كوكا: تلقيت عروضًا للرحيل عن الأهلي.. وتمسك كولر بي "شيء كبير"

أكد أحمد نبيل كوكا، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي، على رغبته في تقديم بصمة جيدة مع الفريق خلال الموسم المقبل، مشددًا على أنه سيسعى بكل قوة من أجل الحصول على فرصة اللعب أساسيًا تحت قيادة المدير الفني مارسيل كولر.

وقال كوكا في تصريحات لموقع الأهلي اللارسمي: “طموحي في الموسم المقبل حصد العديد من البطولات، وبالتأكيد سنخوض موسمًا صعبًا وتحديات كبيرة، وكل اللاعبين لديهم نفس الرغبة في الفوز بأي بطولة يشارك فيها الأهلي”.

وأضاف: “المنافسة في وسط الملعب، ستكون صعبة في ظل تواجد لاعبين كبار ودوليين، ولكن كل المراكز في الفريق تشهد تنافسًا شديدًا، وأنا أتدرب بمنتهى القوة، وأسعى أن أكون على قدر المسئولية، وأحافظ على نفسي وتركيزي، وأعمل على الاستفادة من المعسكر الحالي والوصول لجاهزية جيدة”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. مران الأهلي | حضور الخطيب.. وكولر يحاضر اللاعبين

وواصل: “شاركت مع الفريق في نهاية الموسم الماضي خلال مباريات مهمة، وقدمت مستوى جيدًا، وهو ما ساعدني على الدخول للموسم الجديد بمعنويات عالية، وسأعمل على بذل قصارى جهدي لتقديم الأفضل خلال الموسم الجديد”.

وتابع: “بطولة الأمم الإفريقية مع المنتخب الأولمبي كانت مهمة بالنسبة لنا، وكنا نتعرض للانتقادات خلال التصفيات المؤهلة للبطولة، ورغم الفوز في معظم المباريات، لكن كنا نتعرض للانتقادات، لكن مع بداية البطولة بالمغرب حصلنا على دعم كبير، وأكملنا مشوارنا بنجاح حتى الوصول إلى النهائي وتقدمنا بهدف على المغرب، ولكن تم طرد أحد اللاعبين وخسرنا بصعوبة”.

وأضاف: “رؤية الجهاز الفني للمنتخب الأولمبي، بشأن اختيار اللاعبين الثلاثة الكبار للمشاركة في الأولمبياد لا تشغلني أو تشغل أي لاعب حاليًا، ما زال الحديث مبكرًا للغاية حول هذا الملف، وأي لاعب سينضم من العناصر أصحاب الخبرات سيكون إضافة بكل تأكيد”.

وتابع: “لعبت بجوار أغلب عناصر خط الوسط بالأهلي، وكلهم مميزين، ولذلك أشعر بالراحة بجوار أي لاعب منهم فهم من أصحاب الخبرات الدولية”.

وأكمل: “تلقيت عروضًا للخروج معارًا من الأهلي، وكنت أرحب بفكرة الانضمام لأي نادٍ بشكل مؤقت، ولكن كولر تمسك بوجودي في الفريق ورفض إعارتي لأي نادٍ، وأنا واحد من أبناء النادي ومصلحة الأهلي هي الأهم”.

وزاد: “كولر دائمًا ما يتحدث معي بشكل جيد، وأكد لي أنني لاعب مهم ولي دور مع الفريق، ورفض رحيلي معارًا في الموسم الماضي، وبالنسبة لي ذلك شيء كبير للغاية، وسأسعى للعب أساسيًا والتمسك بفرصة المشاركة”.

وأكد: “أحلامي مع الأهلي خلال الموسم الجديد المشاركة في كأس العالم للأندية، وأتمنى تحقيق دوري أبطال إفريقيا أيضًا، وأن يكون لي دور مؤثر مع الفريق، وكذلك أطمح لتحقيق لقب المونديال مع الفريق وأشارك بصورة أساسية”.

وحول المركز الأفضل بالنسبة له، قال: “في بدايتي مع موسيماني ظهرت في مركز الظهير الأيسر، وكنت أتمنى اللعب في مركز الوسط المدافع وهو المكان المفضل بالنسبة لي”.

وتابع: “مثلي الأعلى محليًا الكابتن أحمد حسن، وعالميًا نجولو كانتي، وياسر رضوان هو أهم مدرب في مرحلة الناشئين بالنسبة لي، الذي ساعدني كثيرًا وساهم في تصعيدي للفريق الأول، وله فضل كبير علي”.

