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Manchester Originals take their defence of 120 to the wire in low-scoring thriller

Vithushan Ehantharajah03-Sep-2022

Lewis Gregory leaps in triumph after sealing the men’s Hundred final•Getty Images

Trent Rockets 121 for 8 (Malan 19, Little 2-18) beat Manchester Originals 120 for 9 (Turner 26, Cook 4-18) by two wicketsOne of the many criticisms of the 2022 edition of the men’s Hundred was the lack of close finishes. The kind which build legends and tear down legacies, or even simply give mortals a taste of nectar or soul-crushing agony. Now, in the 32nd and final game, we had it.Trent Rockets won the Hundred, and to work out how would require starting right at the end. A chase of 121 which always felt on the verge of going off the rails had somehow stayed upright until the final five deliveries, with a seemingly unlikely 11 required for victory. Lewis Gregory, captain of the Rockets, Somerset till he dies, England once in a while, found them within three.A miraculous flat six over square leg from a near-perfect leg-stump yorker was the surprise knife into the side of Manchester Originals. The four flicked around the corner from a next-ball full toss, then the single to take Rockets over the line, simply twisted it.As Gregory roared like a man finally being allowed to exorcise the tension he had managed so well up to that point, Richard Gleeson fell to his knees, eyes red from the pain of knowing he was most to blame. More so through having the courage and trust to deliver that final set. His second ball could have been better, but the first was more or less exactly what he wanted. It didn’t matter what the third was.Having been there at the end of Lancashire’s last-ball defeat in the Vitality Blast final against Hampshire, this was another demoralising moment for Gleeson – at the end of an otherwise breakthrough summer in which he’s made his England debut and earned a role as a designated reserve for the T20 World Cup. One crumb of comfort was how quickly he rose to his feet to congratulate the victors. The 34-year-old is no stranger to returning from adversity.How we got to this finish will remain a mystery, because nothing about how the match’s previous 195 deliveries suggested anything close to a high drama, high-quality finale. There was ebb and flow, which isn’t exactly what this format is supposed to be about. The scores and balls go up, then they come down, while the broadcasters assure you this is the best thing ever. By the end, they weren’t even hamming it up.Everyone got what they wanted at the toss. Manchester Originals chose to bat first, which suited Trent Rockets who were going to bowl. Midway through the fifth set, with Originals reeling on 22 for three – captain Laurie Evans, wily fox Wayne Madsen and soon-to-be England’s T20 starting opener Phil Salt all seen off in the space of 23 balls – it looked like one team had it very wrong.Sam Cook made the initial breakthroughs•Getty Images

Perhaps cues should have been taken from the women’s game. Oval Invincibles played a tacky pitch better than Southern Brave, in part because they could plan a route to their target of 102 rather than thrash around blindly on a pitch that wasn’t conducive to an engaging spectacle. By CricViz’s metrics, this was the toughest surface for batting in the Hundred this season.It was made that little harder by Sam Cook and Samit Patel, whose variants of seam and spin claimed four for 18 and three for 23 respectively. Cook’s were split evenly between the first 20 and final 20 deliveries. Evans was trapped lbw and Madsen bowled, before he returned at the death to remove Tom Lammonby with a leg-stump yorker and then castle Gleeson.Patel’s work, however, kept an explosive middle-order under wraps. Tristan Stubbs was undone by a bit of bounce – a top-edged sweep to fine leg taken superbly by wicketkeeper Tom Moores as he tracked the ball towards fine leg. The long levers of Walter came and went, as a leading edge found a sprawling Dawid Malan at cover to leave Patel on a hat-trick.The third did not come immediately, but it was perhaps the most valuable of the lot. Ashton Turner, Originals’ replacement for Andre Russell, was finding more joy than any of his team-mates, even striking Patel into the stands at midwicket for the only six of the innings. An attempt to repeat the shot against the 37-year-old found Cook in the deep. Nevertheless, the Australian’s jolt of adrenaline was enough for the tail to sneak to 120.Even with the deck as it was, the expectation was of a comfortable Rockets win, given a line-up packed full of international experience. However, their three T20I centurions all underwhelmed: Alex Hales clubbed Little to cover, Malan (19) gifted Stubbs a leading edge into the covers off Walter, and Colin Munro (16) gave Parkinson the last laugh with a catch at long-off after striking him for back-to-back fours.Patel offered little with the bat. He was struck on the head by a Walter short ball and then fell for just nine from 13 to leave a testing yet achievable 36 from 26. By the final 15, just after Moores had become Walter’s second, there were 24 required which became 15 from 13 when a scampered three was followed by a Daniel Sams heave to leg off Tom Hartley that was carried over the boundary by Lammonby.Related

