The carve up of English and Welsh cricket begins with much-maligned The Hundred

The carve up of English and Welsh cricket begins with much-maligned The Hundred
File photo of People play cricket outside Turf Moor in Burnley, north-west England (AFP)
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Updated 08 August 2024
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The carve up of English and Welsh cricket begins with much-maligned The Hundred

The carve up of English and Welsh cricket begins with much-maligned The Hundred
  • Since its inception 4 years ago, the format has continued to struggle in the face of competition from other franchises

Strictly speaking, it is only the much-maligned The Hundred to which the knife is being applied, but the domestic repercussions are likely to be deep.

In mid-May, I suggested that a crossroads had been reached by the shorter and longer formats. Since then, events have moved at pace, accelerated by the upstart Hundred tournament in only its fourth season.

It has had a polarizing effect ever since its conception. Firstly, it is played in August, traditionally reserved for longer formats. Secondly, it has 100 deliveries per innings, delivered as sets of five that distinguish it from T20 cricket, which has 120 deliveries, delivered as normal six-ball overs.

Thirdly, out of the 18 counties which are the basis of professional cricket in England and Wales, seven, plus the MCC at Lord's, were selected to host city-based teams. Nominally, the teams are franchises but are effectively owned by the England and Wales Cricket Board, which has funded the tournament.

An ECB assessment of the tournament’s finances in 2023 suggested a $12.3 million (£9.7 million) loss was incurred in the first two years. This compares with the ECB’s claim the previous year — under the leadership which introduced the tournament — that it made a profit of almost $15.2 million. Defining relevant costs explains some of the difference.

Requiring a two-thirds majority amongst the counties to back the tournament, the ECB paid them almost $32 million in 2019 for their support. COVID-19 intervened to delay the start of the competition until 2021. The ECB claimed this support money was a sunk cost.

COVID-19’s impact on the ability of the Hundred to achieve the forecast financial returns was accompanied by its negative effect on the finances of the rest of the domestic game, from which most counties have struggled to recover.

In aggregate, the long-term debts of the counties are estimated to be some $280 million. Income is required to service this debt. This need, plus increased costs of operations, has caused the profit levels of most counties to fall. In 2022-2023, nine of the 18 reported losses and a further six reported only borderline profits.

It is in this context that the proposed privatization of the Hundred must be seen. The ECB is making 49 percent of its ownership of the tournament available to investors. The balance of 51 percent is to be held by each of the eight teams in the Hundred. They can decide to keep, sell completely or sell partially in a process that will be overseen by the ECB.

A share of the ECB’s asset sale will be distributed to those counties which do not have a franchise in the Hundred, whilst 10 percent will be allocated to the recreational game. Understandably, the prospect of largesse entering the game appeals to those who have struggled for so long to keep the counties as going concerns.

The period of sale is set for the three months from mid-September after this year’s edition has finished. There has been talk of uncertainty amongst potential investors about just what is being made available to buy. If an investor buys a 49 percent share from the ECB, who will be the owner or owners of the 51 percent? How will that relationship work and how will costs and income be shared? There are many variables and potential outcomes to be factored into the forthcoming complex negotiations.

In Hampshire, the likely outcome appears to have been settled ahead of the starting gun. On the brink of insolvency in 2001, Hampshire County Cricket Club was rescued by Rod Bransgrove, a local businessman. The HCCC moved to a new ground and switched from being a members’ club to a private limited company.

Over the years, the ground has been developed to include a hotel, a golf course, leisure and hospitality facilities. Now, this whole development is understood to be on the brink of being acquired by GMR Group, 50 percent owners of the Indian Premier League franchise, Delhi Capitals.

Bransgrove holds some 60 percent of shares in the company which owns the HCCC. The developments at the ground have been funded by debt and with the support of local government. The use of public money has raised opposition in the past. It is assumed that the $152 million which GMR is rumored to be paying includes full or partial repayment of these and other loans.

Full control of the Southern Braves, the Hundred’s men’s and women’s teams based at Southampton, will be taken. The deal will need to be approved by the ECB and it remains to be seen if its 49 percent share in the Southern Braves will be sold to GMR and, if so, at what price.

Without doubt, this is a landmark deal for cricket in England and Wales, a further step in radically altering its landscape, not just in respect of the Hundred. It breaks the mould of how professional cricket has been owned traditionally.

