All posts by h716a5.icu

Nottinghamshire’s promotion at the first time of asking completed a rewarding season that also included two limited-overs trophies

Vithushan Ehantharajah at Hove28-Sep-20172:24

Championship round-up: Somerset stay up, but despair for Middlesex

It took just one season. Nottinghamshire, relegated from Division One in 2016, have won promotion in 2017. Having led Division Two with distinction, a trail-blazing start seeing them set the standard that, for a while, few could match, they make do with second-place. The treble may not have come to pass, but nothing of what Nottinghamshire have done in all forms of the game, winning the Royal London Cup and the NatWest T20 Blast, has a whiff of failure about it. Essex might have won the County Championship, but Nottinghamshire were the best team in the country. Quite a feat for Peter Moores’ first season in charge.Only recently has there been reason to doubt that. They came into this final match against Sussex needing 12 points to secure promotion, and 12 was exactly what they got. A wayward performance with the ball, saw them concede 565 in Sussex’s first innings, after reducing the hosts to 107 for 5. Then, requiring all five batting points to adequately supplement points for a draw, they crashed to 65 for 5. Chris Read, for one last time, dragged his side out of a hole and, eventually, to the promised land.A delayed 1pm start ended with handshakes at 4.30pm: Sussex not asking Nottinghamshire to bat, instead biding their time as Luke Wells completed a magnificent hundred. Upon handshakes, the bails were flicked off on Read’s career.He was hugged by all, walking through a guard of honour on the field before a bigger one, reinforced by spectators and the entire Sussex squad, greeted him off and up the stairs towards the Nottinghamshire dressing room. He told BBC Nottingham that it was only when he walked off and saw the ovation in his honour that it dawned on him. And us, too. English cricket will go on, but it will do so without Read.Read’s quality and longevity can be seen in his numbers: 348 first class appearances – 15 of which Test matches for England – along with 333 List A and 119 T20s matches. A first class tally of 16,237 runs from 525 innings, 25 hundreds and a batting average of 37.07 underlines his class in front of the stumps, transitioning from an era of wicketkeeping as a specialist skill, to present day, when they are required to pull their weight with the bat. His 124 in the first innings hauled Nottinghamshire towards the bonus points haul that confirmed their promotion. Naturally, it was behind the stumps where he set the standard that many will aspire to but few can follow.Read collected 1580 dismissals in all forms , with 1101 dismissals in the first class game – the 1101st of them, today, when he cleared out three fielders to take a popped-up catch from Michael Burgess for Sussex’s seventh second-innings wicket. He is likely to be the last English wicketkeeper to take over a thousand catches. Against Derbyshire at the start of August, he beat Thomas Oates’ record for the most dismissals for a Nottinghamshire wicketkeeper. That now stands at 982 – 938 catches and 44 stumpings.Chris Read heads off into retirement•Getty ImagesThere was one quirk that could have been rectified as he took to the field after tea for the last time. Read has no wicket – first-class, one-day or T20 – to his name. He has bowled 16-overs worth in first-class cricket. He was egged on by some of his Nottinghamshire team-mates to bring himself on to bowl and nab a maiden wicket on his final bow. However, Moores, his head coach, a former wicketkeeper himself, had some sage advice: “You’ve kept wicket for 20-years and that’s how you should walk off – with your pads on.”Typically for Read, it is not the personal milestones or accolades he will miss. He ran his hands through his hair a few times as he walked from the middle and up the Pavilion steps, taking in the applause, cheers and every last moment. He even had to be reminded to hold on to a frame that Sussex had made for him to commemorate his last first-class game.”I will miss the wonderful friends I have made in the game,” he said. “Not only at Trent Bridge but in the opposition too. I’ll miss my little disorganised corner of the dressing room and sharing a beer afterwards and celebrate a win or chew the fat if it’s gone wrong.”Trying to maintain the level of performance you expect of yourself gets harder and harder, that’s why I have decided to retire. I feel that my performance levels are only going to drop off but I’d like to think I go out maybe not at the top but not too far off. It’s been an enjoyable last day of my career.”Nottinghamshire have done the last part of this the hard way. The Division Two title was all theirs up until T20 Blast Finals Day, when the second-part of a what looked a nailed-on treble was secured.They took their foot off the gas and, first, lost their unbeaten record against Worcestershire. Then, they lost their claim to first-place with defeat to Northamptonshire. Both victors coming into the final round of matches looking to sneak the Division Two trophy and promotion respectively.However well they played in this match, when the sentiments of promotion and Read’s retirement die down – and it will be a while yet – they must count themselves very fortunate. Had Northamptonshire not let their over rate slide in the match at Trent Bridge and incurred a five-point penalty, Nottinghamshire, taking second-place by a single point, would not be welcoming Division One cricket to Trent Bridge in 2018.The final throes of the Championship season at Hove were a mixed bag. Wells produced a sparkling fourth Championship century of the season to finish 2017 with his best first-class haul in a calendar year. His 103 – his hundred came off 97 balls – saw him lead Division Two with 1292 Championship runs. Only Surrey’s retiring great Kumar Sangakkara, with a remarkable 1491 in Division One, has more in the competition.Wells belted four sixes in his innings, all off offspinner Matt Carter, all straight and true down the ground, above and beyond the sight screen and the deckchairs at the Cromwell Road End. When he was dismissed, Carter set about bettering his figures, as Sussex’s batsmen came in, slogged a few and then went on their way. The young off-spinner finished with figures of four for 106 from just 17 overs.With Division One status confirmed, Nottinghamshire can go about recruiting ahead of next season. Over the last two years, they have lost a number of key first-team players, such as James Taylor and Michael Lumb, and now Read. While Paul Coughlin is joining the club, they missed out on Keaton Jennings, who opted to join Lancashire. Further deals are being worked on behind the scenes.In the short-term, it is straight back up to Nottingham as the festivities begin on the road before a player’s do on Saturday. They drink to promotion and, for one last time, they will drink to Chris Read.As Read’s last post-match interview as captain and cricketer wound down, he offered a perfect summation for Nottinghamshire’s 2017 and his illustrious career: “It worked out well in the end.”