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Tall Paul Walter, the Hundred everyman, rises above the noise

Another go at clearing that region went too straight and into Stubbs’ mitts at long-on, the first of two wickets for four runs in the eight balls that led to Gleeson’s fateful final five.The journey to that point had been long and winding, beginning at the start of August and featuring a Friday-night detour to the Ageas Bowl for Manchester Originals to earn the right to be here. And now, thanks to two wickets each for Little, Walter, Hartley and Parkinson, they were on the verge of doing it the hard way. Now they’ll have to start from the beginning and do it all again.As for the Rockets, this was no less than they deserved. They have set the standard in the men’s competition, right down to leaning on Nottinghamshire’s fashioning of Trent Bridge into one of the best short-form venue experiences in the world. For the longest time, the ground and the county have set a high standard for white ball cricket. Now they have another trophy to show for it, after a match that served a timely reminder that, no matter the format, cricket always wins.

Injury-ravaged Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu may not play again for the Gunners until 2026, after undergoing knee surgery.

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Tomiyasu facing lengthy spell outRecently underwent knee surgeryMay not play until 2026Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Tomiyasu has suffered repeated knee injuries in recent seasons, spending much of last campaign out of action before picking up another issue during Arsenal's pre-season tour of the United States last summer. Despite reappearing in the first team in October, the injury flared up again and the Japan international has faced an extended period on the sidelines. Now, he's not expected to return until next season.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The Arsenal defender joined the club in 2021 but has made just 65 Premier League appearances for due to frequent injury and fitness concerns, as well as stiff competition from fellow right-back Benjamin White. Tomiyasu only recently returned from a long injury absence but was soon forced back onto the treatment table and now faces a long rehabilitation programme. report that he might not be seen back in action until next year as the problem was worse than first feared.

WHAT ARSENAL SAID

An official club statement read: “Takehiro Tomiyasu has undergone a successful surgery on the right knee issue which he first sustained in pre-season. Despite an initial surgical procedure in August, followed by a return to full training, and featuring as a substitute in our home Premier League match against Southampton in October, Tomi continued to have issues with his knee, resulting in a further corrective surgical procedure. Tomi will now begin his recovery and rehabilitation programme, which is expected to be completed towards the end of this year."

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR TOMIYASU?

This latest news will be a huge blow for the 26-year-old defender. In an emotional post on Instagram, he detailed what the next few months will entail, writing: "I’ve already started my rehab to do what I love the most again. It has been the toughest period in my career for sure and it carries on a bit more but I won’t give up. Thank you for your support and see you again.”

Patel falls for 99, but Ackerman, Mulder and Kimber all reach three figures

ECB Reporters Network13-Jul-2022Leicestershire 529 for 4 (Ackermann 167, Mulder 129, Kimber 104, Patel 99) trail Sussex 588 (Alsop 150, Orr 70, Carter 75, Rawlins 75, Coles 59, Parkinson 5-128) by 59 runsLouis Kimber, Colin Ackermann and Wiaan Mulder all made centuries as Leicestershire’s batters enjoyed a placid Hove pitch as much as Sussex’s had on the third day of their LV= Insurance County Championship match at Hove.There should have been a fourth hundred to celebrate for the Foxes but Rishi Patel was out for 99 as Leicestershire responded to Sussex’s 588 with 529 for four, Ackermann (167) and Mulder (129) having added 250 for the fifth wicket so far.Sussex’s bowlers plugged away but only 13 wickets have fallen in three days and the contest, between the bottom two sides in the second division, is destined for a draw, although Leicestershire may feel they could apply pressure if they can score quickly and get a decent lead on the final day.There were a couple of moments during a soporific day when Sussex might have taken the initiative. They were certainly left to rue not running out Ackermann on 71 when he would have been well short had Delray Rawlins thrown more accurately from short mid-wicket to the non-striker’s end.Mulder was dropped on 107 but it was a day of unrelenting toil in the heat for a Sussex attack weakened by the absence of skipper Tom Haines, who has a broken hand, and the lack of a front-line spinner. Haines’ deputy Steven Finn bowled impressively to take two of three wickets to fall but Leicestershire’s batters were in punishing mood.At the start of the day Kimber, who is playing only his 12th first-class match at the age of 25, reached his century with a lovely extra-cover drive to the boundary off Finn in the fourth over of the day. But Finn pinned Kimber lbw in his next over for 104, which included 11 fours and three sixes.Kimber had added 174 for the second wicket with Patel, who resumed on 67 and looked certain to follow his team-mate to a first Championship hundred. Then, with a single needed and with three balls to go before lunch, he inexplicably charged down the pitch to off-spinner James Coles and feathered a thin edge behind, having struck 17 fours and a six in nearly five hours of patient accumulation.Finn struck in the fourth over with the new ball when he took a low return catch in his follow-through to remove Lewis Hill for 10, but after that Ackermann and Mulder shaped the rest of the day.Ackermann, who gave up the Championship captaincy in May, followed up his hundred against Nottinghamshire in his previous Championship appearance by reaching the 20th of his career shortly after tea. South African all-rounder Mulder followed him by driving Sean Hunt to the long-on boundary to bring up his sixth first-class century, but he was badly missed by wicketkeeper Oli Carter shortly afterwards off Henry Crocombe.As Sussex searched for a breakthrough, Cheteshwar Pujara came on to bowl his very occasional leg breaks but by then Ackermann and Mulder were in full control. They posted a new record for Leicestershire’s fifth wicket against Sussex – beating John Sadler and David Masters’ 208 at Hove in 2003 in the game when Sussex clinched the Championship title for the first time – with power to add.

