days are arguably behind him.

Championship Table: Latest standings for the 2024/25 season

Latest English Football League Championship standings 2024/25.

ByStephan Georgiou Apr 22, 2025

Wednesday simply have to focus on attacking reinforcements in the summer window, with Josh Windass the only player to reach double figures for goals in the Championship this season – he is also now 31, so isn’t the long-term solution – highlighting the importance of new additions in the attacking third.