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The South Africa fast bowler has had a serendipitous and unexpected path to cricket and now his first IPL

Shashank Kishore28-Mar-2024Nandre Burger didn’t think he’d play professional cricket. But when a trial earned him admission to University of the Witwatersrand (WITS), with a full scholarship to pursue a psychology major, he decided to give it a crack.That decision in 2014 proved life changing. Today, Burger, 28, is an all-format fast bowler for South Africa. He featured in the SA20 for Joburg Super Kings last month and earlier this week, he made his IPL debut for Rajasthan Royals in their win over Lucknow Super Giants.At 15, Burger was among the top players in the age-group regional tennis championships. At 17, he competed in South Africa’s squash national championships. But when a persistent back injury flared up, he turned his attention to cricket.”Sounds strange, right,” Burger asks. “WITS offered a scholarship for those who played cricket. I thought it was cool. I didn’t want to be a cricketer, but I was getting a free way to study, so I thought why not? Cricket was actually my back-up to academics ().”Burger, a left-arm quick, had just recovered from his injury and Neil Levenson, the university coach, thought he’d glimpsed a future South Africa fast bowler when he saw the 18-year-old bowl.Related

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But Burger didn’t rate himself highly. “I laughed it off at first. I was like, ‘Man, I bowl at 125kph. I can’t do this for a living. I’ve seen guys bowl 145kph.’ Neil would have none of that. I said to him, ‘Okay, I’ll give this a go.’ And within a few weeks, I was excited to train. I’d miss classes to be at training, wanting to work batters over.”Then I got the chance to be a net bowler at the franchise team in Jo’burg – Highveld Lions. I’d always played cricket in the backyard with friends and parents, but wouldn’t say I ever had the desire to be a professional.”In 2016-17, when Burger was six months short of completing his psychology major, he had a tough decision to make. Cape Cobras offered him his first franchise contract, but it would mean moving to Cape Town immediately.”The one thing I love about the IPL is that it’s a family. And I’m big on family”•AFP/Getty Images”I discontinued my degree and left Jo’burg,” he says. “The course didn’t allow me to pursue it remotely. My contract needed me to be available in Cape Town. So I went all in on cricket.”That decision stood vindicated last December when he earned his South Africa cap during the third T20I against India in Johannesburg.”It’s funny how life works out, isn’t it?”Funnier things continued to happen.In only his second ODI, on December 19 in Gqeberha, Burger picked up 3 for 30 as India were bowled out for 211. Those were his first set of wickets in the format.”As I walked off the field, Pommie [Mbangwa] and Shaun Pollock were like, ‘Well bowled, and congrats,’ and I’m thinking, congrats for taking three wickets? Congrats for bowling ten overs? It wasn’t even my debut, so I’m confused. I go in, change and come back down again.”Shaun was like, ‘I’m sure you’re so excited.’ I still didn’t get it, so I said, ‘Yeah, it’s cool, I think I got my first [ODI] wicket, so it’s a great feeling.’ Then he’s like, ‘No man, I mean for the IPL. You’re going to play for Rajasthan Royals’.”Burger had been picked by Royals at the IPL auction in Dubai for INR 50 lakh (US$ 60,000 approx).”Everyone was saying ‘Congratulations’ and I was oblivious to what was happening. After the game, when I put my phone on, all I read was ‘congrats, congrats, congrats’ and ‘well done, well done’. I didn’t know if it was for the game or IPL.”As it is I’m terrible on my phone; if nothing has happened, I’ll take like a week to respond to messages. You can imagine how long I would’ve taken. I’m pretty sure there are people I still haven’t responded to, but I may have probably seen them and thanked them [in person].”If the news of his IPL selection was dramatic, his Test selection story is even more so.In his first Test series, Burger picked up 11 wickets in the two Tests against India•AFP/Getty Images”We were playing a four-day game against Titans. I’d just got to Newlands, and we were getting ready for the second day. Just before I was about to enter the field, I get a phone call from Shukri [Conrad, South Africa men’s head coach].”He said, ‘I’m just letting you know the Test team for the India series is going to be announced on Monday. Your name will be in it, congrats.’ This is just before I’m about to enter the field. I was like ‘Woah, no pressure’. ()”By the time I actually got to bowl, I was so emotionally tired. It felt like I’d played ten days of cricket. Keeping the secret to myself was the hardest part. My team-mates were like, ‘Oh, you seem happy today’ and I’m like, ‘Hey, I’m just a happy person’. It was really cool.”He almost kept his Test debut in Centurion a secret from his parents too. “My brother-in-law, niece, parents, girlfriend – everyone was around. I told them I wasn’t playing, so that it’d be a nice surprise when they saw me get the cap.”But when my dad saw me mark out my run-up, he knew. He signaled to me from afar with a thumbs-up, as if to say, ‘Don’t worry, I see you, you’re playing’.”Getting to wear the Test cap, earning a win on Test debut was great.” As a bonus, he took seven wickets in the innings win.From not having played any cricket for a year until October 2022 due to a lumbar stress fracture to earning debuts across all three formats all in the space of a month was a turnaround he didn’t see coming, but is grateful for.”For the first four months [after the injury], I had to sit still, not move a lot and that was the toughest part. I had a lot of time to reflect on time away from cricket. The desire and hunger built up inside me.”I had nothing to lose when I first started playing, I was simply playing to enjoy it. But when I was close to being picked internationally, I realised I was putting way too much pressure on myself. That year away kind of helped me slow down and give me the focus back. I learnt to just enjoy bowling again.”I’ve now played two Tests. If I never play another Test, I’ll still be fine with it because I enjoyed and lived every moment of those two. Those were the biggest lessons I took from missing a whole year. I follow it religiously. At times, I can get extra competitive on the field, but it’s who we are, right?”