Tests don’t come grander than the Boxing Day and the first day’s play at the MCG lived up to expectations, with its subplots and slow twists

Sidharth Monga at the MCG26-Dec-20141:50

Agarkar: Shami, the pick of the bowlers

All things grand come with a high probability of a let-down. And Tests don’t come grander than Boxing Day. When 70,000 people flock to a venue, for a day they’ve been looking forward to for most of the year, a social event during the week where they forget how hard and mundane the rest of the working year has been, expectations are high. For a day’s Test cricket to live up to them is a big ask.For most of the day, in the cricketing world as a whole, MCG’s Boxing Day Test was the second-most talked about thing. Cheekily, Canterburians reminded Victorians that Christchurch’s Hagley Park Oval was 100% full, MCG merely 70%. In Christchurch, more runs were scored, more wickets taken, more records broken, more action packed in an 80-over day. It must have been thrilling to watch. But for a more wholesome day, filled with old virtues of Test cricket, full of plots and subplots, slow twists and turns, sunny and breezy weather, the soothing though fleeting return of Bill Lawry, don’t look beyond Melbourne and its 5 for 259 scored at 2.87 an over.There was discipline from India’s new-ball bowlers, a reminder of the fickleness of the game for David Warner, redemption for Mohammed Shami, perseverance from Chris Rogers and R Ashwin, a rousing welcome to debutant Joe Burns, self-denial from Steven Smith, flattery and deception from Shane Watson, pain and fight for Brad Haddin, and a Test match in balance at the end of the day. There wasn’t a performance that you would call great yet – these are two middling teams trying to fight their own problems – but the ebbs and flows kept you hooked and rose above the mundaneness of the rest of the year.The day didn’t begin with too much cheer in the Indian camp. Varun Aaron had heard of the death of his grandfather. He is going away for the funeral and will return on December 31. Before his replacement, Shami, came on to bowl, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav began with three successive maidens at the top. This is the first time India have managed that since Edgbaston 2011.The pressure brought them the wicket of Warner, and already you could see this pitch was going to be difficult to bat on. Some balls were skidding through, some were stopping and bouncing steeply. When it gets difficult, at least on quicker pitches, the 37-year-old Rogers can be relied on. All his scores of 50 or more have come when Warner has failed. He feels the added responsibility and responds to it. He is also candid enough to admit it is almost scary to bat when Warner is going; you feel like you are not doing your bit.Shami provided him the first bit of relief. A half-volley and a short and wide one. Two fours in an over after you have been made to crawl in the first eight. Cheers, lad. Rogers was away. Watson took a bit longer, but the two batsmen – whose places were under scrutiny – took Australia towards prosperity. Shikhar Dhawan saw the ups and the downs too, taking a nice low, diving-in-front catch to send Warner back, but then reprieving Watson. Who knows how he would have celebrated had he caught his bête noire Watson diving to his left, after his thigh-five in Brisbane? Was he thinking, for a fleeting moment, of the celebration before he could complete the catch? Another story within a story.R Ashwin has cut down his variations to almost a point where he doesn’t bowl them, he has realised his role in Australia is to contain•Getty ImagesThe story within the story for Watson was that before he fell leg-before today, in the last Test of the year, he had been trapped in front of the wicket in the first Test of the year. So maligned has been his lbw habit that not even his opposition noticed that he has worked on it and almost eliminated it. They kept feeding him balls at the stumps, and Watson kept working them deftly to leg.Just when it was all getting out of hand, the man responsible, Shami, produced a good ball. That’s what Shami does. He bowls a lot of poor deliveries that release the pressure, and he bowls really good balls that tend to get him wickets. Among the Indian bowlers, he bowled arguably the poorest, but ended up with better stats. Rogers was so annoyed he went back cursing himself. Another start gone without a century. At 37, you feel the pinch more.Ashwin could argue he