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Former Test batsman Marcus North has sprung a surprise by announcing his retirement from Australian domestic cricket at the age of 34 and after a season in which he was named Sheffield Shield Player of the Year.North will exit on a high after what he declared was his most enjoyable season, a summer in which he topped the Shield run tally with 886 at 63.28 and played in the first Shield final of his 15-year career, albeit an unsuccessful decider for Western Australia.The resurgence of Chris Rogers as a Test player in his mid-thirties might have given North a glimmer of hope of resuming his 21-Test career if he maintained his form, but such a recall would have been a long shot and North said he could no longer maintain the fight and desire needed for a full summer.His success during 2013-14 was all the more remarkable given that he struggled for runs last season and was dropped from the Western Australia side, but he reinvented himself as an opener and began this summer with three centuries from the first four Shield rounds. It resulted in the second most prolific campaign of his Shield career – his only better season was in 2003-04, when he made 984 at 54.66.However, 2013-14 became a tragic summer for North away from cricket when his brother Lucas was killed in a road accident in late November. After spending some time away from the game following the accident, North returned for the BBL and then helped Western Australia to their first Shield final since 1998-99, the year before he made his debut for his state.”I felt it was the right time to move on, in many ways, from family reasons through to the way I feel about my cricket at the moment,” North said. “I really enjoyed arguably one of the best seasons in my career, but it’s exhausting and I’ve got to the stage now where it’s a big effort to maintain that over a season.”When the times get tough and you feel that you’re not going to be able to drag yourself out of it, well I’ve always said that’s about time to move on and that’s how I feel. The guys are in a really good place now and you’re starting to see the influence of Justin [Langer, the WA coach] and his coaching group coming through. We’re playing a tougher brand of cricket now and there’s a tougher attitude within the group.”It’s their journey now and it’s time for them to enjoy that. It’s a huge bonus [to go out on my own terms] and I’m just so grateful to get another opportunity this year after last year and I’m thrilled I made the most of it. It would have been a fairytale finish to win a final as well, but to play in one is special to me as well. It reflects the cricket we played all year.”Although North will leave the game on a high, there is no doubt that the peak of his career personally was being a regular member of Australia’s Test side during 2009 and 2010. North effectively replaced Andrew Symonds at No.6 in the Test team and scored a century on debut in Johannesburg, helping Australia to a memorable 2-1 series victory in his first trip with the team.He followed that with a strong Ashes tour in 2009, when he scored two centuries and was fourth on the series run tally across both teams with 367, and overall his record of five hundreds in 21 Tests suggests a man who was at home at the highest level. However, North’s major problem in Test and state cricket was his tendency for peaks and troughs – he matched his five Test tons with five ducks and a string of low scores led to him being axed during the 2010-11 Ashes in Australia.For Western Australia, North was a solid performer for a decade and a half, and he took over the state captaincy from the newly retired Langer for the 2007-08 season, relinquishing it in October 2012. Langer, who played with North and then coached him, said North had always been a talented batsman who finally towards the end of his career found the consistency that had often eluded him in the past.”You always judge a person’s character by the way they come back from adversity and Marcus relinquished the captaincy, he was dropped from the Warriors last year and then to come back and have a standout season is a real credit to his character,” Langer said. “Marcus was my vice-captain for about three years and took over from me as captain.”Playing together, I always appreciated his talent and, while he would be the first to admit that he was always striving for consistency in his career, when he was on, he was a magnificent player to watch. Looking back on his career – and we’ve spoken a lot about this, firstly when together and now since coaching – he’s always been striving for that consistency and the irony is that, now, in what has become his last year, he’s probably found that formula which works so brilliantly.”Although North will not play for Western Australia next summer he is yet to decide on his BBL future and will make himself available for county cricket, while also exploring business opportunities in the UK. His departure makes it the second successive year that the season’s leading Shield run scorer has immediately retired from Australian cricket, after Ricky Ponting topped the tally in 2012-13, his final summer for Tasmania.

