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Azhar Ali defies hamstring injury to bring Worcestershire first win of campaign

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Will Young’s battling hundred fails to spare Northants in run chase

ECB Reporters Network17-Aug-2022Worcestershire 257 for 4 (Azhar 130) beat Northamptonshire 248 for 4 (Young 104*, Vasconcelos 70) by six wickets (DLS method)Azhar Ali led the charge with a commanding 130 off just 97 deliveries to help Worcestershire Rapids chase down a formidable target in this Royal London Cup clash against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.The Pakistan veteran defied a hamstring injury mid innings to put on a batting masterclass with 17 fours and one six, treating fans who had braved a rare cold day to some booming cover drives and shots over the infield as well as some sweetly timed strokes and scoops.He shared an enterprising partnership worth 138 with rookie Taylor Cornall, who made the second half-century of his brief career to date. While Azhar fell with 29 runs still needed, Worcestershire crossed the line with four balls and six wickets to spare. The victory was the Rapid’s first of this year’s campaign.For Northamptonshire, skipper Will Young struck a battling unbeaten 104 from 94 balls (six fours, three sixes) in bowler-friendly conditions to help his side post a competitive 248 for 4 despite two lengthy interruptions for rain which reduced the game to 39 overs a side. Young struggled to find his timing early in his innings against the seaming ball and reached the boundary just twice in his first 50 runs. He kept the scoreboard ticking though, bringing up his half-century from 72 balls, before putting his foot down and reaching three figures with two legside sixes in the final over of the innings.Earlier, put into bat under under gloomy skies, Northamptonshire soon lost Emilio Gay lbw to Ben Gibbon and had advanced to 44 for 1 when the first break for rain came.When they returned, Ricardo Vasconcelos played and missed against the seaming ball but soon started to locate the boundary, scoring the lion’s share of an 84-run stand with Young. He smashed Dillon Pennington down the ground and played a sweetly timed late cut behind square off Joe Leach, but advanced to his half-century in less emphatic style, thanks to four overthrows. He looked well set for another big score after his century last week, playing a gorgeous on-drive off Ed Barnard and lifting the same bowler over the infield.But Vasconcelos’ knock of 70 ended soon afterwards when Adam Finch got one to jag back sharply and hit the top of the stumps. Worcestershire collected their third wicket in the next over thanks to a brilliant direct hit from the deep courtesy of Gibbon which accounted for Saif Zaib and left Northamptonshire on 108 for 3.Young punched Leach down to backward point early in his innings, but did not locate the ropes again until he had reached 40. As he accelerated, he hit over mid-on and brought out the scoop shot in a partnership worth 114 with keeper Lewis McManus.McManus looked scratchy early on, wafting outside off-stump to a ball from Finch past a diving slip. He grew in confidence swinging high over square leg for six to bring up the century partnership off 86 balls in the penultimate over. He dispatched Pennington’s next two balls for four to reach his half-century from 47 balls before holing out in the deep.That left Young to finish the innings in style with a four and two maximums off the final over. The blaze of boundaries saw 42 runs coming off the final 12 balls.In the chase, Azhar took four boundaries off Jack White’s opening spell and reached his half-century off 55 balls, finding a willing partner in Cornall who played some nicely timed drives mixed with aggression and innovation including an uppercut over the keeper.Azhar offered one chance on 60 when a diving Sanderson put down a difficult chance in the deep but otherwise continued untroubled.Brandon Glover made two crucial breakthroughs accounting first for Cornall who picked out mid-on after 83 balls at the crease. In Glover’s next over Gareth Roderick fell scooping as McManus ran backwards and took the catch to leave Worcestershire on 157 for 2.That was to be the last breakthrough for some time as Azhar and Jake Libby shared a stand of 68. Azhar had to call Roderick back as a runner after suffering a hamstring injury, but unleashed a string of boundaries, pulling and cutting before clipping off his toes to bring up his century from just 78 deliveries.The pair saw off a typically tight spell from Ben Sanderson, but with six runs an over needed off the final six, Azhar finally fell when he pulled White to Vasconcelos who took a tumbling catch in the deep.Barnard skied a catch off the final over off White, but with only one run required, it was scant late consolation for Northamptonshire.

What if teams got more points for taking Tests longer (without drawing)?