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Back now in his hotel room in Jaipur, Burger’s face is still pink from the Holi celebrations hosted by Royals. He’d never played it before, but warmly embraced an afternoon of fun and games.Colour me surprised: Burger had a blast at his first Holi party•Rajasthan Royals”It’s been amazing,” Burger says of his IPL experience. “The one thing I love is that it’s a family. And I’m big on family – for me, it’s a core principle. Everyone celebrated Holi. You’re seeing a bunch of pink men walking around.”Moments like those are cool to help with team bonding. Everyone got to act like a kid for an hour. No matter what pressure you have on the field or what you’re going through in life in general, for that one hour they were a bunch of kids, throwing water and colour on each other.”He also loves exploring new places and had just returned from a short walk with his girlfriend, Ashley, visiting a few monuments in and around Jaipur.”My girlfriend is an architect and she’s excited to see all the buildings,” Burger says. “We went to Patrika Gate, the clay-colour monument down the road. She looked at it and went very technical with some of the construction. I really didn’t understand anything (). Guess it’s the same when I talk cricket with her.The other great thing about being at the IPL has been an opportunity to learn and chat with a player he grew up admiring.”Ah, Boulty [Trent Boult]. I wanted to be like him. Understand what he thinks when he opens the bowling. He always takes a wicket in the powerplay. Just to be able to chat with him, understand his processes and how can I try and incorporate some of his methods into my thinking.”I’ve had so much time to pick his brain, trying to observe how he goes about things. I’ve been like a crazy fan boy around him. But it’s okay, I think (). It’s amazing to open the bowling with him. It could be pretty fun to do it for an entire season.”His all-time bowling hero, though, is closer to home.”It’s clichéd I guess, but it’s Dale Steyn. He always wanted to be the guy to turn the game, no matter what the situation was. He always made things happen. I liked that.”I’ve been fortunate enough to open the bowling in a few games with him. I’ll cherish that forever. If there’s anyone I can look up to, he’s right up there in the way he competed. That’s all I want to do.”

Alex Davies, Jordan Clark and Joe Mennie all threatened match-winning hands, but all fell to Porter as the defending champions held on by 31 runs