Manchester United have reportedly identified a left-field option to help strengthen their centre-back ranks this summer, amid reports that Erik ten Hag is showing an interest in Everton youngster, Jarrad Branthwaite.

How much would Jarrad Branthwaite cost?

According to journalist Simon Jones – writing in his Transfer Confidential for the Daily Mail – the 21-year-old is a 'surprise name' that has been mentioned by those at Old Trafford, with the England youth international having 'impressed scouts' during his spell on loan at PSV Eindhoven last season.

That stint in the Netherlands saw the Carlisle native – who has two years left to run on his existing deal with the Toffees – link up with United legend, Ruud van Nistelrooy, albeit with the 6 foot 5 starlet having since made his return to Goodison Park.

Read the latest Manchester United transfer news HERE…

If the Red Devils are to prise him from the Merseyside outfit then it has previously been suggested that a fee of around £20m could be required, albeit with alternative reports indicating that the one-time Blackburn Rovers loanee could fetch as little as £5m-£6m.

How good is Jarrad Branthwaite?

The Toffees sensation has clearly been on the radar of Ten Hag and co in recent times with reports last year indicating that the Premier League giants were targeting a move for the then-teenager, ahead of their first window with the Dutchman at the helm.

That interest is likely to have only been heightened by the towering rock's form while at PSV last season, with the Eredivisie clearly a league that Ten Hag continues to keep a close eye on, with the former Ajax boss having recruited the likes of Antony, Lisandro Martinez and Tyrell Malacia from his homeland during his United tenure to date.

The hope will be that Branthwaite can emerge as a dream heir to that man Martinez as a natural fit in a left-sided centre-back berth, with the Carabao Cup winners having been forced to deploy Luke Shaw in that role at times last season due to the lack of adequate cover.

While physically somewhat different to the 5 foot 9 Argentine, the Everton ace does appear to share the 25-year-old's quality on the ball, with former Carlisle boss Steven Pressley having previously stated:

"The truth is, I think he has got everything. He can pass the ball almost equally as good with both feet. He’s a terrific footballer."

Also dubbed "complete" by Van Nistelrooy, Branthwaite's ability to play out from the back is shown by the fact that he has averaged 3.61 progressive passes per 90 across the last 365 days, with that a similar record to what Martinez has achieved in that time (3.96 per 90).

That is significant as the latter man has been lauded for his ball-playing prowess during his time at the Theatre of Dreams, having been described as "so clean and composed" by ex-United man, Patrice Evra.

Defensively, Martinez has also been an "absolute monster" – according to teammate Luke Shaw – having averaged an impressive 3.2 tackles and interceptions per game in the Premier League in 2022/23, with young Branthwaite only just behind after averaging 2.3 in that regard in Holland.