ScorecardPakistan Women capitalised on a poor batting display by South Africa Women to win the final of the PCB Qatar Women’s 20-Over Tri-series by seven wickets in Doha on Friday.South Africa were put in to bat and their innings had a poor start as pacer Asmavia Iqbal dismissed opener Lizelle Lee off the first ball of the match. That early wicket set the trend for the rest of South Africa’s innings. South Africa did not help their cause with four run-outs, and more than half their total came courtesy Marizanne Kapp, who scored a 48-ball 40. After Kapp, the second-highest score in the innings was Sunette Loubser with 8. Iqbal and pacer Sania Khan picked up two wickets apiece as South Africa stuttered to 68 for 9 in their 20 overs.Pakistan’s chase was guided by opener Javeria Khan, who scored 38 off 46 balls with three fours. The side lost three wickets in their chase, but the target of 69 was hardly demanding and Pakistan went past it with nearly four overs to spare.South Africa captain Mignon du Preez said, despite the implosion in the final, her team had done very well overall on the tour. “We had a bad day at the office today,” she said. “We didn’t put on the runs needed to have a competitive enough game and we disappointed ourselves. Hats off to Pakistan for playing their game ruthlessly and getting the win.”But I’m proud of our team’s efforts throughout this tour here in Doha, we have shown ourselves and many others that we are definitely a team to watch out for in the World T20. Now, it’s time for us to go home and to work out the problem areas that we have discovered here and make sure we are at our peak by the time we reach Bangladesh [for the World T20].”

Round-up of the Pro50 Championship matches that took place on December 7, 2013

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Dec-2013A combined bowling performance helped Southern Rocks defend a meagre 140 against Matabeleland Tuskers in the opening day of Zimbabwe’s domestic season, in Masvingo. The Tuskers failed to put on decent partnerships and were struggling at one stage at 70 for 5, dented by strikes by Tinashe Panyangara and Trevor Garwe. A 42-run stand for the sixth wicket between Tawanda Mupariwa and Bradley Staddon helped the Tuskers recover, but timely strikes by the offspinner Roy Kaia brought Rocks back into the game. There was no fight left in the Tuskers and they folded for 129. Rocks, after being put in to bat, started steadily, moving to 80 for 2 before they too collapsed. Richard Mutumbami resisted with 45 but he and the rest succumbed to the seam duo of Mupariwa and Christopher Mpofu, who shared seven wickets between them.In another low-scoring game, at the Harare Sports Club, Mashonaland Eagles chased 119 to beat Mid West Rhinos by three wickets. The Eagles were on track at 54 for 1 at the chase but lost their way when three wickets fell for 14 runs. Chamu Chibhabha held the chase together with a patient 43 off 110 balls before he was dismissed by Mkhululi Nyathi, with his side needing a further 21. Joylord Gumbie steered his side home with an unbeaten 25. After being put in to bat, the Rhinos never recovered properly from their top-order collapse. Most of the damage was done by the right-arm seamer Admire Manyumwa, who reduced the Rhinos to 37 for 6. Neville Madziva and Nyathi resisted to take the score past 100, but the Rhinos were bowled out with seven overs to spare.

