All posts by h716a5.icu

Steel bands, soca music, and a game that was decided off the last ball. Fun? You bet

Lloyda Garrett09-May-2010The game
I chose this match mainly because it was part of the fun-filled cricketing weekend I had planned with family and friends. It did not disappoint as it swung to either side and was either team’s to win.Team supported
I was backing Pakistan since I tend to go for the underdogs, and would have loved to see them win despite all the upheaval in their cricket recently. I also love the passion that their players and fans bring to the game. As a West Indian fan, it is easy to enjoy a fantastic cricket match when I don’t have to worry about the agony of watching my home team lose again.Key performer
If Pakistan had won, I would have definitely said Abdul Razzaq was the Player of the Match. He stabilised the Pakistani innings and almost took the game away from New Zealand. Mohammad Sami also bowled very well for Pakistan. But since New Zealand won, I am going with Ian Butler, because he bowled that last delivery off which Pakistan needed two to win. He was not afraid to tempt Abdur Rehman to go for a big hit, getting him to send a simple catch to square leg.One thing I’d have changed
I’d have had Pakistan win.Wow moment
The last ball. I screamed as I watched the catch being taken. It must have been agony for Pakistan to be so close yet so far, but brilliant for New Zealand. Neither team was ever completely out of the game, and it kept the crowd involved all the way through.Shot of the day
The murderous hit for six by Razzaq in the 15th over.Player watch
Sami fielded at the boundary near us and we tried in vain to get him to turn around for a photograph. I don’t remember who fielded there during the New Zealand innings, I just remember wishing Daniel Vettori would come this way. For the most part, the crowd where I was sitting left the players alone since we were entertained by a local band from Barbados.Crowd meter
There was a big crowd, though the stadium was not sold out. There was a fair mix of West Indians, Indians, English, Pakistanis and some New Zealanders. I really enjoyed the Pakistani crowd. They danced and waved for the entire match and I was happy to see the Indians supporting them. The English were firmly behind the New Zealanders, as were most of the West Indians. I was sitting in Hewitt and Innis, right behind the boundary line, and we partied for the entire game, even joining in with the band near us. Fancy-dress index
There were quite a few people with body paint, face paint and body art. The dancing girls in carnival costumes seem to be a feature that all the men love. There were stilt walkers in the party stand and all around the ground there were people waving flags of all descriptions.Entertainment
There were drums, rattles, horns and makeshift percussion instruments all over the ground. There were several bands, and the DJ played Caribbean soca, which kept us jumping during the breaks. Allison Hinds, a popular soca singer, and a steel pan orchestra provided entertainment for the crowd at the end of the match.ODIs or Twenty20s?
I still prefer ODIs even though Twenty20 is clearly the game of the future.Marks out of 10
8.5. It was a great atmosphere with very good cricket. There is nothing like cricket in the Caribbean. As one banner said: “Sun, Sand and Cricket… that’s the life”.

Aston Villa are reportedly interested in a Premier League gem, as Unai Emery aims to bolster his side this summer.

The transfer window is set to be a busy one for the Spaniard, who has already surpassed expectations in less than a year in charge, booking Villa’s place in Europe after a scintillating recovery of their season.

News emerging this week has placed a Manchester United defender as a potential target, in a player that could be rejuvenated by Emery.

What’s the latest on Harry Maguire to Aston Villa?

As reported by Football Transfers, Aston Villa are interested in United centre-back Harry Maguire.

The Englishman will reportedly be available this summer for a fee in the region of £35m after a tough few years at Old Trafford.

The report states that Tottenham and Everton are eyeing the 30-year-old along with Villa.

What could Harry Maguire bring to Aston Villa?

The last few years have been tough for Maguire, who has been shunned multiple times for poor performances attributable to a lack of confidence.

The 30-year-old has made just eight starts this season in the Premier League, being phased out of the picture at Old Trafford due to the emergence of Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane.

While his performances have not inspired much to be celebrated, the Englishman was not long ago one of the country’s best centre-backs, signed by United back in 2019 for £80m after displaying monstrous performances for Leicester City.

With his time in Manchester reportedly coming to an end, Villa could find themselves with an experienced England international in their ranks and a defender that can compete with the best on his day.

Hailed as “tremendous” by Premier League ace Pascal Gross via GOAL, Maguire could become an anchor in Emery’s defence, and could add a magnitude of experience playing alongside Diego Carlos.

