Tag Futebol

James Vince and George Bailey will share Hampshire’s captaincy responsibilities for the 2017 season

George Dobell24-Mar-2017James Vince and George Bailey will share Hampshire’s captaincy responsibilities for the 2017 season.Vince, who was appointed Hampshire captain in 2015, will remain as club captain and continue to lead the side in limited-overs fixtures but Bailey, who returns to Hampshire on a two-year deal this year following a previous stint in 2013, will captain the side in the County Championship.A club statement said: “The move will allow both batsman an opportunity to focus on their own games during a busy campaign, whilst still affording them the opportunity to contribute across each format with their leadership skills.”Vince is highly-rated as a captain, having led England Lions and The South in the pre-season competition in the UAE. But a disappointing 2016 season – both personally and for Hampshire – left him jaded and Hampshire have taken the decision to ease his workload a little while retaining his position within the club. He retains realistic England ambitions, too, despite a tough start to his international career and this decision may allow a little more time to concentrate on his own game.Bailey, meanwhile, has captained Australia at international level and continues to lead Tasmania. Experienced, relaxed and at the stage of his career when personal ambitions are less likely to burden him, he should not only ease the burden on Vince but provide advice and support when appropriate.”We are fortunate to have two excellent captains within the squad and a split between the formats seems a sensible option for us,” Hampshire Director of Cricket, Giles White, said. “James will captain the white-ball teams and George the Championship side; this will allow them to channel their focus in the different formats which should benefit the squad as it looks to compete across all formats.”Bailey will not be available all season, though. He is expected to captain for the first time at Chelmsford on Friday 19 May and could also be absent in June when he could be involved in the Champions Trophy with Australia.

A round-up of the Momentum Cup matches played on March 3, 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Mar-2017Warriors thumped Dolphins by 130 runs in Port Elizabeth, stopping them from building a lead at the top of the table. No. 3 Warriors now have the chance to go top, if they beat No. 2 Titans in their next match on Sunday.Warriors chose to bat and put up 274 for 5 on the back of a century from Colin Ingram. Batting at three, Ingram’s 105 came off 112 balls, and included seven fours and two sixes. Lesiba Ngoepe provided the final surge, pushing the team over 250 with an unbeaten 43 off 26. In their reply, four of Dolphins’ top six got into double digits, but none could get past the 30s. Warriors’ bowlers mostly kept a tight rein on them – five of the seven who bowled went at less than five an over, and four of those were below three to the over – but medium pacer Ayabulela Gqamane was the pick of the lot. He took two top-order wickets and went at 2.57 in his seven overs as Dolphins imploded for 144 in 35.1 overs.Fast bowlers Shadley van Schalkwyk and Mbulelo Budaza set up a 22-run win for Knights against Titans in Benoni. Van Schalkwyk claimed Titans’ top three in their chase of 250, while Budaza took 4 for 43 to polish off the tail. The top scores for Titans came from Nos. 6 and 7 Albie Morkel and David Wiese, who scored 42 and 46 respectively, but that was not enough to take the team home.Knights’ 249 was was built around a 75 from wicketkeeper Rudi Second and a 72 from Leus du Plooy. They did not manage to bat out their 50 overs – they were bowled out in 47.1 – but in the end, that did not cost them.Lions came out top in a closely-fought game with Cape Cobras in a battle of the bottom two teams. They won by three wickets with one ball remaining chasing 245 in Paarl.Cobras were off to a horror start after choosing to bat, falling to 8 for 3 in the fourth over. But four solid middle-order contributions steadied them. Justin Ontong was the was the biggest contributor with 80, while Aviwe Mgijima scored 58 and the two Danes – Vilas and Piedt – scored 42 apiece. Rassie van der Dussen laid the platform for the chase with a dogged 66, and after he got out captain Dominic Hendricks kept the chase going for Lions. Cobras managed to keep breaking through at the other end – especially pacer Lizaad Williams, who took 3 for 31 – but Hendricks did the job. He finished on 91 not out as Lions edged home.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details4:13

