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Former South African captain Graeme Smith has shifted the spotlight off the field and onto the management in the aftermath of South Africa’s second successive series defeat. Speaking on television channel Smith explained the responsibility for the recent performances should be shared by several senior personnel, including the coaches.”The players have to take responsibility for their performances, there’s no doubt about that, but the management do too. They haven’t quite come into the equation of late. At the end the day the performances of the Test team for the last year haven’t been good enough, so you have to ask questions of everybody,” Smith said.”How is management getting the best out of them, how are they preparing them, are they directed in the right way, do they need to be firmer, do they need to be softer? I don’t know.”Smith spent a session before the New Year’s Test in the nets with South Africa’s batsmen and was said to be in talks to take on a consulting role for the remainder of the series. But he was also contracted as a commentator for and and those prior commitments were in conflict with a coaching stint which has confined him to being behind the microphone and not in the dressing room which has left South Africa without a batting coach.Since Russell Domingo took over the coaching job in June 2013, he has made use of three former internationals to assist in the batting department. Gary Kirsten, Domingo’s predecessor, had a 50-days-a-year deal with South Africa through 2014 and Mike Hussey was on the support staff during the 2015 World Cup and briefly before the first Test on the tour to India in November. South Africa did not have any other batting experts with the squad for the rest of the India series, which they lost 3-0, or before the England matches.In India, they managed a highest innings total of 214, were shot out for their lowest score since readmission when they were bowled out for 79 in Nagpur and did not boast a single century-stand. When Smith criticised them on air, he was called in to help.His short time with the team did not have too much of an impact on their fortunes. Although South Africa showed more fight at Newlands, racking up 627 for 7 to put pressure back on England, they struggled at the Wanderers where they were dismissed for a paltry 83, their lowest at home. They have gone 12 months without a Test victory since beating West Indies in January 2014 and have conceded the No.1 ranking.With several issues raging in the background – the push towards aggressive transformation, a mid-series change of captain and injuries to key members of the pace pack – the squad appears to be struggling to keep morale up and Smith has sensed that.”Some of the decision-making around the space looks a bit worrisome for me. The team seems a bit flat. Some of the messages coming out in the press conferences don’t seem positive and it’s coming from senior players,” he said. “You’re in a big series and there is a lot of negativity among your senior players. It looks like someone needs to grab the bull by the horns and say, ‘listen guys, let’s wake up and let’s pull our finger out and let’s go and play some Test cricket’.”AB de Villiers has been of particular concern, especially for his pre-match comments ahead of the Wanderers Test, his first as captain. He did not deny reports suggesting he was considering early retirement and admitted he was “searching for answers,” on how to manage his workload. After the Test, he offered some reassurance by committing himself to Test cricket but the mood was still sombre. “I almost feel like all hope is gone,” de Villiers said.That kind of talk is what Smith is urging South Africa to avoid while still encouraging them to pay attention to what is being said in the public domain about their performances. “These are all questions that need to come out of the environment. When you are not performing well, people are going to ask questions and you’ve got to live with it,” he said.Smith is not the only former player to express this opinion. Mark Boucher posted a message on Twitter saying South Africa should go “back to the drawing board,” while Daryll Cullinan encouraged them to embrace, rather than ignore the chorus or criticism coming their way.”There is nothing wrong with criticism as long as it is backed up by facts and has credibility behind it,” Cullian wrote on Facebook. “One of the things that our cricket lacks is the maturity to embrace it, work with it and evaluate its value. This can only come from people who are secure enough in the own opinions and credibility. When they are not, they surround themselves with like-minded people, have a laager [siege] mentality, label the critics as negative who have nothing good to say and only out to breakdown our game.”

Scorecard andball-by-ball details
How theywere out

Younis Khan’s 126 was not enough as Pakistan crumbled to 263, to give South Africa a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series © AFP