The Brazilian who suffered a traumatic Achilles injury shortly after arriving in the Midlands, has been tipped to be in the Spaniard’s plans for the future, and as shown through the duo’s statistics, could be a force to be reckoned with alongside Maguire.

Going back to the season that inspired United to snatch the Englishman from Leicester, the Sheffield-born ace was operating as one of the league’s best, likened to Virgil Van Dijk for his numbers accumulated that term.

As per FBref, Maguire’s most impressive tool that season was his ability to play out from the back while maintaining defensive stability, averaging a huge 6.59 progressive passes and 1.84 progressive carries per 90.

The Englishman could compliment the defensive attributes of Villa’s “monster”, as lauded by Ollie Watkins, who won a dominant 62% of his total duels in La Liga last season with an average of 4.0 per game, via Sofascore.

It’s integral to have the balance between a ball-carrying centre-back and one that lavishes the nitty-gritty elements, which is what Emery could have in pairing the two giants with heaps of experience under their belts.

The main element to Maguire’s potential re-emergence is his confidence, which could be restored by the Spaniard who has worked miracles on firing Tyrone Mings to reach ultimate highs again in a Villa shirt.

With the transfer window fast approaching, only time will tell if Emery can get his man.

Everton look to be closing in on an exciting offensive signing in Sporting Lisbon's Youssef Chermiti, with manager Sean Dyche making improvements on his side ahead of the 23/24 Premier League campaign.

Is Youssef Chermiti joining Everton?

According to multiple reports – including BBC Sport – the Toffees are closing in on the transfer of the 19-year-old Chermiti for about £13m, with Dyche working to bolster his squad after admitting he has missed out on targets already.

Bournemouth and Wolverhampton Wanderers are both said to have sent scouts to observe the talent in action, but it is the Merseyside outfit who have convinced the Portugal youth international to kickstart his professional career at Goodison Park.

Portuguese outlet, O Jogo – via Sport Witness – have furthered claims by suggesting on Tuesday that the player is now 'one step away' from moving to Goodison Park.

It is unlikely that Chermiti will be deployed as the club's starring cente-forward instantaneously, rather, integrated into the side and utilised as a precocious back-up option.

Who is Youssef Chermiti?

In a circular arc of perfect harmony, Everton's Ellis Simms has joined Coventry City for £8m; Viktor Gyokeres has departed the Robins and headed for Sporting Lisbon for £20m, with Chermiti now completing the merry-go-round of activity by moving to Dyche's side.

Simms was a peripheral figure at the club and only scored one goal from 11 Premier League matches last term, so the deal struck is probably good value for money.

Chermiti is viewed as a long-term option, and as a player who is more than capable of wedging their way into the talismanic role that Dominic Calvert-Lewin currently occupies.

Indeed, the "raw diamond" who is "much like" Calvert Lewin – as he has been described by Zach Lowy, impressed last season as he broke into the Leões first-team, scoring three goals and supplying two assists from just nine starting appearances in the Liga Portugal.

And while he is yet to cement a regular starting berth for himself, with FBref ranking him among the top 10% of forwards across Men's Next Eight divisions over the past year for assists, the top 15% for non-penalty xG – expected goals – and the top 4% for touches in the attacking box, he clearly has the ability to thrive.

While he is greatly underperforming his xG at present – ranking among only the top 56% for goals per 90 – his xG metric, partnered with his offensive positioning in the final third suggests that he has the tools to flourish in the future and could prosper as the understudy to the 6 foot 2 Calvert-Lewin. Indeed, Chermiti is 6 foot 4 and has also been called "imposing" by Lowy. Sound familiar?

He would certainly be an upgrade on Neal Maupay too, who was signed for the Toffees from Brighton & Hove Albion for a reported £15m one year ago but has failed miserably during his time at the club, scoring just once from 29 matches in the top-flight and being branded a "disaster" by journalist Paul Brown.

Hardly an imposing figure at 5 foot 8 either, it's evident Chermiti would provide his new manager with a huge upgrade in terms of physicality and all-round presence when leading the line.

Praised as a "superb" prospect by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Everton must now make use of their imminent acquisition and nurture him to prominence over the coming months; it is refreshing to see the club target youthful promise instead of subpar seniors, and it might just pay off and signify a change of direction.

West Ham United's interest in Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha is "definitely real", according to journalist Dean Jones.

What is the latest news regarding Joao Palhinha?