Chappell: There was no inspiration from Misbah

For Australia, a quadruple triple. For Pakistan, a wretched dozen. Steven Smith’s men completed another crushing victory over the crestfallen visitors on a balmy day at the SCG, making it 12 consecutive wins for the Australians in home Tests against Pakistani touring teams – four clean sweeps in a row dating back to 1999.There never seemed much doubt over the result when the final day began, and even less when Josh Hazlewood struck twice in the first half hour to maintain his outstanding record this summer. From there Nathan Lyon and Steve O’Keefe worked their way through the Pakistan line-up, with Hazlewood returning to claim the final wicket on the stroke of the tea break.Ahead of the Test team’s next job in India, the use of spin on a wearing wicket gave Smith and the coach Darren Lehmann some idea of where Lyon and O’Keefe sat. Lyon bowled some beguiling spells, notably to Younis Khan, but O’Keefe finished the day with the superior figures – 3 for 53 as opposed to 2 for 100.The match played out in an agreeable atmosphere, as a decent crowd of 17,583 filed in for the price of a gold coin donation to the Jane McGrath Foundation. They saved some of their biggest cheers for the substitute fielder Mickey Edwards, a seam bowler from the Manly grade club who sported a surfer’s mane of hair in weather that could scarcely have been more beach-friendly.Hazlewood set the tone in the first over of the day, accepting a return catch from Azhar Ali, and followed up by claiming Babar Azam lbw for the second time in the match. Lyon’s teasing spell to Younis was rewarded when the batsman lost patience and skied an attempt to hit over midwicket. A leading edge was accepted comfortably by Hazlewood at mid-on. Younis finished the Test on 9977 runs.The nightwatchman Yasir Shah had offered considerable resistance to Australia, but was defeated by an O’Keefe delivery that turned and bounced enough to catch the edge and was taken low down at second slip by the substitute fielder Jackson Bird. Misbah did not look at ease at any stage of his innings, but found a way to survive to lunch in the company of the more proactive Asad Shafiq.On resumption Shafiq got as far as 30 before Starc found a hint of reverse swing into the right-hander from around the wicket to bowl him off an inside edge. Sarfraz continued in a similarly positive vein opposite Misbah, the pair adding 52 in only 13.3 overs. However, Australia broke through when Misbah aimed an extravagant heave at O’Keefe and was caught attempting to slog a spin bowler for the second time in the match.Wahab Riaz fell next, apparently mystified as to how the umpire Richard Illingworth’s not-out verdict could have been overturned. Matthew Wade heard the faintest of sounds as O’Keefe spun the ball past the bat, and his appeal was backed up by the merest possible spike on Snicko for the third umpire Ian Gould to rule in the bowler’s favour.Mohammad Amir’s stay was ended by a wretched run-out, and Smith took the second new ball minutes before the scheduled tea break to allow the excellent Hazlewood to claim the last wicket with extra bounce and another catch to Bird – his four snaffles equalling the world record for a substitute.In recent years, beating Pakistan down under has been one of the least challenging tasks Australia can contemplate; their next assignment, facing up to India in India, is by far the most difficult.

While Bangladesh would have liked to have won more convincingly, there was plenty for them to draw heart from in their first ODI of the year

Mohammad Isam27-Sep-2016Match factsSeptember 28, Dhaka
Start time 14.30 local (08.30 GMT)1:34