With the World Cup winner having arguably been a "huge miss" after he was ruled out of the final stretch of the season through injury, as per Paul Scholes, it would make sense to bring in a suitable understudy, like Branthwaite, who can help to plug the gap, while also proving a dream successor in the long run at the heart of the defence.

England will play their first day-night Test against West Indies this week, a side who have been able to prepare with a warm-up match and have previous pink-ball Test experience

Alan Gardner14-Aug-20171:55

Are West Indies more ‘pink ball ready’?

The lights are going to be on but will anyone feel at home? Stuart Broad has admitted this week’s day-night Investec Test against West Indies – the first of its kind to be played in the UK – will be a “step into the unknown” and warned that England will have to be on their guard against a side with more experience of the pink ball than them.The Edgbaston Test will provide a number of challenges, from the question of how the pink Dukes balls will perform, to the difficulties of batting as darkness falls, to the issue of whether starting later and the use of floodlights might require different tactics. Even sleep patterns and meal times will have to be adjusted: the Test will feature a 40-minute interval at tea and only a 20-minute break in the evening.”This week, I promise you, we are stepping into the unknown,” Broad said. “I just don’t know what to expect.  I’ve tried to speak to a few people – obviously the Australians are a bit different because they have played day-nighters with a different ball [the Kookaburra]. The county lads said it’s not shined up very well at all, that it’s gone really soft really quickly – it’s given different bounce for the spinners but not really turned.”This is a big series for us and this is the first Test of the series – it’s quite nerve racking. You’re playing something that is completely unknown to you but you still have to stamp your authority on the series. It think it really opens up the series to start with.”England will go in as clear favourites against a side ranked eighth in the world – and with their own ranking up No. 3 after completing a 3-1 victory against South Africa last week – but Broad pointed to the fact that West Indies have not only played a pink-ball Test before, against Pakistan in Dubai last year, they have also enjoyed an encouraging workout under floodlights, with four individual centuries either side of bowling out Derbyshire for 181 in their latest tour match.By contrast, the pink-ball matches in the Championship were six weeks ago and, in several cases, rain affected – in Yorkshire’s match against Surrey, Joe Root faced 13 balls and Jonny Bairstow did not bat. Broad, meanwhile, missed out after suffering a recurrence of his heel problem and has only ever bowled with a pink ball once, during a demonstration on Sky.”There is always pressure in Test cricket and we have just come off the back of a good series against South Africa, but with areas where we can still improve a lot,” he said. “Following the scores in the West Indies’ warm-up match at Derby, it looked like they had a great week with the pink ball. They have probably had more experience than us with the pink ball – they played in Dubai against it recently – so you could almost say they have an advantage over us having played a pink-ball game this week, going into the first Test.  Whereas we are having one training session under lights and that is the only time we’re getting training under the lights.”It is going to be really interesting and I think every batsman will be praying they don’t come in at that twilight period to face their first ball because you want it to be as normal as possible when you first get to the crease. So, as a team, we’ll have to try and make sure we have batsmen ‘in’ during that period because you could lose three or four wickets in that tricky period and it could cost you the Test match.  Whoever is in – whoever is 30 not out, or 70 not out – will be getting a telling off if they get out.”Ottis Gibson a huge influence on me – Broad

Stuart Broad has said that he would be “gutted” to see Ottis Gibson leave his job as England’s bowling coach. Gibson has worked closely with Broad over two spells with England but is expected to be offered the job as South Africa’s new head coach.
“Ottis has been a huge influence on my career, not just as a bowler but as a person,” he said. “I opened the bowling with him at Leicestershire. He knows my action better than I know my action, to be brutally honest. I don’t know if he’s going to take the job, but those sorts of opportunities don’t come around too often, do they? I know he’s been keen to do a head role again, and that’s a hugely exciting job to be talked about.
“He’s got a great job at the minute, travelling the world and getting to work with different bowlers. But any coach who has ambition would want to take on a full role. So if he gets offered it I’d be surprised if he didn’t take it. But yeah, I would be gutted to see him leave. He’s been a huge influence on me.”