contributed to Shami’s bowling stats. Apart from the first wicket that went in the second over, whenever a wicket fell Ashwin was either bowling at the other end or bowling himself. Figures of 27-7-60-1 won’t do much to correct his average of 64 and strike rate of 122 away from home, but this is a remarkably improved performance from the time he lost his place in overseas Tests first to Ravindra Jadeja and then to Karn Sharma. He has cut down his variations to almost a point where he doesn’t bowl them, he has realised his role in Australia is to contain, but containment cannot come about through darts.At one point, Ashwin’s figures were 11-5-8-1. He was bowling well, and bowling well to a plan. Dhoni and he took a risk by placing a mid-on and a long-on directly in line. That meant square leg was vacant, but if Ashwin could keep bowling full and not too straight, with varied trajectories, they could eliminate both the easy single to long-on and the loft over mid-on. Ashwin was up to the task. Such accuracy demanded respect from the batsmen. Smith complied.It was not that Smith was struggling, but when the bowling was good he scored just eight runs off 40 balls. Now this is a man known for quick scoring. The captain, though, was taking full responsibility of steadying the ship after two wickets had fallen just after lunch. He opened up only when Ashwin’s long fingers showed signs of tiredness and dropped one slightly short. He went back, and punched him through cover-point, and then ran all four. Only when he had reached 23 off 60 did he step out and drop Ashwin inside-out over mid-off for a six. That shot seemed to rattle Ashwin a bit. A carrom ball or three made a reappearance. He looked less effective now, but the new ball was approaching. You can work hard all day, and can then give it all away once the new ball is taken, both as the batting side and the bowling side.Just before the new ball, though, Burns’ dismissal brought Haddin in. The other 37-year-old in the Australian side. He is still keeping well, but it seems India have got into his head with their bodyline. His dismissal in Brisbane, trying to evade a short ball but popping up a dolly to short leg, was quite tame. These things aren’t forgotten in a hurry. The first ball he faced today was with a leg slip, a forward short leg, and a long leg in place. Yadav went round the wicket and aimed at his armpit. Haddin didn’t know what to do, and wore it on his arm. He didn’t flinch, but for the rest of the day he held his bat in his right hand when running, at the cost of having to turn blind.Haddin ducked, he swayed, he ran inside the line of the ball, he pulled, but this time he didn’t play a weak shot. For about 20 overs, adding just 43 runs, he gave support to the man who was named captain ahead of him, the man he rallied behind in the captaincy call. Had either he or Smith played a loose shot, the day would have belonged to India. Had they got loose balls from the Indians, they might have gone close to 300 to make this day their own. That wouldn’t have been half the fun.

Mark Goldbridge has urged Erik ten Hag to unleash one Manchester United player against Crystal Palace on Saturday after his impressive performance against Barnsley on Tuesday night.

The Red Devils put on a stellar display on Tuesday night in the Carabao Cup as they defeated the League One side 7-0 at Old Trafford.

Alongside Rashford: 109-touch "monster" may have revived his Man Utd career

The experienced veteran was superb for 90 minutes.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 18, 2024 Man Utd news and updates

The transfer window has been shut for a couple of weeks now, and it doesn’t reopen until January, but that hasn’t stopped the transfer speculation around who Man United may be interested in signing next. The latest player the Red Devils are being linked with is Leon Goretzka of Bayern Munich. The German midfielder is said to be “upset” about his situation at Munich, as he’s barely seen any first-team football under new manager Vincent Kompany.

Goretzka had played just one minute of football this season before Tuesday night’s Champions League game against Dinamo Zagreb, when he came on in the final 12 minutes and even managed to grab a goal. The Bundesliga giants are said to be willing to move the player on in January, as his contract ends in 2026, and they want to avoid him entering the final year of that deal. However, a stumbling block may be the player’s wages of roughly £290,000 a week.

