All posts by h716a5.icu

The investors behind the IPL’s Kochi franchise have decided to pull out of the venture and have informed the BCCI of this

Nagraj Gollapudi24-Nov-2010The investors behind the IPL’s Kochi franchise have decided to pull out of the venture and have informed the BCCI of this, ESPNcricinfo has learnt. Their decision comes three days before the expiry of the board’s deadline to the franchise to sort out its differences and – barring another twist in a long-running saga – could mean a final and irrevocable expulsion from the league.A letter of withdrawal was sent on Wednesday to Shashank Manohar, the BCCI president. Rajiv Shukla, a board vice-president, later confirmed the board had received “certain letters” from the consortium’s stakeholders.It leaves the IPL free to decide on how to fill the hole in the tournament – most likely by issuing a new tender inviting bids for the replacement team. This will be done on November 28, at the next governing council meeting in Nagpur, where the Kochi issue could meet its conclusion.The investors in the consortium – Anchor Earth, Parinee Developers, Rosy Blue and Film Wave -hold 74 per cent of the equity. The remaining 26% has been given to the Gaikwad family – Shailendra, his brother Ravi and their parents plus a few others, all part of Rendezvous Sports World – as free equity for services rendered in successfully bidding for the franchise.The two groups have been split down the middle over ownership issues almost since the franchise’s inception, a situation that severely undermined its credibility in the IPL’s eyes. The league’s governing council, at its emergency meeting on October 27, felt Kochi was far from resolving those issues and issued a notice asking both factions to explain why the franchise should not be scrapped.Satyajit Gaikwad, the CEO of Rendezvous, said at the time that the notice period was enough to build bridges with the investors, led by the Anchor group’s Mehul Shah. That no longer seems to be the case.An indication that the end was in sight came from the Twitter feed of Shashi Tharoor, the MP and former minister who had been closely identified with the consortium when it won the bid for the Kochi franchise. “That dream is over for now,” he tweeted on Wednesday. “Those who didn’t want a Kerala IPL team have finally succeeded. Some of us have paid a high price for trying.”

Marcus Trescothick believes Alastair Cook can go on and break a host of batting records after his monumental unbeaten 235 against Australia

Andrew McGlashan30-Nov-2010Marcus Trescothick believes Alastair Cook can go on and break a host of batting records after his monumental unbeaten 235, against Australia in Brisbane, which enabled England to save the opening Ashes Test. Cook beat Don Bradman’s Gabba record for an individual score as he and Jonathan Trott added a mammoth 329 for the second wicket.In many ways Cook has been the long-term successor to Trescothick at the top of England’s order. Although he made his debut as an opener before Trescothick’s enforced retirement from the international scene, Cook only took that position permanently during the 2006-07 series in Australia.”You can just see from the way he approaches his cricket that it was only ever going to be a matter of time before produced this sort of performance,” Trescothick told ESPNcricinfo. “He’s a young and could go on and break all sorts of records in the years to come.”The early end to Trescothick’s Test career is often cited as one of the key reasons for England’s whitewash on that trip as the top order struggled to impose themselves against a formidable attack. Cook, despite a second-innings hundred at Perth, ended with a disappointing 276 runs at 27.60.In one Test he has surpassed that tally, after beginning with a battling 67 in the first innings, and Trescothick never had any doubt in Cook’s ability even when he was going through his summer slump against Pakistan. Turning 26 on Christmas Day – the same birthday as Trescothick – Cook appears set to finish his career as England’s leading Test scorer, a position currently held by his mentor Graham Gooch.”It shows the quality of the player. We know the sort of character he is and he’s an important member of the team,” Trescothick said. “He’s always worked hard. All he needed was to get that big score and he’s been building up to it during the warm-up matches, then got fifty in the first innings at the Gabba before finishing off with a brilliant double hundred.”Cook’s opening stand of 188 with Andrew Strauss set England on their way to saving the opening Test and it was the positive approach they took, led by Strauss, that indicated the visitors weren’t going to back down from a huge challenge. As a fellow opener, Trescothick understands the mindset needed to overcome huge deficits and believes it’s the strong back-room set-up within the squad that enable the openers to play the way they did.”The vital thing is how solid the team is,” Trescothick said. “If you have that grounding in the dressing room then you can go out and try to be positive. You can’t die a death and end up not scoring runs because you have to get ahead of the other team. When the bad balls come you have to put them away and attack certain bowlers. Eventually you are going to lose wickets, but that’s what didn’t happen this time.”The build-up to the opening Test centred on Australia’s strong record at the Gabba and, although they remain unbeaten since 1988, the nature of England’s great escape means they head into the second Test buoyed while it’s the hosts under pressure. In 2002-03, Trescothick was part of an England team hammered by 384 runs in Brisbane and, despite the best efforts of Michael Vaughan who scored 633 runs in the series, they never recovered and lost 4-1. Now, having departed Queensland unscathed, Trescothick believes England have secured a vital advantage.”It was a great achievement. Our history at the Gabba wasn’t very good,” he said. “Generally if you get 500 you are losing at least half the side so to get it for just one down was a fantastic effort. It was a great achievement, and to bounce back as well from being 200 behind is a great effort.”The pitch was certainly different to before but the team is in such better shape. We know the team we want to play, the batters are getting runs and the bowlers doing OK. But I think we can produce even better results and going into the second Test we often get better as a series goes on.”Marcus Trescothick was speaking at his new signing with Mongoose Cricket www.mongoosecricket.com