Isam: Afghanistan has been the story of the tour so far

Big picturePredictably, the first ODI ran close. Afghanistan were in the best position to win when they had eight wickets in hand and required 77 runs to win off the last ten overs. Bangladesh took over from that point, showing their steady temperament in a situation that required them not only to cut down the runs but also to pick up wickets.While Mahmudullah suggested that Bangladesh would have liked to have won more convincingly, there was plenty for them to draw heart from in their first ODI of the year. Shakib Al Hasan broke the big third-wicket stand between Hashmatullah Shahidi and Rahmat Shah, and gave away just one run in the 47th over when 28 were needed off the last four. Comeback men Taskin Ahmed and Rubel Hossain squeezed Afghanistan out of the match with regular yorkers in the last three overs. Captain Mashrafe Mortaza kept the rampant Afghanistan batsmen in check for most of his ten overs, while Taijul Islam looked decent as the second specialist left-arm spinner.When they batted, the home side would also have been encouraged by Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes and Mahmudullah who looked in good form, though there will be some concern about Soumya Sarkar and Mushfiqur Rahim.Afghanistan, meanwhile, would be worried about their pace bowling; though Dawlat Zadran did finish with four wickets, both he and debutant Naveen-ul-Haq were expensive. The visitors would also like to see Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi get into the game a lot earlier than they did in the first game. Rahmat’s leg-spin is another option that captain Asghar Stanikzai might explore.The fielding from both sides sorely needs a lift as some easy catches were put down in the first match. But another thriller can be expected in Mirpur, with Afghanistan living up to the home crowd’s expectations as a competitive international opponent.Form guideBangladesh WWWWW (completed matches, most recent first)
Afghanistan LLWLWIn the spotlightImrul Kayes batted confidently and timed the ball well during his 37 off 53 in the first ODI. He displayed a new, adventurous side to his limited-overs batting, even if it meant chipping a few in air every now and then. He can be expected to bat the same way, and cement his place at No. 3.Rahmat Shah used his experience of playing domestic cricket in Bangladesh very well during his 93-ball 71 in the first game. He rotated the strike regularly with Hashmatullah Shahidi in a 144-run third-wicket stand that took Afghanistan to a very strong position. But it was his dismissal that turned the tide against Afghanistan. He would surely be keen to weigh in with more runs in the second ODI. Given his form, he might well do so.Team newsBarring injuries, Bangladesh shouldn’t change their winning combination. This would mean Mosaddek Hossain would have to wait a little longer for his ODI debut, while Nasir Hossain and Shafiul Islam would also remain on the sidelines.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Soumya Sarkar, 3 Imrul Kayes, 4 Mahmudullah, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 6 Shakib Al Hasan, 7 Sabbir Rahman, 8 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 9 Rubel Hossain, 10 Taijul Islam, 11 Taskin AhmedA possible change for Afghanistan could be to replace Naveen-ul-Haq with Karim Janat, bringing in one teenage fast bowler for another. On the other hand, Afghanistan might make allowances for Naveen’s understandable nerves on debut and give him another outing.Afghanistan (probable): 1 Mohammad Shahzad (wk), 2 Shabir Noori, 3 Rahmat Shah, 4 Hashmatullah Shahidi, 5 Asghar Stanikzai (capt), 6 Mohammad Nabi, 7 Najibullah Zadran, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Mirwais Ashraf, 10 Dawlat Zadran, 11 Naveen-ul-HaqPitch and conditionsThe Mirpur pitch was sluggish, but the four half-centuries in the first game showed that any batsman who was patient enough could bat comfortably. The forecast is for late afternoon rain in Dhaka.Stats and trivia Shakib Al Hasan is now the only bowler in world cricket to hold his country’s record for most wickets in all three formats Afghanistan have bowled out Bangladesh in all three encounters between the two sides If Bangladesh win tomorrow, it will be their 100th ODI winQuotes”He [Taskin] delivered what we needed him to do. Credit to him for how he came back. He could have had a completely bad day and that could have cost us the match.”