وأردف: “الأهلي نادٍ كبير يريد الفوز بكل بطولة يشارك فيها، وهو ما نسعى إليه بدءًا من المعسكر الحالي الذي نستعد فيه لارتباطات الموسم الجديد، وبالتأكيد كانت فترة راحة جيدة لمدة 20 يومًا، ومعسكر النمسا رائع والملاعب جيدة والأجواء مميزة”.

واستأنف: “معظم لاعبي الأهلي الكبار يتحدثون مع اللاعبين الشباب ويحفزونهم من أجل الظهور بشكل قوي مع الفريق، وأي لاعب داخل النادي يتعرض للضغوط والانتقادات، لكن من الصعب الرد، لأن التركيز فقط داخل المستطيل الأخضر، من الوارد أن يتراجع مستوى أي لاعب، ولكن ندرك تواجدنا في نادٍ كبير وقيمته، ومدى الصعوبات في ظل المطالب الدائمة بالمنافسة على كل البطولات”.

وتابع: “تم تصعيد عدد كبير من اللاعبين الناشئين للفريق الأول في السنوات الأخيرة والفريق الأول حاليًا يضم لاعبين من أعمار مختلفة من 18 و 19 و 20 عامًا، ودائمًا أبناء النادي يكون لهم تأثير جيد في الأهلي».

واختتم: “أشكر جماهير النادي الأهلي على دعمهم ومساندتهم لكل اللاعبين في الموسم المنقضي، وحضورهم بعض المباريات في دوري أبطال إفريقيا بالسعة الكاملة كان من أهم الدوافع للتتويج باللقب، ونعدهم بأننا سنبذل قصارى جهدنا من أجل حصد المزيد من الألقاب وإسعادهم بصفة مستمرة».

Plunkett revives England memories

England Lions settled for a draw in their warm-up game against Sri Lanka A Emerging Players after the Yorkshire pair Jonny Bairstow and Liam Plunkett had both made hundreds

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Feb-2014
ScorecardLiam Plunkett is finding cricket appealing again•PA Photos

England Lions failed to force victory on a decent pitch and settled for a draw in their warm-up game against Sri Lanka A Emerging Players after the Yorkshire pair Jonny Bairstow and Liam Plunkett had both made hundreds.Bairstow and Plunkett, who resumed on 58 and 34 respectively, hit 117 and 114 as the Lions struck 289 for six declared in their second innings to set Sri Lanka A Emerging Players a nominal 464 to win. Madawa Warnapura and Chaturanga de Silva scored half-centuries as they reached 177 for 4 by the close.Simon Kerrigan, who had such a traumatic Test debut against Australia at The Oval last year, took two more wickets and finished with heartening match figures of 5 for 81.For Plunkett, a career-best score represented the continuation of a turnaround that began following his move to Yorkshire last year. He had fallen away at Durham as he struggled to groove his action and looked a far cry from the promising bowler worthy of a Test debut at 20. His move to Yorkshire has refuelled his passions for the game.”I am at the stage now where I am 28 and last year I fell back in love with cricket,” Plunkett said. “After a couple of years that were a bit of a downer, last year I really loved cricket. I have been excited to play and I was looking forward to coming out to Sri Lanka with Yorkshire in three or four weeks. To come out a bit earlier is good fun.A bowling all-rounder, Plunkett struck 11 fours and four sixes in a 140-ball innings. Bairstow was no less impressive, ending with 14 boundaries – two of which were maximums – that typified a pugnacious effort.

Janderson comemora estreia pelo Corinthians: 'Sonho realizado'

MatériaMais Notícias

Destaque na Copa São Paulo deste ano, o atacante Janderson teve sua chance de estrear pela equipe profissional do Corinthians na última quarta-feira, na vitória por 1 a 0 sobre a Chapecoense. Aos 20 anos, o jovem teve mais de meia hora para mostrar suas características para a torcida na Arena.

O atleta substituiu Pedrinho, aos 22 minutos da etapa final, atuando pelo lado direito do setor ofensivo, onde logo na primeira jogada após entrar em campo partiu para cima do marcador e quase foi com liberdade para a linha de fundo. Esse contato inicial com o time de cima significou muito para o garoto.