Alasdair Gold has dropped an update on the future of reported Tottenham Hotspur summer transfer target Christian Eriksen.

What’s the talk?

In a recent video posted on YouTube, the football.london journalist revealed that Spurs have been in discussions regarding the possibility of bringing the 30-year-old central midfielder back to north London on a free transfer this summer.

Speaking about Spurs’ interest in the Denmark international, Gold said: “He would fit in there like a glove, in [Antonio] Conte’s 3-5-2, as he did with Inter Milan. He would bring so much to Tottenham.

“I know Spurs have spoken, have had discussions about bringing him in as a free agent – as in amongst themselves. I think there’s going to be a queue of competition for him.

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“I don’t think he left Spurs on the best of terms with the hierarchy at the club. But, he does love the club and he wants to stay in London, from what I understand, with his family.

“And it’s quite funny that Conte, when he just signed for Brentford, was very clear – no subtlety about it whatsoever – that he wanted to bring in Eriksen, maybe this summer.”

Supporters will love Gold’s claim

Considering just how impressive Eriksen has been following his return to the Premier League in January, coupled with the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium faithful’s undying love for the 30-year-old, the news Spurs are considering a move for the midfielder this summer is sure to be a claim that supporters will love.

Indeed, over his seven Premier League appearances for Brentford, the £13.5m-rated maestro has been in breathtaking form for Thomas Frank’s side, scoring one goal, registering two assists and creating three big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 2.1 key passes and taking 1.9 shots per game.

These returns have seen the Dane average a quite remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.49, not only ranking him as the Bees’ best performer in the league but also as the third-best player in the division as a whole – above the likes of Mohamed Salah, Son Heung-min and Mason Mount.

As such, considering his history with both Tottenham and Conte, his undoubted ability with the ball and the fact he will be available to sign on a free, it is clear to see why Spurs would be interested in a deal to bring Eriksen back to the club this summer – as he very much looks to be the type of player the 52-year-old manager is desperately lacking in the middle of the park.