England will hope they learn quickly because day-night Tests are going to be a feature of their winter, with an Ashes fixture at Adelaide and the prospect of one on the New Zealand tour in March – subject to Eden Park gaining approval to use its floodlights.The Ashes, inevitably, are looming ever closer and England must use the West Indies series to try and improve a brittle recent record – while also attempting to settle the positions of opener, No. 3 and No. 5/No. 8. Victory over South Africa gave England their first series win in a year, and you have to go back to 2013 for when they last won home Tests encounters against both touring sides, but Broad was encouraged by the early signs for the team under Root.”This England side is a really exciting team to play in and we’ve got players who can do really special things,” he said. “We’re aware of the slight inconsistency that’s been in our game for a little period of time but when a team becomes aware of something like that, generally you put it right.”You’d say if this team had any weakness if we have a bad hour it’s a really bad hour so if we can turn that five-wicket hour into a two-wicket hour and rebuild we’re going to be a really hard team to beat. You look at Australia and I think both teams look similar. Both teams have got experienced players who have been around quite a long time and can perform relatively consistently and both have got players who do unbelievably world-class things one day and, with a bit of inexperience, make mistakes the next. I think this will be up there with the most fascinating Ashes series of recent times and that’s exciting.”This isn’t disrespecting this series, because we’re talking about West Indies and it is hugely important, but we want to go to Australia with a consistent team because if we get the consistency right we’ve got the flair to blow any team away. It’s pretty exciting time to be involved in this Test team actually.”Although England are beginning to evolve, they still rely heavily on the bowling of Broad and James Anderson. Both are approaching significant milestones – Broad is set to pass Ian Botham as England’s second-leading Test wicket-taker, while Anderson is closing in on becoming the third fast bowler to reach 500 – and they will be expected to lead the attack in Australia.Anderson finished the South Africa series with 20 wickets at 14.10 and Broad said it was “probably the best I’ve seen him bowl” since his six-for helped see off Australia at Edgbaston during the 2015 Ashes.”He’s bowling brilliantly,” Broad said. “It didn’t swing a lot in this series, but he’s started to look to swing it less and just seam it on a length, which has been very dangerous. I know he’s got a huge hunger for cricket, a huge passion for cricket, and I certainly want him to carry on for as long as possible. If that means he has to miss the odd Test here and there to get another year out of him then that can happen.”You don’t get many bowlers playing until 37 or 38 these days at the top level, do you? But he is a bit of a freak in that way, in the fact that he’s incredibly fit, and he’s bowled that much with his action that he knows it. He’s very much a rhythm bowler. It just looks easy. When you’re stood at mid-on to him, it just looks like there’s a rhythm and an ease to his action. The Ashes this winter means so much to me personally and I don’t want to look too much further beyond that, but you know if we start with him at the Gabba we’ve certainly got a better chance in Australia.”Broad and Anderson have taken more than 700 wickets in Tests together, so it will seem fitting to have them side-by-side at the top of the list for England. But when it comes to the Ashes, it will be Botham’s example that Broad attempts to follow. “He’s been an inspiration to me in how to take on Australia. I grew up in our era from 86-87 to 2005 when it was horrible watching the Ashes. That was an influence on me because it made me very determined that if ever I got the chance to play against them we’d have to win.”

Crystal Palace are interested in a deal to sign Everton forward Demarai Gray this summer, according to fresh reports.

Is Demarai Gray leaving Everton?

The Premier League’s left-sided winger first arrived on Merseyside from Bayer Leverkusen back in 2021 and has since gone on to make a total of 75 appearances during his two years at Goodison Park, but there’s a chance that he could secure an exit before the end of the current window.

The Jamaica international’s contract is set to expire in less than a year meaning that now is Sean Dyche’s last chance to cash in on his prized asset having so far failed to reach an agreement regarding a new contract, and having been his side’s third best-performing offensive player last season, he won’t be short of potential suitors should he depart.

Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor recently confirmed that the 27-year-old is indeed a “target” for Roy Hodgson and is a player that has “admirers” among the SE25 hierarchy, and there would already be a place in the first-team waiting for him should he make the switch.

Wilfried Zaha has now officially left the club to join Galatasaray so the Eagles will need to enter the market for a suitable replacement in the final third, and if the following update is to be believed, the attacker appears to be one of the candidates that they are chasing.

Are Crystal Palace signing Demarai Gray?

According to Football Insider, Gray is "wanted" by Crystal Palace and Fulham ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. Everton's forward additionally has "huge money" offers from clubs in Saudi Arabia and he's "edging towards an exit" having made "no progress" in talks over extending his stay on Merseyside.

The Toffees would "prefer" to retain their star's services for the long-term, but as it stands, they could be set to receive a "huge profit" on the £1.7m they initially paid for him two years ago.

How good is Demarai Gray?