There are only two other member-only county clubs — Durham and Northamptonshire — neither of which has a Hundred team at present. Those who manage the seven franchises other than Hampshire are in communication with their members. It is known that demutualization is being discussed, especially at the heavily indebted Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

One threat which has become apparent for the Hundred in the last two weeks is the level of competition which it faces from other franchises. There has been overlap with the Major Cricket League in the US and Global T20 in Canada, with some players preferring to play in North America for either the whole tournament or part of it

It is the money which talks and the Hundred’s promoters need to move fast if they are to put themselves into prime position to attract the very top players for the whole tournament.

The increased ownership of franchises by Indian interests is clear to see within cricket’s global landscape. They bring investment which is craved by some in the English game. They also generate a fear amongst others of how county cricket’s culture and structure will be impacted.

There is an impression that, outside of a body of diehards, opposition to the Hundred’s sell-off is muted, largely because very few in power are prepared to pass up the investment opportunity.


Colombia down Argentina, Brazil stunned in World Cup qualifiers

Colombia down Argentina, Brazil stunned in World Cup qualifiers
Updated 11 September 2024
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Colombia down Argentina, Brazil stunned in World Cup qualifiers

Colombia down Argentina, Brazil stunned in World Cup qualifiers
  • It was sweet revenge for Colombia, who were beaten 1-0 by Argentina in a bitterly disappointing Copa America final loss in Miami two months ago
  • With the tournament expanded to 48 teams, the top six finishers in South American qualifying will win a berth to the finals

MONTEVIDEO: Colombia avenged their Copa America final defeat with a 2-1 victory over Argentina while Brazil crashed to a 1-0 defeat against Paraguay in South American qualifying for the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday.

Skipper James Rodriguez buried a nerveless 60th-minute spot-kick to seal a hard-fought win for Colombia over the reigning world champions, who were without injured captain Lionel Messi.

It was sweet revenge for Colombia, who were beaten 1-0 by Argentina in a bitterly disappointing Copa America final loss in Miami two months ago.

“I don’t think I’ve ever scored against them — there’s a first time for everything,” Colombia captain Rodriguez said of his winning spot-kick.

“We want to get used to playing finals. Today was just another game, but against a team that has won everything — this victory tastes even better.”

The victory at Barranquilla’s Metropolitano Stadium lifted Colombia into second place in South America’s 10-team qualifying competition with 16 points from eight points, just two points behind leaders Argentina.

Colombia, backed by a passionate home crowd, took the lead in the 25th minute when Rodriguez chipped a cross to the back post where Yerson Mosquera rose to head home.

But three minutes after the interval, the visitors drew level when a misplaced pass from Rodriguez was pounced upon by Nicolas Gonzalez, who raced away and slotted past advancing Colombia keeper Camilo Vargas.

Twelve minutes later, though, Colombia restored their lead in controversial fashion.

Nicolas Otamendi clattered Daniel Munoz with a wild challenge and after several minutes, Chilean referee Piero Maza was sent to the VAR monitor and awarded a penalty.

Rodriguez stepped up and confidently slotted home, sending Argentina’s penalty specialist Emiliano Martinez the wrong way.

Colombia striker Jhon Duran missed a great chance to make it 3-1 when he was found unmarked in the center of the box but fired straight at Martinez.

Despite the defeat, Argentina remain comfortably on course for a place at the 2026 World Cup which is being co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico.

With the tournament expanded to 48 teams, the top six finishers in South American qualifying will win a berth to the finals.

The seventh placed team in qualifying goes into an inter-confederation playoff, with the bottom three teams eliminated.

Five-time world champions Brazil, meanwhile, continued their unconvincing qualifying campaign with a 1-0 defeat against Paraguay in Asuncion.

Inter Miami midfielder Diego Gomez — who is reportedly due to join Premier League side Brighton at the end of the season — scored the game’s only goal, crashing a long-range shot in off the post in the 20th minute.

The defeat leaves Brazil in fifth place in the standings on 10 points, leading by goal difference from Venezuela, who drew 0-0 at home to Uruguay on Tuesday.

Paraguay, meanwhile, moved into seventh place on nine points after just their second win of the qualifying campaign.

Elsewhere on Tuesday, Chile’s hopes of qualifying suffered another body blow after they slumped to a 2-1 loss at home to Bolivia.

