Cricket: The first England player who commits to Bangladesh tour

Moeen Ali has become the first England player to confirm unreservedly that he will be available for the upcoming tour of Bangladesh. The future of the tour was in the balance after an attack on a Dhaka cafe in July killed 20 — mostly foreign — hostages, with the Islamic State group claiming responsibility. But all-rounder Ali, speaking in Cardiff on Saturday ahead of England's fifth and final One-Day International (ODI) against Pakistan in the Welsh capital on Sunday, said: “If selected, I'll definitely go. “I'm pretty happy with everything and really looking forward to it,” the Worcestershire off-spinner and left-handed batsman added. “I've been there a few times, five or six.” Following the Dhaka attack, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) sent an inspection team to Bangladesh led by long-serving security chief Reg Dickason. After he reported back, the ECB said last month that the tour, which includes three ODIs and two Test match fixtures in October and November, would go ahead as planned.“My view is you're not safe anywhere these days,” said Ali. “I think you can be anywhere and still not be safe.” England assistant coach Paul Farbrace, who was with the Sri Lanka squad when their bus came under armed attack in Lahore in 2009, has also said he intends to travel to Bangladesh. But England one-day captain Eoin Morgan, who was among a group of players given a security briefing by Dickason, said Friday he had still to make up his mind. Meanwhile wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow told several British newspapers: “I've not made a 100 percent decision but I know within my mind that I have a lot of faith in Reggie. I've been on a heck of a lot of tours with him, he's known me since I was a young boy. So I've got a lot of faith in him.” Ali said he had no qualms about anyone taking their time over deciding whether or not to commit to the tour. “It's really tough (to decide), even for myself. “Everyone's different, and has their own views on things — and as a team, you back other other's decisions. “It's up to the individual. There's no pressure on anyone — it's up to that person and how he feels. 

South Africa will have to perform with atleast six black players

South Africa's national cricket team will have to place a minimum average of six black players with immediate effect. Although, this is the first time they have been introduced for the national cricket team. The official targets are a minimum of fifty four percent black players (effectively six players other than white) with eighteen percent black players, which equates to two players in a team of 11. This effectively means an average maximum of five white players in a team. CSA president Chris Nenzani described the targets as “very attainable” and said the South African team was already meeting them. The targets will be measured as an average across all three forms of the game (Tests, One-Day Internationals and Twenty20 internationals) over the course of a season. The team that beat New Zealand in the second Test in Centurion met the target exactly. There were two black Africans in Temba Bavuma and Kagiso Rabada and four other players of color, Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, Vernon Philander and Dane Piedt. Nenzani found that the ODI team which competed in series against Australia and the Windies in the West Indies recently had up to eight players of color in the team.

Schweinsteiger departs from United's Euro Squad

Schweinsteiger departs from club's squad for the Europa League group stage. Schweinsteiger has been forced to train with United's reserve this season as new boss Jose Mourinho looks to sell the German World Cup winner. The thirty two years old has now to participate under Mourinho, who has told the former Bayern Munich star it will be “very difficult” to give him any playing time this season. Schweinsteiger enlisted in United's Premier League squad but he will be ineligible to play in Europe after being excluded from the list of 27 players submitted to UEFA.