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

The current WTC system is weighed in favour of bowler-friendly pitches. Here’s one that aims to incentivise longer Test matches that end in an outright result

Kartikeya Date01-Dec-2025The World Test Championship points system awards 12 points for a Test win, four points for a draw, and none for a Test defeat. This makes a Test win significantly more valuable compared to a draw.Consider two hypothetical three-match series, where in the first, the winning side wins 2-1, earning 24 points to the losing team’s 12. In the other, the winning side wins 1-0, earning 20 points (12 for the win, four each for the draws), while the losing side earns eight. In terms of raw points, the side winning 2-1 earns more points than the side winning 1-0. It also earns a higher percentage of the available points (24 out of a possible 36, or 66.7%) compared to the 1-0 winning side (20 points out of a possible 36, or 55.6%). This is significant because a team’s position on the WTC table is decided based on the percentage of available points that they collect.It is fair to say that the WTC points system disincentives draws in Test cricket. Only 26 of the 216 Test matches (one in eight) in the WTC era have been drawn. It would not be fair to say, however, that the WTC system singularly has caused teams to chase results. That tendency precedes the championship.In the 214 Tests just before the WTC era, 32 were drawn. It is also not the case that the more successful teams in the WTC era play fewer draws. In the last two editions of the championship (2021-23 and 2023-25), the top four teams in the final table played at least as many, if not more, draws than the bottom four teams.Nevertheless, Test matches have been getting shorter. This is partly because scoring rates have been rising, and consequently, dismissals are occurring more frequently than they used to. This is also due to the DRS. Other interesting causes are evident in the record, but those are best left for a separate discussion. For now, let’s focus on the cause that keeps attracting much discussion every time a short Test match is played – the pitch.Home teams have the privilege of producing pitches of their choice in Test cricket. Different parts of the world have different types of soil, weather and traditions, and produce a variety of pitches, all of which are not equally well suited to the same styles of bowling. The ICC’s pitch and outfield monitoring process acknowledges this reality. In the WTC era, all home teams have produced bowler-friendly, result-oriented, pitches.Home teams cannot produce pitches that make only their own victory more likely, especially when the visiting team has sufficient quality and variety in bowling, as New Zealand, South Africa, England, India, Australia and Pakistan invariably have had for all conditions in recent times. The best home teams can hope for is that even against a fairly complete opponent, their own quality and depth in bowling on their pitches will outgun that of the visitors in the long run. The Australians, for instance, successfully made this bet when India toured in 2024-25. They lost the first Test, in Perth, on a very quick, seaming pitch, but in the end, their superior fast-bowling depth and quality told on five fast-bowler-friendly surfaces. In a short series, there isn’t always time for this type of benefit to play out. But even there, as we have seen above, 1-1 is a better result than 0-0 under the WTC points system.In the 865 non-WTC Test matches since the start of 2000 that were not played at neutral venues, the median game lasted 1982 balls. Of the 432 Tests that were completed in 1982 balls or fewer, the home team won 255 and lost 129 (or 59 wins and 30 defeats per 100 Tests). Of the 432 Tests that lasted more than 1982 balls, the home team won 170 and lost 122 (or 39 wins and 28 defeats per 100 Tests). Longer Tests make winning less likely but don’t reduce the frequency of defeat; they increase the probability of draws.Under the current points system, matches less than about 300 overs long fetch the home team 60% of available points, while longer ones produce 56%. Which makes home teams interested in risking defeat chasing victory with bowler-friendly pitches•Gallo ImagesIn the WTC era the median Test has lasted 1765 balls. Of the 109 matches that lasted 1765 balls or fewer during this period, the home team won 61 and lost 40 (or 56 wins, 37 defeats per 100 Tests). Of the 106 matches that lasted more than 1765 balls, the home team won 53 and lost 34 (50 wins and 32 defeats per 100 Tests). Matches have become shorter in the WTC era; longer WTC matches (those longer than the median) produce 18 draws per 100 Tests, compared to nine draws per 100 Tests in shorter matches. But under the WTC points system shorter matches produce 59% of available points for the home team (56 wins, nine draws), while longer matches produce 56% of available points for the home team (50 wins, 18 draws). So it is in the interests of the home team to risk defeat chasing victory in the WTC era by preparing more bowler-friendly pitches.The general understanding that better batting pitches increase the probability of the draw by reducing the likelihood of winning more than they reduce the likelihood of losing, precedes the WTC era. It is no surprise that England sought old-fashioned English pitches after losing by 405 runs to Australia in the Lord’s Test of the 2015 Ashes. The cost of an English fast bowler’s wicket in England dropped from 29.1 runs in the 2011-2015 period (including that Lord’s Ashes Test), to 23.9 runs from the end of that 2015 Test to the start of the Bazball era in June 2022. The 2011-15 period was already a strong era for England, with Stuart Broad and James Anderson forming a