South Africa duly converted their domination of Pakistan from the first day of this Test into a resounding 160-run win, a rare feat for them on the subcontinent. Dale Steyn’s third five-wicket haul in Tests was enough for South Africa as Pakistan failed to capitalise on a scintillating century by Younis Khan and lost their last five wickets for 33 runs.South Africa head into the second and final Test at Lahore, beginning on Monday, knowing they cannot now lose this series.Needing to score another 278 runs with seven wickets remaining, Pakistan were off to a good start as Younis Khan, unbeaten on 93 overnight, flicked Andre Nel over midwicket to bring up his first century against South Africa. Mohammad Asif’s dismissal soon after – gloving a sharp bouncer from Nel to short leg – prompted Younis, who was all agression yesterday, to cut down on rash strokes and concentrate more on placement. Sweeping Paul Harris and guiding Nel past the slips, he kept a decent scoring-rate while Misbah-ul-Haq struggled to score.When Jacques Kallis bowled three consecutive maidens, it looked like the match was heading for a draw. But Younis broke the shackles, and kept the game alive, by fiercely driving Kallis past mid-on.Dale Steyn’s introduction to the attack, however, caused Pakistan a major setback once again – he’d accounted for both openers on the previous day – as a delivery on the off stump shaped in slightly and barely rose above Younis’ ankles to hit the stumps as the batsman went down late. With Younis, out for 126, went Pakistan’s best hopes of winning the match. Steyn, who lacked accuracy in the first innings and managed only two wickets, bowled a much better line in the second, generating a lot of pace and movement.As Misbah and Shoaib Malik played defensively, the South African bowlers started piling on the pressure. However when Graeme Smith came into the attack to unsettle the partnership just before lunch he was hit for three boundaries in the over – Pakistan’s firstboundary for 80 balls – as both batsmen started using their feet.It was probably Pakistan’s defensive mind-frame that accounted for Misbah straight after lunch; He played a forward-defensive shot to Nel and got hit on the back leg as he missed.Kamran Akmal, after a quickfire 42 as an opener in the first innings, did not last long and became Harris’ only victim of the day. The new ball was taken straight away and as Steyn returned to dismiss Abdur Rehman prodding forward and Umar Gul driving loosely tomid-on.As Malik went after the bowling with only Danish Kaneria to partner him, it was always going to be an all-out attack and a top edge off his bat provided Makhaya Ntini his only wicket of the match as the visitors handed Pakistan only their second defeat in the 40 Tests in Karachi. A rare off game for Ntini but an excellent performance by Harris – seven wickets – and Nel – four wickets and 33 runs in the second innings – proved enough on a pitch where Pakistan bowlers, bar Rehman, failed to impress at all.

Griffith has returned home to rest his ankle © Getty Images

Adam Griffith, Leicestershire’s Australian fast bowler, has been forced to return home due to a persistent ankle injury, the club has confirmed.Griffith, 28, was signed in June when Mohammad Asif joined up with the Pakistan squad for the tour to England.The injury to his left ankle ruled him out of the Twenty20 final earlier this month and last Thursday a specialist administered a cortisone injection and advised him to rest for two weeks.”It has compromised his whole delivery because he hasn’t been able to slam that foot down in the way he would have liked,” Leicestershire coach Tim Boon told the club’s website.He is now heading home in attempt to gain full fitness with Tasmania before the Australian season starts in October.It means that Leicestershire will finish the summer without an overseas player after the Pakistani leg-spinner Mansoor Amjad was ruled out of the rest of the season with a finger injury.It will, however, create opportunities for some of the county’s younger bowlers.”We have an opportunity to take a good look at some of the younger seam bowlers over the remaining few weeks of the season, which is not such a bad thing”, explained Boon.”With Stuart Broad away on England duty, there is an excellent chance for the likes of Ryan Cummins and Chris Liddle.””It is disappointing in some respects that Adam’s spell with us has ended this way, but a decision has been reached that he should return home and both parties are happy with that”

Michael Vaughan: ‘We are quite an honest team’ © Getty Images

Michael Vaughan does not feel his substitute-fielding method is against the rules, but Rudi Koertzen, who will umpire the fifth Test, has vowed to crackdown if anyone abuses the regulation. Vaughan said his players were drinking so much that they had to leave the field for toilet breaks, although Ricky Ponting believed the continual rearranging was against the spirit of the game.”It is a situation Australia are not happy with but we feel we are doing nothing against the laws,” Vaughan told . “I am certainly not telling my team to go and have an extra five minutes’ rest. If a player needs the toilet he has to go to the toilet. We are not a team that is going to try to bend the rules. We are quite an honest team.”Koertzen told England had not taken advantage of the situation while he umpired in the first two Tests, but he did not watch the third and fourth matches. “I always allow players to go off as they need to, so long as they don’t abuse the system and are not acting against the spirit of the game,” Koertzen said. “You can’t go overboard and do it all the time. If that’s the case, then I will put a stop to it.”Billy Bowden, who will also stand in the decider, told the paper he would meet with Ranjan Madugalle on Monday to discuss the issues. “Until then, it is hard for me to talk about [them].”Vaughan said the debate should not get in the way of a fantastic series. “I do not want to get into an argument about it,” he said. “There has been a lot of talk and I am sure there will be a little more.”