It is unclear how concrete United’s interest is, but the midfield is clearly in need of some youthful exuberance given the profiles of Christian Eriksen and Casemiro, and United fans were treated to a bit of their new blood there on Tuesday.

Mark Goldbridge wowed by Manuel Ugarte display

United couldn’t have had a better evening as they brushed Barnsley aside last night in the Carabao Cup, a game that saw many United individuals shine. One player really impressed, so much so that United fan/pundit Goldbridge has urged Ten Hag to start Ugarte against Palace on Saturday evening.

The Uruguayan, who was labelled a “monster” by Statman Dave, played 60 minutes, and it was an impressive first start for Ugarte, as he ran the midfield, winning the ball back often and dictating the game. He impressed that much that Goldbridge believes he will be starting once again on Saturday as the Red Devils face Palace at Selhurst Park.

Goldbridge took to X: “Safe to say Ugarte starts against Palace if he’s coming off on 60 with Rashford and Dalot. Fully deserved.”

Minutes played

62

Touches

46

Accurate passes

32/37 (86%)

Ground duels (won)

10 (3)

Aerial duels (won)

2 (1)

Interceptions

3

Total tackles

1

Tottenham Hotspur have work to do. Despite playing well in each of their opening Premier League matches of the season, Ange Postecoglou's side have taken only four points from nine into the September international break.

Improvements were made under the Australian manager's leadership but up-and-down form after a blistering start saw Aston Villa glide into the top four toward the end of the campaign, trumping fifth-finishing Spurs to Champions League qualification.

Various issues across the park contributed toward the ebb and flow, but Postecoglou likes to implement fast and fluent attacking football. They aren't always on their a-game, but Heung-min Son and James Maddison are two of the best and are looking to play talismanic roles this year.

What to make of Tottenham's strikeforce

Dominic Solanke might have been signed for a club-record £65m fee during the summer but Son still stakes a claim to be Tottenham's star striker, having been praised for his "world-class" offensive qualities by his manager.

Not just a first-class goalscorer, the skipper created 20 big chances in the Premier League last season, only two behind first-placed Mohamed Salah.

His interchangeability was evidenced through his frequent deployment as the focal frontman. Following the events of the 2023 summer transfer window, the South Korean's qualities were required away from the left flank with greater regularity, especially with Richarlison foundering.

His blistering start was fuelled in no small part by the playmaking of Maddison, who was crowned the Premier League's Player of the Month for August.

Despite an ankle injury in his first season as a Lilywhite, Maddison ranked among the top 8% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the division for assists, the top 1% for shot-creating actions, the top 2% for passes attempted and the top 1% for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.

The duo have started well this term too, with Son scoring twice and Maddison assisting just as many across the opening three fixtures. Solanke's inclusion and many more talented players suggest that Postecoglou does indeed have the tools to craft success.

It's impressive that he's got the Lilywhites playing to his attacking tune, especially when considering that Harry Kane departed at the start of the era.

The England captain would be an incredible option for Tottenham, quite simply eclipsing the performance level of his former teammates.

Harry Kane's record since leaving Spurs

Kane rose through the ranks at Tottenham to fire his way into legendary standing, with the centre-forward widely considered one of the finest players of his generation, Spurs' all-time top scorer and his nation's too.

1.

Alan Shearer

441

260

0.59

2.

Harry Kane

320

213

0.67

3.

Wayne Rooney

491

208

0.42

4.

Andy Cole

414

187

0.45

5.

Sergio Aguero

275

184

0.67

Having completed 435 appearances for Tottenham, scoring 280 goals, the 31-year-old completed a deal worth an initial £86m to German giants Bayern Munich last year, where he has obliterated the division.

Last year, while Bayern's long-standing Bundesliga dynasty was toppled by invincible Bayer Leverkusen, he scored 44 goals and added 12 assists across 45 matches in all competitions.

Son might have scored 17 great goals last year, but Kane scored more. Likewise, Maddison enjoyed an excellent creative campaign, but his countryman has 14 assists since moving to Germany last summer, whereas the 27-year-old only has 11.

Tottenham might have hit the jackpot on Kane, enjoying his world-class qualities for the bulk of his career, but what Postecoglou would give to wield him now, for he eclipses any of the talented current options.