Alan Gardner at Chelmsford22-Apr-20182:57

Defending champions Essex off the mark

ScorecardThree times during this third and final day at Chelmsford, Lancashire began to seriously raise hopes of pulling off a chase for the ages. Three times Jamie Porter thundered in and found the ball to quell Essex fears. Alex Davies, Jordan Clark and Joe Mennie each scored valiant half-centuries but all three were victims of Porter’s indefatigable seam bowling, as the defending champions claimed victory in the sort of hard-fought, sun-drenched contest after which victory beer slips down like ice water.It can’t be long before they start serving pints of Porter porter at the Spinner’s Bar. The 24-year-old collected 9 for 80 to continue the form that saw him lead the Division One wicket-taker’s list in 2017, celebrating the dismissal in particular of Davies with a throaty roar. That left Lancashire 139 for 5 and although Clark took them to within 77 of victory with three wickets still standing, Porter speared a delivery into his pads to ease the tension.Still Lancashire kept coming, with zombie determination, as the Australia seamer Mennie clubbed his way to fifty, bringing the requirement down to 38 with the arrival of the second new ball. Eight deliveries was all it took for Porter to rattle the stumps and finally end Mennie’s resistance.”He digs in and has a crack,” was the assessment of Porter’s team-mate, another Australian, Peter Siddle. “That’s what you want from your main fast bowler. Coming off a big year last season, needed to come out here and start well, and he was tremendous. He tries hard and deserves every wicket he gets.”Lancashire have now lost two from two but certainly found some fibre to fortify their batting, after failing to reach 200 in three previous innings. They had been left with too much to do, stretched out of shape by the eighth-wicket stand of more than 100 between James Foster and Simon Harmer on the second evening. Keeping Harmer to just a single wicket in the fourth innings on a wearing pitch was little consolation.Davies could have been accused of giving his wicket away in the first innings, chipping tamely to mid-off having faced 17 balls, but he was the only member of Lancashire’s top order to demonstrate the required graft second time around. There was plenty of class on display, too. Porter was thrashed for three successive fours – two pulls and a drive – and Davies also played Harmer deftly, using his feet to cut the spinner with regularity.Lancashire had given themselves a solid platform, reaching lunch on 82 for 2 with Davies playing beautifully and the captain, Liam Livingstone, reining in his attacking instincts. Those Essex supporters sitting in the Tiptree jam stand could be forgiven for feeling a bit sticky around the collar, with the sun shining and the pitch having eased after 18 wickets fell on the opening day.There was also a suspicion that Essex were a little light on bowling beyond the frontline three of Porter, Harmer and Siddle, with the tall left-armer Paul Walter only in the side after Sam Cook fractured a finger in training the day before the game. Walter was unused during the morning session, but he needed only three ball to break the third-wicket stand: a bouncer and a gentle half-volley pushed for two was followed up by good-length ball that drew another drive and a thick edge from Livingstone.Walter made it two in as many overs when he won an lbw decision against Shivnarine Chanderpaul, not quite such an eternal presence at the crease these days, and the main scoreboard promptly broke down – something Chanderpaul refuses to do, although he has now collected scores of 11, 0, 8 and 1 this season.In the dark about the score, the muttering from the home fans increased as Davies coasted to his half-century and began to open up. He had laced 38 from 30 balls faced after lunch and was looking to be the pivotal figure of the chase, only for Porter to produce a thunderbolt of a yorker that knocked Davies off his feet and sent him back for a fine 71.Dane Vilas fell soon after, a second wicket for Siddle, who then produced a marvellous bit of fielding to leave Lancashire seven down. Having been denied an lbw appeal against Clark, Siddle hurtled across to his right and threw down the stumps with Tom Bailey a yard short having been sent back. Clark might have fallen on 19, but Varun Chopra was unable to hold a fast edge off Ravi Bopara.The morning began with Lancashire required to make the highest score of the match – and significantly more than they had managed in three previous innings this season – in order to inflict Essex’s first defeat since September 2016. The mantra at Essex over the last two seasons is that “no one gets through the new ball” and Porter ensured that held true when he flattened Haseeb Hameed’s off stump in the third over. It was a good enough strategy come the end of the day too.

Hollywood superstar Timothee Chalamet has used Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal to help promote his new film ‘Marty Supreme’, with the teenage forward living proof that you should always 'dream big'. Chalamet has shared an iconic image of teen sensation Yamal alongside Argentine GOAT Lionel Messi to help hammer home his point that anything is possible.

Heir to Messi: Yamal following in illustrious footsteps

Yamal famously starred in an advertising campaign with Barcelona legend Messi when just a baby. That picture has resurfaced on countless occasions since, with it remarkable to think that that new arrival to the world is now following in the most illustrious of footsteps.

Having made his own way through the fabled La Masia academy system, making his senior debut at just 15 years of age, Yamal is now considered to be a suitable heir to Messi’s crown as the king of world football.

AdvertisementSuperstar status: Yamal is now a global icon

Yamal’s exploits have, just like Messi, attracted interest from across the globe. His level of celebrity already transcends his chosen profession, with the youngster much more than a football player. He boasts support in every corner of the planet.

That includes Hollywood, with famous faces in the United States fully aware of who Yamal is and what he is capable of. His story is an intriguing one and helps to showcase what can be achieved through a mixture of ability and hard work.

Yamal helps Chalamet to promote new movie

Chalamet – the star of blockbuster movies such as ‘Wonka’ and ‘Dune’, who is dating Kim Kardashian’s sister Kylie Jenner – is among those to have been taken in by Yamal’s remarkable rise to prominence.

He is, as an A-list actor, somebody that appreciates an inspirational true story. He is proving as much after returning to the big screen in ‘Marty Supreme’ – a tale loosely inspired by American table tennis player Marty Reisman and his pursuit of fame in 1950s New York.

Chalamet is driving interest in that production, which hits cinemas on December 25, with a global promotional tour. He has drafted in assistance from Barcelona talisman Yamal, with the 18-year-old seen sporting the viral ‘Marty Supreme’ jacket.

Chalamet has shared an image of Yamal in that merchandise alongside a “DREAM BIG” message. He has also made a point of including the aforementioned photo of Yamal with eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi in an Instagram carousel.

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social gfx/ Getty ImagesThe story of Yamal baby picture with Messi

The picture in question was taken back in 2007 as part of a photoshoot for UNICEF. Joan Monfort, a Barcelona-based freelance photographer for the Associated Press, took the snap – which took on a life of its own after being shared on social media by Yamal’s father Mounir Nasraoui alongside the tagline: “The beginning of two legends.”

Monfort has since said of capturing an iconic moment: “UNICEF did a raffle in the neighbourhood of Roca Fonda in Mataro where Lamine's family lived. They signed up for the raffle to have their picture taken at the Camp Nou with a Barca player. And they won the raffle.

