Having recovered from a long-term ankle injury, she has met all of CSA’s fitness requirements except the 2km time trial

Firdose Moonda18-Jan-2023

Dane van Niekerk remains in contention for South Africa’s T20 World Cup squad and will undergo a final fitness test on January 27 in a bid to prove her eligibility for selection.Since recovering from the broken ankle she sustained last January, which kept her out of the 50-over World Cup and the Commonwealth Games, van Niekerk has played at the Hundred and the WBBL, but has not played international cricket as she works to meet the fitness standard set by Cricket South Africa (CSA). She has been left out of the squad for the tri-series against India and West Indies, which starts on Thursday, but coach Hilton Moreeng is optimistic she will lead the team at the World Cup next month.Related

Lee: 'You're dropping me because of the way I look'

Dane van Niekerk left out of SA tri-series squad

“We believe she’ll be ready,” Moreeng said. “That’s why she has been given all the opportunity to make sure she is ready, so she can get through the fitness test and make sure she is part of the group. She was part of the camp and she trained with us. She is working hard to make sure she is in that squad.”ESPNcricinfo understands that van Niekerk’s fitness has improved drastically from where it was even before the injury, with one insider saying she is “the fittest she has been in five years.” She has lost 10kg since last year’s Hundred and has met all her markers except the 2km time trial. Female cricketers in South Africa are required to complete the run in 9 minutes and 30 seconds, while male cricketers must complete the distance in 8 minutes and 30 seconds. All players who hope to play for the national side must now meet this criteria, as well as pass a body composition test, although this is a rule that was only implemented in the last few years as CSA sought to be stricter on fitness.Last year, van Niekerk’s team-mate Lizelle Lee was dropped from the national team for failing her body composition test after her weight was deemed over the standard set for her. Lee retired in the aftermath and explained how she felt victimised and body-shamed at the time, as well as questioned why the standard was not more individualised.Sisanda Magala, the men’s white-ball bowler, asked the same question when he was left out of the national squad for failing to make his running times. He told The Cricket Monthly that he hoped his performances, as the leading bowler in the domestic one-day competition made up for the 12 seconds he fell short by on the running trial, but they did not. He has since passed the test and was, on Tuesday, named in South Africa’s ODI squad to play England later this month.Van Niekerk has lost 10kg since last year’s Hundred and has met all her markers except the 2km time trial•ICC via Getty

Considering Lee and Magala’s cases, Moreeng was asked if the rigid application of the standards was fair, and said he believed their uniformity made them so. “We believe they are fair. Every member of the squad knows what is required, even at the domestic level. It’s where we are as a team and as a country, it’s the direction we are moving to. It’s to make sure each and every player, as far as the minimum standards are concerned, meets them,” he said. “It’s criteria that have been designed and given to players all around the country. It’s one of those that tests your strength and aerobic side of things to make sure players will be able to deal with whatever demands the game gives them on a daily basis. It’s all to make sure the player has the best possible time to perform.”But Moreeng conceded that even without passing the running test, van Niekerk remained crucial to South Africa’s chances of success. “She is a quality cricketer,” he said. “Any environment will be blessed to have her.”And those close to van Niekerk say she is fully committed to doing everything she can to ensure she passes the test and is in South Africa’s squad and sees playing at this World Cup as the fulfillment of a dream.South Africa have set themselves a goal of qualifying for the final of their home World Cup, after reaching the semi-finals in 2014 and 2020.

More than a decade after his last international match, the former Australia wicketkeeper is set to turn out for Hong Kong at the World T20

Tim Wigmore17-Feb-2016Few cricketing comebacks have been as unlikely as that of Ryan Campbell. At the age of 44, nearly 14 years after his two ODIs for Australia and a decade after his last match as a professional cricketer down under, Campbell is poised to make his debut for Hong Kong in the opening game of the World T20 in India.”I’ll be as thrilled as I’ve ever been playing a game of cricket when I receive my Hong Kong cap,” he says. “It’s obviously a big risk on my behalf and Hong Kong cricket’s behalf. But it’s a risk they’re happy to take, and I am too. Hopefully a good result will come of it.”Some are less enthusiastic about the prospect of Campbell playing for Hong Kong, seeing his selection as a throwback to a time when ageing imports were ubiquitous in Associate teams.To Campbell, such comparisons are unfair. “I’ve got family in Hong Kong: my son was born here, so was my wife-to-be. This is our home.” His grandmother is Chinese, and his great-grandfather was born in Kowloon, where Campbell has been a player and coach since early 2012. “Four years later I couldn’t be happier – I’ve got a wonderful fiancé, have a beautiful seven-month old baby boy, and have a great job at Kowloon Cricket Club and with the national team. I have roots and history here, so I’ll be very proud to represent Hong Kong.”Without these links, Campbell “wouldn’t even consider” an international comeback. “Then it would be just ridiculous. But because I do have a history here I feel that I can and should be helping out.”

“Those who throw stones should just look at the English team. They’ve got South Africans, they’ve got Irishmen, they’ve got Scotsmen, they’ve got whoever they want”