-É um sonho realizado estrear pelo Corinthians, pelo profissional. Sempre me dediquei para isso, sempre trabalhei para isso. Está sendo uma honra vestir esse manto. É uma sensação única, queria agradecer a todos os jogadores que me apoiaram, e a toda essa torcida maravilhosa – disse o atacante para a TV oficial do clube após o duelo.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFutebol NacionalConfrontos das oitavas da Copa do Brasil são definidos; confira os duelosFutebol Nacional02/05/2019CorinthiansDesfalques treinam à parte e apenas reservas do Corinthians vão a campoCorinthians02/05/2019CorinthiansA caminho do Oeste, Thiaguinho não participa de treino no CorinthiansCorinthians02/05/2019

Para Janderson, estrear diante do torcedor corintiano, recebendo apoio da arquibancada, ajudou a evitar o nervosismo e encarar a oportunidade com mais tranquilidade. Além disso, ele exaltou a atuação da equipe para conquistar a importante vitória no Brasileirão.

-Sempre muito bom, me deixa com mais calma, me deixa mais tranquilo, a favor, essa torcida é maravilhosa, só tem a agradecer a todos pelo apoio. Importante a gente sair com os três pontos, sabemos que é uma competição muito difícil, mas a gente tem que fazer o dever de casa, sair com três pontos e seguirmos para a próxima partida – concluiu o jovem.

Janderson chegou ao clube no meio do ano passado, emprestado pelo Joinville. Após se destacar na Copinha de 2019, o clube decidiu por exercer seu direito de compra e garantiu o jogador no elenco, firmando contrato até dezembro de 2022. Neste sábado, diante do Vasco, em Manaus, ele pode ser uma das novidades da equipe alternativa que Fábio Carille pretende colocar em campo.

Latham, Ronchi lead New Zealand's reply

A whopping 419 runs were scored in 88 overs on day two of the second unofficial Test in Dambulla, where Sri Lanka A emerged with a slight edge over New Zealand A

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando24-Sep-2013
ScorecardFile photo – Kithuruwan Vithanage’s sixth first-class ton took Sri Lanka to a huge total•AFPA whopping 419 runs were scored in 88 overs on day two of the second unofficial Test in Dambulla, where Sri Lanka A emerged with a slight edge over New Zealand A. Kithuruwan Vithanage’s sixth first-class hundred propelled the hosts towards their eventual 555 for 6 declared, before New Zealand responded with 224 for 4 at stumps. Captain Tom Latham’s 77 not out and Luke Ronchi’s unbeaten 60 from 67, saw the visitors recover from 140 for 4, but they remained 331 runs adrift.Vithanage had struck 32 not out from 33 the previous evening, and he was not shy of attacking New Zealand again, as he blazed to his hundred inside the first session. He had begun alongside Kaushal Silva, who might have held hopes for a double ton having been 150 overnight, but fell to the part-time medium pace of Carl Cachopa for 193, ending his 181-run association with Vithanage. 
Vithanage himself fell soon after lunch, having hit 20 fours and a six in his 127-ball 116, and Sri Lanka declared fewer than four overs after that. At the end of the innings, only three batsmen had fallen to the visitor’s frontline bowlers, who had also largely been expensive on a seemingly flat surface. Aside from Matt Henry and Andrew Ellis, no other bowler conceded less than 4.5 runs an over.New Zealand progressed even more quickly, scoring at 4.48 in the 50 overs they faced. Latham and Cachopa had begun solidly before Cachopa was caught behind off Nuwan Pradeep, with the score on 75. Anton Devcich then hit 39 runs off 37, but his dismissal to Ashan Priyanjan’s medium pace brought two more quick wickets, before Latham and Ronchi ensured their team would not slide further in the day. Priyanjan finished the day with 2 for 18, from his six overs.The overnight batsmen will hope to take New Zealand beyond the follow-on target of 355 when play resumes on Wednesday, while the hosts know they are two wickets away from the tail.

Pepe cita Coutinho como maior camisa 9 da história: 'Extraordinário'

MatériaMais Notícias

Pepe, o Canhão da Vila, fez sua última homenagem a Coutinho, que está sendo velado no Salão de Mármore da Vila Belmiro, nesta terça-feira.

Ambos participaram de um dos melhores ataques de todos os tempos. Eles tinham a companhia de Pelé, Dorval e Mengálvio. Pepe, inclusive, citou Coutinho como o maior camisa 9 da história do futebol.

-As tabelinhas com Pelé ficaram marcadas para sempre. Nasceram ali as tabelas no futebol. Santos teve outros grandes centroavantes como Pagão e Toninho Guerreiro, mas Coutinho foi o maior de todos. Não havia tempo ruim. Uma lacuna difícil de ser preenchida e nosso coração está de luto, o Santos também. Nosso amigo de sempre merece descansar em paz – disse Pepe.