Australia’s vice-captain Brad Haddin has questioned the standard of umpiring throughout the Ashes series and believed that on-field officials were second-guessing themselves because of the presence of DRS. Haddin also reiterated the call he made after the first Test at Trent Bridge to have the review system taken out of the hands of the players and left at the sole discretion of the umpires.Haddin was clearly upset when he was given out lbw by umpire Tony Hill in Australia’s second innings in Chester-le-Street, where he tried to work a Stuart Broad delivery to leg. Haddin asked for a review and the umpire’s call stood after HawkEye suggested the ball would have just grazed the very top and edge of the leg bail. When asked what it was he had said to the umpire as he walked off, Haddin said he had muttered the words: “Not again”.Haddin was quick to point out the umpiring had not been the cause of Australia’s disappointing scoreline in the series and he commended England for having performed better, but he said that both teams would likely feel that the standard of officiating in the series had been below-par. Hill particularly was under the spotlight in the fourth Test, where he made a number of incorrect decisions, but all the officials have erred throughout the series.”I think England deserve to be in the position they are at 3-0. I think they’ve played the better cricket,” Haddin said. “But in all honesty, I think the standard of the umpiring in this series has been something that they could have a look at. I know players deal with pressure in different situations and some guys respond to it and some don’t. I think with the umpiring in this series, there have been times when they have cracked under the pressure of a campaign like [this].”I think DRS has put too much pressure on the umpires on the field. I think they’re second-guessing themselves with their decisions … I should’ve hit it [in Chester-le-Street]. But I think from both teams we’ve had some things that we’ve sat back and said ‘how can this be happening?’.”Teams haven’t always had to sit back and say it – they can do so out on the field while the replays are unfolding live on the big screen. After a review, the umpires and players typically stand around the pitch in their own little groups and watch the big-screen replay, which often brings plenty of jeering from the crowd if the umpire was shown to have made a mistake.”I do think it does place pressure on the umpires because the crowd react,” Haddin said of the replays. “If it’s a home crowd here they’re always going to lean towards England. I do think DRS has put a lot of pressure on the umpires on the field. I’ve gone on record before saying it should be taken out of the players’ hands and let the umpires deal with it. If they think it needs to go upstairs, let them go upstairs.”There are also questions over whether umpires would make the same decisions for the same deliveries, depending on whether a team still holds reviews or not. If, for example, an Australian bowler appeals with no reviews left, and the England batsmen still have reviews available, an umpire might feel more inclined to give a line-ball decision out because England have the option of challenging, whereas Australia do not.”I think the umpires are aware where DRS is at, who’s got one left or who’s got none left, and I think it can influence their decision,” Haddin said. “I think it needs to be taken out of the players’ hands, and let the umpires have total control. The bottom line is you just want to have more decisions right than not. You don’t want to be talking about DRS or umpire decisions in such a big series.”The fifth Test at The Oval begins on Wednesday with Aleem Dar and Kumar Dharmasena standing as the on-field officials and Hill as the TV umpire. Together with Marais Eramsus, they are the only four members of the ICC’s Elite Panel of umpires who are able to stand in an Ashes series, as the remaining eight men on the panel are either from England or Australia.

Surrey had to settle for a draw from their Championship Division One clash with Derbyshire despite the best efforts of Chris Tremlett and Ricky Ponting

02-Jun-2013
ScorecardChris Tremlett took his match tally to eight wickets after Ricky Ponting’s 192•Getty Images

Surrey had to settle for a draw from their Championship Division One clash with Derbyshire despite the best efforts of Chris Tremlett and Ricky Ponting, who fell eight runs short of a double-century on the final day.Ponting was run out for 192 from 271 balls, the highest score by a Surrey player on first-class debut, before the visitors declared 101 runs ahead on 553 for eight. Tremlett then set the alarm bells ringing in the home camp when he reduced them to 105 for 3.When Tremlett took his third wicket by bowling Chesney Hughes for 68, Surrey sensed there was an outside chance of victory but Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Wes Durston stood firm, adding an unbroken 59 before the teams shook hands just after 5pm.It might have been different if Surrey had taken early wickets to put the division’s bottom side under pressure but Hughes and Billy Godleman shared Derbyshire’s highest opening stand of the season, 76 in 19 overs, before Tremlett broke through.Surrey had started the day 90 runs behind but Ponting and Steven Davies scored freely on another sunny morning to open up the possibility of pulling off an unlikely victory. Ponting reached his 150 when he cover drove Mark Turner for his 18th four and Davies also kept the scoreboard ticking at five an over by completing his half-century off only 46 balls.The fifth-wicket stand was worth 105 in 20 overs when Davies was well caught at deep midwicket by Godleman off David Wainwright for 59, but Gary Wilson helped Ponting maintain the scoring rate before the 38-year-old former Australia captain’s superb innings ended in the last over of the morning.Ponting set off for a sharp single but was well beaten by a direct hit at the bowler’s end from wicketkeeper Richard Johnson. Despite that, it had still been a good session for Surrey with 155 runs coming in 29 overs.Gary Wilson then made 45 from 48 balls before Gareth Batty declared but Hughes and Godleman took Derbyshire some way down the road to safety before Tremlett gave the game a final twist. He trapped Godleman lbw for 28, bowled Wayne Madsen with one that kept low and then beat Hughes for pace to effectively leave Derbyshire on 4 for 3 but Chanderpaul eased the nerves in the home dressing room by driving Zander de Bruyn for three fours in an over.Tremlett ended with match figures of 8 for 133, which was an excellent effort on a pitch where more than 1,000 runs had been scored, but the result means both Surrey and Derbyshire are still without a Championship victory.