After winning back-to-back Copa Americas in 2015 and 2016, the Chileans failed to qualify for both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

The prospect of missing out on a third straight tournament loomed closer after goals from Carmelo Algaranaz and Miguel Terceros handed Bolivia a 2-1 win.

The victory left Chile languishing in ninth place in the standings with just five points from eight games as Bolivia climbed into eighth, trailing seventh-placed Paraguay on goal difference.

Ecuador meanwhile boosted their qualification hopes with a 1-0 win over Peru in Quito thanks to a goal from veteran striker Enner Valencia.

Ecuador sit in fourth place in the standings with 11 points from eight games. Peru remain bottom of the table with just three points from 10 games.


Harry Kane scores twice in his 100th game for England. Ake injured in Netherlands game

Harry Kane scores twice in his 100th game for England. Ake injured in Netherlands game
Updated 11 September 2024
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Harry Kane scores twice in his 100th game for England. Ake injured in Netherlands game

Harry Kane scores twice in his 100th game for England. Ake injured in Netherlands game
  • The Bayern Munich star’s second goal came with an assist from one of England’s new faces as Noni Madueke played the pass for Kane to hit a shot that took a slight deflection
  • Kane: It was a big night for me, obviously really proud to reach 100 caps. I want to score goals, I want to help the team

LONDON: Harry Kane marked his 100th game for England with two goals and celebrations with his family in a 2-0 win over Finland in the UEFA Nations League on Tuesday.

Presented with a golden cap before kickoff and playing in gold boots at Wembley Stadium, the England captain was swarmed by his teammates after scoring his first goal in true Kane style. He beat a Finnish defender before unleashing a powerful shot which was still rising as it clipped the underside of the crossbar.

The Bayern Munich star’s second goal came with an assist from one of England’s new faces as Noni Madueke played the pass for Kane to hit a shot that took a slight deflection — not that it mattered to the crowd which gave Kane a standing ovation when he was substituted off soon after.

“It was a big night for me, obviously really proud to reach 100 caps. I want to score goals, I want to help the team,” Kane told broadcaster ITV.

It was the second straight 2-0 win for interim England manager Lee Carsley, who took over on a temporary basis after Gareth Southgate stepped down following England’s loss to Spain in the Euro 2024 final.

Carsley could yet remain in the position for a while longer if the search for Southgate’s permanent successor extends beyond the next international break in October.

England are playing in the second tier of the Nations League and are level on six points at the top of their group with Greece, who beat Ireland 2-0.

Ake injured in Netherlands draw

Manchester City defender Nathan Ake went off with an apparent muscle injury shortly before halftime while playing for the Netherlands in a 2-2 draw with Germany. That could be a blow for City ahead of games against Brentford in the Premier League on Saturday and Inter Milan and Arsenal next week.

Denzel Dumfries’ goal helped salvage a draw for the Netherlands, who had started well when Tijjani Reijnders’ goal gave the Dutch the lead after just one-and-a-half minutes in Amsterdam after being left in plenty of space by the German defense.

However, Germany had a 2-1 lead at halftime thanks to goals from Deniz Undav and Joshua Kimmich, before Dumfries leveled in the 50th.

Germany and the Netherlands were familiar foes who have played seven times since 2018, and most recently in March.

For the Netherlands, it was the first game since coach Ronald Koeman ruled forward Steven Bergwijn out of his plans following the forward’s move to the Saudi Arabian league. Koeman suggested Bergwijn, who was on the team at Euro 2024, lacked ambition because of the move.

Germany were without Niclas Füllkrug after the West Ham striker struggled with an Achilles tendon problem and was replaced in the lineup by Stuttgart’s Undav.

In the same group, Hungary and Bosnia-Herzegovina drew 0-0 in the other top-tier game.

Also Tuesday, Pavel Sulc scored twice to lift the Czech Republic to a 3-2 win over Ukraine, and Georgia beat Albania 1-0.


Pochettino appointed as new coach of USA national team

Pochettino appointed as new coach of USA national team
Updated 11 September 2024
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Pochettino appointed as new coach of USA national team

Pochettino appointed as new coach of USA national team
  • Pochettino is the biggest name coach to take charge of the USA and the first foreigner since German Juergen Klinsmann, who was sacked in 2016
  • No detail of the contract length was provided by US Soccer but Pochettino will lead the team in the 2026 World Cup which the USA is co-hosting with Mexico and Canada

MIAMI: Argentine Mauricio Pochettino has been named as the new head coach of the US national team, the US Soccer federation announced on Tuesday.