AND in other news: “His people claim..”: Gold drops behind scenes update, Spurs supporters surely buzzing

A round-up of the second day of the eleventh round in Division One of the Quaid-E-Azam Trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Jan-2011Ali Azmat’s half-century combined with some strong lower-order batting helped Water and Power Development Authority post a challenging first-innings score of 369 for 9 declared against Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad. Azmat led all batsmen with 79, laced with 12 boundaries, as the last five wickets added 222. He was ably supported by Sarfraz Ahmed, who made 33, and Umaid Asif, who made 47, whil Kashif Raza chipped in with an unbeaten 31. Left-arm spinner Zohaib Khan was the best of the bowlers, taking 3 for 45.Both teams are still in the hunt for a spot in the finals, but probably need an outright win to get there, so ZTBL opener Yasir Hameed came out swinging the bat with intent. He had reached 18 from 21 balls, with three fours, before seamer Umaid Asif had him caught behind. At stumps, ZTBL were 34 for 1.Rain continued to play spoilsport on the second day of the game between Sialkot and Rawalpindi, with only 29 overs being bowled, but that was enough for the Rawalpindi bowlers to reduce Sialkot to 16 for 4, before the hosts staged a semi-recovery to end the day on 89 for 5 at the Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot. Rizwan Akbar produced a devastating opening spell to remove three of the top four batsmen, claiming two wickets with two balls, while Sadaf Hussain prised out Sialkot captain Mansoor Ajmad. Majid Jehangir and Shehzad Malik then added 49 to stem the rot somewhat before Jehangir was caught behind off the bowling seamer Nasir Malik for 34. Shehzad and Nabeel Malik then managed to avoid further damage, with the former on 22 and the latter on 14. Rawalpindi are currently tied second in the points table with Water and Power Development Authority, and potentially need a big win to qualify for the finals.A half-century by Mohammad Kashif got Islamabad back into their game against Multan on a curtailed day at the Multan Cricket Stadium. Islamabad were in trouble after they lost two quick wickets on the second morning to leave them at 48 for 4 in response to Multan’s 244. But, Kashif’s 61 and contributions from Imad Wasim and Kamran Hussain helped them recover to 189 for 6 by the end of the 46 overs that were played on the day. Multan seamer Tahir Maqsood dismissed overnight batsman Zeeshan Mushtaq and then got Faizan Riaz for a duck next ball. Kashif and Farrukh Hayat shared a 54-run partnership before Hayat was run out. Kashif got his runs quickly, hitting 10 boundaries in his innings. For Multan, who have lost all of their ten games so far this season, the match is a last hope to gain some pride, while Islamabad can finish no higher than eighth even if they win.Karachi Blues managed to take a 72-run first-innings lead against Faisalabad by the end of the second day at the National Stadium in Karachi. It didn’t look like that would happen after the first few overs of Karachi’s innings. Faisalabad fast bowler Ahmed Hayat ripped out three early wickets to leave them 3 for 3, and facing a top-order collapse. Unfortunately for Faisalabad, Hayat could only bowl five overs in the day, and Rameez Raja (2) counterattacked, racing to 67 off 55 balls. Most of Karachi’s middle-order batsmen got starts but left-arm spinner Hasan Mahmood kept chipping away at the wickets, picking up five in the end, as Karachi were all out for 264. The lead was pushed past the 50-run mark thanks to a 57-run tenth-wicket stand between Babar Rehman and Malik Aftab.Habib Bank Limited continued to be frustrated by the conditions as only nine overs were bowled on the second day of their match against Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. HBL reached 19 for 0, but with no play on the first day as well, the win they need to make absolutely certain of their spot in the finals is unlikely. The good news for HBL is that Rawalpindi and Pakistan International Airlines’ matches have also been affected by rain. PIA, Rawalpindi, Water and Power Development Authority and Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited are the four teams who have a chance to catch up with HBL. WAPDA and ZTBL are playing each other, which also helps HBL’s cause.There was no play in the game between National Bank and Pakistan International Airlines for the second straight day.

Rangers are back in action at Ibrox tonight as Giovanni van Bronckhorst turns his team’s attention away from the Premiership for a Europa League tie.

The Gers have a chance to reach the final of the competition in Seville but they will need to overcome a 1-0 deficit on aggregate to do so.