Eighteen months ago, Campbell scored 303 not out off 107 balls for Kowloon Cricket Club. It was an innings that, together with an average of over 50 over four seasons in Hong Kong domestic cricket, suggested age has scarcely diluted the quality that brought Campbell ten Sheffield Shield hundreds.After he became Hong Kong batting coach in July 2013, the players were immediately impressed by Campbell’s skills. “I have always felt how beneficial it would be to have him in the national side,” says former captain Jamie Atkinson, who is a club team-mate.Hong Kong’s hierarchy has long known that Campbell qualified just prior to the World T20; they were privately discussing whether to approach him during the qualifiers in July. For one of the youngest squads in the game, the appeal of Campbell is obvious.”Experience is something we realised is crucial after our performances in the last World T20,” says Charlie Burke, Hong Kong’s director of cricket. “Cambo’s biggest trait is his calming influence and his ability to read the game and the situation. Even though T20 is a fast-paced game we still need clear minds and an understanding that you can still win the game if you take it deep enough.”Campbell says he “needed a bit of persuading” before agreeing to make himself available. “Obviously my age does come into it – I didn’t want to let the team down or let myself down. I’m very aware that a lot of the time when you throw up Associate cricket, people say, ‘Oh, it’s just all these expats’ or whatever. I wanted to do the right thing by Hong Kong cricket as well, but I feel I can contribute to the team and help out a very young top-six line-up: give them a bit of experience and calm them in the middle.” The recent suspension of Irfan Ahmed for failing to disclose a match-fixing approach was also “a big factor” in Campbell’s decision. “He was our most experienced player at the top of the order so there was a hole to fill there.”As Campbell stresses, the notion of Hong Kong as a team of expats is a myth. All but three members of the World T20 squad moved to Hong Kong before 18; he is the only player in the squad who has lived there less than seven years. “Those who throw stones should just look at the English team. They’ve got South Africans, they’ve got Irishmen, they’ve got Scotsmen, they’ve got whoever they want.””I’d never practised the ramp shot in the nets before. Once I started playing it, I practised it and started to mess around with it”•Getty ImagesHe intends to be equally combative on the pitch in India. “I’d love to open the batting. I’ve always loved opening the batting in T20. It’s one of the best positions to bat – especially in India, if you can get yourself in against the quicker bowlers. I enjoy facing spinners but I like being in when they come.”If he does not seem fazed by his unlikely return to the game, Campbell has never been the sort of cricketer to be constrained by convention. Well before Tillakaratne Dilshan made the shot famous, Campbell was a successful exponent of the scoop.”Being the wicketkeeper, I used to go to meetings with all the bowlers. Every single person always said, ‘In one-day cricket you have to bowl full at the death and look to bowl yorkers.’ Sitting there and listening to that, I always knew no one ever fielded behind the wicketkeeper. So I thought the theory must be sound: if they’re bowling yorkers, and if I get forward and get my bat down, I’m going to get a full toss. And if I get a full toss, it’ll just hit the face of my bat and go over my head or my shoulder and it should be runs. That was the theory.”In a one-day game against Victoria, Campbell put it to the test. “Darren Berry, my old mate and sparring partner, was keeping. He was up to the stumps and sledging the hell out of me. Ian Harvey was bowling, and I knew he definitely bowled really full. I thought: I’m going to try this ramp. There’s three things that could happen: I’m either going to hit myself in the face, hit Darren Berry in the face and stop him from talking to me, or it’s going to go for four. The two times I tried it, they both went for four.”He had never even played the ramp in the nets before. “I always had the theory but I’d never practised the shot before. I’d seriously thought about it but I just thought I don’t want to practise this because it could make me look stupid if I get hit in the face. Once I started playing it, then I practised it and started to mess around with it. I always tell young cricketers: ‘If you have a good theory and want to talk to me about it, I’m happy to talk through it, as long as the theory is sound.'”Campbell still has the shot, though is not sure whether he will unveil it in India. “I don’t play it too often now. I might use it, depending on the situation of the game.”

“Cambo’s biggest trait is his calming influence and his ability to read the game and the situation”Charlie Burke, Hong Kong’s director of cricket

Commitments with Kowloon CC mean that Campbell is not part of Hong Kong’s squad for the T20 Asia Cup qualifiers later this month. “It’s just too hard to get so much time off.”He has already started work on a custom-built training regime, devised by coach Simon Cook, to ensure that he is ready for the first game against Zimbabwe in March, 4825 days after his last international match. “Now that the reality has set in that I’m going to be representing Hong Kong, I’m obviously stepping up the workload. I’m confident I’ll be at a good enough standard to play.”While Campbell admits that “fast bowling’s always going to be the issue for the older guys”, he professes to not worrying about not being up to the rigours of international cricket. Anyway, he cannot only think of himself: Campbell will also remain batting coach during the World T20. “I’ll make sure that I work with all the players and then I’ll look after my batting side later on. They’ll always come first.”He does not intend for his return to be a fleeting one, either. Campbell hopes to play ODI cricket for Hong Kong too. First, though, he has his eyes set on the main stage of the World T20, where Sri Lanka, South Africa, West Indies and England will lie in wait if Hong Kong progress.”This is the most successful Hong Kong sporting team in the history of Hong Kong. No one will ever take that away from us. It’s going to be a very good contest for the boys. It helps us that the ball doesn’t bounce a lot in India, because the wickets in Hong Kong aren’t too bouncy. These conditions suit us a lot better than if we were playing in Perth.”In T20 cricket only one or two blokes need to play really well and then you can win the match. Our goal is to make the Super 10. If that happens it’s one of the greatest stories ever.” Especially if a 44-year-old is at the heart of it.

The Real Madrid winger has repeatedly underwhelmed at international level but he has the talent – and support – to turn things around

There was an incredible incident right at the end of Brazil's dramatic World Cup qualifier against Colombia on Thursday evening.

Just moments after Vinicius Junior had scored what proved to be the winner with a deflected strike from distance in the ninth minute of injury time, coach Dorival Junior decided to take off the Real Madrid superstar to waste a little time. Vinicius, though, was intent on eating up even more seconds, so he made his way from the field as slowly as possible, unsurprisingly upsetting a couple of Colombia players as he did so.

It was at this point that one of the winger's own team-mates got involved – and not to protect Vinicius but to physically remove him from the fray. Knowing the Real Madrid star was a yellow card away from being suspended for Tuesday's massive clash with Argentina, Raphinha repeatedly pushed his colleague towards the touchline to save him from sanction.

The whole episode proved two things: firstly, Raphinha is now firmly established as one of the key characters in Dorival's Brazil squad; and, secondly, the Barcelona man has an important role to play in Vinicius belatedly becoming the Selecao's 'new Neymar'.

AFP'No respectable leaders'

Ronaldinho resigned as a Brazil fan before last year's Copa America.

"That's it folks, I've had enough," the iconic No.10 posted on Instagram. "This is a sad moment for those who love Brazilian soccer.

"It's getting hard to find the spirit to watch the games. This is perhaps one of the worst teams in recent years, it has no respectable leaders, only average players for the majority."