Whilst Everton survived relegation last season, Gray was one of the standout performers in a struggling side which has clearly been acknowledged by Crystal Palace, and having previously been hailed an "attacking threat" in the final third by journalist Josh Bunting, the winger would be a hugely exciting recruit for Steve Parish and Dougie Freedman.

Sponsored by Adidas, Dyche's £25k-per-week earner racked up five top-flight goal contributions during the previous term (four goals and one assist) and proved to be a constant threat even when the ball didn't hit the back of the net.

The Birmingham-born talent recorded 57 shots over the course of the campaign which was more than any other member of his squad and whipped 173 crosses into the box which was the second-highest total at Goodison, via FBRef.

Finally, Gray has the ability to operate in an outstanding seven various positions across the pitch, including everywhere across the frontline and even three roles in the midfield, so he would provide the boss with wonderful versatility should he decide to put pen to paper.

Pakistan allrounder Imad Wasim has displaced Imran Tahir to occupy the top spot among T20I bowlers

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jun-20171:02

Imad Wasim ranked No. 1 T20I bowler

Pakistan’s left-arm spinning allrounder Imad Wasim has risen to the top of the ICC’s T20I rankings for bowlers. Imad displaced South Africa’s Imran Tahir, who dropped two positions to third following a poor performance in his side’s series defeat to England. The legspinner had claimed the No. 1 ranking in January but leaking 75 runs in his last seven overs, for only one wicket, has not helped his cause.As a result, Imad, enjoyed his first spell at the top of the T20I bowlers rankings. India’s Jasprit Bumrah occupied second place. Among the other big movers were Tahir’s South Africa team-mate Chris Morris, who jumped up 32 places to the 29th spot, and England’s Liam Plunkett, who rose 26 places to No. 38.England, who had begun their series against South Africa, ranked No. 2 along with Pakistan, now have sole ownership of that position. New Zealand remain the top-ranked team in T20Is.AB de Villiers, who topped the batting charts in the England series with 146 runs, returned to the top 20 in the batsman’s rankings, climbing up 12 places. England opener Jason Roy, who put behind a disappointing Champions Trophy with 103 runs in three T20Is, was rewarded with a career-best 25th position. Virat Kohli continues to be the No. 1-ranked batsman, followed by Aaron Finch and Kane Williamson.England gained two points after their 2-1 victory over South Africa, allowing them to take control of the second spot on the team rankings. Although they had held the same position earlier, it had been together with Pakistan, who have now dropped to No. 3.

As far as Tottenham Hotspur supporters are concerned, Eden Hazard will forever be remembered as the man who put the final nail in the coffin of their Premier League title hopes back in 2016, with the Belgian wizard curling home from range in the infamous 'Battle of Stamford Bridge'.

With those of a Leicester City persuasion watching on knowing that a draw between the Lilywhites and rivals Chelsea would hand them the title, that late stunner from the diminutive gem ensured that the league crown would be heading the way of the Foxes, rather than to Mauricio Pochettino's youthful side.

While perhaps not easy for Spurs fans to recognise at the time amid the disappointment of that thrilling 2-2 draw, Hazard's equaliser was truly a moment of individual magic, with the former Lille ace having yet again stolen the headlines for his undoubted genius.

For all the 32-year-old's recent woes – having endured an injury-plagued stint at Real Madrid over the last four years – in his prime in English football the mercurial wizard was a true magician, recording over 200 goal involvements in 352 games during his time with the Blues.

At one stage the "best player in the league" – according to Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher – a figure with Hazard's talent is not one which comes around too often, with few being able to make their mark on the game quite so impressively.

According to recent reports, however, Spurs and Ange Postecoglou could potentially have their eyes set on a possible successor to the 126-cap sensation in the form of Lyon's Rayan Cherki.

What's the latest on Cherki to Tottenham?

According to a report from Football Transfers last week, the north Londoners are seemingly ready to fight it out with Chelsea, ironically, for the signing of the teenage starlet, with the 19-year-old having already held discussions with both clubs regarding a possible summer swoop.

As per the piece, the promising Frenchman – who has been a long-time target of La Liga giants Real Madrid – has been the subject of a €40m (£35m) offer from those at Stamford Bridge, with the race now on to see just who can secure his signature.

How good is Rayan Cherki?

The 5 foot 10 dynamo could follow in Hazard's footsteps in making the move from France to England in the early stages of his career, with the Belgian icon having previously joined the Blues from Lille at the age of 21 back in 2012.