Glenn McGrath: to have his second stint in county cricket© Getty Images

Glenn McGrath, the Australian fast bowler, is to play for Middlesex for a month later this season. McGrath has not played in a Test for almost a year due to injuries, and, even though he has been picked to play for Australia against the touring Sri Lankans, he still needs to prove his fitness to the national selectors.McGrath marked his comeback from injury with a disappointing one-day series against Zimbabwe last month, taking only one wicket in three matches. He has also effectively been put on notice by Trevor Hohns, Australia’s chairman of selectors, who suggested this two-Test series against Sri Lanka could be his last if he doesn’t perform.After that series, McGrath, 34, will replace Lance Klusener, one of Middlesex’s overseas players, who is likely to tour Sri Lanka with the South Africans later this summer. McGrath, who had a successful season with Worcestershire in 2000, will be available for four County Championship matches and five National League games between July 18 and August 15.Middlesex have lost four of their last five matches, and yesterday announced that Ed Joyce had replaced Owais Shah as captain after their poor run of results. The arrival of McGrath, who has played 95 Tests and taken 430 wickets, is sure to be a boost.

PERTH – Western Australia have secured their place in the ING Cupcricket final with a thrilling 26 run win over Victoria at the WACAGround tonight.After posting a respectable 5-270 thanks largely to a whirlwind MurrayGoodwin innings, WA then had to rely on the experience of Jo Angel(3-45) and Brad Williams (4-34) to get them into their 20th domesticone-day final.The Warriors will play either Queensland or NSW in the final.Chris Rogers and skipper Justin Langer also followed their contributionswith the bat with some inspired fielding – but the result was in doubtuntil the penultimate over.Opener Nick Jewell (60) made a blistering start to his and the Victorianinnings, square cutting successive fours off Williams.Son of Richmond AFL player and premiership coach Tony Jewell, the25-year-old took to both Williams and Callum Thorp with pulls and cutsout of the top drawer.Brad Hodge could not match his partner, and was first to perish as heedged thickly to Mike Hussey off Williams.Jewell ploughed on, pulling Callum Thorp to the boundary twice in twoballs, and then driving Paul Wilson for two fours in his first over tobring up a sparkling 47-ball fifty.The pressure seemed to be getting to Langer, who took umbrage withumpire Bruce Bennett after he called a no-ball for having too few men inthe circle.Langer’s comments in the middle could be heard at the back of theLillee-Marsh stand – but his anger was soon turned to delight by theveteran Angel.After having found the boundary eleven times in his 55-ball knock,Jewell attempted an injudicious drive to a full ball which pegged backhis off stump, and Victorian hopes.Andrew McDonald looked the next batsman likely to dash WA’s finaldreams, racing to 19 off 22 balls, before Angel struck again, nipping aball back to win an lbw decision.Once again, the Victorians fashioned a partnership to keep them well inthe hunt, Brendan Joseland and Michael Klinger finding the gaps and theboundary to compile 50 in 61 balls.But once again, a bowling change by Langer did the trick, with ShaunMarsh’s second ball for the state being lobbed back to him for a sharpcaught and bowled.Four balls later a drive from David Hussey produced a superb full lengthdiving stop by Langer, followed by an accurate throw to Campbell thatsaw Klinger run out by half a metre.Hussey, younger brother of WA’s Mike, did his best to prevent hissibling from appearing in the final, but as the run rate rose so didVictoria’s desperation.After 46 from 45 balls, Hussey was bowled by Williams and when Whitefollowed suit in the next over Victoria’s hopes were dashed.WA will now have to wait on the result of Queensland’s match againstTasmania later today to see who will host the February 23 final.If Queensland lose to the Tigers then the the WACA Ground will host thefinal for the second time in three years.