ScorecardMark Wood was the pick of the Durham bowlers•Getty Images

Durham shrugged off another injury to captain Paul Collingwood to boost their chances of reaching a second quarter-final when they beat Yorkshire by 15 runs at the Riverside.After both teams progressed in the NatWest T20 Blast on Friday, both can also reach the last eight in the Royal London Cup by winning their final group matches on Monday. Durham go to Old Trafford and Yorkshire entertain Warwickshire but will hope to bat better than in attempting to chase down Durham’s 281 for 7.At 200 for 5 after 40 overs they were 16 ahead of Durham at the equivalent stage but, despite Tim Bresnan continuing his fine batting form with 92, the boundaries dried up against tight bowling.Only 38 runs came off the next seven overs and there had not been a boundary for 12 overs until Bresnan twice planted Chris Rushworth into the stand over midwicket in the 48th. He than holed out off the last ball of the over, leaving 28 needed off two with two wickets standing. Mark Wood conceded only one run in the 49th and Yorkshire finished on 266 for 8.Collingwood, who took over the one-day captaincy from the departing Mark Stoneman last week, was limping while batting and in his absence from the field Keaton Jennings took over. He skilfully marshalled an excellent bowling display, led by Wood after he was belatedly made available as he continues his comeback from two ankle operations. Wood took the crucial wickets of Alex Lees and Jack Leaning while conceding only 43 runs in ten overs.Scott Borthwick was Durham’s star, top-scoring with 84 and taking 1 for 48 in ten overs of generally tight legspin, spoilt only when Bresnan drove a full toss for six then pulled a long hop for four. That came towards the end of a fifth-wicket stand of 76 with Jack Leaning, but when Wood was recalled Leaning steered a catch straight to backward point and the momentum was never recovered.Borthwick accelerated nicely from a 74-ball half-century to reach 84 before breaking his bat, only to fall without addition when the new blade sent a miscued hook to long leg in the 41st over.Durham did well to take 97 off their last ten overs as, despite hitting only two boundaries, Michael Richardson kept the score moving with 53 off 58 balls. He was helped in the last ten overs by cameos from Ryan Pringle, with 27 off 20 balls, and Stuart Poynter, who included a straight six off Bresnan in his unbeaten 27.

Aston Villa travel to Brentford this weekend, with Unai Emery's side looking to keep their Champions League hopes alive with another win in west London.

The Villans have been in superb form in recent weeks, winning seven and drawing one of their last eight Premier League fixtures, which has put the Midlands outfit in with a great chance of securing European football for next season.

However, with six points separating Villa and the top four and just seven games remaining, Emery's side could still achieve their Champions League dream should they continue their unbeaten run until the end of the campaign.

Brentford away represents an extremely tricky game for Emery's high-fliers, and the key to picking up three points could be keeping talismanic striker Ivan Toney quiet.

For that reason, we think the Spaniard should consider unleashing Diego Carlos for the first time since August, as the former Sevilla man has not been given a runout since recovering from his long-term injury.

Should Villa unleash Carlos vs Brentford?

The 30-year-old, who earns £100k per week, would join Villa in a deal worth £26m last summer, but disaster struck on his home debut against Everton as he ruptured an Achilles tendon which has kept him out for much of the season.

However, he has returned to the bench in recent weeks and has been left to watch on as the Villans enjoy an impressive unbeaten run, but he could still play his part in helping Emery's side finish the season strongly.

Last season saw the centre-back average a strong 6.75 match rating from WhoScored for his performances in La Liga, with an average of 2.4 aerials won and 3.5 clearances per game.

Neither Ezri Konsa nor Tyrone Mings – who have been part of Emery's preferred centre-back partnership since he took over – can match that from their overall displays this season, while he also beats Konsa for clearances per game, as well as both players for aerials won.

This suggests that in the long term, he could be a better option for Emery at centre-back, and with one of the Premier League's most in-form strikers set to test Villa's defence on Saturday, it might be the perfect time to unleash Carlos.

Toney has contributed an impressive 18 goals and four assists in 29 Premier League appearances this season, while he is also crucial to Thomas Frank's side's build-up play, as he has won the third-most aerial duels per game of any Brentford player.