ScorecardJohn Simpson benefited from some poor bowling to register his first Championship half-century since September 2011•Getty Images

It is probably only natural that a club based in the middle of one of the most ethnically diverse cities in Europe will reflect the community it serves. But, even by the standards of London, this Middlesex side is a cosmopolitan bunch.It contains two men born in Australia, three men born or brought up in South Africa, one born in German, another in Wales and one each from Lancashire and Kent. Even the two London-born players, Tim Murtagh and Toby Roland-Jones, have previously passed through the Surrey system. You could make a strong case to argue that not one of this team have developed through the Middlesex development programme.Middlesex, noting their reliance upon imports, have invested heavily in their facilities in recent times and it is hoped, in time, they will be more self reliant.But they were grateful for a couple of their imports on the second day of this game. First Sam Robson established a platform before John Simpson built on it to earn Middlesex a position from which they could earn a match-defining advantage on day three.Robson looks a fine player. There is more than a passing resemblance to Mike Atherton in his determination and the way he looks at the crease, with the fluency through wide mid on and the similarities of the cut stroke most uncanny.But quite who benefits from his development remains to be seen. Robson, who claims he is uncertain over his qualification status, was born in Australia, played for the U19 side and returned to participate in Grade cricket this winter. He has a British mother, however, and is ensuring he spends enough time in the UK to qualify for England at the start of the 2014 season. In this weather, that probably shows some level of commitment.Bearing in mind Australia’s current dearth of batting talent, however, he could well be one of three men in this match (Chris Rogers and Ed Cowan are the others) considered for national selection some time before then. His options remain open and Australia could do a great deal worse.Certainly he was reluctant to categorically confirm his commitment to England when asked about it at the close of play. “Everyone wants to play international cricket,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “I’m loving playing in England and my home is in London. I’m not looking at anything more than that.”Whether that is a satisfactory situation in a county game that is duty bound to support the development of the England team is debatable. While it might be argued that players like Robson help raise the standard, it might equally be argued that they impede the progress of young men who would be less equivocal in their national commitments. Robson, understandably focused on making his way in the game, is hardly to blame for the unsatisfactory regulations.Robson, keeping with the theme of this match, battled hard only to then play a large part in his own downfall. Throwing his hands at a wide ball, he edged to the keeper in a spell of play that brought Nottinghamshire back into the game; a shot he later described as “criminal”. Middlesex, having posted 106 for the first wicket, then lost five wickets for 69 runs. Still trailing by 103 with their top-order gone, the match was in the balance.That Nottinghamshire side were unable to capitalise upon that position was largely their own fault. On a pitch offering variable bounce and in conditions offering just enough seam and swing, they delivered far too many release balls to build the requisite pressure. Middlesex accumulated 160 runs in boundaries and another 38 in extras – including 11 from wides and eight from no-balls – as Nottinghamshire’s bowlers squandered the conditions and sprayed the ball around.”We’re slightly disappointed,” Luke Fletcher, the pick of the bowlers, admitted afterwards. “We didn’t put the ball in the right areas enough. It is still moving around and swinging.”Gareth Berg – South African born, but an Italian international cricketer – and Simpson also deserve some credit. The pair added 116 for the sixth wicket with Simpson registering his first half-century in the Championship since September 2011. He drove and cut nicely, but could count himself fortunate that Nottinghamshire’s bowlers remained so inconsistent. He had earned his side a lead of 19 by the time bad light ended play 9.2 overs early. Possibly, had Ollie Rayner been dismissed, play could have continued: if is often said you can see clearly once Rayner has gone.Perhaps the cold contributed to Nottinghamshire’s problems. In conditions so cold that even Captain Oates would think twice before venturing out for a walk, the floodlights remained on for the entire day and fielding was an uncomfortable business.When Nottinghamshire did stick to a decent line and length, they won due reward. Chris Rogers, who may have nudged the Australian selectors once more by passing 19,000 first-class runs on his way to another half-century, perished when he left a straight one that swung back at him before Joe Denly, Dawid Malan and Neil Dexter were all forced onto the back foot by sustained and impressive spells of short bowling and then dismissed when they failed to get fully forward to fuller balls.While Fletcher may still more resemble the chef at Hooters he used to be than an elite athlete, he bowled with skill and discipline. Ajmal Shahzad, among some pretty horrid stuff, also bowled some excellent deliveries, but Andy Carter, feeding the cut shot, endured a disappointing day and Andre Adams, by his lofty standards, was surprisingly inconsistent.Middlesex’s hopes of pressing for victory could be harmed by an injury to James Harris, though. The club fear he has a hamstring strain, but hope he has been suffering from cramp after his exertions on the first day. It remains to be seen if he will bowl again in the game.