great seam-bowling new-ball pair.India’s desire for turning pitches at home has a much longer history in modern cricket. Most Indian captains have sought such conditions, believing (correctly) that, (a) in the long run, their superior depth and quality of spin bowling will mean they will win a lot more than they lose, and (b) that a turning pitch mitigates consequences arising from the outcome of the toss.The conventional wisdom, which has found new voice following India’s defeat at Eden Gardens – that better wickets will amplify India’s spin bowling quality – is not borne out by the record. Since the start of 1993, India have played 151 Tests at home, won 90 and lost 24. Anil Kumble played his first home Test against England in January 1993, marking the start of a prolonged period of Indian spin domination at home. India’s median home Test in this period has lasted 2059 balls. Of 75 home Tests that lasted 2061 balls or fewer, India won 55 and lost 11. Of the 75 that lasted longer than 2061 balls, India won 35 and lost 12. While it is true, as Himanish Ganjoo has showed on these pages that, relative to better batting pitches, bowler-friendly pitches reduce India’s batting average more than they do the opposition’s (since the visiting team’s batting average is lower to begin with), this does not, in the long run, translate to more frequent defeats for India.If the current points system rewards bowler-friendly pitches because teams don’t want to risk draws, how might a points system that aims to produce longer Test matches without incentivising draws be devised? Such a system would, for instance, reward a win in 400 overs more than it does a win in 280 overs. The requirement is for a system that makes the choice less obvious for home teams when it comes to preferring result pitches. It will do this by finding a way to penalise shorter Tests (and consequently, pitches at the bowler-friendly end of the spectrum) without rewarding draws. Rewarding draws is likely to encourage home teams to ask for featherbeds.The current WTC points system also does not consider the balance of play; it only considers the result. A draw is a draw, and teams get the same number of points whether it is a team hanging on by one wicket in a thrilling finish or a Test in which only 21 wickets fall over 400 overs of play.A few years ago I proposed a method of measuring the dominance of a Test team. It is sensitive to the outcome of every delivery in the match. Under that system, the two teams in the Kanpur and Ahmedabad Tests above would not finish on an equal number of points. That system also avoids arbitrary thresholds (for instance, the WTC system prescribes a 3:1 ratio for wins to draws). How points are allotted using this hypothetical system is shown below with the examples of two recent Tests. (Note, the intermediate figures are rounded to three decimal places here. In the actual calculation, they are not.)1. India vs South Africa at Eden Gardens, 2025
Result: SA won by 30 runs
SA: 312 for 20 in 654 balls
IND: 282 for 18 in 584 ballsRuns per wicket for the match (312 + 282) / (20 + 18) = 15.63IND batting points: 282 / 584 = 0.483IND bowling points: 20*15.63 / 654 = 0.478
SA batting points: 312 / 654 = 0.477
SA bowling points: 18*15.63 / 584 = 0.482
IND total points: 0.959
SA total points: 0.961Since South Africa won outright, they get a win bonus – equal to the average number of points each team earned in the match – which in this case is 0.960 (0.959 + 0.961) / 2South Africa’s total points for the match: 0.961 + 0.960 = 1.919, and India’s total points for the match: 0.959. So South Africa has +0.960 points net.2. India v England at Edgbaston, 2025
Result: India won by 336 runs
IND: 1014 for 16 in 1404 balls
ENG: 678 for 20 in 946 ballsRuns per wicket for the match: 47IND total points: 3.200
ENG total points: 1.252
IND net points: 1.948In draws, each team’s final points tally is simply the sum of their bowling and batting points. For instance, in the 2023 Ahmedabad Test referenced above, India collected 1.008 points and Australia 0.934 points. In other words, India collected a net 0.069 points and Australia a net -0.069 points.This method of assessing teams in Test matches is sensitive to the outcome of each delivery, and to the margin of victory (or even the margin of the draw). For the hypothetical WTC version of this system, I propose scaling the winning team’s points by a match-length factor to arrive at the win bonus for outright wins.The average outright result in WTC Tests takes 1738 deliveries. So we divide the number of deliveries in a match by 1800 (300 overs), or the average length. If a match lasts 2000 deliveries, the match length factor is 2000 / 1800. The consequence of this method of deriving the win-bonus figure is shown in the graph below, which compares the net points teams earn in all the outright results in WTC Tests using this modified system to their net points in the original system. The net points decrease for shorter matches and increase for longer matches.Kartikeya DateThe calculation of the net points per match for each team in the 2021-23 WTC Test cycle is below. This comparison is difficult to make because pitch preparation is shaped by the points system at work. If pitches that last five days give teams a chance to earn more points than quicker victories on more precarious pitches, then pitches will become less bowler-friendly. The comparison also depends on which matches a team loses and which it wins. For instance, the average Test match won by South Africa in the 2021-23 WTC cycle lasted 1703 balls, while the average Test they lost lasted 1319 balls. Five of their six defeats in this cycle came in New Zealand, England and Australia. The sixth was a defeat to India in the 2021 Boxing Day Test in Centurion.