Like the ex-Madrid man, Cherki notably operates in a playmaking berth or on the flanks to devastating effect, having been dubbed a "generational talent" by journalist Andres Onrubia Ramos after recording 30 goals and assists in 104 games for his current side to date.

Described as a "difference-maker" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the comparison between the Lyon gem and Hazard has been noted by French football expert Jonathan Johnson, who previously wrote:

'He’s a very exciting talent, somebody who looks to have a great career ahead of him. Similarly to Eden Hazard when he first established himself in Ligue 1, he looks very technically skilled, versatile, and he’s probably the best young player to emerge from Lyon’s youth academy for many years, possibly even since Karim Benzema'.

With Hazard having scored six goals and contributed three assists in 17 outings against Spurs throughout his career to date, those at N17 are fully aware of the type of talent he was in his pomp, hence the potential excitement at snapping up his heir apparent in the form of Cherki.

Much like Hazard was Chelsea's main man for a number of years, the teenager could potentially prove a talismanic presence for Postecoglou's side over the years to come.

Crystal Palace are now considering a shock move for Aymeric Laporte, with the defender unsettled at Manchester City after falling down the pecking order at the Etihad Stadium, according to a report from The Daily Star.

What's the latest Crystal Palace transfer news?

Palace may need to bring in a couple of new centre-backs this summer, amid the uncertainty surrounding the futures of Joachim Andersen and Marc Guehi, and journalist Dean Jones thinks they would do well to keep hold of the duo, recently saying:

"At this moment in time, keeping those two together would probably be Palace's biggest statement in terms of signings over this summer because they've done a brilliant job. I mean, Guehi, they're trying to price out the market and Andersen, they're just hoping he decides to stay with them."

It appears as though the plan is to keep hold of the two centre-backs, but if they are forces into sales, they could make a move for Torino defender Perr Schuurs, with it recently being reported they are in advanced talks over a deal for the 23-year-old.

The Daily Star now report that Laporte is also being eyed by Roy Hodgson, in what would be a shock summer transfer, with Pep Guardiola's side ready to accept a loss and sell the centre-back for a fee of around £35m.

The defender cost Man City £58m back in January 2018, however he has recently become unsettled at the Etihad Stadium, given that he has fallen down the pecking order considerably in recent times, potentially opening the door for a move to Selhurst Park.

Hodgson wants to strengthen the centre-back area ahead of the new season, and the manager is focussing on bringing in players who are assured in possession, and also possess top-flight experience.

At the moment, the Eagles are reluctant to match City's asking price, and they would prefer to launch a bid later in the transfer window.

How good is Aymeric Laporte?

The Man City ace certainly ticks plenty of boxes for Palace, given that he has made 120 appearances in the Premier League, and he is very assured in possession of the ball.

Although his game time was heavy limited last season, making just 24 appearances across all competitions, the Spaniard impressed with his passing ability whenever he got the chance.

Over the past year, the France-born centre-back has averaged a pass-completion rate of 92.7% per 90, which places him in the 97th percentile compared to his positional peers, while he also ranks in the 99th percentile for number of passes attempted.

The 29-year-old has been lauded as "fantastic" by journalist Simon Bajkowski, who has also praised him for his ability to set up opportunities for his teammates, previously saying: "Aymeric Laporte showing again why he is the best defender City have got for creating chances from the back."

It is certainly ambitious for Palace to be considering a move for Laporte, however he has proven he could be an excellent replacement for Guehi and Andersen.

Rain is expected again in the afternoon in Port-of-Spain where India would want to assess the strength of the batsmen they employ at No. 4 and below

The Preview by Alagappan Muthu24-Jun-2017Match FactsJune 25, 2017
Start time 0900 local (1300 GMT)1:50