Van Bronckhorst’s men come into this match off the back of a 1-1 draw in the Old Firm on Sunday. The result leaves them six points behind their rivals with three matches left to go in the division, which means that the cup competitions are the club’s best opportunities to lift silverware this season.

How many changes will the head coach make to the team from that outing at Parkhead? Here is our predicted XI…

We are predicting that he will make three alterations to the side by bringing Leon Balogun, Kemar Roofe and Glen Kamara back in.

At the back, Borna Barisic may be axed by van Bronckhorst after a worrying display last time out. Former Gers man Derek Ferguson claimed that he was “spooked” against Celtic on Sunday as he let the atmosphere get the better of him.

The Croatian international was caught on his heels for Jota’s goal and must now be dropped from the team. This clash with Leipzig is a huge occasion and Rangers cannot afford to have a liability in their side, which is why the experienced Balogun should come in at centre-back and Calvin Bassey can slot in at left-back.

In midfield, we are predicting that Scott Arfield will be axed in favour of Kamara. FFC published an article explaining why the former does not warrant a starting place and van Bronkhorst may look to the Finland international to replace him.

Neil McCann, his former manager at Dundee United, previously dubbed him as “perfect” and the Gers boss seemingly rates him highly as Kamara has started nine Europa League matches this season. This indicates that he is trusted to perform in the competition, which is why he should start tonight.

Finally, Roofe may replace Fashion Sakala in the number nine role. He is an injury doubt for this match but a report from the Scottish Sun claimed that he will win the race to be fit and he could take the Zambian’s place in the team.

Sakala has failed to produce a single goal or assist in nine outings in Europe for the Gers. Roofe, meanwhile, has scored twice in four starts – including the winner against Braga in the last round – and this should give him the edge.

AND in other news, Rangers are now set to repeat their awful Gilmour disaster, Gvb will be livid…

Harry Kane was left a mere passenger as Tottenham Hotspur held out for a draw against title-chasing Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday evening.

Perhaps it was a by-product of the way Antonio Conte set up his side but the England skipper struggled to have any sort of influence on the game as a late, deflected Luiz Diaz strike salvaged a point for the home side.

Heung-min Son had opened the scoring in typical fashion, slotting home from six yards out after Ryan Sessegnon squared the ball across the box for his 20th Premier League goal of the season.

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But in lasting the whole 90 minutes, Kane was pretty anonymous barring one or two flashes at goal. He registered the fewest touches of any Spurs starter (35), three less than goalkeeper Hugo Lloris (38), who was also much better in possession.

Indeed, the £90m-rated talisman made only 50% of his passes, attempting just 18 all match. By comparison, Lloris made 20 successful passes, which includes goal kicks and was more than Kane’s overall attempts, via SofaScore.

Kane also struggled to make much of an impact inside the box, failing to register a single shot on or off target, with his only effort being blocked.

Meanwhile, from his 35 touches, he lost possession 16 times, meaning he gifted the ball back to Jurgen Klopp’s Reds once every two times he had the ball, which was also once every 5.6 minutes.

The 28-year-old striker is in a rough patch right now, scoring just once in his last seven league outings but he’s always going to struggle to find the net if he’s only seeing the ball every five or six minutes – he certainly won’t get on the scoresheet without a shot on target either.

As The Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick wrote in his post-match ratings column, the Lilywhites forward was ‘a yard off the pace, which hampered Spurs’ ability to play on the counter,’ whilst he was among Alasdair Gold’s worst-rated starters, too.

Kane may have had a big part to play in Son’s opener, providing a sublime pass to Sessegnon out wide but aside from that, he was left a shadow of his goalscoring best.

The Englishman was once dubbed a “monster” by his South Korean teammate for his efforts in a 4-1 win over this very team back in 2017, so to deliver this sort of performance is a big contrast.