Coming from a living legend, those words devastated Dorival's squad, all of whom had grown up idolising Ronaldinho.

They also failed miserably to prove him wrong during a calamitous Copa campaign.

After winning just one group game, against Paraguay, a Selecao shorn of the services of the injured Neymar were eliminated on penalties in the quarter-finals after performing abysmally in a scoreless draw with Uruguay.

Advertisement'This time it's my fault'

Vinicius took a significant share of the blame for Brazil's atrocious tournament and he was the first to admit that he had contributed to the national team's embarrassingly early exit.

At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, he'd been forced to watch helplessly from the sidelines as the Selecao suffered a heartbreaking shootout loss to Croatia, having been replaced after 66 ineffective minutes at the Education City Stadium.

He found himself in the same position last summer, only this time he'd sat out the entire game having stupidly got himself suspended for the meeting with Uruguay in Nevada.

"The Copa America is over and it's time to reflect, and know how to deal with defeat," he wrote on social media. "The feeling of frustration kicks in again, and again on the penalties.

"I received two yellow cards [in the group stage] and watched elimination from outside again, but this time it's my fault. I apologise for that."

Getty Images Sport'I have three or four players marking me'

Vinicius didn't know it at the time but his desperately disappointing Copa America effectively cost him the Ballon d'Or he believed was in the bag after the starring role he'd played in Real Madrid's 2023-24 Champions League triumph, resulting in the most pathetic of hissy-fits.

In fairness, plenty of his compatriots were outraged by the perceived snub (even though Rodri was a most worthy winner of the game's most prestigious individual accolade) but a significant number were also quick to acknowledge that Vinicius had consistently failed to replicate his club form at international level.

There have been mitigating factors, of course.

Playing in the same left-wing position as Neymar certainly didn't help. Even when Brazil's all-time leading goalscorer was deployed more in a central role as a No.10, the pair never clicked, partly due to the elder man's propensity for instinctively drifting out to his favoured flank.

It also has to be said that Ronaldinho had a point about the quality of the current crop of players. This is definitely not a vintage era for the most successful country in World Cup history, with Brazil having made the semi-finals just once in the past 23 years – and even on that occasion, they were utterly humiliated on home soil by Germany.

The Selecao did win the Copa America in 2019 but Vinicius missed out on inclusion in the squad and was a second-half substitute in the painful 2021 final loss to hated rivals Argentina at the Maracana. He's been a regular in the starting line-up since then, though, and usually struggled to impose himself on games in the manner one would expect from one of the world's top talents.

That is a problem in itself, of course. The threat posed by Vinicius, coupled with the lack of genuine world-class quality around him, has emboldened opponents to commit more men to containing him.

"Every time I enter the field for the national team, I have three or four players marking me," the attacker complained after a dismal display in the 0-0 draw with Costa Rica at last year's Copa America.

AFPRaphinha the role model

At the end of the day, though, six goals and five assists is an undeniably poor return from Vinicius' 38 international appearances – especially when one considers that Raphinha has already surpassed both tallies in fewer games. The latter is also displaying the kind of captaincy qualities we've not yet seen from the former.

Age is obviously a factor. Raphinha is four years older than Vinicius and very much a late bloomer. Indeed, it was Vinicius who helped Raphinha settle when he first broke into the Selecao set-up.

The 28-year-old has never had to deal with anything like the same weight of expectancy as his younger colleague, who was tipped for superstardom long before he agreed a move to Madrid at just 16. That's the kind of pressure to which only a select few footballers can relate.

Raphinha has also pointed out that not even he can comprehend the mental strain facing racist abuse on an almost weekly basis in Spain has had on Vinicius, who has simultaneously had to take on La Liga's authorities almost singlehandedly while also trying to do his incredibly demanding day job at the Santiago Bernabeu.

"We don't know what happened in his childhood. We don't know the things he heard when he was little," Raphinha said in response to allegations that separate criticism of Vinicius' on-field conduct (diving, mocking opponents, gamesmanship etc.) was justified. "These things push people to their limit and it bothers him a lot.

"Vinicius is a very smiling boy, he is always making jokes. The only issue that bothers him a lot is this, I understand his anger. But I'm not in his situation, so I can't tell him what I would do [in his place]."

Raphinha added in an interview with : "We get along very well and I also often talk to him and tell him that it is not necessary to do the things he does on the pitch, but I understand it. Each person is different, he is like that and I think it gives him confidence on the field to do that.

"For example, Gavi on the pitch, in my opinion, is crazy, he's very annoying. But off the field he is an incredible person, loving, caring… Vinicius is the same.

"However, it's hard to convince people that he's like that when they see him in a certain way on the pitch. Only if you live moments with him will you see that I am right."

Earlier, Burl also grabbed two wickets, as the bowlers combined to restrict Ireland despite Harry Tector’s 47

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Jan-2023Player of the Match Ryan Burl went 6, 6, 4 off George Dockrell when Zimbabwe needed 23 off 15 balls and the game was in the balance. In the end, he finished with 30 not out from 11 deliveries to turn the screws in the chase of 142, as the hosts sealed the series 2-1 in Harare. That followed a haul of 2 for 28 with the ball, as the Zimbabwe bowlers combined to restrict the visitors to 141.It was a tricky situation on a pitch that continued to produce middling scores following totals of 114 and 144 in the first two games. Craig Ervine’s 54 off 43 balls set the base for Zimbabwe, for whom the required rate had touched nine an over when they had another 30 deliveries remaining. Ervine was involved in crucial partnerships of 42 for the second wicket with Innocent Kaia when Zimbabwe lost their first wicket in the third over.Another quick partnership of 24 from 14 balls was important from a situation of 92 for 4, as held the innings together before Burl, who also won the Player-of-the-Series award, got down to finish the game off.Earlier, it took a 70-run union between Harry Tector and Curtis Campher to help Ireland to a competitive total after they were 19 for 3 at one stage. Wessly Madhevere had struck in the first over to remove Ross Adair, and ended with 2 for 8 when he got rid of Tector for 47. But it was Burl who had dismissed Campher for 27 to break Ireland’s momentum, and drag Zimbabwe back in the match.Dockrell and Mark Adair added 31 to pump some life back into Ireland’s innings, but 141 proved short in the end, as Burl’s exploits ensured Zimbabwe won the match with an over to spare.