“He [Messi] didn't even know how to hold him at first. Messi is a pretty introverted guy, he's shy. He was coming out of the locker room and suddenly he finds himself in another locker room with a plastic tub full of water and a baby in it. It was complicated.

“It’s very exciting to be associated with something that has caused such a sensation. It’s been really surprising, all this. We take so many photos, so many images. Some of them will remain.

“For Lamine to grow up to be a footballer, and to have this photo, I’m just really happy it happened. It’s especially nice in today’s football, when so much is to do with money and power.”

Yamal has sought to distance himself from the Messi comparisons that he continues to generate, with there a desire on his part to forge a unique legacy of his own. He is already a La Liga and European Championship title winner with Barcelona and Spain, with the expectation being that he will continue to “dream big” in the not too distant future when landing a first Ballon d’Or.

Inter Milan teenager Kevin Zefi has been seen as a potential summer signing by Newcastle United in the summer transfer window and a big update has now emerged.

How old is Kevin Zefi?

The Irishman is just 18 years old currently and moved to Inter from Shamrock Rovers two years ago, such was his ability as a young and emerging footballer.

While Zefi is yet to make a senior first-team appearances for the Serie A giants, he has shone in the youth teams, scoring six goals and registering seven assists for the Under-17 side, as well as an incredible 16 strikes in just 13 games for the Under-18 outfit.

The young winger signed his first professional deal last years and is contracted at Inter until the summer of 2024, but it could be that he moves on before the current transfer window closes at the end of this month.

Newcastle have emerged as strong potential suitors for Zefi and a fresh update further suggests that he could be plying his trade at St James' Park in the very near future.

Will Newcastle sign Kevin Zefi?

Eddie Howe revealed Lewis Hall would be the last first-team signing, but according to NUFC Blog, Newcastle are now expected to sign Zefi for the academy:

"Newcastle United look set to follow the signings of AC Milan youngster Cathal Heffernan and Chelsea’s Lewis Hall with the arrival of fellow 18-year-old Kevin Zefi.

"The Dublin-born talent has impressed in Inter Milan’s academy and has 12 months left on his contract following a move from Shamrock Rovers two years ago.

"Zefi is being advised by former Toon defender Stephen Carr and is set to join our U21s after a breakthrough in talks. He also plays at international level alongside Toon duo Alex Murphy and Reece Byrne; two players Dan Ashworth has brought to the club’s academy over the past 12 months."

This is a very exciting update for Newcastle, as they continue to show that they are not only planning for the present, instead making sure they sign young players with big futures in the game.

In Zefi, they have someone who is considered something of a wonderkid, with former coach Shane Robinson explaining what makes him so special:

“Kevin is that type of player that catches the eye easily – he backs himself 100% in possession of the ball. He has lovely balance and uses his body very well to protect the ball.

"He has worked very hard on his overall game over the last number of years and deserves credit for that, he has gone up through the levels impressively from U15 to U19 with First Division appearances last season also."

While Zefi clearly wouldn't be arriving as an important member of the senior setup to begin with, given his lack of experience, he is someone who could continue to start at youth team level, gradually blossoming into a top-level footballer who can cut it on the biggest stage.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

It is always hard to gauge how a youngster will develop, with injuries and work ethic always potentially getting in the way, but the former Shamrock ace has all the tools to make it and could be a future hero on Tyneside.

Manchester United and astute transfer dealings are two things that don't appear to belong in the same sentence, with the Red Devils having erratically splashed the cash over the last decade or so.

With Erik ten Hag currently in charge of the most expensively assembled squad in Europe – totalling almost £1bn – the Old Trafford outfit look little closer to closing the gap on treble-winning rivals, Manchester City, with it now ten years since the club last tasted Premier League title glory.

What has perhaps been even more frustrating than the scattergun nature of United's transfer business is the fact that there also a number of figures who the club's hierarchy passed up the chance to sign, only to be forced to watch them blossom elsewhere.

The most blatant example of that fact was the failure to land Erling Haaland for a fee of just £4m during his time at Molde, with the Norwegian powerhouse now spearheading Pep Guardiola's City side to devastating effect, after hitting 52 goals in his debut season last time out.

Those woes were also laid bare with regard to fellow striker, Benjamin Sesko, with United having reportedly deemed the Slovenian's £2.5m fee as 'excessive' back in 2019, albeit with the 20-year-old having only recently sealed a £55m move to RB Leipzig.

Those two cases will likely have supporters tearing their hair out, although perhaps the most infuriating example of a player who got away is World Cup-winning superstar, Kylian Mbappe, with the Red Devils having failed to strike while the iron was out in the recent past.

Did Man United want to sign Kylian Mbappe?

While some reports may at times need to be taken with a pinch of salt, in the case of the dazzling Frenchman it would appear that there was genuine interest from those at the Theatre of Dreams, amid his promising career beginning at AS Monaco.