Fewer touches than the goalkeeper, no shots on target – Kane certainly suffered as a striker at Anfield but that’s not his fault, given the way Conte set up his side this weekend.

AND in other news, Forget Son: “Sensational” Spurs titan who had 11 clearances stole the show at Anfield…

A round-up of matches from the fifth match-day of the One Day National Cup Division Two 2010-11

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jan-2011Group BPakistan Television prevailed over Abbottabad Falcons by 11 runs at the Gohati Cricket Stadium in Swabi. Opener Umair Khan starred with an unbeaten 124 and held one end together as he lost partners at the other. The Falcons had managed to limit Pakistan Television to 124 for 6 but Umair found good support from No.8 batsman Yasim Murtaza who scored a quickfire half-century in a stand of 118. Pakistan Television managed to post a competitive 255 for 7, a score they were ultimately able to defend. The Falcons reply began in encouraging fashion with an opening stand of 47 but Zahoor Khan, with his medium pace, helped restrict them to 103 for 5. The sixth-wicket pair of Khalid Usman and Abid Khan revived the chase with a 107-run stand but Zahoor struck two more blows down the order to limit Falcons to 244 for 8. Pakistan Television, however, could not qualify for the semi-final as their net run-rate, despite the win, was lower than Lahore Eagles.Khan Research Laboratories continued their unbeaten run in this tournament, trouncing Peshawar Panthers by nine wickets at the Arbab Niaz Stadium in Peshawar. The Panthers, after opting to bat, could only muster 195 despite their batsmen getting starts. Among the seven batsmen who reached double-figures, the highest was 49 from Nasir Shah. The pace-bowling pair of Yasir Shah and Shakeel-ur-Rehman shared seven wickets to restrict the Panthers. In response, the KRL openers led the charge with a stand of 124 – Saeed Anwar jnr remained unbeaten on 75 while Ali Khan smashed seven fours and three sixes in his 78. The target was scaled down with more than 13 overs to spare and the Panthers finished at the bottom of the Group B table.Group AKarachi Zebras sealed their place in the semi-finals with a seven-run win over Hyderabad Hawks at the National Stadium in Karachi. The Zebras had been tottering at 76 for 4 but Wajihuddin and Akbar-ur-Rehman struck half-centuries to help their team recover with a 128-run stand. But the Zebras folded for 227, courtesy a haul of 6 for 35 by left-arm spinner Kashif Bhatti. However, his effort was to be in vain. Mohammad Sami starred for the Zebras with a five-wicket haul to squeeze out a close victory. He removed the openers before Aqeel Anjum, dismissed just one short of a century, and Rizwan Ahmed resurrected the innings with a 122-run stand. But Sami struck again and the Hawks lost their way, slipping to 169 for 6. Though Anjum fought hard, the lower order was not able to challenge the Zebras enough to scrape the past their total. The Zebras will take on Khan Research Laboratories in the second semi-final in Hyderabad.State Bank of Pakistan made it four in four with a 152-run humbling of Lahore Lions at the National Bank of Pakistan Sports Complex in Karachi. No SBP batsman managed a half-century but there was consistency throughout the batting line-up as the top eight chipped in with useful thirties and forties, and built useful partnerships to stretch the score to 297. The Lions were hapless in their reply, having to rely on their last pair to take them past 100. Seamer Mohammad Naved took 4 for 63 and was backed up superbly by the remaining bowlers.