They are used to juggling availability of their Australia players and have most bases covered

Alex Malcolm01-Oct-2022Captain Mitchell Marsh
Coach Adam VogesSquad
R=Rookie, CA=Australia contract
Ashton Agar (CA), Cameron Bancroft, Jason Behrendorff, Hilton Cartwright, Cooper Connolly (R), Sam Fanning, Cameron Gannon, Jayden Goodwin (R), Cameron Green (CA), Sam Greer (R), Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis (CA), Bryce Jackson, Matthew Kelly, Hamish McKenzie (R), Mitchell Marsh (CA), Shaun Marsh, David Moody, Lance Morris, Joel Paris, Josh Philippe, Jhye Richardson, Corey Rocchiccioli, D’Arcy Short, Charlie Stobo, Marcus Stoinis (CA), Ashton Turner, Sam Whiteman, Teague Wyllie. In Sam Fanning, Bryce Jackson, Sam Greer, Hamish McKenzie, Teague Wyllie | Out Liam Guthrie (Queensland)Winter moves
WA have retained most of their key talent in the off-season with five CA contracted players helping them manage their salary cap well. Liam Guthrie has headed to Queensland but he did not play a single Shield game last year as WA’s attack stayed relatively injury-free. Teague Wyllie has been elevated to a full contract as has Sam Fanning who has spent years on the rookie list. Both young batters are likely to get opportunities throughout the season.Related

Philippe century helps Western Australia start title defence with victory

From fringe domestic player to Australia A: Hardie's rapid rise marks him out

Last season
WA broke a 23-year Sheffield Shield drought with an emotional title for stand-in captain Shaun Marsh. A thumping victory by an innings and 51 runs against Victoria in the final round of the season was enough to secure a home final for the first time in 24 years. Then a first-innings century from Cameron Bancroft, a disciplined bowling performance, and second-innings epics from Sam Whiteman and Aaron Hardie was enough to secure a draw and the title on first-innings bonus points.WA’s depth across the season shone through as they used 18 players in their Shield side across eight matches. They also didn’t have a single player manage to play in all three Shield, Marsh Cup and BBL titles with WA and Perth Scorchers, further underscoring the depth of talent.On a batting front, Whiteman had an outstanding season at the top of the order (641 runs at 58.27) concluding with his Player of the Match performance in the final. Hilton Cartwright made a return to form with two hundreds, while Cameron Bancroft fought off a difficult start to the season to produce one of his finest innings in the final.With the ball, Joel Paris (24 wickets) and Lance Morris (20 wickets) formed the backbone of a well-rounded four-man pace attack. Jhye Richardson and Hardie made a huge impact in the few games they played. WA also unearthed 17-year-old batter Wyllie who played in the final and looks a future Test player.Western Australia Shield fixtures

October 3-6: vs New South Wales, WACA
October 17-20: vs Victoria, Junction Oval
October 31-November 3: vs Queensland, WACA
November 11-14: vs South Australia, WACA
November 22-25: vs New South Wales, SCG
December 1-4: vs Queensland, Gabba
February 10-13: vs South Australia, Adelaide Oval
February 21-24: vs Tasmania, Blundstone Arena
March 2-5: vs Tasmania, WACA
March 14-17: vs Victoria, WACA

Player to watch
Aaron Hardie has emerged as a player of significant interest to Australia’s selectors after a stunning Shield final and a brilliant tour of Sri Lanka with Australia A. He emerged from nowhere having been on the fringes of WA’s side following elbow surgery ahead of last season. When fully fit he can offer swing and bounce with the new ball and is capable of batting in the top seven with a belief he could move into WA’s top five in the future. His next challenge is creeping up the order while improving his wicket-taking ability on lower, slower pitches. But he could push for Australia A selection on next year’s tour of England.Australia radar
Cameron Green might not play a single game for WA this year with his emergence as a T20 phenomenon at the top of the order for Australia making him an all-format juggernaut. WA will also have to manage the comings and goings of Mitch Marsh, Ashton Agar, Josh Inglis and Marcus Stoinis from various international squads across the summer. Jhye Richardson is still on Australia’s radar although his fitness remains a question mark.Josh Philippe continues to develop as a three-format player and played well in the four-day games in Sri Lanka. His fast feet against spin will do him no harm when Australia looks at its batting depth options for the Test tour of India next year. But he is more likely to be looked at in the shorter formats as Australia regenerates their T20I side post the World Cup and looks for opening options to replace Aaron Finch in the ODI team ahead of next year’s 50-over World Cup.

MatériaMais Notícias

da gbg bet： Embora o Corinthians sonhe com a contratação de Michael, ex-Flamengo, o último dia para registrar transferências no futebol brasileiro não deve ter grandes emoções no clube do Parque São Jorge, que ao longo da janela conseguiu reforços badalados para cada setor do elenco, e viu peças importantes deixarem o clube.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansVítor Pereira, do Corinthians, se retrata após declaração sobre cargo ameaçado: ‘Não me expressei da melhor forma’Corinthians14/08/2022CorinthiansDestaque no Sub-20, Biro projeta próximos desafios do CorinthiansCorinthians14/08/2022Fora de CampoBenja volta a criticar ataque do Corinthians após derrota para o Palmeiras: ‘É semimorto’Fora de Campo14/08/2022

da bwin： + GALERIA – Erro de Fagner custa caro em Dérbi; veja nota dos jogadores do Timão

Ao todo, o Timão realizou três contratações nesta janela de transferências, e contou com o retorno de três jogadores que estavam emprestados.

Por outro lado, a diretoria alvinegra vendeu apenas um jogador em definitivo na janela, e essa transferência fez o clube superar osR$ 100 milhões de lucro no ano, e por consequênciabater a metaorçamentária com venda de atletas na temporada.

Quatro atletas foram emprestados, e outros quatro jogadores deixarem o elenco, seja por rescisão contratual ou pelo clube não querer estender o vínculo com esses atletas.