Pepe também ressaltou que o Santos está de luto por perder uma figura incrível. Juntos, marcaram 773 gols pelo Peixe.

RelacionadasSantosManoel Maria revela noite em claro pela morte de Coutinho: ‘Muito triste’Santos12/03/2019SantosJuary relembra história com Coutinho e diz: ‘Foi um pai para mim’Santos12/03/2019SantosEm evolução, meia promovido por Cuca recorda ligação de Peres após cirurgiaSantos12/03/2019

-A gente perde um amigo de todas as horas. Nossa amizade continuou depois de paramos de jogar. Santos está de luto, perdeu um jogador extraordinário e uma figura humana incrível. Estamos muito triste, fez parte do nosso grande ataque, que me orgulho e eu era o único cara pálida de uma crioulada fantástica – relembrou o ex-atacante.

Antônio Wilson Vieira Honório nasceu em 11 de junho de 1943, na cidade de Piracicaba (SP). Com apenas 14 anos, o atacante fez sua estreia profissional pelo Santos, em 1958. Ele permaneceu no Peixe até 1968, e depois retornou para mais uma passagem em 1970.

Entre seus principais títulos pelo Santos estão seis Campeonato Paulistas, cinco títulos da Taça Brasil, além de duas LIbertadores da América e dois Mundiais Interclubes.

Coutinho é o terceiro maior artilheiro da história do Santos, com 368 gols marcados em 457 jogos, atrás apenas de Pepe, com 403 gols, e Pelé, com 1.091 gols. Ele fez parte do lendário ataque formado por Dorval, Mengálvio, Coutinho, Pelé e Pepe. O artilheiro era considerado o melhor parceiro que Pelé já teve.

Mumbai go No. 2 by trampling Warriors

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsA subdued start and sorry finish to Pune Warriors’ innings set the scene for their 12th loss in 14 matches this season, as Mumbai Indians sauntered to second place on the table with a five-wicket win. Having chosen to bat, Warriors never really spurred their innings towards an acceptable run rate, and although they were building towards a platform from which they could launch, a cluster of dismissals heralded a woeful end to their innings. They managed just 34 off their last eight overs and ended on 112 for 8.The slow pitch made Mumbai’s chase a touch tougher than it ought to have been, but despite losing Dwayne Smith first ball, they were never really challenged. Rohit Sharma made 37, and his 54-run partnership with Ambati Rayudu effectively secured victory, which was achieved with seven balls remaining. Their net run-rate put them above Rajasthan Royals, and the middling teams will struggle to deprive them of a playoffs spot.Having been on 84 for 2 at one stage, Warriors seemed a side that had forgotten how to win, as they were derailed in a six-ball period that yielded three wickets. Manish Pandey hit a Lasith Malinga full toss straight to deep midwicket, before Angelo Mathews fell, responding to Yuvraj Singh’s poor call in the next over, before Yuvraj himself was caught in front by Harbhajan Singh. The running between the wickets was ordinary, and had the Mumbai fielders hit the stumps half as often as their fielding coach Jonty Rhodes did in his career, Warriors might have struggled to make 90.The only period Warriors seemed capable of making a competitive total was when Yuvraj Singh was at the crease, and even he, during his 29-ball stay, could not manage a strike rate better than 114. He struck consecutive leg-side sixes off Pragyan Ojha in the 11th over, signaling an intention to shake Warriors out of their ponderous tempo, but he was out three overs later having done little else, and stunningly, those sixes were the last boundaries hit in the hosts’ innings. The Mumbai death-bowling was tight, rather than extraordinary, and the pitch was a little difficult, but the Warriors batsmen never adjusted to the pace of the surface and swing after swing, they continued to mistime their shots into the deep, or miss the ball completely. Mitchell Johnson finished with the best figures in the match, having taken two wickets for eight runs in his four overs.Ashok Dinda, who was among five changes to the Warriors side, bowled a peach to uproot Dwayne Smith’s off stump first ball, but with so few to chase, Mumbai could afford to regroup safely. Ajantha Mendis was the best of Warriors’ bowlers, taking 1 for 15 from his full quota, but no one was able to deliver the spell that would cause a serious scare in the opposition dugout.