According to club legend Ryan Giggs, the Welshman had seemingly recommended that United make a move for the the-teenager – as well as current Arsenal man Gabriel Jesus – with the pair likely to have cost just £5m apiece at the time.

As per the Times, the 13-time title winner revealed: "I watched Mbappe play. I was watching him and Gabriel Jesus with the chief scout and it was a no-brainer. It was just like, Get them. It would have cost £5million or something – get them, loan them back and that's where the recruitment could have been better.

"I know what a Manchester United player looks like."

At a time when United notably splashed out an initial £36m on Anthony Martial from the Ligue 1 outfit back in 2016, to have fluffed the potential opportunity to sign the striker's compatriot is a blunder that the Premier League giants will likely never be able to recover from.

Why didn't Man United sign Mbappe?

United's failure to get snap up the promising forward for such a lowly fee was made even more apparent in the summer of 2017, with The Guardian reporting at the time that Jose Mourinho and co had launched a £72m bid in an attempt to prise the then-18-year-old from Stade Louis II.

That ultimately unsuccessful offer had coming following a breakthrough 2016/17 campaign which saw the Paris native score 15 times and register 11 assists in just 29 Ligue 1 outings as Monaco claimed the title.

It was on the European stage that a young Mbappe truly announced himself, however, after scoring six goals in just nine appearances in that season's Champions League, memorably running Man City ragged with a goal both home and away against Guardiola's men in the last-16 stage.

That lightning start to his senior career had ensured that Monaco were able to easily fend off the £72m approach from those in Manchester, with the selling club having been holding out for more than £100m at the time.

As it proved, the fleet-footed speedster did eventually depart in that same window on an initial loan move, joining rivals Paris Saint-Germain on a deal that included an option to make the switch permanent for an eyewatering £165m fee – blowing any rival interest out of the water.

What is Mbappe worth now?

What has followed since that move to the Parc des Princes has been glittering success for the 24-year-old, with the seemingly "unstoppable" talent – as described by compatriot Rio Mavuba – now boasting a haul of 219 goals and 98 assists in just 264 games for his current side.

Arguably the "best player in the world" when in full flow, according to Mavuba, the 5 foot 10 whiz has been a dominant force both domestically and on the international front, despite still longing for that elusive Champions League crown.

2015/16

1

5

2016/17

15

5

2017/18

13

7

2018/19

33

10

2019/20

18

17

2020/21

27

11

2021/22

28

4

2022/23

29

17

2023/24*

7

1

Total

171

77

Now the captain of his country despite his relative youth, the one-time Bondy youth asset already has 40 goals in just 71 appearances for Les Bleus to date, having previously been integral to his nation reaching the final of the last two World Cups.

In 2018 in Russia, the explosive wideman became the youngest player to net in the tournament's showpiece since Brazilian great, Pele back in 1958, memorably scoring in the 4-2 thrashing of Croatia.

The PSG talisman then hit even bigger heights in Qatar last year after scoring eight times in the competition in total, including a breathtaking hat-trick in the final against Lionel Messi's Argentina side to help take the game to extra-time.

While it was ultimately the South American outfit who emerged victorious during the subsequent penalty shoot-out, Mbappe yet again illustrated why he is a possible successor to the likes of Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at football's top table.

Such a talent is thus worthy of a sizeable valuation, with the player having only recently been the subject of a £259m offer from Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal – a stunning increase of 5080% in relation the reported £5m fee that United could have signed him for years prior.

While Ten Hag's side may still have lingering hopes of snapping up the £1.1m-per-week asset next summer when his current contract reaches its expiry, a move to Real Madrid looks to be the most obvious scenario, ensuring that Mbappe is likely to remain 'one that got away' for the Red Devils.

Newcastle United dispatched Arsenal 1-0 at St James' Park on Saturday evening and now attention turns back to the Champions League.

The Magpies face a trip to Signal Iduna Park on Tuesday night to take on Borussia Dortmund and seek revenge after losing 1-0 against them at the end of October.

Eddie Howe is currently dealing with an overflowing injury table as key stars, such as; Alexander Isak, Sven Botman and Harvey Barnes all remain sidelined, meaning he could name a similar lineup to the one that recorded victory over the Gunners.

Considering the Toon are fighting for a place in the Champions League knockout stages, the Englishman can ill-afford to rest his key players with only one change expected to be made. Here's the predicted lineup for their clash with Dortmund.

1 GK – Nick Pope

Only Manchester City have conceded fewer xG in the Premier League than Newcastle United's 10.32, as per Understat, and Nick Pope has played a pivotal role in that statistic, making crucial saves and showcasing his presence in between the sticks.

2 RB – Tino Livramento

Livramento replaced the injured Dan Burn at half-time against Arsenal and the "phenomenal" full-back, as described by journalist Thomas Hammond, impressed with his all-action display against the Gunners. With Burn now sidelined, the 21-year-old can now have an extended run in the team, starting against Dortmund on Tuesday. This would be his first Champions League start too; timely.