Abaixo, o LANCE! traz um balanço das movimentações feitas pelo Corinthians na janela de transferências do meio do ano, que teve início no dia 18 de julho.

REFORÇOS

Yuri Alberto
Desde o início do ano, o grande foco do Timão no mercado era contratar um centroavante de peso. A equipe iniciou a temporada com negociações sem sucesso por Cavani, Suárez e Diego Costa, e mesmo com a chegada de Júnior Moraes (que ainda não mostrou suas credenciais ao torcedor), a posição seguia carente, especialmente após a rescisão contratual com Jô no primeiro semestre.

Por isso, a cúpula alvinegra negociou com o Zenit, da Rússia, um acordo para trazer Yuri Alberto por empréstimo até o final de junho de 2023. O novo camisa 9 corintiano disputou oito partidas até aqui, e ainda não conseguiu marcar um gol ou contribuir com uma assistência.

Balbuena
A segunda contratação feita pelo Corinthians na janela foi a chegada de Balbuena, também por empréstimo até o final de junho de 2023. O experiente zagueiro paraguaio retornou para sua segunda passagem no clube do Parque São Jorge sob a ‘cláusula de guerra’ concedida pela Fifa para atletas que atuam no futebol russo e ucraniano, devido a guerra entre os países.

O defensor, que possui vínculo com o Dínamo Moscou, da Rússia, não mostrou problemas físicos e em pouco tempo se estabeleceu como um dos titulares na defesa corintiana. Ele cometeu uma falha contra o Flamengo, na Libertadores, mas balançou as redes contra o Avaí, no Brasileirão.

Fausto Vera
A terceira movimentação do clube alvinegro na janela foi a chegada de Fausto Vera. O meia argentino foi a única contratação em definitivo feita pelo Timão. Ele assinou contrato até junho de 2026.

O Corinthians adquiriu 70% dos direitos econômicos do meia de 22 anos, e os valores do negócio com o Argentinos Juniors podem chegar até 8 milhões de dólares (R$ 43,98 milhões na cotação atual) com bonificações.

Ao longo dos seis jogos que já completou pelo Corinthians, Fausto mostrou que pode ser tanto primeiro como segundo volante, e possui a marcação e intensidade como pontos fortes.

+ TABELA – Dérbi definiu o Brasileirão? Simule os jogos do campeonato

Retorno dos emprestados
Durante a janela, o Timão contou com os retornos de Ramiro, Mateus Vital e Léo Natel. O primeiro foi reintegrado e inclusive entrou no segundo tempo do empate em 1 a 1 com o Avaí, pelo Brasileirão.

No caso de Vital, visto pela diretoria corintiana com bom potencial de venda, clubes do Brasil mostraram interesse, como o São Paulo, mas as tratativas não evoluíram.

Com Léo Natel, a direção corintiana deu autonomia para os representantes do jogador atuarem no mercado em busca de um destino para o atleta. Há monitoramento de times brasileiros, mas a prioridade, no momento, é que o atacante atue na Europa.

SAÍDAS

João Victor
A única venda realizada pelo Corinthians na janela do meio do ano foi a de João Victor ao Benfica, de Portugal. O Time do Povo recebeu cerca de 8 milhões de euros (R$ 44 milhões na cotação da época) dos Encarnados por 55% dos direitos econômicos do atleta.

João começou a temporada prestigiado ao lado de Gil, mas com o rodízio imposto por Vítor Pereira, viu seus minutos diminuírem. Mesmo assim, contribuiu positivamente com a equipe até ser vendido.

Mantuan e Ivan
Na negociação que trouxe Yuri Alberto de volta ao Brasil, o Corinthians teve que ceder tanto o goleiro Ivan (contratado pelo Timão no início do ano) quanto o atacante Mantuan. Ambos foram emprestados ao Zenit, da Rússia, com valor de compra fixado,pelo mesmo período em que Yuri ficará no Parque São Jorge.

O goleiro participou de três jogos do Time do Povo na temporada, e não convenceu, enquanto Mantuan não apenas era um coringa para o técnico Vítor Pereira, como um dos atletas mais importantes da equipe, tanto na parte ofensiva quanto defensiva.

Caso o Zenit queira comprar Ivan ao final do empréstimo, terá que desembolsar cerca de5 milhões de euros (R$ 27,6 mi na cotação atual). O valor fixado por Mantuan ficou na casa de 15 milhões de euros (R$ 83 mi, na cotação atual).

Willian
Contratado no segundo semestre do ano passado após deixar o Arsenal, Willian viveu uma temporada caótica dentro e fora dos gramados. O camisa 10 não conseguiu o rendimento esperado no Corinthians, marcando apenas um gol em sua segunda passagem.

Contudo, as constantes ameaças e xingamentos, especialmente à sua família, foram o estopim para o meia-atacante pedir a rescisão contratual e retornar ao continente europeu. Sua última partida foi na eliminação para o Flamengo, nas quartas de final da Libertadores.

Como esclarecido pelo presidente Duílio Monteiro Alves, o Timão não teve que lidar com nenhuma multa na rescisão do atleta, e não recebeu nenhuma compensação financeira pela saída de Willian.

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Luan e demais saídas
Um dos grandes objetivos estabelecidos pela diretoria corintiana foi alcançado na janela. O clube conseguiu emprestar o meia Luan (fora dos planos de Vítor Pereira) ao Santos, pagando R$ 100 mil por mês dos salários do atleta no Peixe, que pode renovar o empréstimo ao final do ano.

O Corinthians não quis prorrogar o empréstimo do lateral João Pedro, que pertencia ao Porto, e negociou Guilherme Pezão e Rodrigo Varanda ao Akritas Chlorakas, do Chipre. O goleiro saiu em definitivo, enquanto Varanda foi emprestado por uma temporada.

O clube alvinegro também acertou a rescisão contratual com o atacante Madson, que se transferiu para o Moreirense, de Portugal.