Indian coach John Wright on Thursday confirmed Hemang Badani will openthe innings along with Shiv Sunder Das in the second Test againstZimbabwe starting at Harare tomorrow.”Badani will open the batting. He wants to…” Wright said, adding theTamil Nadu left-hander was given a choice to bat either as an openeror at number seven and he opted to open.”Looking at the wicket and other factors, I think it is a goodopportunity for him. It will not be held against him as he isbasically a middle order batsman. It is his first opportunity in thisposition,” he said.Badani, who will make his Test debut tomorrow, has never opened theinnings in his first class career but he possesses a sound techniqueand impressed when he was given the opportunity in a three-day matchagainst the CFX Academy where he scored an attractive 35 beforeretiring.Badani gets his first Test in place of his state mate SadagoppanRamesh who has not recovered from a back injury he sustained whilefielding in the first Test.Wright said Badani had it in him to make a transition from a middleorder batsman to an opener and expressed confidence that the stylishleft-hander would make the most of the opportunity offered to him.”In my opinion, he has the technique to open the batting. Some peoplecan make the transition and some can’t. There is this psychology ofthe whole position. But Hemang wants to do it and I think he would doa good job. He will put in his 100 per cent,” Wright said. “He is aquality player. It is a good opportunity for him.”A person must want to open the batting. If he is going out in themiddle at an unlikely position and is not comfortable, then it is notgoing to work. But we are in a position where we do not have an extraspecialist opener on this tour. If something has to happen, this isthe best option.”Wright said fast bowler Ashish Nehra had corrected his run up andwould feature in the second Test. “In the two nets we had here, therewas absolutely no problem with Nehra. He didn’t tread on to the dangerline. We are very confident that the problem will not arise again.”Nehra was stopped from bowling in Zimbabwe’s second innings in thefirst Test after he was repeatedly found to be damaging the pitch inhis follow-through. There were some doubts over his participation inthe second Test but the bowler corrected his run-up and the processwas smooth. “It didn’t require much work. It was marginal in the firstplace. He is aware of all sorts of things about his bowling. He isalso a very quick learner,” Wright said.The coach was diplomatic in his comment on Nehra being dropped for thetriangular series starting on June 23 with West Indies as the thirdteam. “Well, he is not in the squad. But he has been our best bowler.He has been a standout performer and I think everyone is aware of it.”Asked whether the announcement of the one-day squad ahead of thesecond Test would affect the performance of those who have beendropped, Wright said, “Players have to be professional enough to takethe disappointment in their stride and still keep performing.”Captain Sourav Ganguly said India would once again go in with threemedium-pacers and a spinner. “The three seamers have done pretty welland the wicket will help them. I don’t think the pitch will turn much.Two spinners will be a luxury. There is so much less grass on thewicket this time than the one we played here in 1998. It will be agood wicket to bat on,” he said.Ganguly said he was not perturbed about his own form. “If you look atit, I have failed in only two Test matches in Mumbai and Chennai. HereI got a rough decision. I just have to back myself.” He said the teamhad chalked out a strategy to contain Andy Flower who is having aprolific run against the Indians. “We must bowl in the right channelsto get him out. He is due for a failure now.”

Mithun Manhas has switched from Delhi to Jammu and Kashmir for the forthcoming domestic season. It will be a homecoming for Manhas, who was born in Jammu, but left his home state in his teens in search of better cricketing opportunities in Delhi.”It’s a sort of mixed bag emotions,” Manhas told ESPNcricinfo. “While it was difficult to move on from Delhi where my cricket career has shaped up, I am delighted to be joining Jammu and Kashmir. Not only is it my home team but also because the team has been doing quite well in the domestic circuit over the last couple of years. I hope I can help them take their games to the next level.”Ever since making his first-class debut for Delhi in 1997-98 along with the likes of Virender Sehwag, Ashish Nehra and Aakash Chopra, Manhas has been a run machine in domestic cricket. While the other three went on to earn India caps, Manhas did not, partly due to the presence of Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly in India’s middle order.Manhas has made 9071 first-class runs in 147 matches, at an average of 45.81. He insisted he had “no regrets” and stressed that he was not leaving Delhi on a bitter note. “I spoke with Chetan Chauhan [the former India opener, who is now a DDCA vice-president] and he told me I could help groom Delhi youngsters,” Manhas said. “But I thought there are plenty of youngsters who are ready to shoulder more responsibility, so I should not stick around.”Moreover, experienced players like Rajat [Bhatia] and Gautam [Gambhir] will ensure the youngsters will be taken care of even in Viru’s [Sehwag, who has moved to Haryana] and my absence.”Manhas has plenty to look forward to in the forthcoming domestic season, which starts on October 1: he is 89 runs short of joining Wasim Jaffer (9759 runs), Amol Muzumdar (9202) and Hrishikesh Kanitkar (8059) in the elite club of batsmen with 8000 Ranji Trophy runs.Manhas said he wasn’t too focused on personal milestones. “I am sure I have at least a couple of seasons left in me, so records isn’t a concern,” he said. “The primary focus will be to help Jammu & Kashmir take yet another step towards becoming a consistently top team in domestic circuit.”

Arsenal have been dealt a fresh injury update with Mikel Arteta now set to be without a key player until 2026.

Arsenal's state of play with injuries

According to a recent report by The Telegraph, 17 of Arsenal’s 25-man squad have missed at least one game through injury or suspension — so it is safe to say their bad luck has carried on from last season.