Under the proposed system, a team that wins a Test match by one wicket, scoring 301 for 19 in 600 balls and conceding 300 for 20 in 600 balls earns a net points tally of 0.704, using a 300-overs threshold. Using the same threshold, a one-wicket win achieved scoring 601 for 19 in 1200 balls and conceding 600 for 20 in 1200 balls earns a net points tally of 1.379. It is worth nearly two wins of the first kind.By making the outcome of each ball count in the final net points tally (since it is calculated from the runs, balls and wickets for each team), this new points system shifts the focus to the management of resources. For instance, if a team reaches 400 for 4 in this system, there is an incentive to declare, to deny the opposition the opportunity to take a few cheap wickets and acquire some extra points.The proposed approach raises the possibility of an interesting perverse incentive. If a team, say, like Australia in the Perth Test of the current Ashes were to have reached 162 for 1 in 25 overs, chasing 205, and wondered whether it was worth blocking a few overs and taking, say, 40 overs to score the last 43 runs, instead of 20 balls as they did, how much would their points tally improve?In the match as it occurred, Australia finish with 1.248 net points under the new system. In the alternative match, where Australia chased 205 in 68 overs instead of 28, they would end with 1.254 net points (given an otherwise identical eight-wicket margin of victory). The points system rewards quick runs and a greater number of runs. It also rewards efficient management of resources. The proportion in which it does this can be adjusted by weighting the match length-scale factor.If the fans and the authorities want to see Test cricket on pitches that are gentler to the batter, then the competitive incentives need to be shaped to make home teams amenable to it. A points system that is sensitive to these competitive instincts and can reward winning on the fifth day more than it rewards winning on the third is necessary.The system proposed in this article attempts to pursue each of these ends. It is sensitive to the outcome of each delivery. And it rewards wins in longer Tests more than it rewards wins in shorter ones. It (or something like it) should be adopted in the WTC.

England star Grace Clinton underlining her Lionesses Euro 2025 credentials with immediate rise to the fore at Man Utd

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

In a year which has already seen the 21-year-old enjoy breakthroughs with Tottenham and England, she’s now taking the WSL by storm with the Red Devils

When Grace Clinton faced the media this summer, ahead of her first Women’s Super League season with Manchester United, she was under no illusions with regards to the pressure that was going to be on her at the club, after a breakthrough loan spell at Tottenham and an electric start to her England career. But the way she’s been playing in this campaign, it’s as if she doesn’t feel the weight of expectation whatsoever.

The message from United boss Marc Skinner was not to change anything from the season she had just spent at Spurs, which earned Clinton her Lionesses debut and the PFA Women's Young Player of the Year award. “Marc has reassured me, saying, ‘Don't come in and feel like you have to prove anything, just come in and settle in and just keep enjoying it’,” she explained. “He's just [giving me] the same messages that I had at Tottenham, which is really nice for me to hear.”

Fitting with that consistent message is the consistency of performance from Clinton, though it’s actually easy to argue that her level has even gone up this year from the last. Perhaps that’s no surprise, given the experiences she has accumulated in such a short time, and if she can continue in this vein, with the European Championship right around the corner, she’s going to get the opportunity to shine on even bigger stages.

Getty ImagesStar of the show

It's not a stretch to say that Clinton has been one of the very best players in the WSL this season. That’s particularly impressive given she’s essentially a new signing, someone who had hardly played with most of her new team-mates before, nor in Skinner’s side. This is a United team in a little bit of transition, too. It wasn’t set up for her to just slot in and perform.

There are also greater expectations with the Red Devils. “I think with Spurs, as long as we'd made progress from the year before, nearly getting relegated… They were in completely different places,” Clinton acknowledged before the season. “We had the ability and the freedom to try and work on us as a team and how we play. But at United, you can work on how you play as a team, but you need to get the results at the same time. I think that's more of the difference for me.”

However, that’s just another obstacle she’s overcome. Armed with a little more confidence as a result of that Spurs spell, Clinton feels in a better play to “express” herself – and it certainly shows.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMaking her mark

After marking her United debut with a goal, in a 3-0 opening-weekend win over West Ham, Clinton hasn’t looked back. A remarkably composed finish gave the Red Devils a 1-0 win over Everton the next week. and then she went into the first international break of the season with a third, after scoring in a 1-1 draw with surprise package Brighton.