Big picture

Five days on from one of the most captivating tussles ever witnessed at the Grand Old G, another of international cricket’s most storied rivalries takes to its oldest stage for a contest laced with a different flavour of existential jeopardy. Whereas India versus Pakistan was a clash of geopolitical magnitude, in both hype and denouement, England versus Australia offers a more fundamental sporting showdown.To the winner, the prospect of a tournament lifeline, a chance to keep a route to the semi-finals in their own hands. To the loser, the mounting prospect of an early elimination: an ignominious fate for the holders of each of the ICC’s two World Cup trophies. Even allowing for the threat of further rain-related twists, two spluttering campaigns require some urgent ignition if they are to recover the ground so far lost – in Australia’s case to a crushingly one-sided loss in their opening match against New Zealand, and in England’s, an oddly meek surrender in the showers against Ireland at this same venue.Related

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• Buttler laments 'really disappointing day' for England

For their part, Australia will hope that that ignition has already happened. At the moment of Glenn Maxwell’s dismissal in the 13th over of their 158-run chase against Sri Lanka on Wednesday, they were a side without direction, as their NRR began to drift towards double figures with Aaron Finch stuck and stodgy in what he later admitted was an “unusual” knock of 31 not out from 42 balls. But then up popped Marcus Stoinis with a devastatingly straightforward bout of range-hitting – and by the time he’d blazed an Australia-record 17-ball fifty, all those doubts had been dispatched to the stands.Stoinis struck six sixes in his 18-ball stay against Sri Lanka – more than all his team-mates combined had produced in either of Australia’s first two matches of the tournament, but moreover, three times as many as England have produced in total against Group 1’s supposed lesser lights, Afghanistan and Ireland. Alex Hales lumped Fazalhaq Farooqi over long-on in Perth, Moeen Ali tonked Gareth Delany in the same direction at Melbourne, three balls before the rain sealed England’s fate against the Irish … and that, so far, has been that.It’s a baffling moment for Jos Buttler’s team to come over all gun-shy, especially given the free-spirited mayhem that they seemed to be unleashing in their warm-up week on these shores. Australia themselves encountered the full weight of England’s power-hitting in conceding 208 for 6 in Perth at the start of the month, while Liam Livingstone’s six – clean out of the Gabba in their practice match against Pakistan – was widely perceived as a statement of intent from a deep and formidable batting line-up that has not been renowned for dying wondering in recent years.Moeen Ali has hit one of only two sixes from England in this campaign•Getty Images

But what we have here instead is an unexpectedly cagey state of affairs. To a greater or lesser degree, both England’s and Australia’s batting has struggled for that fluid faith in its constituent parts that epitomised their recent glory days. Buttler’s rare first-over dismissal against Ireland can probably be written off as an aberration, but with his sidekick Hales so far failing to repay the faith in his recall, and Ben Stokes at No. 4 a very high-profile work-in-progress, the uncertainty has been contagious.Dawid Malan has reverted to his old anchor-man habits, with 53 runs from 67 balls to date, and though Moeen did his utmost to tilt the DLS calculations in England’s favour as the rain closed in against Ireland, the inflexibility of England’s batting order was revealing. Eoin Morgan, you sense, would not have shied away from promoting his heavy artillery in a bid to get ahead of the rate in tough conditions, even if it had meant risking being all out for 80 in the process. Buttler’s subsequent statement that ‘England should let it hurt’ was perhaps a tacit admission that their campaign has not yet found the right levels of emotional investment.Nowithstanding Stoinis’s exploits, Australia aren’t exactly in their happy place either. But for rain in Canberra, England would have thumped them 3-0 in the recent T20I series – their consecutive eight-run wins were more comprehensive than the final margins suggested – while their camp has been dogged by the spectre of Covid-19 in recent days, with Adam Zampa missing the Sri Lanka match and Matthew Wade now under the weather too.An early exit for the defending champions on home soil wouldn’t be unprecedented for Australia – the same happened in 50-over cricket when they hosted the 1992 World Cup – but it would be deeply galling all the same. Their survival may require a knock-out blow against their oldest foes, and vice versa. But for the victor, who knows what a fillip to their spluttering campaign such a scalp would be.Marcus Stoinis, playing at his Western Australia homeground, was the star of the show in the last game•Getty Images

Form guide

Australia WLLLW (last five completed T20Is, most recent first)
England LWWWW

In the spotlight

Five matches (and a warm-up knockabout) into his T20I comeback, and there’s still no real clarity on where Ben Stokes‘ short-form game is at. A haul of 41 runs at 10.25 from 42 balls speaks of a player still trying to get his eye back in, which – in the context of this must-win game – isn’t the ideal tempo for your pivotal No .4. And yet, Stokes’ many strings are manifesting themselves in other ways in the tournament so far – most notably in his unexpected but very effective role as a new-ball option. A haul of 3 for 27 in 6.2 overs is mitigated by the fact that the first (and seventh) overs are the most favourable for bowling, given that batters tend to take a moment to gauge the conditions before going hell for leather. Nevertheless, he’s extracted some prodigious swing in that period, and brought his force of personality to bear in a manner that has so far been absent from his batting. At some stage, you sense his all-round game will click back into place again, but can England afford to wait for inspiration to strike?Much of the same could be said for Australia’s own No. 4, Glenn Maxwell. Patience has been worn thin in recent weeks, in which Maxwell has ground his gears in a bid for some traction but to little avail. And yet, in consecutive games against New Zealand and Sri Lanka, he’s just about threatened to poke his head out the other side. Scores of 28 from 20 and 23 from 12 are hardly proof of his renewed threat. But in each game he scored as many boundaries (four) as he had managed in nine completed innings since June, and against Sri Lanka in particular, he provided the spark that Australia’s chase desperately needed ahead of Stoinis’s rampant finish. Like Stokes, his value extends beyond the runs he offers too. The timely wicket of Dasun Shanaka in his only over on Wednesday was a key factor in cramping Sri Lanka’s ambitions.