A round-up of the semi-finals in the NZC one-day competition

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Feb-2011Rob Nicol and Dean Brownlie were the architects of Canterbury’s 41-run win against Auckland in Christchurch, that propelled them into the finals of the NZC domestic one-day competition.Auckland chose to field, but were held at bay by a 39-run opening stand between Michael Papps and Nicol that yielded 39. Papps’ exit was followed by the cheap dismissal of captain Peter Fulton, but Nicol and Brownlie steadied things with a fluent partnership. Nicol struck 12 fours and a six in his 87 that came off 119 balls. Brownlie scored fewer boundaries – five fours and a six – but finished with a better strike-rate as he made 72 off 88 balls. The pair raised 136 runs in 26.2 overs to set Canterbury up for a late blitz. Andrew Ellis obliged with 31 off 22 balls, while Carl Frauenstein hit three fours in his seven-ball innings to push the score to 268. Chris Martin and Andre Adams combined for 5 for 88 off 20 overs, but the remaining bowlers struggled to hold their own.Auckland lost Tim McIntosh early, but Lou Vincent and Jeet Raval charged after the target with frenetic half-centuries. Andrew Ellis’ dismissal of Vincent, for 62 off 55 balls, began Auckland’s slide. From 119 for 1 in 17.2 overs, they lost their way in the face of some incisive bowling. Mitchell Claydon finished with 4 for 44, while Ellis had figures of 3 for 38. Nicol chipped in with 2 for 44 off ten overs, as Auckland’s lower order crumbled. They were bowled out for 227 in the 44th over. Despite the defeat, Auckland will get a chance to make the final when they take on Otago on February 9.Otago booked their place for that fixture with a nine-run win in a rain-reduced game against Northern Districts in Queenstown. Northern batted first and through two rain breaks to reach 271 for 8 in their 50 overs. BJ Watling was the top-scorer, with a cautious 55 off 88 balls. The rest of the top order struggled and, when Watling exited at 125 for 5 in the 31st over, the innings was losing momentum. Joseph Yovich and Peter McGlashan combined to revive the innings with a 71-run partnership, before Anton Devcich lashed 42 off 21 to set Otago a tricky chase.Otago’s reply was stalled by early wickets, as Trent Boult and Graeme Aldridge removed the openers. The middle order did not fare much better and, at 80 for 5 in the 19th over, their challenge seemed set to fade. Darren Broom and Derek de Boorder, though, had other plans.Making light of the pressure of the situation, and the frequent rain interruptions, the pair whittled away at the target with assurance. Broom struck nine fours in 85 balls as he reached 85, while de Boorder struck eight boundaries in his 74. The pair had added 165 in 27.4 overs when rain intervened for the final time. No more play was possible, and Otago were adjudged winners since they were nine runs ahead of the par score when the game was called off.

Newcastle United only have two more Premier League matches before the end of the campaign and they are on course to avoid relegation to the Championship.

Eddie Howe was backed by PIF in the January transfer window as the club brought in Dan Burn, Matt Targett, Chris Wood, Bruno Guimaraes and Kieran Trippier.

These signings, to varying degrees, have led the Magpies up the table and fans may now be wondering where the next batch of recruits come from as we head into the summer transfer window.

One player the club are reportedly set to hold talks over a deal for is Nottingham Forest winger Brennan Johnson, who is valued at around £20m.

Chris Waddle 2.0

Johnson can be the new Waddle for Newcastle as he is an exciting, young, versatile, forward with the quality to make a big impact in the final third.

The retired Englishman played 189 games for the Magpies, joining at the age of 19, and found the back of the net 52 times before moving on to the likes of Marseille, Tottenham and Sheffield Wednesday, showing that he regularly delivered at the top end of the pitch.

He was also able to play anywhere across the attacking line for the Toon; number 10, right-wing, and left-wing.

Newcastle will enjoy the talents of a player with a similar skillset if they bring the Welsh winger, Johnson, in from Forest. The 20-year-old can play in the number 10 role, off the right, off the left and up front, whilst he has showcased his quality with 16 goals and ten assists in the Championship.

Athletic journalist Paul Taylor recently claimed that Johnson has “remarkable potential” and Michael Appleton, who managed him at Lincoln, has tipped him to make it in the top-flight, saying:

“He’s just one of those players that are very exciting, very easy on the eye. When you’re the opposition manager in League One or the Championship, hopefully soon the Premier League, he’s someone you’d take note of because he’ll always be one of the two or three teams that you’ll be aware of and be wary of.