3 CB: Jamal Lascelles

Sven Botman's injury opened up the opportunity for Jamal Lascelles to showcase his defensive attributes in the heart of the Toon defence and he's done so in fine fashion, captaining the side to clean sheets in victories over Burnley, Crystal Palace and Arsenal. The 29-year-old will continue marshalling Howe's backline against Dortmund.

4 CB: Fabian Schar

Having conjured up a wonder strike against PSG in the Champions League, Fabian Schar has been the man for the big occasion this term. He will start alongside Lascelles once more versus Dortmund where he has the unenviable task of dealing with the pacey and direct Donyell Malen, should he start down that side.

5 LB: Kieran Trippier

With Burn sidelined, Howe could shuffle Trippier across to left back, a position he's played on numerous occasions for England, to accommodate Livramento into the starting eleven. The Englishman, who has posted seven assists this term, is crucial to their attacking output, utilising his wand of a right foot from set pieces.

6 CM: Joelinton

The "monster" – as dubbed by journalist Aaron Stokes for his rapid rise to stardom in a Newcastle shirt – Joelinton's explosive ball-carrying and industry will be crucial to them winning the midfield battle on Tuesday.

7 CM: Bruno Guimaraes

Whilst Joe Willock is knocking on the door for a starting spot, Bruno Guimaraes has firmly closed it on the Englishman. The 25-year-old is the lynchpin of Howe's midfield, with his strength and aggression vital to his side regaining possession. He is one of several Newcastle players who are undroppable at the moment.

8 CM: Sean Longstaff

An immovable object at the heart of Newcastle's midfield this term, Sean Longstaff's tough-tackling and energetic midfield performances have earned him a spot in the midfield alongside Joelinton and Guimaraes.

9 RW: Miguel Almiron

The fleet-footed winger is vital to Newcastle launching their explosive counter-attacks and enjoys cutting in on his peach of a left foot. Having already scored against PSG this term, he will pose a huge threat to Remy Bensebaini, who is likely to start at left-back for the hosts.

10 LW: Anthony Gordon

Although he is yet to register a goal or an assist in the Champions League, Anthony Gordon has been in scintillating form on the left flank for the Toon, frightening the life out of defenders with his pace and trickery while posting four goals and two assists in the top flight, including the winner against Arsenal last time out.

Barring a glitch or two, both teams are extremely well balanced, and the quality of resources at their disposal should mean that Eden Gardens is in for a top-notch contest