India will be pleased with Ajinkya Rahane being among the runs

Big PictureNine am starts in a bilateral series, after a world tournament has ended, with rain in the air, is asking a lot of a spectator. But for those die-hard fans who will still make the trip to the Queens Park Oval, be advised. Port-of-Spain is expected to receive thundershowers on Sunday afternoon, so don’t be surprised if you hit your head on a big red sign in front of the ground that says, “nothing to see here”. The sensible lot would take the time to sleep in, but the players don’t really have that luxury.India, for example, might not have anyone to grumble “five more minutes, coach,” to on this tour, but they do have a few rookies they’d want to get in shape. Left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav was handed a debut on Friday but he didn’t even step on to the field with the match being washed out. Uncapped wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant was not in the XI, but considering the low stakes, it might be useful to give him as many starts as possible to see if he could fit in the 2019 World Cup puzzle.In any case, it is starting to seem like the only way India can check on a middle-order batsman is if they can promote him to open. Typically it is their top order that fetches the bulk of the runs in ODIs – on Friday, Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane contributed 149 out of 199 before the rain came down.West Indies – from 39.2 overs of play – looked steady, and their bowlers were especially clever against Virat Kohli. Pitching it short of a length and outside off stump – on a surface that gave them a little extra lift – they forced the India captain to return with a strike rate of 68. He couldn’t get on top of the ball to bring his powerful wrists into play and he was rarely offered the drive as a means of escape. Take this attack lightly at your peril.Form guideWest Indies WLLLW (completed matches, most recent first)
India LWWLWIn the spotlightAt 20, Alzarri Joseph generates pace effortlessly, not unlike Kagiso Rabada, who already leads South Africa’s attack in all formats. But that is only an asset when combined with discipline, and some creativity in the form of variations. Joseph showed with his dismissal of Rahane – an offcutter the batsman simply did not see coming – that he is more than ready for modern cricket.The merits in retaining Yuvraj Singh, even though he is 35, become apparent when he is in form. A career-best 150 against England and a 29-ball fifty against Pakistan showcased the best of his timing. In fact, since his comeback in January 2017, he has averaged 45 and struck at 102.24. He might have to keep up that level of performance to ward off competition from the likes of Pant, Manish Pandey (injured) and KL Rahul (injured), though.Team newsConsidering the last match they played ended in a no-result, West Indies might want to persist with the same XI.West Indies (probable): 1 Evin Lewis, 2 Kieran Powell, 3 Shai Hope (wk), 4 Jonathan Carter, 5 Jason Mohammed, 6 Roston Chase, 7 Jason Holder (capt), 8 Ashley Nurse, 9 Alzarri Joseph, 10 Devendra Bishoo, 11 Miguel Cummins,India came to the Caribbean with two uncapped players. One of them – Kuldeep – has debuted already and the other – Pant – would be looking forward to a first ODI cap as well.India (probable): 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Ajinkya Rahane, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 MS Dhoni (wk), 6 Kedar Jadhav, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Kuldeep Yadav, 9 R Ashwin, 10 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 11 Umesh YadavPitch and conditionsBefore the first ODI, Jeffrey Dujon described the pitch at the Queens Park Oval as a “tie-dye t-shirt” by Jeffrey Dujon, implying that it was difficult to assess. The one thing he was certain of was that it would spin in the first innings and flatten out later.Stats and trivia The average run-rate batting first at the venue across 66 matches is 4.86. That translates to an average score of 243. Dhawan and Rahane’s last five ODI partnerships read: 83, 125, 56, 112, 132 Jason Holder has 48 wickets as West Indies captain – the same as Courtney Walsh

Domestic cricket in Bangladesh should be scheduled during the cooler part of the year, and venues must have better facilities, the former Bangladesh captain Khaled Mashud has urged

Mohammad Isam22-May-2017Domestic cricket in Bangladesh should be scheduled during the cooler part of the year, and venues must have better facilities, the former Bangladesh captain Khaled Mashud has urged. Mashud has asked the BCB to make these changes after many players suffered in the ongoing heat wave across the country.In the 2016-17 season, the National Cricket League first-class tournament began in September but took a break to accommodate the Bangladesh Premier League T20 competition, which was held from November 8 to December 9. The NCL ended after a second phase that stretched from December 20 to January 6.The Bangladesh Cricket League, the four-team first-class competition, then took place from January 28 to March 8. The Dhaka Premier League, which began this season on April 12 and is likely to end in mid-June, has a history of scheduling delays as the major clubs want the top cricketers to participate in the List A competition. Since September last year, the Bangladesh team has been busy playing home or away, so it was hard for the BCB to make the clubs agree to start the DPL in March, when the top cricketers were in Sri Lanka.Mashud, who is also Prime Bank Cricket Club’s coach, said the major domestic competitions such as the DPL and the two first-class competitions must be completed by mid-April.”Implementing the domestic calendar during the season is everyone’s priority,” Mashud wrote in a Facebook post. “It won’t be possible to hold back the [Dhaka Premier] league this season but these concerns should be addressed ahead of the next season. I would urge the BCB to finish the longer-version and one-day competitions by mid-April. They can think of a T20 tournament when the weather gets hotter. I believe such a step will help Bangladesh cricket.”The temperature in Bangladesh touched 38 degrees last week. Mashud cited the examples of Gazi Group batsman Jahurul Islam and Prime Bank wicketkeeper Zakir Hasan, who suffered severe cramps during DPL matches. Zakir was particularly affected during Prime Bank’s May 21 match against Gazi Group Cricketers, suffering seizures despite being given an ice massage in the dressing room. He still hasn’t recovered from his cramps.The DPL has had to deal with other issues too. Avishek Mitra, the Mohammedan Sporting Club batsman, suffered a hamstring injury at the BKSP ground, where there was no ambulance to take him for treatment. In the end, the team had to improvise and use a cycle-van.Mashud also pointed out the effect of power failures, at the BKSP and Fatullah grounds, on players.”Like every other place in the country right now, power failure is also affecting the stadiums,” he wrote. “Cricketers don’t get adequate rest after returning from fielding for 50 overs. While there are generators in place for international matches, it is not the case for domestic games.”It is quite embarrassing to find such a situation in the only List A tournament in the country in which local and foreign stars participate. A bigger challenge awaits from May 24 when the Super League begins. Ramadan is also starting on May 27 which is a major concern for me as a coach.”