Poch sold Spurs flop for £4.5m in 2019, now he's outscoring Richarlison

He was electric last season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 7, 2024

The Champions Trophy will put the spotlight back on Cardiff and Welsh cricket, and the likes of Robert Croft plan to make the most of it

Alan Gardner07-Apr-2013England will always have Cardiff. That is, the memory of the first Ashes Test of 2009, recently evoked by the images of Monty Panesar helping Matt Prior rescue a similarly triumphant draw in Auckland. There have been difficult times for Glamorgan and their ground since then – in particular a hefty loss on the Sri Lanka Test of 2011 and the subsequent forfeiting of a West Indies Test last year – but in June, the global cricket caravan will cross the Severn for the opening game of the Champions Trophy, a tournament that could go a long way to determining the future of hosting international fixtures in Wales.As with England against Australia four years ago, cricket in Cardiff might be considered to have its back to the wall. Less than a mile down the River Taff squats the Millennium Stadium, home of Welsh rugby. In their national sport, Wales have breathed fire over the Six Nations in recent years, and last month they won a fourth title – including three grand slams – since 2005. In football, Cardiff City are closing in on promotion to the Premier League,where they will join Swansea, who in February became the first Welsh side to win the League Cup.Passion for the English summer game may be harder to discern than daffodils in this bitterest of springs. But walking along the river towards the SWALEC Stadium, although the trees are bare, it is possible to make out a faint, pointillist constellation of yellow. In a couple of months, with the rugby and football seasons finished and cricket out of hibernation once more, the cricketing world will be introduced to the ECB’s silent W.Or perhaps not so silent, as Robert Croft, the former Glamorgan and England offspinner, alludes to in his promise of a “carnival atmosphere” at the Cardiff Wales Stadium (as it will be called for the duration of the Champions Trophy). Croft is used to fielding questions about Welsh support for an England team – in most sports, the are jeered rather than cheered across the border – but he is confident that the locals will open their arms and clear their throats. TV coverage is expected to reach hundreds of millions of eyeballs and little stirs the Welsh as much as pride in a sporting occasion. Indians might not know the words to “Bread of Heaven” by the end of the Champions Trophy but the hope is they will want a further taste.”There’s going to be the eyes of the world on Cardiff,” says Croft, who is now in a coaching and ambassadorial role with Glamorgan after retiring last year, and will be prominent during the tournament. "We want the Welsh cricket brand to get across to the global audience. There’ll be a lot of potential people who would love to come to Wales getting an opportunity to see it on television – so we want to make that sing, as it were.”Croft believes that the continued ability to stage cricket at the highest level is important for the game in Wales. Alongside the immediate financial benefit to Glamorgan, having regular international cricket in the Welsh capital can help to pique the interest of a new generation, who might otherwise be lured to rival sports.A man who knows something about nurturing the grassroots of cricket in Cardiff is David Kirtley, younger brother of the former England international James. Having moved from his hometown of Eastbourne in the 1990s in order to go to university, Kirtley has captained Cardiff Cricket Club for the last eight years and can remember as far back as the days when they played their home games at Sophia GardensCardiff CC now play in Whitchurch, to the north of the city, but as part of the Cardiff Athletic Club they are still officially billeted in a small brick building between the Millennium Stadium and Cardiff Arms Park, an insurgent in rugby heartland. Founded in 1819, the club is one of the oldest sporting associations in Wales – Kirtley jokes that they are older than the Australia team – and with almost 200 years of history to fall back on, there are no feelings of insecurity. Having a Test ground up the road is an added fillip, reckons Kirtley.”There’s no doubt it’s been a benefit for cricket in the area, havinginternational cricket on your doorstep,” he says. "Our junior section iscontinuing to grow and we had definite a spike around when the Ashesstarted.”For Glamorgan’s chief executive, Alan Hamer, hosting a successful Champions Trophy is a matter of “reputation”. While the first Test match to be held in Wales was well received – described it as a “triumph” – the drive to construct international venues in outposts such as Cardiff, Durham and Southampton has been characterised in some quarters as the fake sound of progress. A £1.7m loss in 2011 did little to counter that argument but, despite the economic turmoil of the last few years, Glamorgan have taken steps to improve their financial footing and Hamer is confident that a regular offering of international cricket is central to the county’s fortunes. A successful Champions Trophy will be a prerequisite to Glamorgan’s prospects in the ECB’s next four-year match allocation cycle, which will include the 2019 World Cup and Ashes, as well as the World Test Championship, which is expected to be held in England in 2017.Perhaps just as important to bringing in the crowds and establishing Cardiff as a cricketing citadel is the regeneration of Glamorgan as a genuine county force. Gimmicks such as calling the one-day team the “WelshDragons” have been abandoned and Glamorgan recently published a Strategic Plan aimed at improving links with Welsh clubs. In the club’s 125th year, Croft has been touring the country and taking part in q&a sessions; Kirtley says that after a “rocky time three-four years”, Glamorgan are going in the right direction.Croft: “There’ll be a lot of potential people who would love to come to Wales getting an opportunity to see it on television – so we want to make that sing”•Getty ImagesHamer also acknowledges the need for a corrective. “We recognise that continued poor performances in the Glamorgan team have compounded the gap between the profile of rugby, football and cricket. We know we have an important part to play in resurrecting that interest. Over the last few years we’ve pursued a strategy which has involved investing money in cricket by signing players, either from other counties or overseas. It’s not something financially sustainable long-term but also in order to resurrect the interest in the Welsh public in Glamorgan, we need as well to be developing our own players.”Forty years ago, in Swansea, England and New Zealand played the first international match ever to be held in Wales. There were no Welshmen in the side that day and Cardiff is still waiting to cheer a homegrown hero in an England shirt. “I would have loved to have played in an international here,” Croft says wistfully. “It’s very important for the profile of cricket in Wales that we get another Welsh lad playing at the highest level.” That, surely,would secure Cardiff’s status. And all the cricketing cathedrals in the world will not have heard a roar like it.