كشفت صحيفة بيلد الألمانية، حقيقة توصل فريق باريس سان جيرمان لاتفاق مع لوكاس هيرنانديز مدافع بايرن ميونخ، من أجل اننقال محتمل في الصيف المقبل.

وكانت صحيفة ليكيب الفرنسية، قد فجرت مفاجأة بالأمس، وقالت إن النادي الباريسي استطاع التوصل لاتفاق مع المدافع الفرنسي، ويتبقى إقناع بايرن ميونخ بالصفقة وتكلفتها.

اقرأ أيضًا.. تقارير: باريس سان جيرمان يخطف هدف ليفربول وتشيلسي

ونفت صحيفة بيلد هذه الأنباء، وأكدت أن لوكاس هيرنانديز لم يتوصل لاتفاق مع باريس سان جيرمان، وبايرن ميونخ ليس على علم بهذا والنادي متعجب بشأن الشائعات الأخيرة، حيث يقترب الفرنسي من تمديد عقده مع بايرن ميونخ.

وعانى لوكاس هيرنانديز صاحب الـ27 عامًا من إصابات كثيرة أدت لغيابه فترات طويلة عن بايرن ميونخ منذ ذهابه في صيف 2019 بمبلغ قياسي وكان الأغلى في تاريخ العملاق البافاري بـ80 مليون يورو.

على الجانب الآخر، يسعى بايرن ميونخ لجلب صفقات وأسماء كبيرة في الصيف المقبل مثل هاري كين، بعد موسم مخيب للآمال والخروج من كأس ألمانيا والخسارة الكبيرة ضد مانشستر سيتي في دوري أبطال أوروبا بالدور ربع النهائي، ومن غير المتوقع أن يتخلى عن لاعبيه المهمين.

نجحت هنا جودة لاعبة الأهلي ومنتخب مصر لتنس الطاولة، في تحقيق لقب بطولة إفريقيا 2023، المقامة في كينيا.

وانطلقت بطولة كأس إفريقيا لتنس الطاولة في العاصمة الكينية نيروبي في الفترة من 4 وحتى اليوم السادس من مايو.

طالع أيضًا | هنا جودة بعد التتويج ببطولة العالم لتنس الطاولة: أهدي اللقب لجماهير الأهلي

وفازت هنا جودة على مواطنتها دينا مشرف، بنتيجة 4 أشواط مُقابل 3، في مباراة قوية بين اللاعبتين.

وتضم قائمة منتخب مصر في كأس إفريقيا 6 لاعبين، وهم، محمد البيلي، يوسف عبد العزيز، عمر عصر، على مستوى الرجال، ودينا مشرف، هنا جودة، مروة الهضيبي على مستوى السيدات.

كشف الألماني هايكو هيرليتش، أسباب رفضه تدريب نادي الزمالك، رغم التوصل إلى اتفاق مبدئي منذ أيام، لكنه تراجع بالأمس وغادر القاهرة وعاد إلى ألمانيا.

وفي تصريحات لصحيفة “بيلد” الألمانية، قال هيرليتش: “أردت الاستماع إلى كل شيء ومشاهدته على أرض الواقع، ولكن هناك الكثير من الاضطرابات داخل وحول هذا النادي، لذلك رفضت العرض، الذي كان رائعًا حقًا”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ريكاردو يوضح لـ “بطولات” حقيقة اهتمام الزمالك بعد فشل مفاوضات هيرليتش

وأضاف: “التقيت المدير الرياضي في الفندق وشاهدنا مباراة الزمالك مساء الثلاثاء معا، بعد تقدمه 2-0، خسر 3-2 أمام المصري، وهو السادس في الدوري المصري الممتاز”.