Those three goals make her United’s joint-top goal-scorer in the WSL this term, alongside new No.9 Elisabeth Terland, and it’s not the only column in which her stats rank among the very best in the squad. No United player has created more chances in the league this season, with Clinton not struggling to get involved in games at all. Only the centre-back pairing of Maya Le Tissier and Millie Turner have had more touches.

Terland is the sole player with more shots, shots on target and touches in the opposition's box, and only full-back Jayde Riviere has won more fouls. When it comes to dribbles completed, Clinton is also joint-top of those charts. In essence, she’s at the heart of all the good stuff her team are doing in attack.

GettyGrowing partnership

Ahead of the season, there were some concerns that this wouldn’t be the case, because there were questions about how Clinton and Ella Toone, another creative playmaker, would fit into the same team. However, after starting the season with the somewhat questionable choice to play Toone in a wider role, Skinner has settled into playing her more central and Clinton more towards the wings in recent weeks, that a position she is familiar with from her time at Tottenham.

It's something that has certainly pleased Clinton, as she has repeatedly spoken about how much she enjoys playing with Toone. It’s something they’ve done for England, albeit with the 21-year-old in a slightly deeper role which doesn’t always emphasise her best qualities.

The bad news is that Toone is feared to be out injured for the rest of 2024, so this growing partnership is on pause for the time being. The good news, however, is that the two have shown glimpses of being able to work well together already, and they’ll hope to continue that in the New Year.

Getty ImagesAll-rounder

But it’s not just about what Clinton does well in attack, as she’s also a real asset defensively. Be it as a box-to-box midfielder or a hard-working wide player, she is always keen to honour her defensive duties, something that will always curry favour with coaches and team-mates alike.

No player has won more tackles in the United team this season than Clinton, which underlines how willing she is to get stuck in, be it with her high press or tracking back.

“I do love being able to just go up and down the pitch, being able to defend and put them tackles in and do that for the team, but then being able to stay in those pockets and create,” Clinton said earlier this year, discussing her preferred position and highlighting the defensive aspects of midfield as a reason for it being her favourite.

Lalit Modi v Kent

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From Jojy John Alphonso, India My heartfelt sympathies for Kent, the county team snubbed by Lalit Modi and his cronies for the Twenty20 Challenger tournament to be held later this year

Cricinfo25-Feb-2013Jojy John Alphonso, India
My heartfelt sympathies for Kent, the county team snubbed by Lalit Modi and his cronies for the Twenty20 Challenger tournament to be held later this year. The ECB is probably the only cricketing board that had the courage to stand up to the might and arm-twisting techniques of the BCCI only to be let down by the South African and Australian boards. So what if some English counties took some ICL players on board? The only reason these ICL players were given a chance was because they were good. I wish a truce is called out before its too late. The BCCI can ban the ICL players from playing in their backyard but should NOT interfere in the affairs of boards elsewhere. Another ten years from now, the BCCI and Lalit Modi will have a lot of answering to do about how they killed the carrers of talented players that include names like Stuart Binny, Rayudu and their likes. The voices of Kapil Dev & company will not die down soon either.

Drama inside Real Madrid as Carlo Ancelotti’s backroom staff clash over mounting injuries and ‘old-fashioned’ methods that ‘kill’ players

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

There are reportedly growing tensions within Carlo Ancelotti's backroom staff following Real Madrid's difficult start to the season.

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Real Madrid suffer underwhelming start to seasonTensions rise in Ancelotti's backroom staffPhysical preparation and injuries cause frictionFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Real Madrid have not had the dream start to the season they had expected when they announced the signing of French superstar Kylian Mbappe over the summer. Instead, the season has been a bit of a disappointment so far as Los Blancos have not seemed to click and morale seems down in the entire camp, with talks of Ancelotti being sacked.

AdvertisementReal MadridTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Injuries have also been a major issue for Real Madrid this season as they have suffered a total of 25 within just three months of the season starting. Ancelotti currently has nine players out injured in the form of David Alaba, Joan Martinez, Dani Carvajal, youth centre-back Jacobo Ramon, Eder Militao, Thibaut Courtois, Aurelien Tchouameni, Lucas Vazquez and Rodrygo. As per The Athletic, this has caused a sense of mistrust within the backroom staff towards the team’s physical preparation.

Real Madrid's head of performance, Antonio Pintus, is responsible for the physical training but some consider his methods to be old-fashioned, while Jude Bellingham admitted last year that the fitness trainer "loves to kill us".

However, sources close to Pintus believe the club’s intense schedule is one of the causes of their mounting injury woes.

Getty Images SportDID YOU KNOW?