Carlos is a man who has been dubbed a "monster" by Ollie Watkins, and his physicality and ability in the air could see Villa silence Toney this weekend, so surely Emery must seriously consider giving him his first start since August.

Pakistan’s new coach Mickey Arthur has said he will not compromise on discipline, fitness and fielding standards during his time with the side. Arthur was appointed Pakistan’s coach last week, filling the position vacated by Waqar Younis in April.The assignment with Pakistan is Arthur’s third with an international side, after South Africa and Australia. While he had considerable success with South Africa, his tenure with Australia was marked by an uneasy relationship with players that culminated in the infamous homeworkgate episode on the tour of India in 2013, when four players were axed for ignoring team orders. Arthur, who is expected to take over by the end of the month, stressed that discipline would bring better results for Pakistan.”I will be tough on discipline and that’s the way we can get better and better results,” he said. “I want everybody to start playing for the team and I don’t want any selfish players around.”Our bowling is good, but we need to lift our batting massively. I will also be tough on fielding and fitness, and need players who can play long term, and these issues are non-negotiable. I also want players who aren’t prepared to be bullied.”Discipline and fitness have been problem areas for Pakistan, who have slipped down the ICC rankings in limited-overs cricket. Earlier this month, Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal were left out of the training camp for the England tour on disciplinary grounds. Waqar’s report following Pakistan’s early exit from the World T20 had also highlighted concerns around Shehzad and Akmal’s attitudes, and the former coach had suggested the pair should be made to re-earn their place in the national squad with performances in domestic cricket.Ranked No. 9 in ODIs after the ICC’s annual update, Pakistan have won only three bilateral series in the format since December 2013, of which two were against Zimbabwe. They were quarter-finalists in the 2015 World Cup but suffered early exits in the 2016 World T20 and the Asia Cup in February this year. They are currently ranked No. 7 in T20Is.Pakistan will travel to England and Ireland in July and September, where they are scheduled to play four Tests, five ODIs and one T20I against England, and two one-day matches against Ireland. Arthur admitted the conditions would challenge the Pakistan players.”For Pakistan players, those conditions are trying, but I want the team to be up for the challenge. Without a doubt we will go to win … If the players show improvement, then I know I am doing my job.”

Tottenham Hotspur have apparently explored Feyenoord boss Arne Slot 'through back channels', according to a report by journalist Miguel Delaney.

What's the latest on Slot to Spurs?

The 44-year-old is seen as a real candidate to replace Antonio Conte at Spurs, coming after the latter coach left north London by mutual consent last week. His former number two, Cristian Stellini, and assistant boss Ryan Mason are set to manage the Lilywhites until the end of this season – tasked with sealing a place in the Premier League top four.

Champions League football is seen as a pivotal draw by managerial candidates such as Julian Nagelsmann, and it could well be the same for Mauricio Pochettino, who has also been linked. The likes of Zinedine Zidane and Luis Enrique are even being mentioned, too.

Yet, despite the previous quartet's free agent statuses, there are candidates currently in work who are attracting the attention of chairman Daniel Levy.

Slot, who is chasing an Eredivisie title with Feyenoord, is said to be one of them. Reports in the past fortnight have backed Tottenham's interest in the coach. Dutch journalist Valentijn Driessen for instance, recently sharing news on Slot from his homeland, claimed the former AZ Alkmaar boss is 'open' to joining Spurs.

Sharing a further update on the matter, reporter Delaney has written an intriguing line for The Independent.

Indeed, the reliable journalist also backs Spurs' links to Slot, stating that interest in the tactician has 'already been tested through back channels' – presumably meaning the north Londoners have been exploring an under-the-radar move.

Should Tottenham hire Slot?

Slot arguably won't raise as many tails as the likes of Pochettino, Nagelsmann, Enrique or Zidane – yet he comes with plenty of solid credentials.

Having worked his way up to permanent manager of Alkmaar from being their assistant, the coach's potential earned admirers at Feyenoord, where he is now attempting to win them a Dutch league title.