تُوّج الفريق الأول للكرة الطائرة “سيدات” بنادي الزمالك بلقب بطولة إفريقيا للأندية، بعد فوزه المستحق على غريمه التقليدي النادي الأهلي بثلاثة أشواط مقابل شوط واحد، في المباراة النهائية المثيرة بالبطولة القارية التي أقيمت في نيجيريا أبريل الجاري.

وواصل فريق الزمالك للسيدات هيمنته على عرش الكرة الطائرة الإفريقية، بعدما توج باللقب القاري للموسم الثالث على التوالي، في إنجاز تاريخي داخل القلعة البيضاء، ليؤكد الفريق تفوقه على المستوى الإفريقي ويبرهن على قوته الفنية والبدنية في واحدة من أقوى نسخ البطولة.

خاص | رابطة الأندية ترفض طلب الأهلي قبل مواجهة فاركو

وشهدت المباراة النهائية بين قطبي الكرة المصرية ندية كبيرة منذ بدايتها، حيث حسم الزمالك الشوط الأول بنتيجة 29-27، قبل أن ينجح الأهلي في معادلة الكفة بالفوز في الشوط الثاني بنتيجة 25-22.

لكن سيدات الزمالك سرعان ما استعدن التوازن وتفوقن في الشوط الثالث بنتيجة 25-20، ثم أنهين المباراة لصالحهن بحسم الشوط الرابع بنتيجة 25-22، وسط أداء متميز من جميع لاعبات الفريق.

وكان فريق الزمالك قد بلغ النهائي بعد تخطي عقبة فريق الأنابيب الكيني في نصف النهائي بنتيجة 3-2، في لقاء مثير شهد تنافسًا حادًا على مدار الأشواط الخمسة.

أما الأهلي فتأهل للمباراة النهائية بعد فوز قوي على قرطاج التونسي بنتيجة 3-0، ليضرب موعدًا ناريًا مع الزمالك في نهائي مصري خالص. 

وبهذا التتويج، يحجز الزمالك بطاقة التأهل إلى بطولة كأس العالم للأندية للمرة الثانية على التوالي، ليواصل تمثيل الكرة الطائرة النسائية المصرية في المحافل العالمية، وسط طموحات كبيرة في تقديم مستوى مشرّف في النسخة المقبلة من البطولة.

Reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano says Tottenham are eyeing a £12 million player alongside their pursuit of Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke.

Spurs pursuing move for Dominic Solanke and other strikers

Manager Ange Postecoglou confirmed last week that Spurs are actively looking to sign a striker as a priority before deadline day, so it appears a new number nine is certainly one to watch in the coming weeks.

Tottenham predict late exit as £134,000-per-week star holds talks to leave

He could be yet another name out of the door at Spurs.

By
Emilio Galantini

Aug 8, 2024

Postecoglou was heavily reliant on both Son Heung-min and Richarlison for the majority of Spurs' goal tally last season, with the duo scoring 29 between them in all competitions, but Postecoglou doesn't want a repeat of that for the 2024/2025 season – explaining how he would've certainly utilised Harry Kane if he hadn't decided to join Bayern Munich.