It has also been reported that Pintus’ relationship with head coach Ancelotti has become strained in recent months. The dressing room is said to believe that the problems between the two Italians is due to Pintus not taking responsibility for important decisions, including the recovery process of injured players. Furthermore, there are disagreements over the importance of the players' running metrics during matches.

WHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?

Sources told The Athletic that Pintus' future at Valdebebas is currently up in the air as further strains between the coaching staff and physical trainers may break whatever sort of professional bond there is, and that could affect the team's morale further down the line.

Harry Brook 91*, Lockie Ferguson hat-trick seal Yorkshire spoils on night of Roses drama

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Yorkshire close in on quarter-finals after Lancashire chase goes down to wire

David Hopps02-Jul-2021Yorkshire 180 for 4 (Brook 91*, Lyth 52) beat Lancashire 171 for 8 (Jones 61*, Ferguson 4-24) by 9 runsAll over the country, exciting young batsmen are springing up in the Blast, playing shots that not so long ago you would never believe. As to some of the bowling, well, that’s a different matter. But at the top of that list is Harry Brook, the leading run-maker in the competition. His innings to win the first Roses T20, and take Yorkshire to the brink of qualification for the quarter-finals was quite something.Brook’s unbeaten 91 from 50 balls left him with 463 runs at an average of 115.75 and swept Yorkshire to an above-par 180 for 4, on a pitch being used for the third time, a total which they defended with nine runs in hand. One more point should grant Yorkshire their first quarter-final appearance for five years whereas Lancashire’s top four chances are in the balance.It would not be a Roses T20, though, if that win was not strewn with incident. Yorkshire were cruising with 60 needed off four only to find Lockie Ferguson defending 20 to win from the final over, whereupon he delivered a slower-ball wide which missed the strip by a yard and then closed the game out with a hat-trick from the last three balls. He finished with 4 for 24 and it is doubtful that any bowler has delivered such unerring yorkers all season. After all, they are not really on trend.But when the commotion had died down, it was Brook whose burgeoning talent remained in the mind. He cuts a slight, somewhat self-effacing figure in the Championship. In T20, this season at least, he transforms from Clark Kent to Superman.I’m just trying to play as low risk cricket as possible,” he said. “Thankfully it’s paying off. If I take the lowest risk possible, I can’t really get out. Then, if I look to bomb it in the last few overs, it gives us a good chance to get a good total.”Yorkshire’s top six, thanks to England calls and injuries, was a hotchpotch of young pros, loan signings and, in the case of Gary Ballance, a batter who no longer seems attuned to the task in hand, but Brook shouldered the responsibility without a care in the world. Quite how he survived Matt Parkinson’s lbw appeal, on 47, however, when he missed a switch hit, is anyone’s guess.Yorkshire, having elected to bat, lost the on-loan Mark Stoneman and Jordan Thompson cheaply before Brook and Adam Lyth shared a stand of 77 from 51 balls. Lyth’s first fifty of the campaign was allied later to some pumped-up and shrewd captaincy as a Roses tie re-energised a flagging season.Lyth’s contribution ended, on 52, when he sliced the unaccustomed offspin of Luke Wells (13 balls bowled in his T20 career at start of play) to the cover boundary. When Wells was at Sussex, if memory serves, he was not the mildly threatening, shaven-headed figure he is now, an image he has presumably developed especially for the north so he dare go out at night. As Lyth walked off, the Sky TV cameras caught a young Yorkshire spectator, 12 at the most, shaking his head in time-honoured, resigned fashion at the error he had just witnessed. They sure train them early in these parts.Ballance’s thoughts all season have appeared to be elsewhere. Parkinson turned one sharply behind his legs to have him stumped by miles. With only 32 balls remaining, Yorkshire were 116 for 4, but Brook cut loose to add another 74 with George Hill.He had got off the mark with a dab to third man that was pure Joe Root, a shot that it would be no surprise to discover that he had learned off him. Such subtleties gave way to a more venomous approach as he passed 50 by dancing down the pitch to loft Parkinson for successive sixes over long-on. Saqib Mahmood had been fast and threatening early on, but he was tamed, too, in the final moments with a flat six over long-off and a deft scoop to third man. This is a batter with a full array of shots.Lancashire needed a special start, but instead lost three for 34 in 5.3 overs. Finn Allen, so impressive in the Super Smash, has had a moderate season and when he was bowled by Lyth, overbalancing to the off side in his enthusiasm for a pull shot, it was not the first time this tournament that he had made such an error. Alex Davies struck Matthew Waite’s half-volley loosener for six then got out seeking a repeat against the next ball. Dane Vilas was Ferguson’s first victim, caught at the wicket.Dom Bess ended Keaton Jennings’ laboured resistance in a solid four-over spell in mid-innings but Rob Jones and Steven Croft spiritedly kept Lancashire in touch and 19 off an over from Matt Fisher left them needing 41 from three.It all boiled down to the last over. When Ferguson’ slower ball missed the cut strip, bounced off the wicketkeeper’s body and Lancashire ran two byes anything seemed possible. The young lad who had shaken his head morbidly at Lyth’s dismissal was presumably by now mentally penning a letter of complaint to the chief executive.The scoreboard clicked here and there as the scorers tried to work out the rules. A Lancashire 12th man, running on with a drink, was summarily banished from the outfield. But with 10 needed from three, Ferguson, who had bowled superbly throughout, brooked no argument. Wells was caught at long-off as Lyth, running backwards, clutched the ball to his chest with his forearms; Luke Wood fell prey to a yorker; and Tom Hartley, with the cause hopeless, pumped one down the ground into the hands of Lyth – a highly committed, stand-in captain enjoying an impressive all-round night.