Team news

Hindsight suggests that England might have preferred to rest their trump card, Mark Wood, for the Ireland match, given the 48-hour turnaround between these two games, and the fact that another thrillingly high-octane display could not deliver the victory his team craved. The indications from head coach, Matthew Mott, however, are that England will field an unchanged XI – meaning Chris Woakes will get another outing in his return from long-term injury, and Hales will be trusted once again at the top of the order despite Phil Salt’s claims to a starting berth.England (probable): 1 Jos Buttler (capt & wk), 2 Alex Hales / Phil Salt, 3 Dawid Malan, 4 Ben Stokes, 5 Liam Livingstone, 6 Harry Brook, 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Sam Curran, 9 Chris Woakes, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Mark Wood.Mark Wood has been England’s trump card with the ball•Albert Perez/ICC/Getty Images

Zampa’s recovery from Covid means he’s likely to slot into the side in place of Ashton Agar, as Australia’s solitary change from their Sri Lanka line-up. Wade is set to keep his place behind the stumps in spite of his own Covid diagnosis.Australia (probable): 1 Aaron Finch (capt), 2 David Warner, 3 Mitchell Marsh, 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Marcus Stoinis, 6 Tim David, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Pat Cummins, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh Hazlewood.

Pitch and conditions

The MCG’s surface proved zippy in the damp on Wednesday, and overall is a far cry from the range of stodgy drop-in pitches that had given cricket there a bad name in recent years. Either way, the decisive factor is threatening once again to come from overhead. More grim weather is in store, and this may be another case of shower-dodging and DLS bargaining.

Stats and trivia

• England and Australia have met on three previous occasions at the T20 World Cup. Australia won their first encounter, in crushing fashion at Cape Town in the inaugural tournament in 2007, but have been seen off in each of the next two – in the final of the 2010 event in Barbados, and in Dubai 12 months ago, where a Buttler special sealed victory with 50 balls to spare.
• Adil Rashid remains in the running to become England’s first man to 100 T20I wickets, but his returns this winter have been noticeably sparse. Since claiming four wickets in his first three matches against Pakistan in Karachi, he’s added just two more in eight outings, at a leaky economy rate of 8.58.
• Sam Curran, by contrast, has been England’s golden arm in the same period. Since the start of the Pakistan tour, he’s claimed 19 wickets at 14.36 in ten matches, and in the process has more than doubled his previous T20I wickets haul of 16 at 32.00 in 21 games.

Quotes

“I don’t feel any more pressure than I ever have. The only pressure is the expectation you put on yourself.”
“If you needed a game to get up for – a must-win game – England and Australia at the MCG is certainly one of those.”

Chelsea continued their push for the Premier League title with a 2-1 victory over Brentford at Stamford Bridge on Sunday evening.

Goals from Marc Cucurella and Nicolas Jackson ensured that Chelsea moved to within two points of leaders Liverpool and gave the Blues a fifth consecutive league victory.

Chelsea dominated the game in all departments, playing with real fluidity and created 26 goal attempts with eight of those testing Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken.

Full-back Cucurella impressed in the match, getting on the scoresheet himself and being a constant threat down the hosts’ left-hand side despite a late sending-off.

However, it is the full-back on the right-hand side of Chelsea’s defence that is attracting interest from fellow title rivals.

Chelsea star catching the eye of Liverpool

Malo Gusto arrived at Chelsea from Lyon in January 2023 for a reported £30.75m deal. The French defender has impressed since his arrival and has already made 13 appearances for the club this season, registering an assist in Chelsea’s 5-1 rout of Southampton earlier in December.

This fine early-season form from Gusto has attracted interest from a number of top clubs and it seems that one title rival in particular are ready to firm up their interest in January.

According to CaughtOffside, Liverpool are considering a raid of the full-back to replace the potentially outgoing Trent Alexander-Arnold. England full-back Alexander-Arnold is out of contract in the summer and is being linked with a move to European giants Real Madrid and Premier League champions Manchester City.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

For now, it seems that Chelsea have no interest in selling Gusto, who has proved himself to be a fine young talent at Enzo Maresca’s disposal, but that may not deter Liverpool from testing the waters in the upcoming window.

Losing Gusto would come as a huge blow to Chelsea’s title hopes as they would be losing a regular first-team defender to the team they are chasing and sit just two points behind.

Let’s just hope it doesn’t end up being a Mo Salah repeat, with the Egyptian leaving Stamford Bridge behind after just 19 first-team games before going on to score 227 times in the red of Liverpool.

Why losing Malo Gusto would be a mistake for Chelsea

Should Chelsea lose Gusto to Liverpool, it wouldn’t be the first time they have regretted losing a player to Liverpool, with Salah, currently the Premier League top scorer, also plying his trade at Stamford Bridge once upon a time.

Another reason Chelsea fans will be hoping the transfer doesn’t formulate is the injury record of potential Gusto replacement Reece James. James is the club captain of Chelsea but has suffered terribly with fitness throughout his career.

Incredibly, since the start of the 23/24 season, James has missed 56 games for Chelsea through injury and is currently out of action with a hamstring injury.

Reece James injury history: Every game missed by Chelsea star since 2021/22

The defender has endured a torrid few seasons at Stamford Bridge.

ByBen Browning Nov 22, 2024

Chelsea fans used to dread news of their captain picking up injuries as he was an important player for the club yet since Gusto’s arrival he has more than become an adequate replacement.

Minutes played

956

241

Progressive passes

5.47

2.96

Tackles won

19

2

Blocks

18

4

Crosses

30

15

Points per match

1.92

1.25

From the above statistics, it is clear that not only is the French defender more reliable in terms of fitness than James but also gives more going forward and in defence. Gusto has registered more progressive passes than his captain this season and has fed more crosses to Chelsea’s potent strikeforce.

Defensively, Gusto is also outperforming his positional rival with more tackles won and more blocks in defensive situations. The most significant stat for Chelsea staff and fans may be the bottom stat that Chelsea are picking up more points with Gusto in the team than James.

If the west London side are serious about their title tilt this season, then they can ill afford to lose a talent like this – especially to their main title rivals.

8/10 Chelsea star who Thomas Frank publicly slammed was their true MOTM

Chelsea sealed a comfortable victory over Brentford on Sunday evening.