"If Harry would have stayed I definitely would have used him!," said Postecoglou on Tottenham's plans to sign a new striker.

"So I think for us what's more important is the type of striker we get. You know we play a certain way. We demand certain things from a physical perspective from the technical aspects of it that it's going be a striker that fits that mould.

Tottenham's top goalscorers in all competitions – 2023/2024
Player	Goals scored
Son Heung min	17
Richarlison	12
Dejan Kulusevski	8
Brennan Johnson	5
Cristian Romero	5
James Maddison	4

"It's still the area of the park we're really probably the thinnest when I talk about squad-wise at the moment, so obviously that's a focus for us.

"Irrespective of the approach, I like to think I've always been pretty clear on what I want. I've had success for the most part of my career with transfers and, I mean, I thought last year's window was excellent."

According to Fabrizio Romano, Tottenham are in talks over signing Solanke from Bournemouth, and Spurs are pushing to seal a deal for the Englishman who scored 21 goals in all competitions for the Cherries last term.

However, he is by no means the only forward target on their radar, as fellow reliable reporter Ben Jacobs of GiveMeSport backs that Tottenham have a concrete interest in signing Brentford's Ivan Toney as well.

While bringing in a striker is a top priority, Spurs also may need to sign another right-back, with Emerson Royal thought to be closing in on a move to AC Milan.

Tottenham also thinking about signing Issa Kabore from Man City

Speaking to GiveMeSport, amid their high-profile chase for Solanke, Romano says that Tottenham are considering a move for Issa Kabore – who would come in to replace Emerson if the Brazilian does, at long last, seal his San Siro move.

“Tottenham would look to fill the gap, for sure, because they have Pedro Porro, but they would need one more player," said Romano.

“It's true that Kabore at Manchester City, former Luton Town player, is appreciated by Tottenham. But I’m told he is not the only option. So there are several possibilities being considered."

The Burkina Faso international spent last season on loan at Kenilworth Road, making 24 Premier League appearances, with City believed to value Kabore at around £12 million. Ex-Marseille boss Igor Tudor also branded Kabore a "top athlete" when the pair worked together in Ligue 1.

Alex Hales has apologised and will be subject to an investigation by Nottinghamshire after the publication of photos of him in blackface.Hales said that posing as the rapper Tupac Shakur at a fancy dress party in 2009 was “incredibly disrespectful” and one of the “decisions I’ll regret for the rest of my life”, after the revelation in the newspaper – the latest in English cricket’s ongoing reckoning around the subject of race and discrimination.”The theme was musicians and Tupac is, was and always will be my favourite musician, so I went as him,” Hales said in a statement. “I obviously realise that this is incredibly disrespectful and I want to apologise for all the offence this has no doubt caused.Related

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• Rafiq 'ashamed' after historic anti-Semitic exchange comes to light

“It was incredibly reckless and foolish on my behalf, so I want to apologise for that, apologise to the club for the embarrassment it would have caused them.”I guess my twenties was full of mistakes like that, reckless mistakes off the field that cost me, let down family, let down team-mates, let down friends, close relationships I had during my twenties.”Some of those decisions I’ll regret for the rest of my life, and the last few years being away from the spotlight a little bit has given me a chance to try and better myself as a human, keep getting better at cricket, but getting better off the field as well. It’s something I feel like I’ve done, and I’m continuing to strive to do.”Hales had earlier in the week denied any racial connotations to the naming of his dog “Kevin”. Azeem Rafiq, the former Yorkshire allrounder who alleged institutional racism at the club, said in testimony before the Department for Culture, Media and Sport select committee that the word “Kevin” was used by Gary Ballance – a former England team-mate of Hales – to describe people of colour.Rafiq described it as “an open secret in the England dressing room” and alleged that Hales had subsequently named his dog “Kevin” because it was black.Nottinghamshire, Hales’ county, have now expanded their investigation into his past behaviour to include the photo in blackface.”Alex is currently in Australia ahead of the Big Bash League and is due to return to Nottinghamshire in the new year to prepare for his commitment to the club in the T20 Blast,” read a club statement. “Alex will be subject to the club’s established disciplinary process and has indicated his willingness to participate in the investigation.”Hales, 32, has not played for England since 2019, following his suspension in the run-up to the World Cup after a second positive drugs test for a recreational substance.