West Ham interested in signing Euro 2024 defender who once stopped Messi

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West Ham United are thought to be keen on signing a new international defender who once stopped Lionel Messi.

Defenders wanted at West Ham

So far this summer, the Hammers have made two additions to Julen Lopetegui’s squad, with winger Luis Guilherme joining from Palmeiras and more recently, experienced goalkeeper Wes Foderingham arriving on a free transfer after his contract expired at Sheffield United.

After Foderingham, further signings at the back appear to be on the radar at the London Stadium, with technical director Tim Steidten promising supporters a busy summer of business. Speaking at Lopetegui’s first official press conference as West Ham manager on Monday, Steidten said:

“I can’t tell you specifics, but it will be a busy summer for us for sure. The owner and the board have done a really good job over recent years, so we’re in good shape financially. We’re trying to build up the squad. We’re not limiting ourselves to one position – we’re looking at all areas.”

League champions on the hunt to sign "superb" £35,000-p/w West Ham player

A key player could be on his way out of East London.

ByTom Coates Jul 1, 2024

Wolverhampton Wanderers centre-back Max Kilman is a player who has been heavily linked with a move to the Hammers. The Irons have already had an offer turned down from Wolves and are expected to make a new bid, with Lopetegui even willing to make him captain.

Alongside a centre-back, a left-back to provide competition for Emerson Palmieri is also wanted, with contact made for Ryan Sessegnon, who is available on a free transfer after leaving Tottenham. Jayden Oosterwolde of Fenerbahce and Lazio’s Luca Pellegrini are also of interest, but a new defensive target has now emerged for the Hammers.

West Ham interested in Jack Hendry

According to HITC, West Ham are one of three Premier League sides interested in signing Al-Ettifaq defender Jack Hendry this summer.

It is stated that West Ham, Fulham and Leicester City are all keen on the Scotland international who recently played at Euro 2024, although his impressive individual displays at the tournament have caught the eye of other Saudi Arabia clubs, particularly PIF-owned Al-Nassr and Al-Ittihad.

Hendry, now 29 years of age, is an out-and-out centre-back and has been with Al-Ettifaq, managed by Steven Gerrard, for 12 months. Prior to that, the Scot has been on the books with the likes of Club Brugge, where he stopped Messi in a Champions League game against Paris Saint-Germain, and before that, Celtic.

Brendan Rodgers praised Hendry following his debut for Scotland back in 2018, saying: "He has the quality to play for Celtic and the international team for the next 10 years. His profile suits the highest level. He's quick and can defend, and it's important you can deal with the ball.

"For a player making his first appearance away from home on the international stage, I thought he was very composed and looks like he'd played a lot more games than what he has done."

A move to West Ham for Hendry could be one to watch, either alongside Kilman or instead of him.

Arsenal set for huge injury boost with two key players in line to return – but Martin Odegaard and Riccardo Calafiori remain out

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Arsenal are expected to welcome back Gabriel and Jurrien Timber this week but Martin Odegaard and Riccardo Calafiori remain out.

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Gabriel & Timber were forced off against LiverpoolArteta allayed fears of a new injuriesCalafiori & Odegaard remain longer-term absenteesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Brazilian defender gave fans a scare when he sustained an apparent left leg injury during Arsenal’s intense 2-2 Premier League draw with Liverpool. The 26-year-old was treated on the field after going down in the second half. Although Gabriel briefly attempted to continue, he eventually had to exit the game, with Jakub Kiwior stepping in to replace him.