“His development and the way it’s happened for him over the last couple of years suggests to me that he’s only going to end up going in one direction and that’s the Premier League.”

The winger ended the campaign with the most goals and assists combined (26) of any player aged 21 or under in the Championship and this, along with Appleton’s comments, illustrates the potential he holds.

Therefore, Howe can land Newcastle’s new Waddle by signing Johnson as his form for Forest and the scope for development he has indicates that he can be a key player for the Magpies in the top flight.

It is now down to PIF to ensure that they can get this £20m deal over the line.

AND in other news, Howe plotting NUFC swoop for £9m-rated “goal machine”, he’s a huge upgrade on Wood…

ESPNcricinfo previews the Group B contest between Ireland and Netherlands in Kolkata

The Preview by Siddhartha Talya17-Mar-2011Match FactsMarch 18, Kolkata
Start time 9.30 (0400 GMT)Kevin O’Brien has a few scores to settle against Netherlands•AFPThe Big PictureThe Associate teams have been the subject of major debate this World Cup and opinion remains divided over the ICC’s decision to restrict the number of competing sides to 10 in 2015. Ireland have done the most to justify the Associates’ presence this tournament, consistently challenging top sides with the exception of South Africa. They’ve been the best of the four qualifiers for this World Cup, the best-placed among that group to feature more regularly against the elite teams, and they would want to reinforce that with a clinical performance against Netherlands on Friday in what will be both teams’ last World Cup game.The Netherlands captain Peter Borren has repeatedly stressed the need for Associate teams to play the top sides more often, not just in World Cups. Since pushing England close, Netherlands have declined steadily, their captain admitting they haven’t met their own standards. A winless World Cup would be deflating at the least, and it’s a harsh result for a team that would perhaps feel it is in the wrong group, given how the other two Associates have performed this tournament. A win, however, against an opponent who’ve won the respect of the cricketing world would restore some pride in a team that has, by its own admission, underperformed.Form guide(completed matches, most recent first)

Netherlands: LLLLL
Ireland: LLLWLWatch out for…Wesley Barresi: He’s got starts in four of his five this World Cup but has then got bogged down, undermining his healthy strike-rate of 74. He was pushed from the middle order to open this World Cup but hasn’t delivered the starts that the promotion was meant to bring about. A familiar opposition in Ireland should prompt him to show lesser restraint.Kevin O’Brien: His stunning century against England will be hard to replicate but O’Brien has since stumbled in his performances with the bat. He was dismissed cheaply against India and threw his wicket at a crucial juncture in what was building up to be a close chase against West Indies. Moreover, he’s had trouble against Netherlands. In seven games against them, he averages just 17.40 with a highest of 34. What better stage to make amends than the World Cup.Team newsIreland (possible): 1 William Porterfield (capt), 2 Paul Stirling, 3 Ed Joyce, 4 Niall O’Brien (wk), 5 Gary Wilson, 6 Kevin O’Brien, 7 Alex Cusack, 8 John Mooney, 9 Trent Johnston, 10 George Dockrell, 11 Boyd Rankin.Netherlands (possible): 1 Eric Swarczynski, 2 Wesley Baressi (wk), 3 Tom Cooper, 4 Ryan ten Doeschate, 5 Alexei Kerveezee, 6 Bas Zuiderent, 7 Tom de Grooth, 8 Mudassar Bukhari, 9 Peter Borren, 10 Pieter Seelaar, 11 Adeel Raja..Stats and trivia Ireland have an excellent record against Netherlands in ODIs, winning five out of seven. They’ve won each of the last five games between the teams.The last time Eden Gardens hosted a day game was in 1991, when South Africa toured India for the first time for a three-match ODI series. Quotes”Ireland has done well in the tournament and has been competitive, but if we go out there and win tomorrow, we will be making a statement.”
“We are nowhere near Tests, but we sure can play one-day internationals and Twenty20 matches.”