Slot also guided Feyenoord to a UEFA Europa Conference League final last season, where they lost out to eventual winners Roma, yet Netherlands football experts really can't get enough of him.

Marcel van der Kraan, speaking to talkSPORT recently, has called Slot the 'the most exciting head coach' he's seen in the last 10 years – potentially highlighting why Spurs have now taken note.

If Feyenoord end up clinching the Eredivisie, it will only raise the manager's stock and Spurs could well be a realistic destination thereafter.

Tottenham are struggling to convince Thomas Tuchel to take over Antonio Conte’s job at the end of the season, according to The Daily Mail.

The Lowdown: Conte out, shortlist made

Sky Sports reported after the heartbreak in the Champions League this week that Spurs chiefs may look to remove Conte before the season is out.

Indeed, Sky claim a huge list of replacements has already been drawn up, a list which includes the likes of Mauricio Pochettino and Tuchel.

This is not the first time the former Chelsea boss’ name has been mentioned in connection with the Lilywhites, but the latest update from the Mail is less positive…

The Latest: Levy struggling…

According to the newspaper’s report, claims of a change being made before the end of the campaign are wide of the mark, but fans will almost definitely see a new man in the dugout next term.

Tuchel is high up on the list, but despite admitting he was a childhood Spurs supporter and being keen to return to the Premier League, is yet to be convinced by Levy and co.

The Verdict: Tuchel is the one!

If Tuchel is having reservations about taking over in N17, then we believe Levy and Fabio Paratici should be doing everything they can to change his mind.

The 49 year-old was sacked rather unceremoniously at Chelsea, but still managed 2.07 points-per-game during his time there, which is higher than Pochettino’s 1.84 with Spurs, and the German also boasted a better record at PSG than his Argentine counterpart.

Called “straight forward, honest and loyal to his players” by Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, who also said his former coach was “sensational” in helping them win the Champions League, the German tactician favours a three-at-the-back like Conte, but his teams are typically renowned for keeping the ball more than the Italian.

Indeed, according to The Mastermind Site, Tuchel’s three basic principles are “playing out from the back through central midfielders, gegen-pressing to cut off central channels and attack-minded fullbacks”, and we believe he is exactly the boot up the backside this Spurs squad needs.

Will the region be ready to host 100,000 cricket fans in seven months?