The Preview by Akshay Gopalakrishnan13-Apr-20183:08

Dasgupta: Gill better than most Indian batsmen in KKR squad

Big PictureForty-eight hours. After barely surviving a rollercoaster against the defending champions Mumbai Indians, that is the time Sunrisers Hyderabad have to recuperate and be back in full swing. It’s another reminder of how punishing the IPL can be, and the challenges teams face in staying fresh through two whole months in the peak of the Indian summer. Moreover, Sunrisers will have to switch cities, as they step out of home into the bastion that is Eden Gardens.With 41 victories, Kolkata Knight Riders are the third-most successful home team in IPL history. That trend extended with a dominant win over Royal Challengers Bangalore in their opening game. Knight Riders are among the most well-balanced teams. Their batting order is full of firepower, and they bat very deep. It came to the fore against Chennai Super Kings, when Andre Russell shellacked an unbeaten 88 off 36 balls to power them to 202, after they were 89 for 5 at the halfway stage.Knight Riders’ only concern at the moment is with the domestic fast bowler’s slot. Vinay Kumar, who is their senior-most player in that department, has fallen flat, having gone at 2.82 runs per ball in the two games so far. After their failure to defend 202 against Chennai, the bowling coach Heath Streak called for better execution from the players. And while Streak placed emphasis on a change in approach over wholesale changes to the XI, Knight Riders may consider testing the Under-19 duo of Shivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nagarkoti in place of Vinay.Like Knight Riders, Sunrisers have a wonderfully-balanced side. Shikhar Dhawan has done his best to make up for the absence of David Warner with a pair of belligerent knocks. Sunrisers’ middle order has never looked stronger, after the acquisitions of Manish Pandey and Yusuf Pathan. And Shakib Al Hasan has added teeth to an already potent bowling attack. However, Sunrisers lack a quick striker to complement Dhawan at the top. T20 cricket has often shown us that having one partner buckle down while the other tees off isn’t necessarily a winning strategy. And assuming that Kane Williamson will be largely responsible for holding his end up to build the innings, Sunrisers cannot afford to have two slow scorers in their top three.In the newsMitchell Johnson was rested from Knight Riders’ match against Chennai Super Kings due to a “slight niggle”, but Streak confirmed that the left-arm pacer had recovered, and was hopeful of his return. Streak also said that Lynn’s shoulder problem shouldn’t be a concern. On the eve of the match, captain Dinesh Karthik confirmed the same but also said that team decisions would be made on the morning of the game.Bhuvneshwar sat out the Mumbai game due to a sore back. While he is their spearhead, Sunrisers wouldn’t be sweating too much in case Bhuvneshwar doesn’t recover, seeing as Sandeep Sharma, his replacement, fared well with returns of 2 for 25 in four overs.The likely XIsKolkata Knight Riders: 1 Chris Lynn, 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Robin Uthappa, 4 Nitish Rana, 5 Dinesh Karthik (capt, wk), 6 Rinku Singh/Shubman Gill, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Piyush Chawla, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Shivam Mavi/Kamlesh NagarkotiSunrisers Hyderabad: 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Manish Pandey, 5 Yusuf Pathan, 6 Shakib Al Hasan, 7 Deepak Hooda, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Siddarth Kaul, 10 Sandeep Sharma/Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 11 Billy StanlakeESPNcricinfo LtdStats that matter Of the 48 balls that Siddarth Kaul has bowled this season, batsmen haven’t been in control of their shots against 25 of them. The numbers are identical for Kaul’s teammate Rashid Khan. Kaul has taken a particular liking to the short delivery. He has bowled 11 of them so far – the second-most this season – and to great effect, giving away just nine runs, including a solitary boundary, and picking up a wicket. Sunrisers have never beaten Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens. Of the five matches these two sides have played here, the home team has won all of them. Among players with at least 600 career IPL runs, Andre Russell’s Smart Strike Rate of 220.40 is, by far, the best. No other player even touches the 200-mark. Glenn Maxwell is a distant second, with 1245 runs at a Smart Strike Rate of 194.79. Contrary to the norm this season, four of the last five meetings between these two sides have been won by the team batting first. Robin Uthappa has an excellent record against Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the IPL. Off the 53 balls he has faced from the bowler, Uthappa has scored 65 runs, and is yet to be dismissed.Strategy puntUse your fast bowlers against Narine. Royal Challengers did the mistake of bowling Yuzvendra Chahal and Washington Sundar at Narine upfront, and he sunk them with a 17-ball half-century. Chennai, too, turned to Harbhajan Singh for the second over with Narine at the crease. While the move paid off for them, the contrast is telling. Since the 2015 IPL, Narine has averaged 29.7 and struck at 240.5 while being dismissed thrice in nine innings against spin. Against pace, he averages 18.6, while the strike-rate drops to 156.9, and he has got out to them 11 times in 19 innings.Fantasy picksBatsmen at the top are most likely to score the big runs, which makes Chris Lynn an automatic lock. Even if he does end up being dismissed for a low score, Lynn is unlikely to scratch around, which will make the loss of points minimal. Likewise, Narine would make a safe pick, given his batting position and utility with the ball. Since the previous season, Narine has averaged 19.06 with the bat and struck at 186.92; with the ball, he has conceded just 6.85 runs an over: as fantasy as it gets.Quotes”Yes, we’ve got to be careful. He’s not the first bowler, and he won’t be the last bowler who won’t defend 17-20. We’ve seen (Dwayne) Bravo – what he can do. We’ve seen Andre (Russell) hit quite a few overs for those sort of numbers, like 20-plus. It’s tough when you’re defending the last one, but we did the same thing: hit their bowlers for 20-plus.”

In a game where bat dominated ball almost right from the start, both teams will probably look back at the last six overs of the Indian innings as the phase which turned out to be the most critical

On the Ball with S Rajesh06-Feb-2006In a game where bat dominated ball almost right from the start, both teams will probably look back at the last six overs of the Indian innings as the phase which turned out to be the most critical. After 44, India were cruising along at 300 for 4 – a run-rate of 6.82. In the next six overs, that rate fell drastically to 4.67, as Pakistan nailed six wickets, starting with the crucial scalp of Sachin Tendulkar in the 45th over. No over fetched more than seven, and a total which appeared headed towards the 340-plus mark finished up only on 328.Even that total was a huge one, but Pakistan’s batting, led by Salman Butt, ensured that the Indians were on the back foot very quickly. The most impressive aspect of his batting was the manner in which he scored runs almost equally off all the Indian bowlers – the bowler who finished up with the best economy rate against him was Zaheer Khan, and even he went for 15 from 18 balls.

Salman Butt versus Indian bowlers

Bowler Balls Runs Strike rate

Zaheer Khan 18 15 5.00 Irfan Pathan 42 37 5.29 Ajit Agarkar 14 13 5.57 Murali Kartik 18 18 6.00 S Sreesanth 15 18 7.20The performance which would have most pleased the Indian fans was Sachin Tendulkar’s hundred. Plenty had been written about him after his failure in the Tests, but he answered the critics in the manner he knows best – with runs off the bat. Tendulkar didn’t start as fluently as he normally does – against the fast bowlers (Naved-ul-Hasan, Asif, Gul and Razzaq) he only scored 41 off 66 balls. Against the slow bowlers, though, Tendulkar was in his elements, milking 59 from 47. With the confidence back, he could well be more aggressive against the fast bowlers through the rest of the series.