The former Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Espanyol coach replaces American Gregg Berhalter who was fired in July after a disappointing Copa America campaign.

Pochettino is the biggest name coach to take charge of the USA and the first foreigner since German Juergen Klinsmann, who was sacked in 2016.

Pochettino, 52, has been unemployed since his abrupt departure in May from Chelsea after just a single season in charge.

No detail of the contract length was provided by US Soccer but Pochettino will lead the team in the 2026 World Cup which the USA is co-hosting with Mexico and Canada.

“Mauricio is a serial winner with a deep passion for player development and a proven ability to build cohesive and competitive teams,” said Matt Crocker, US Soccer’s sporting director who led the search for a new coach.

“His track record speaks for itself, and I am confident that he is the right choice to harness the immense potential within our talented squad,” he added.

Pochettino has a track record of promoting young talent at Southampton, Tottenham and Spanish side Espanyol earlier in his managerial career.

At Tottenham, Pochettino played a key role in shaping the career of England captain Harry Kane and he turned Spurs into regular top-four finishers while also guiding them to the Champions League final in 2019.

The Argentine, who coached stars such as Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in Paris, said he was relishing the chance to progress the US team.

“The decision to join US Soccer wasn’t just about football for me; it’s about the journey that this team and this country are on,” Pochettino said.

“The energy, the passion, and the hunger to achieve something truly historic here — those are the things that inspired me. The opportunity to lead the US men’s national team, in front of fans who are just as passionate as the players, is something I couldn’t pass up.

“I see a group of players full of talent and potential, and together, we’re going to build something special that the whole nation can be proud of,” he added.

Pochettino inherits a relatively young team which reached the last-16 at the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022, losing to the Netherlands in the knockout phase.

But hopes that a young squad could progress toward 2026 were damaged by a poor Copa America campaign in July, when the team failed to advance out of the group stage finishing with just one win from three games after losses to Panama and Uruguay.

Berhalter, who had been heavily criticized by fans and pundits, was dismissed and the federation took their time in the search for his replacement.

US Soccer chief executive J.T. Batson said he was convinced that Pochettino was the right coach to get the best out of a team which is led by AC Milan winger Christian Pulisic.

“His deep knowledge of the game, his commitment to developing talent, and his relentless drive for excellence are exactly what we need as we prepare for the 2026 World Cup,” he said.

The financial package to bring in Pochettino, involved negotations with his former club Chelsea and included help from donations from the business world.

“Pochettino’s appointment is supported in significant part by a philanthropic leadership gift from Kenneth C. Griffin, Founder and CEO of Citadel and Founder of Griffin Catalyst. Additional support has been provided by Scott Goodwin, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Diameter, and several commercial partners,” US Soccer said in their statement.

The appointment is the second made by Crocker, a Welshman who previously worked with Pochettino at Southampton.

Crocker brought in another former Chelsea coach, Emma Hayes to lead the women’s team who she took to an Olympic gold in the Paris Games last month.


Australia struggle in World Cup qualifying as Son lifts South Korea

Australia struggle in World Cup qualifying as Son lifts South Korea
Updated 10 September 2024
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Australia struggle in World Cup qualifying as Son lifts South Korea

Australia struggle in World Cup qualifying as Son lifts South Korea
  • Australia carved out a succession of chances but lacked any cutting edge, coming closest when Bayern Munich teenager Nestory Irankunda thundered a shot against the post
  • South Korea’s English Premier League strike force of Hwang Hee-chan and Son Heung-min both scored as they beat Oman 3-1 in Muscat