Van Beek keeps Foxes flying as Lancashire slump to dismal innings defeat

Keaton Jennings resists with century but no other batter makes more than 26 for rock-bottom Roses

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay25-May-2025Leicestershire’s remarkable season continued apace with victory over Lancashire by an innings and three runs to further reinforce an already formidable lead in Division Two of the Rothesay County Championship.With a 251-run advantage on first innings, brought about largely by centuries from Rehan Ahmed and Lewis Hill, they bowled Lancashire out for 248 to complete a fifth win of the season, all of which have been achieved with a day to spare.Keaton Jennings, who stepped down as captain earlier this month in the light of his side’s woeful start to the campaign, gave his side hope of salvaging something from this match with a characterful 112, but no other batter made 26 in another dismal Lancashire performance.Logan Van Beek was Leicestershire’s most successful bowler with four for 61 and there were two wickets each for Josh Hull, Tom Scriven and Rehan Ahmed.Having watched Leicestershire progress merrily through Saturday at 4.23 runs per over compared with their own 2.65 on day one, Lancashire might have imagined that runs would come more easily to them on day three, yet it took them 29 overs to trim 74 off their deficit in the first session.What’s more, they lost three wickets in doing so, including perhaps critically that of their leading scorer and principal hope of avoiding defeat here, Marcus Harris.The Australian perished in the penultimate over before lunch as captain Peter Handscomb repeated his first-day tactic of bringing back his new ball bowlers for a pre-interval burst. It brought success then and it did again as Harris flashed at a ball outside off stump to be caught behind for 20.It provided a third wicket of the morning for Van Beek, who had been two for nine from six overs after his first spell, having dismissed Luke Wells and Josh Bohannon in the space of three deliveries.Wells deployed an uppercut to lift a short delivery over the slip cordon but did not control the shot and Lewis Hill, with a gusty crosswind adding an extra element of difficulty, took a well-judged catch at wide third man. Bohannon edged to second slip for a second-ball duck.However, the collapse sparked by Van Beek’s breakthrough before lunch on day one was not repeated, thanks largely to Jennings, who showed the strength of his character in a difficult season to guide Lancashire to 209 for five at tea thanks to the 32nd first-class hundred of his career, his 16th for his current county.It was doubtless not the most fluid among them on a pitch starting to produce variable bounce and he survived a chance on 58 when a diving Ben Cox could not get his gloves around a flick down the legside off Hull, but it kept his side in the game.After finding support from Matty Hurst, who was caught behind off a fine delivery by Scriven, in adding 70 for the fourth wicket, Jennings reached the milestone as a meaty pull Van Beek brought him a 10th boundary.The fifth wicket added a further 58, although George Bell’s dismissal off a top-edged pull just before tea detracted a touch from what had otherwise been a solid session for the visitors, who were still 42 behind at the interval.Moreover, the breakthrough Leicestershire craved was not far away, Jennings falling seven overs into the evening session, his demise brought about by a ball that reared up off a length from Scriven and caught the batter’s right glove, Handscomb taking an excellent catch at slip.After that, Lancashire’s downfall came about at pace. Hull brought one back to bowl George Balderson, Rehan Ahmed’s leg spin came into the game to have Tom Bailey caught behind, the England all-rounder following up by trapping Anderson Phillip leg before.Hull then took a splendid catch on the run off his own bowling to remove Tom Hartley and spark Leicestershire’s celebrations in a season in which promotion already looks theirs to lose with the Championship season only at the halfway stage.

Tour na Arena Corinthians receberá o ex-zagueiro Chicão em janeiro

MatériaMais Notícias

Tour Casa do Povo, na Arena Corinthians, tornou-se experiência única para o torcedor alvinegro reviver momentos históricos do Timão. No dia 26 de janeiro, o estádio de Itaquera receberá um dos personagens mais simbólicos da arrancada de um período difícil rumo às principais glórias alvinegras dos últimos tempos. O ex-zagueiro Chicão é o próximo convidado do “Tour com Ídolo” na casa corintiana.

Xerife e goleador, sendo o segundo zagueiro-artilheiro da história do clube, com 42 gols marcados em 247 jogos, Chicão vai receber os torcedores na Aren em dois tours diferentes. No primeiro, às 9h, o ex-jogador será o guia, acompanhando os visitantes durante todo o passeio. Nos horários seguintes, 10h, 10h40, 11h20, 12h, ele receberá os torcedores no final do tour para uma sessão de fotos e autógrafos.