The Hammers are reportedly interested in bringing the 27-year-old to the London Stadium as they look to replace their departing club captain Declan Rice, who is set to join Arsenal for a record £105m fee.

They aren't the only side with interest in the Portuguese defensive midfielder, with Football Insider reporting that Premier League sides Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Aston Villa have all explored the possibility of bringing the player to their respective club. However, a number of these sides have since "cooled their interest" and are focusing on other targets for the position.

Fulham are believed to be intent on keeping one of their stars this summer and have placed a £90m pricetag on the former Sporting man, according to reports, in an attempt to dissuade potential suitors.

The report states that the Cottagers have used the record fee received for Rice as a benchmark, with the club believing the pair perform at a similar level. This position of strength with negotiations is also helped by the fact that the Portugal international has four more years remaining on his contract.

Palhinha isn't the only option the Irons are considering, with Juventus midfielder Denis Zakaria and Ajax midfielder Edson Alvarez also making the shortlist. ExWHUEmployee told The West Ham Way podcast that the club are set to begin opening approaches for all three targets soon.

Speaking on The Football Terrace's Done Deal show, transfer insider Jones, who is a Fulham fan, revealed that the threat of West Ham swooping in for the midfielder is real, whilst the Hammers also have another name on their shortlist to potentially partner the 27-year-old:

"As a Fulham fan, I'd be happy if we just got the squad we had from last season going into the new one, because the threat around Palhinha is definitely real from West Ham. I just hope, and I think that he'll end up staying with us rather than going to West Ham.

"West Ham is obviously one that is going to get interesting in the next few days. They're going for Denis Zakaria, looking at a loan with a view to an option to sign him further down the line but they are also looking at Palhinha as a signing that would happen alongside him."

How good is Joao Palhinha?

Palhinha enjoyed a fantastic debut campaign with the Cottagers last season, winning the club's Player of the Season award as they finished in the top half of the Premier League for the first time in over a decade.

Referred to as "the master destroyer" by The Athletic's Peter Rutzler, the 27-year-old led the division across a key defensive category following his now bargain £20m move from Portugal.

The midfielder led the league in tackles made quite comfortably with 147. That was ahead of second-placed Moises Caicedo who could only manage 100 last campaign, showcasing why so sides maintain an interest in the midfielder.

WhoScored ranked Palhinha as the fifth-best player for his club last campaign, and the sixth-best defensive midfielder in the Premier League last season with an average rating of 6.93.

An intangible factor that will also make his side desperate to keep him is his availability, with the midfielder missing zero games through injury last season and making 40 appearances across all competitions for the London side.

A player who has received praise from managers in the past, including former coach Ruben Amorim who described him as a "special" talent, it's clear to see why David Moyes is so desperate to bring the Cottagers Player of the Year to the London Stadium

A beloved Wrexham company is unveiling its latest collaboration with Wrexham AFC player Jacob Mendy to take its store to the next level.

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Jacob Mendy promotes his clothing brandCollaborates with local store in WrexhamStore had received donations from Reynolds and McElhenneyWHAT HAPPENED?

To launch his already established apparel line, Mendy was invited by a business called Wrexham Trainer Revival, owned by Shaun Carr, to their store on November 30, per . The Wrexham winger's clothing brand, Encore Clothing, debuted in 2022 and offers imaginative, edgy and contemporary designs. Items from the Encore line, such as hats and t-shirts, will be available for purchase in the store starting at 4 pm local time.

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The Wrexham Trainer Revival owner said [via ]: "Today starts our late-night Christmas opening and we’ve got a very special guest coming down to launch his new clothing brand ‘Encore.' Jacob Mendy will be in store and upstairs at Casual Kids Lab from 4pm until 6pm kicking off his new range."

"Mendy has been amazing with us popping in the shop messaging asking how we are getting on, I said we would love his brand in store and Mendy has made that happen, he’s an amazing down-to-earth person, and looking forward to it."

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This comes after the devastating break-in at that same business earlier this month, during which more than £7,000 worth of merchandise was stolen. Wrexham co-owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds generously gave £3,500, and locals collected an amazing £4,700 to assist the owners in getting back on their feet. Mendy, along with fellow Wrexham AFC player Elliot Lee, backed the store's reopening and exhorted Wrexham citizens to patronise small businesses.

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The defender will be available at the store later today from 4 pm until 6 pm kicking off his new range before being involved on the field with the Red Dragons when they take on Yeovil Town on Sunday, December 3.

Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur are set to fight it out in the transfer market to secure the signature of Swedish wonderkid Lucas Bergvall.

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Bergvall likely to join either Spurs or BarcelonaSet to sign for a new club in the next few daysDjurgardens set to demand record feeWHAT HAPPENED?

According to , several top European clubs were chasing the 17-year-old Swedish player during the January transfer window but the youngster is likely to choose between Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona as his next destination. His current club, Djurgardens IF are expected to demand a record transfer fee in the region of €19m (£16m) for the player. A part of that transfer fee will go to his first professional club in Sweden which was IF Brommapojkarna.

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The report further claims that the teenager was spotted in London earlier this week but is currently in Barcelona. Bergvall is expected to finalise his decision and sign for his new club in the next few days on a five-year deal.

DID YOU KNOW?

The youngster joined Djurgarden in December 2022 and in the ongoing season, he has made only one appearance for the club which came in a Europa Conference League qualifying game. On January 12, 2024, he made his international debut for Sweden against Estonia in an international friendly match.

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The Sweden international was absent from his club's pre-season game against Vasteras SK last Saturday. He is likely to move away from the club before they begin the new season next month.

Lionel Messi is not a big fan of Jamie Carragher and the Liverpool legend’s punditry, but CBS Sports have stepped in to try and end that feud.

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Argentine icon not a fan of ex-Reds defenderHas previously branded him a "donkey"Christmas message sent to famous punditWHAT HAPPENED?

It has been revealed that Inter Miami superstar Messi is refusing to appear on the American television network due to their ties with Carragher. The ex-England international has previously admitted to being called a “donkey” by the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.

AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPWHAT MESSI'S LOOKALIKE SAID

While there is no sign of the pair patching up their differences, CBS Sports have lined up a doppelganger to deliver a Christmas message to Carragher. The lookalike said on Wednesday night: “This is a message for Jamie. As it is the season of goodwill, no one should be alone at Christmas. I have decided that you should Never Walk Alone. Here’s my Christmas gift to you…” The video then cuts to an image of a donkey.

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Carragher was able to laugh along with the jokes being aimed in his direction, with the former Liverpool defender seeing the funny side of a long-running feud that he never intended to spark.

The 39-year-old stitched three strong partnerships to stretch Vidarbha’s lead, while Ishan Porel’s five-for helped Bengal climb to the second spot on the Group D table

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Nov-2017Ishan Porel’s 5 for 32 helped Bengal inflict an innings defeat on Punjab, who were bundled out for 213 in their second innings, in Amritsar. The bonus-point win took Bengal to second place in Group D.Abhishek Raman resumed batting for Bengal, with him racing to his second 150-plus score of the season early on the day. Following Shreevats Goswami’s dismissal in the 100th over, a collapse was triggered by Siddarth Kaul, as three more wickets fell within the next five overs, leaving Bengal at 316 for 6. The lower order chipped in with 50 more runs, as Bengal declared on 379 shortly before lunch.Although Punjab were off to a decent start in their second innings, seamer Porel prompted a top-order collapse as they lost three wickets in three successive overs. Anmolpreet Singh and Gurkeerat Singh sparked the resistance for Punjab with their 90-run fourth-wicket stand, taking them to 129 for 3 in the next 17 overs. However, Bengal bowlers struck back-to-back, reducing the hosts to 189 for 8, before Porel came back to clear the tail and helped Bengal complete the big win.Diwesh Pathania’s seven-for handed Chhattisgarh an innings defeat as the hosts slipped from 79 for 2 to 133 all out on the penultimate day in Raipur, as Services brought up their first win of the season.Chhattisgarh lost Siddharth Chandrakar and Ashutosh Singh early on the day, following which Abhimanyu Chauhan and Manoj Singh shared a 41-run partnership for the second-wicket. Pathania triggered Chhattisgarh’s first collapse as he dismissed four batsmen within the next eight overs. Rishabh Tiwary, who had retired hurt on the second day, came back to strike a 36-run stand with Sumit Ruikar. The second collapse followed – it was Bahadur’s turn this time, as he picked three wickets in a span of three overs. Pathania returned in the next over and dismissed Prateek Sinha, to finish with match figures of 11 for 86.Wasim Jaffer’s unbeaten 158 underpinned Vidarbha’s dominance as they declared on 427 against Goa on the penultimate day in Porvorim. Following a 117-run partnership with Sanjay Ramaswamy, Jaffer went on to strike an 87-run stand with Shalabh Shrivastava (116-ball 45), taking Vidarbha to a first-innings lead. Ganesh Satish joined Jaffer at the crease for the fourth-wicket, as the pair went on to add 171 runs more before the declaration. In their second innings, Goa lost Sumiran Amonkar and Prathmesh Gawas within the first six overs and were 19 for 2 at stumps, trailing by 169 runs.