AdvertisementAFPWHAT ARTETA SAID

After the match, Arteta could not immediately clarify Gabriel’s condition. However, in a press conference on Tuesday, the manager shared some promising news, stating that initial signs appeared encouraging.

"We are still assessing him,” Arteta explained. "It doesn’t look bad at all. It was much better the next day. Hopefully, he’ll be fine. He has done some tests."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Arsenal also faced concerns over Timber, who was forced to leave the Liverpool match in the second half. His premature exit raised questions about a possible aggravation of his recent injury, which had already kept him out of the squad for three consecutive games. Arteta, however, quickly dispelled fears of a setback, stating that Timber’s departure from the match was precautionary rather than the result of a fresh injury.

"Jurrien is fine," Arteta assured. "He was very tired. He’s been out for a while and he could not continue the game. Not a new injury there at all."

INJURY UPDATES ON ODEGAARD & CALAFIORI

Both Martin Odegaard and Riccardo Calafiori are unavailable for selection and will remain so in the near future. While the Italian defender "will be out for a few weeks" the club skipper is facing a race against time to get fit before the November international break.

Speaking on Odegaard, Arteta said: "He’s been on the grass for a few weeks, but there are still a few boxes to tick. How fast we can do that last stage of the rehab is a question we’ll have to answer once we have players around him and he starts competing with the team. He hasn’t done that yet."

When asked if he could get back before the break, Arteta added: "Hopefully yes but we’ll have to see how that stage goes."

Remainder of PSL 2021 could be postponed further, says PCB

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

“Some clarifications on certain exemption requests are still awaited,” says PCB CEO Wasim Khan

Umar Farooq19-May-2021The remaining 20 matches of the sixth edition of the PSL could face postponements if the PCB doesn’t get “clarifications” from the Abu Dhabi government by Thursday, casting doubts on when – if at all – the disrupted season can be completed. After a meeting on Wednesday, the board and franchises agreed to defer a decision on the fate of the season by 24 hours.”In today’s online discussion, we updated the team owners that the PCB had been advised that the PSL had received approvals from the relevant authorities in the UAE,” Wasim Khan, the PCB chief executive, said after the meeting. “However, some clarifications on certain exemption requests are still awaited, which are expected at some stage on Thursday.”The team owners agreed that if we do not receive clarity by Thursday afternoon, then they’ll have no other option but to request postponement of the remaining 20 matches.”Related

PSL 2021 likely to resume in early June following a week of quarantine

Lahore Qalandars bag Shakib Al Hasan, Quetta Gladiators sign Andre Russell

PCB approaches Emirates Cricket Board to host remainder of PSL 2021 in the UAE

That deferment followed two days of growing speculation about the future of the season, which initially hinged on gaining approvals from the Abu Dhabi government to stage the tournament there. That approval was given in principle though the details of it is where the impasse seems to have struck.The “exemptions” the PCB’s release refers to are believed to include for a broadcast crew who will carry out the production: most of them are from India and current travel restrictions into the UAE from India because of the pandemic have made that specifically complicated. Another detail is around every member involved in the PSL – from players to officials to broadcast and production personnel – needing to be vaccinated against Covid-19. That is no simple ask, given that people are flying in from various different countries and vaccination campaigns are at different stages of being rolled out in each of them.The season, which started off in Karachi in February, had to be suspended in March because of a Covid-19 outbreak among players and support staff. The PCB identified the June window to play out the rest of the season in Karachi.But a decision to move out of Karachi was taken earlier this month, after worries about an impending surge in Covid-19 cases in the city. The UAE was always a frontrunner, given it was Pakistan’s home for international cricket for so long and the birthplace of the PSL.Though a final decision will now come tomorrow, a significant reworking of the timeline is inevitable. The league was supposed to restart on June 1. Franchises and officials were supposed to check in to hotels in Karachi and Lahore on Thursday as part of the pre-departure routine before flying to the UAE but that has been put on hold. And given that a quarantine period in Pakistan and the UAE will also have to be factored in, a June 1 restart looks highly unlikely.

Switch Hit: Handbags and mad lads

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

India kept the series alive with a heroic draw at Old Trafford. Alan Gardner hears from Sid Monga and Vish Ehantharajah about a fractious finish and what to expect at The Oval

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jul-2025India fought their way to a valiant draw at Old Trafford, although most of the headlines revolved around England’s frustration at not being able to call the Test off early as Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar batted on to centuries. On this week’s Switch, Alan Gardner was joined by Sid Monga and Vish Ehantharajah to look back on the fourth Test. Among the topics discussed were England’s petty reaction, the character shown by India, significant milestones for Joe Root and Ben Stokes, and how the two teams are shaping up ahead of the final Test of a gruelling series.