وتابع: “بعد المباراة، دعاني المدير الرياضي (أمير مرتضى)، ولكن بعد ذلك لم أسمع أي شيء من النادي طوال اليوم، لذلك اعتقدت أن الأمر برمته لا معنى له وقمت بتعبئة أغراضي مساء الأربعاء وتوجهت إلى المطار”.

واختتم: “كنت أتمنى حقًا أن أحظى بهذه التجربة في الخارج، لكنني لست الشخص المناسب لحل المشاكل الحالية في الزمالك”.

ويحتل الزمالك المركز السادس في الدوري الممتاز برصيد 33 نقطة من 22 مباراة، بفارق 14 نقطة عن المتصدر الأهلي الذي لعب 19 مباراة فقط.

كشفت تقارير صحفية إسبانية وجود تضارب بين مُلاك نادي باريس سان جيرمان في قطر، ومسؤولي الفريق الفرنسي، حول مستقبل النجم الأرجنتيني ليونيل ميسي.

ومن المعروف أن العقد الحالي للاعب صاحب الـ35 عامًا مع باريس سان جيرمان سينتهي بنهاية الموسم الحالي، أي صيف 2023.

وذكرت صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية أن باريس سان جيرمان يسعى للتعافي من خيبة أمله على الصعيد الأوروبي بعد الخروج من دوري أبطال أوروبا من دور الـ16، كما يحاول تحسين تشكيلته للموسم المقبل.

وفي غضون ذلك، فإن ملف مستقبل ليونيل ميسي مع باريس سان جيرمان يُعد أحد أبرز الأمور الشائكة على طاولة النادي الفرنسي.

وأوضحت أن النقطة المهمة الآن أن تجديد عقد ميسي، الذي كان يسير في الطريق الصحيح في ديسمبر الماضي عندما وافق والد ليونيل وباريس سان جيرمان على مبدأ إنهاء مسألة التجديد بعد كأس العالم، قد تباطأ الآن.

وأفادت أن باريس سان جيرمان في وضع غريب، فمن ناحية عندما تحدثوا وجهًا لوجه مع خورخي ميسي، أظهروا استعدادهم للاحتفاظ بالنجم الأرجنتيني، ولكنهم أظهروا كذلك شكوكًا معينة بشأن الأموال التي ستكون متاحة من أجل تحسين الفريق، مشيرين إلى بعض مشاكل الرواتب الجماعية.

وإذا اضطر باريس سان جيرمان إلى خفض الرواتب، سيكون من الصعب على الإدارة إبرام صفقات مميزة لتحسين الفريق.

اقرأ أيضًا.. روبيرتو بعد هجوم جماهير باريس سان جيرمان: ننتظر عودة ميسي بأذرع مفتوحة

من ناحية أخرى، تلقى ناصر الخليفي والمدير الرياضي للنادي لويس كامبوس رسالة واضحة للغاية من القادة القطريين الذين يتحكمون بمصائر باريس سان جيرمان من الدوحة، أن الهدف الأول هو الاحتفاظ بميسي.

حتى قبل أن يصبح بطلاً للعالم، كان ليونيل ميسي يمثل رصيدًا رياضيًا وتجاريًا رائعًا للمسؤولين القطريين، وبعد رفع كأس العالم في قطر، ازداد ذلك الأمر، وتريد العائلة المالكة القطرية الاستفادة من ذلك.

ومن ثم، فإن المسؤولين في باريس يعيشون تحت ضغط لأن في الدوحة يريدون بقاء ميسي بأي ثمن، ولكن في حديقة الأمراء هناك تفكير سائد بأن مسألة تعزيز الفريق في الصيف قد يتأثر بشكل سلبي ببقاء ليونيل، بسبب الأموال.

في غضون ذلك، يواصل خورخي ميسي الحديث مع باريس سان جيرمان وسيكون قريبًا مع ليو في الأرجنتين، خلال فترة التوقف الدولي.