The summer transfer window is due to slam shut at the start of next month and Aston Villa have made four additions to their playing squad to date.

Who have Aston Villa signed?

Unai Emery has bolstered his defence and midfield with the signings of Pau Torres, Youri Tielemans, Moussa Diaby, and – most recently – Nicolo Zaniolo on loan from Galatasaray.

Earlier this month, it was reported that the Villans are also interested in signing Leeds United forward Wilfried Gnonto to add to their attacking options.

Fellow Premier League side Everton are also interested in the Italy international, who is currently not for sale but a loan move could be on the cards before the deadline.

He has handed in a transfer request at Elland Road and made himself unavailable for their matches. However, the Whites have maintained their position that the talented teenager will not be sold.

How good is Wilfried Gnonto?

The 19-year-old whiz is still learning his trade and developing but his performances for Leeds last term suggest that the potential is there for him to be an exciting player for Unai Emery.

Gnonto could be a dream partner for Diaby as either the starting number nine ahead of him or as a supporting striker or attacking midfielder to link-up with him in the build-up phase, due to his immense versatility across the frontline.

The Leeds forward, who was once described as "pure gold" by scout Jacek Kulig, racked up two goals and four assists in 14 Premier League starts last season.

He also ranked within the top 13% of his positional peers for progressive carries per 90 (4.39) and in the top 19% for assists per 90 (0.27) during the 2022/23 top-flight campaign.

These statistics show that the £20k-per-week wizard was well above average for players in his role for progressing his team up the pitch with the ball as well as being able to create good enough opportunities for his teammates to score.

The Villa head coach could also look to unearth the Italian dynamo's goalscoring potential as he did strike 13 goals in 22 games for Inter at U16 and U17 level combined before finding the back of the net 12 times in 74 matches for Zurich's first team.

If he can build on that and use his experience with Leeds to kick on and develop then Gnonto could be a lethal partner for Diaby in the final third, as the France international is a player who has proven himself to be a terrific player at the top end of the pitch.

The French magician, who has scored one goal in two Premier League games for Villa, racked up 22 goals and 20 assists across 65 Bundesliga outings during his final two seasons with Bayer Leverkusen in Germany.

These statistics show that the summer signing has the ability to deliver goals and assists on a regular basis from out wide and having another attacker who can drive forward to create chances for him could help the talented ace to thrive in England.

Therefore, Gnonto, who the aforementioned Kulig also hailed as a "nightmare" for defenders, could form an exciting relationship with Diaby in the final third if Emery and Monchi are able to snap him up this summer.

Marcos Alonso ready to leave Barcelona but not before next summer amid interest from Saudi Arabian clubs.

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Alonso could leave Barcelona next summerSaw his game time reduced at BarcelonaAttracting interest from Saudi Pro League clubsWHAT HAPPENED?

Alonso, who has appeared in just seven matches for Barcelona across all competitions this season, could part ways with the club in the future but not before his contract expires in the summer, according to .

The Spaniard reportedly has offers from several Saudi Pro League clubs and it was expected that he would leave once the transfer window opens in January but the player has no intention of moving out until the end of his current deal.

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There is a clause on Alonso's contract that allows Barcelona to extend his stay by one more year provided he plays half of the club's matches this season. With only 299 minutes on the pitch, it is unlikely that the former Chelsea star would regularly feature in Xavi's lineup for the remainder of the season.

The 32-year-old was linked with a move to Manchester United during the summer but they later decided to sign Sergio Reguilon on loan. But the Red Devils could rekindle their interest in the player in January again as Erik ten Hag wants to bolster his backline.

DID YOU KNOW?

Out of the four La Liga appearances Alonso has made this season, he has featured in Xavi's starting lineup only twice which came against Villarreal and Celta Vigo. In the Champions League, the full-back started in the home and away fixtures against Shakhtar Donetsk.

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After edging out Atletico Madrid last weekend, the Catalan club will now hope to get three points against second-placed Girona and close in on the gap with league leaders Real Madrid who sit at the summit with 39 points from 16 matches.