Andrew Miller05-Jul-2006In the Caribbean, the magnitude of the task that awaits the region next March is slowly beginning to dawn. Too slowly for comfort, in theopinion of many observers. In seven months’ time, the curtain will be raised on the ninth cricket World Cup, and at present the preparationsare lagging behind on all fronts.Yesterday Chris Dehring, the tournament director, finally confirmed what the rest of the world had already worked out – the influx of100,000 cricket fans, on top of the usual peak-season demands of the Caribbean tourist industry, means that hotel rooms throughout theregion will be at a premium. “We don’t expect to satisfy the entire demand,” he admitted candidly. “It is really going to be a challenge.”Contingency plans are urgently being sought, including the option of using a fleet of cruise-liners as auxiliary accommodation, but thelogistics of the tournament are threatening to overwhelm the hosts. The rich heritage of West Indian cricket has long distracted from theground-level reality: never before has such a high-profile tournament been strung across so many small – and in some cases, tiny – countries.In total, nine sovereign states with a combined population of roughly seven million (which would barely place them in the world’s top 100)are being asked to pull together to create the third biggest sporting event in the world. It is a huge undertaking for some of the world’ssmallest economies. In terms of Gross Domestic Product, five of the participants – Antigua, St Lucia, Guyana, Grenada and St Kitts & Nevis – are among the smallest 21 in the world, and only Trinidad & Tobago (89) features in the top 100 (out of 180).The Caribbean’s enduring popularity with tourists means that the poverty of much of the region has long been overlooked. The situationis not so very different from expecting Nigeria, Togo, Ivory Coast and Senegal to cut deals with their neighbours (and rivals) to host theOlympics or football World Cup. It is notable that neither of these events has yet taken place in Africa, and when the football doesfinally arrive in 2010, it will be held exclusively in resource-rich South Africa.The Trelawny pitch is rolled for the first time, as Jamaica steps up preparations for the World Cup•Andrew Miller/Andrew MillerLast week, Cricinfo was invited to Jamaica, where West Indies themselves and Pakistan are to be based for the event. The World Cupwas the only topic on anyone’s lips. Unfortunately, it was the wrong World Cup. At present, everything stops for football. Taxi driverssimply won’t budge while a match is in progress, meetings have to be delayed to accommodate penalty shoot-outs. And all the while, theclock ticks down as vital preparations remain unaddressed.Nowhere is this more apparent than in the state of the island’s venues. Last week, the disrepair at Sabina Park was showcased to theworld as West Indies slipped to defeat in the fourth Test against India. A recent cement shortage, coupled with industrial action fromthe Jamaican workforce, meant that the great ground was just a husk of its former (and future) self. Only the George Headley stand and theKingston Cricket Club pavilion were still in operation – which amounts to barely one third of the projected 21,000 capacity.And further to the north, there is the Greenfields Stadium at Trelawny. Cut from virgin scrubland and perched scenically on the topof a hill near the coast, it is the venue for the tournament’s opening ceremony and a selection of warm-up matches. Greenfields is intendedto become a prime sporting location, but at present it is just another building site, served by a single dirt track and presided over by aclutch of 110 Chinese labourers, in whose hands the island’s entire construction project seems to have been placed.China’s involvement in the Caribbean is controversial but far-reaching, and as the clock ticks down, increasingly essential. As Lyndon James, the venue manager at Greenfields, admitted, their work ethic is “very different” to that of the Jamaican population, as demonstrated by the countdown board outside their on-site compound, declaring “xxx days [sic] hard work left”.”Hopefully some of their attitude will rub off on our guys,” added James, although seeing as the interaction between the two camps wasvirtually nil, there seemed little prospect of that. The state of the wicket was none too encouraging either. In March, the JamaicaGleaner reported optimistically that the square could be ready for matches as early as June.Chinatown at Trelawny: Jamaica’s new stadium is reliant on immigrant workers•Andrew Miller/Andrew MillerIn fact, July was just days away when we saw it being rolled for the first time, under the supervision of Sabina Park’s groundsman, PatGordon – arguably the least relaxed Jamaican on the island. “We won’t know what it’ll be like until we play on it,” he stated baldly. Otherwell-placed sources confided that the ground is so remote that, after the tournament has been done and dusted, it may never again hostanother cricket match.The saddest aspect of the tournament preparations is that there seems to be little attempt to engage the local population in the activities- although seeing as they are sure to be priced out of most of the matches, it is hardly surprising that such apathy is taking hold. ACategory 1 ticket to matches at St Kitts costs US$420, roughly two months’ wages for the average blue-collar worker, while the ICCregulations stipulate that Kingston Cricket Club members have to pay for entry to their own pavilion at Sabina Park, a move that hasbeen met with predictable resentment.Perversely, what the region needs is to be cut some slack. The Caribbean lifestyle is as languid as it gets, and for all the currentfrustrations, it is this inimitable trait that will provide the World Cup with its best and most reliable failsafe. “No problem!” is Jamaica’s catchphrase, as reprinted on countless souvenir T-shirts. For those who do sample the country’s hotels, beaches, cocktails andnightlife, the experience promises to be unforgettable.What is less clear, however, is the extent of the legacy that will remain when the eyes of the world are averted once again. At present, there is little excitement, little involvement, and little evidence that the third-greatest show on earth is coming to town. It’ll be alright on the night, as these things usually are, but will the Caribbean reinvent itself in the manner that Germany has done through the football World Cup this past month? On the current evidence, the answer has to be “no”.