Will Luke looks at how Canada fared in 2007

Will Luke23-Dec-2007

Umar Bhatti celebrates his hat-trick in the Intercontinental Cup final. It was about the only cause for celebration in a wretched match© ICC
It was a mixed year for Canada both on and off the pitch. They struggled in one-day cricket with four wins out of 16 matches while in the ICC Intercontinental Cup they lost four out of five. And as they move into 2008, the lack of money continues to blight their progress.Their performance at the World Cup was predictably dire, only ever showing glimpses of potential and competitiveness. After losing to Kenya, they took on England and made a decent stab at chasing 280 with Ashif Mulla cracking a quickfire 58. In their final match against NewZealand, John Davison – Canada’s bristling opener and only batsman with the gumption and class to take on the best – smashed 52 from 31 balls in his farewell ODI.Things didn’t improve in four-day cricket either when they were humiliated by Ireland in the Intercontinental Cup final at Leicester carried over from the previous season. Their preparation was poor, blighted by lost baggage and missed flights, and lost a horribly one-sided contest inside five sessions. They struggled in subsequent matches from patchy availability and a lack of preparation as players, already struggling to take time off, often found themselves underprepared on unfamiliar surfaces.The coach, Andy Pick, left in May and urged Canada’s board to appoint his replacement quickly, to aid their path to qualifying for the next World Cup. Pubudu Dassanayake was finally chosen five months later, and he has a battle on his hands to squeeze what little money he canfrom a ring-fenced set-up.New man on the block
A familiar name in Canada’s youth squads, Trevin Bastiampillai is one of the next generation and in 2007 put together some useful scores. He made 71 in Canada’s innings victory over UAE, adding 141 with Mulla.Fading star
John Davison, Canada’s standout batsman, played his last match in the Intercontinental Cup final rout, and two months earlier he bowed out of ODIs at the World Cup with a typically audacious 52 from 31 balls. He might yet return but, at 37, and with Canada’s selectors looking to thefuture, it appears unlikely. They, and Canada’s fans, will sorely miss him.High point
Ashish Bagai shone in the World Cricket League in Nairobi. He scored 137 not out – his first hundred in senior cricket – against Scotland and added a second ton against Ireland four days later. His 345 runs at 86.25 meant he ended the tournament as the leading run scorer and was named Player of the Tournament. He was later shortlisted for the ICC Associate Player of the Year.Low point
Canada’s loss to Ireland in the Intercontinental Cup final summed up their year. Dismissed for 92 and 145, the only crumb of comfort they gained was the performance of Umar Bhatti who took a hat-trick (and very nearly four in four) as Ireland’s first innings fell away. The news that Bagai had taken up a work position in London and was likely to largely unavailable in 2008 was another blow.What the future holds
With the appointment of Atul Ahuja as Canada’s first chief executive, hopes of the government funding Canadian cricket have increased. Like other Associates, they receive a payout from the ICC but, as Pick found out, access to the funds is limited – and this is one area that Ahuja might be able to help in his first year as chief executive. Similarly, Pubudu Dassanayake, Pick’s replacement, has a tough task on his hands to improve consistency.

Canada in 2007

Matches Won Lost Drawn/NR

ODIs 16 4 12 0 Twenty20 – – – – Intercontinental Cup 5 1 4 0

A lip reader has claimed Kyle Walker threatened to "knock out" Neal Maupay after taunts about his children during Manchester City's win at Brentford.

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Lip reader claimed Walker threatened MaupayMaupay allegedly taunted WalkerWalker recently separated from his wifeGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

The two players got involved in a heated confrontation towards the end of the Premier League clash on Monday. According to the , a professional lip reader has now revealed that the Cityzens defender threatened to "knock out" Maupay, after claiming that the Brentford striker had been taunting him about his children.

AdvertisementWHAT HAS BEEN SAID

Speaking to , the expert lip reader said: "Walker approached the 4th official and shouted: 'I'm gonna knock him [Maupay] out'. To which Stuart Attwell replied: 'Shush'."

However, Walker refused to back down and said "Wait there" – pointing to the tunnel – before walking back over to Gillet. The England international is said to have continued: "Ref he spoke about my kids, he spoke about my kids, not once, but twice." Maupay then interrupted by saying: "I didn't, it's OK."

Gillet attempted to calm things down by saying "Let's deal with it at the end" before facing Maupay and adding: "Now, now, just calm down, listen to me… think about it, think about it." Maupay then responded: "'That's a lie, that's not fair, I promise you now.'"

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

As reports, Walker split with his wife Annie Kilner in January and is currently living alone in a rented property away from all five of his children – with Annie expecting another in March. Walker admits that he has brought those problems on himself, with divorce now a distinct possibility.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR KYLE WALKER?

The defender will be next seen in action on Saturday as Pep Guardiola's side take on Everton in another important Premier League fixture. City are now up to second in the table, two points behind Liverpool with a game in hand.