HONG KONG: Australia failed to score for the second successive match, but Son Heung-min scored a stunning goal as South Korea got off the mark in Asian World Cup qualifying on Tuesday.
Graham Arnold’s Socceroos, having been shocked at home 1-0 by Bahrain last week, dominated a Group C encounter with Indonesia but were held 0-0 in front of almost 80,000 fans at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta.
Australia carved out a succession of chances but lacked any cutting edge, coming closest when Bayern Munich teenager Nestory Irankunda thundered a shot against the post.
“It was our game all along,” Irankunda said. “We should have won it. We should have put them away in the first half.”
Next month, Arnold’s men face China at home in Group C and then a tough trip to in-form Japan.
“There’s eight games to go,” said Arnold. “It’s not like it’s a disaster, but I’ve got to go home and do a lot of thinking.”
South Korea’s English Premier League strike force of Hwang Hee-chan and Son Heung-min both scored as they beat Oman 3-1 in Muscat.
Wolverhampton’s Hwang opened the scoring after 19 minutes before Jung Seungh-hyun’s own goal equalized on the stroke of half-time.
Tottenham’s Son got South Korea’s second, turning outside the box and firing home an unstoppable left-foot finish on 82 minutes.
Joo Min-kyu put the result beyond doubt in the 11th minute of added time after being played in by Son.
It was South Korea’s first win in the final Asian qualifying phase after they were held goalless at home by Palestine last week.
The Palestinians could not repeat their heroic performance in Seoul, however, and were beaten 3-1 by Jordan in a match played in Kuala Lumpur because of the war in Gaza.
North Korea drew 2-2 with Asian Cup champions Qatar in wild weather in a Group A match played in Vientiane.
Ri Il Song gave North Korea an early lead, in what was nominally their home fixture, before they were reduced to 10 men when Jang Kuk Chol was red carded for preventing a goal-scoring opportunity.
Akram Afif scored the resulting penalty and Almoez Ali put the Qataris 2-1 up at half-time.
After the break, the heavens opened violently, dumping huge amounts of water on the Laos National Stadium pitch.
Kang Kuk Chol pierced the gloom with a rasping free-kick equalizer from 30 yards before puddles on the pitch grew into lakes leaving the referee no choice but to take the players off.
There was a delay of more than 20 minutes until the rain eased but when the teams resumed there were no further goals as the players struggled on the waterlogged surface.
In another Group A match Uzbekistan beat Kyrgyzstan 3-2 in Bishkek.
The top two from each of the three six-team Asian groups will be guaranteed a place at the expanded 48-team World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The third qualifying round wraps up in June.


Vincent Labrune re-elected to another 4-year term as French soccer league president

Vincent Labrune re-elected to another 4-year term as French soccer league president
Updated 10 September 2024
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Vincent Labrune re-elected to another 4-year term as French soccer league president

Vincent Labrune re-elected to another 4-year term as French soccer league president
  • The league (LFP) said Labrune received strong support from the board and was then elected by the general assembly in the first round
  • The vote was expected to be tighter because Labrune had faced criticism in recent months over the handling of the league’s TV rights

PARIS: French league president Vincent Labrune was re-elected Tuesday to another four-year term with an overwhelming majority.
The league (LFP) said Labrune, who was formerly club president of nine-time French champion Marseille, received strong support from the board and was then elected by the general assembly in the first round of ballots with 85.67 percent percent of the votes.
“After a first mandate marked by emergency solutions and long-term responses to the unprecedented crisis in the financing of audiovisual rights, an era of transformation for professional soccer has now begun,” the league said in a statement.”
The vote was expected to be tighter because Labrune had faced criticism in recent months over the handling of the league’s TV rights.
Following the collapse of its record-breaking TV rights contract with Spanish-based broadcaster Mediapro four years ago, the league hoped it could get up to 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) per year from the sale of broadcasting rights for 2024-29 but had to lower its target.
In the end, the league settled for 500 million euros per year after sealing a late deal with British streaming platform DAZN and BeIN Sports.
Under Labrune, the French soccer league also approved an investment deal with private equity firm CVC Capital Partners as part of a new commercial subsidiary in charge of marketing media rights. CVC invested 1.5 billion euros in return for a 13 percent stake in the new commercial subsidiary managing TV rights, valuing the entire capital of the commercial subsidiary at 11.5 billion euros.
The CVC deal, which was sealed in 2022 after French soccer came close of bankruptcy, is supported by a large majority of clubs. But it has been challenged by Le Havre, which launched a lawsuit against the French league because it is unhappy with the repartition of the money.
In addition, the French National Financial Prosecutor’s Office said this year it was assessing a complaint focusing on possible misappropriation of public funds when the LFP’s trading company was created following the partial transfer of capital to CVC.
The league said Tuesday it will now work on reducing the deficit of its clubs and enhancing the value of its competitions in partnership with broadcasters and CVC.
After the Mediapro collapse, the league was forced to ask the government to set up a financial rescue plan amid huge revenue losses exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. The deal with Mediapro should have been worth more than 4 billion euros ($4.8 billion) over four years for the top two tiers but collapsed after only four months.