– Minha relação com o Corinthians e com a Fiel é especial até hoje. O mais legal é poder ouvir dos torcedores onde eles estavam em cada conquista, o que mudamos na vida deles. Muitos ainda me param nas ruas, mordem o símbolo em alusão às minhas comemorações dos gols, é muito emocionante. Fico honrado em poder falar que dei a vida por essa camisa e, ao lado de tantos outros companheiros e funcionários, pude ajudar a devolver o clube ao lugar que ele merece, que é o topo do mundo – emocionou-se o ex-defensor.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansCarille monta primeira escalação após volta ao Corinthians; veja o timeCorinthians07/01/2019CorinthiansCorinthians apresenta patrocinador e diretor fala em ‘master adiantado’Corinthians07/01/2019CorinthiansBoselli relembra Tevez: ‘Espero fazer metade do que ele fez no Corinthians’Corinthians07/01/2019

Contratado para a temporada 2008, Chicão participou da retomada alvinegra após a queda, em 2007, e conquistou oito títulos pelo Timão: Série B 2008, Paulistão 2009, Copa do Brasil 2009, Brasileirão 2011, Libertadores 2012, Mundial 2012, Paulistão 2013 e Recopa Sul-Americana 2013.

O Tour Casa do Povo

O Casa do Povo é a forma do torcedor poder conhecer os bastidores do estádio de Itaquera – sede da abertura da Copa do Mundo de 2014, que também sediou os Jogos Olímpicos em 2016 e receberá jogos da Copa América em 2019. O passeio mostra por cerca de 1h, de forma exclusiva, locais como camarotes, sala de imprensa, sala de aquecimento, vestiários, banco de reservas e área técnica, alguns frequentados apenas por jogadores e comissão técnica da equipe alvinegra.

Além da visita comum, diversas edições do Tour com Ídolos do clube já foram realizadas, com as presenças ilustres do meia Danilo, além dos ex-jogadores Zé Maria, Basílio, Wladimir, Edilson Capetinha, Vampeta, Tobias e Marcelinho Carioca.

Tudo sobre

Corinthians

Putland, openers guide SA to win

Scorecard
Gary Putland and South Australia completed a memorable week in Melbourne with a four-wicket victory over Victoria in the domestic limited overs match at the MCG.Backing up from a match haul of 12 for 92 in SA’s Sheffield Shield win over the Bushrangers, Putland claimed another match award by claiming 4 for 44 as the hosts were restricted to 8 for 241.In reply, the Redbacks were given the perfect start by Michael Klinger and Phillip Hughes, the openers adding 164 before a collapse of 6 for 48 gave Victoria some hope of snatching the points.However the wicketkeeper Tim Ludeman and the captain Johan Botha rallied the chase to overhaul Victoria’s total with 22 balls to spare.Putland’s haul included the wicket of the Bushrangers’ top scorer Peter Handscomb, who was yorked after making an attractive 64.SA’s wobbles in the chase came via a combination of diligent bowling by Scott Boland and a series of ill-advised swings at short-pitched deliveries, offering a series of catches to the Victorian fielders before Ludeman and Botha settled the affair.

Albie Morkel picks up ankle injury

Albie Morkel, the South Africa all-rounder, will be out of action for up to 10 days due to an ankle and South Africa have called in Faf du Plessis

Firdose Moonda at Headingley31-Jul-2012

Albie Morkel struck a half-century against Worcestershire•Getty Images

Albie Morkel, the South Africa all-rounder, will be out of action for up to 10 days due to an ankle and South Africa have called in Faf du Plessis as cover. Morkel will remain with the squad as he awaits results of his scans and the expectation is he will be available for the third Test if required.Morkel, who was unlikely to come into contention for the Headingley Test, was one of the reserves who impressed in the tour match against Worcestershire last week. He scored a half-century while batsmen in the Test XI, Alviro Petersen, Jacques Rudolph and JP Duminy failed.Morkel has only played one Test, against Australia in 2009, and was initially called up as a replacement when he took the place of fast bowler Marchant de Lange who had to leave the tour in the first week. De Lange sustained a back injury in last month’s unofficial Twenty20 tri-series in June and could not recover in time for the series. Morkel was easily accessible for the visitors as he had been playing in the Friends Life t20 for SomersetDu Plessis has recently been captaining South Africa A in a fifty-over tri-series in Zimbabwe, which also included Sri Lanka A. His much improved first-class record in the previous season, in which he batted at No.4 or 5 instead of lower down as was the case previously for his franchise Titans, has put him in contention for a Test spot recently. During the 2011-12 season he scored 599 runs from four matches including three hundreds.He is also due to lead South Africa A in a series against Ireland which starts next Monday. If he is not required for a Test debut at Headingley, which would only come about due to injury, he will leave the squad on Thursday and join up with the A team in Wicklow.

Game
Register
Service
Bonus