Manchester United are believed to be keeping tabs on Bayern Munich midfielder, Leon Goretzka ahead of a potential summer swoop, albeit with it currently unclear as to whether the German is open to leaving the Allianz Arena.

What's the latest on Goretzka to Man United?

According to Sky Sports Germany reporter, Florian Plettenberg, the Red Devils – as well as fellow Premier League side, West Ham United – are showing an interest in the 28-year-old, even though the 6 foot 2 ace is currently not seeking to leave the Bavarian giants.

Writing on Twitter, the transfer insider revealed: "Leon #Goretzka, internally he has made clear that he doesn’t want to leave FC Bayern this summer! His agents are not open for negotiations with other clubs at this stage. His agents are not open for negotiations with other clubs at this stage. Goretzka, dream target for West Ham.

"Tuchel is planning with Kimmich & Laimer at this stage. Instead, Goretzka will face the challenge."

This follows a recent report that suggested the 53-cap maestro has been deemed 'expendable' by manager, Thomas Tuchel, with the Bundesliga outfit potentially willing to cash in for a fee of roughly €50m (£43m).

Who is Goretzka similar to in Europe's top five leagues?

The former Schalke ace has enjoyed a stunning stint at Bayern since his arrival back in 2018, having won five successive league titles as well as claiming Champions League glory in that time, among other honours, while chipping in with 69 goals and assists in 179 appearances in all competitions.

Arguably "one of the best box-to-box players in Europe" – according to former boss Julian Nagelsmann – the towering, £298k-per-week titan has an "incredible goal threat" from his central midfield berth, ensuring he could offer a real attacking threat to Erik ten Hag's side.

While it may take some persuading in order to tempt the Bochum native to Old Trafford, if the former Ajax boss is able to strike a deal it could allow him to find a dream alternative to Adrien Rabiot, with the pair said to share a number of stylistic and statistical similarities, as per FBref.

United were notably close to signing the Juventus asset last summer only for talks to collapse over the Frenchman's excessive wage demands, while a renewed approach was again mooted this time around, only for the 28-year-old to opt to sign a new one-year extension with the Serie A giants.

To then find a potential carbon copy of the one-time Paris Saint-Germain ace – who is also an imposing figure at 6 foot 2 – in the form of Goreztka could represent an ideal scenario for Ten Hag, with that type of all-action midfielder seemingly the profile of player that the Dutchman is craving.

The comparison between the pair can be seen by their ability to provide a cutting edge in the final third, with Rabiot having chipped in with 17 goal involvements in all competitions last term, while Goretzka recorded 12 goals and assists across all fronts.

That desire to bomb forward is showcased by the fact that while the latter man ranks in the top 18% among those in his position in Europe's top five leagues for touches in the attacking penalty area, his Juve counterpart is only just ahead as he ranks in the top 11% in that regard.

Not just intent on impacting proceedings at the top of the pitch, the duo's defensive prowess can be shown by the fact that they rank in the top 9% and the top 17%, respectively for aerial duels won, providing a real physical presence in the centre of the park.

With Ten Hag having twice been unable to snap up Rabiot during his United tenure to date, the 53-year-old could forget about frustration by turning to Goretzka instead.