Arsenal’s title ambitions face mounting scrutiny as a result, with Arteta confronting a defensive injury crisis that threatens to derail their Premier League title charge during the congested festive schedule.

Ben White’s hamstring injury sustained against Wolves represents the latest devastating blow, with scans revealing the England international will miss at least a month.

The 28-year-old pulled up while tracking back during Saturday’s dramatic 2-1 victory, clutching his left hamstring in visible discomfort.

His absence proves particularly cruel given he had only recently re-established himself following extended periods managing knee problems throughout last season.

White’s injury compounds Arsenal’s already precarious defensive situation.

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Gabriel Magalhaes has been absent since November’s international break after representing Brazil, with his return not expected until late December or even in the new year.

Cristhian Mosquera faces a similar timeline, with his ankle injury far worse than initially anticipated. The versatile Spaniard could miss another six weeks, as per the BBC, so his return isn’t expected until late January to early Feb.

The simultaneous absences create significant tactical headaches for Arteta.

Both White and Mosquera provide crucial versatility, capable of operating at right-back or right-centre-back, yet Arsenal now possess no obvious alternatives to William Saliba and Jurrien Timber.

The situation forces reliance on academy prospects Marli Salmon and Josh Nichols, both recently involved in first-team training despite their inexperience.

15-year-old wonderkid Max Dowman adds to Arteta’s concerns after suffering ankle ligament damage during an Under-21 friendly against Man United, ruling him out for approximately two months.

Meanwhile, Kai Havertz continues his lengthy rehabilitation from August’s knee injury, and he was once battling to be in contention to face Tottenham in the North London derby back in November.

Kai Havertz out till early to mid-January after Arsenal injury setback

However, after suffering a setback, the prognosis is now much longer.

As per The Mail’s Isaan Khan this afternoon, Havertz is ‘set to be sidelined’ until early to mid-January, meaning he won’t be available again for the festive period and faces a wait until after the new year.

The 26-year-old has been a sore miss for Arteta, and will carry on to be after this update.

Subscribe for in-depth Arsenal injury coverage Stay informed about Arsenal injuries – subscribe to the newsletter for focused analysis: clear breakdowns of who’s available, tactical consequences, and recovery outlooks to help you understand selections and match implications. Subscribe Subscribe for in-depth Arsenal injury coverage Stay informed about Arsenal injuries – subscribe to the newsletter for focused analysis: clear breakdowns of who’s available, tactical consequences, and recovery outlooks to help you understand selections and match implications.

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The German international’s absence since August removes a crucial dimension from Arsenal’s forward line.

Havertz offers unique qualities as a false nine capable of dropping deep to link play, while possessing the technical intelligence to operate between defensive lines too.

Viktor Gyokeres has struggled to replicate Havertz’s complete game despite his goalscoring pedigree, managing just six goals across all competitions while appearing isolated during Arsenal’s recent labored performances.

The Swedish striker’s limited involvement against Wolves, completing merely three passes, highlighted Arsenal’s difficulties creating chances without Havertz’s movement and link-up play.

With Arsenal navigating nine December/January fixtures across multiple competitions, including crucial clashes against Everton, Crystal Palace, Brighton, Aston Villa and Liverpool, Havertz’s continued absence forces Arteta into compromised team selections — precisely when squad depth matters most.

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Katie Cross’s future is one of promise © Simon Pendrigh

Lancashire’s Katie Cross has won the Eversheds Most Promising Young Cricketer award. The accolade is decided by England selectors and coaches – and Cricinfo understands their decision was unanimous.Cross, a 15-year-old pace bowler, was the first female on the Lancashire Academy and becomes the sixth recipient of the award which was introduced in 2002 to sit alongside the male winners. She joins Sarah Taylor, Jenny Gunn, Katherine Brunt, Kathryn Doherty and Sophie Le Marchand on the list of recipients.She has already played for England Under-21s, at the European Championships in Netherlands this summer, and she has been tipped for the senior side by no less than the ECB’s executive director for women’s cricket, Gill McConway.”Katie is a very exciting young prospect,” McConway said. “She will train with the England senior side this winter and her progression into that side will not be too far away if she continues to produce eye-catching performances.”Cross, who plays for Heywood CC, broke into the England Development side this summer and put in some highly impressive performances in the County Championships and for the Sapphires in the Super 4s. She first played aged eight, and went on to represent Lancashire under-13, under-15 and under-17, finally making her debut for the senior side – still aged 13.She will collect the award on November 2 at the Royal Overseas League in London.