ByConnor Holden Dec 16, 2024

Madhya Pradesh were 15 for 3 replying to 484 and still have a long way to go

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Mar-2023Harsh Gawli and Yash Dubey put up an unbeaten 97-run stand to resurrect Madhya Pradesh’s innings after Navdeep Saini and Mukesh Kumar rattled them early with the new ball.In reply to Rest of India’s (RoI) massive total of 484, Madhya Pradesh got off to a shaky start, as Mukesh struck in the first over getting Arham Aquil to edge behind for a duck. In the next over, Saini induced a thick outside edge off Himanshu Mantri’s bat with Dhull at second slip taking a superb catch. It wasn’t too long before Shubham Sharma walked back to the pavilion after Saini pinned him in front, leaving Madhya Pradesh reeling at 15 for 3.Gawli and Dubey then came together to resist the RoI bowlers, who were made to toil without rewards for the rest of the day. After a watchful start, the pair managed to hit a few boundaries to build up the score. Dubey also brought up his half-century with a four off Saini to backward point. At stumps, Madhya Pradesh had reached 112 for 3, with Gawli on 47 and Dubey on 53.Resuming the day on 381 for 3, RoI lost their nightwatch Saurabh Kumar early in the day for a duck. Yash Dhull then joined B Indrajith at the crease, as the duo took RoI’s total past 400. While Dhull displayed an aggressive intent, picking the gaps with every chance he got, Indrajith was more sedate at the crease. Indrajith’s 72-ball stay came to an end with him edging an Anubhav Agarwal delivery to the wicketkeeper. Soon after, Dhull brought up his fifty off 65 balls with a boundary.At one point, RoI were cruising towards 500 with Dhull going strong at one end. But with Upendra Yadav’s dismissal, RoI went on to lose their last five wickets for 18 runs. Left-arm spinner Kumar Kartikeya cleaned up Upendra for 14 before Agarwal had Atit Sheth caught behind for a duck at the stroke of lunch. Kartikeya then claimed the key scalp of Dhull, who played down the wrong line to be struck on his back pad. Saini and Pulkit Narang then hit three boundaries combined to take the total to 484 before Avesh Khan (4 for 74) struck back-to-back to finish the proceedings.

“Unfortunately, quite a few of us got out with kind of cross-batted shots which might not be our preferred method”

Alex Malcolm19-Feb-20233:35

Chappell on the sweep shots: Australia panicked and did something not natural

Australia captain Pat Cummins has admitted his batting group overplayed their hand in the second innings in Delhi as they took their proactive mindset to the extreme in an extraordinary batting collapse that cost them the second Test in less than a session.Australia were 65 for 1 in the first over of the third day with a lead of 66 before losing 9 for 48 in 110 balls to be bowled out for just 113 well before lunch on the third day.Related

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India cruised to victory with just four wickets down to take a 2-0 series lead in the series. The stunning collapse comes just a week after they were bowled out for 91 in the third innings in Nagpur to lose that match by an innings and 132 runs.Cummins had asked his batters to be brave and proactive in the immediate aftermath of the Nagpur defeat but admitted his team may have gone too far the other way in Delhi, with six of the dismissals coming via attempted sweeps or reverse-sweeps in a frantic 90-minute period against Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin who claimed all 10 wickets between them for the innings.”Nagpur maybe [we] underplayed it, we probably overplayed it here at times in the second innings,” Cummins said. “You’ve got to find a way to try and put pressure back on the bowlers. They’re really, really good bowlers, especially in these conditions. Probably just at times maybe just overplayed it.”I thought they bowled really well. It’s not easy out there. But perhaps some guys went away from their methods.”Each batter has their own way to go about it. I don’t think there’s any one size fits all rule. Unfortunately, quite a few of us got out with kind of cross-batted shots which might not be our preferred method.”Cheteshwar Pujara, who guided India home in his 100th Test match, noted on that he had put the sweep shot away on the Delhi surface having fallen trying to sweep in Nagpur.”If you look at this pitch, it’s not an ideal shot to play because there’s no bounce,” Pujara said.Steven Smith was out lbw after missing a sweep•Getty Images

“I think it’s the initial phase when you are just walking into bat, you find it a little difficult, you need to get used to the pace of the pitch, some balls spun, some balls are going straight on. So you just need to figure out the way to tackle that. But once you play about 30-40 balls, then it’s a good pitch to bat on. And then once the ball gets older, I think we have seen that throughout the game when the ball is hard it’s slightly difficult. Once the ball gets softer, it gets easier to bat on.”Cummins admitted his team had let a golden opportunity slip to get back into the series having had India 139 for 7 on day two, leading by 124 in the first innings thanks to Nathan Lyon’s superb five-wicket haul, only to lose before tea the following day in an extraordinary turn of events.”I’d say just more disappointment, knowing that over here these opportunities don’t come up all the time,” Cummins said. “Especially being relatively in front of the game, feeling like that game was there for the taking.”Will Cameron Green, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood be fit for Indore?Australia chose to train in the immediate aftermath of the Nagpur loss last week holding an optional centre-wicket practice on what would have been day five at the VCA Stadium. They are unlikely to follow suit in Delhi. But they have nine days to fill between the loss and the start of the third Test in Indore.Cummins revealed there will be a lot of soul-searching for Australia’s batters in particular. But there may also be some changes made to the squad.”We’ve got a bit of time. We’ll have a good think. Have a look at different things,” Cummins said. “I think over the next day or two we’ll look at any changes in the squad as well. Mitchell Swepson has gone home, he’s a chance of coming back. Hopefully Cam Green is available, [Josh] Hazlewood, [Mitchell] Starc, we’ll manage that.”We’ll assess it over the next couple of days. [We’ve] probably got enough time to have a bit of a break, a bit of a refresh, and still plenty of time to roll up the sleeves before the next one.”Green, Starc and Hazlewood are all expected to be fully fit for Indore while Swepson should be available to return to India after flying home for the birth of his first child.But there are still some concerns over David Warner after he was subbed out of the game with a concussion following a blow to the head in the first innings. He has also suffered a hairline fracture in his left elbow from another blow in the same innings.”Davey is still a bit sore and sorry,” Cummins said. “So we’ll manage and see how he goes over the next few days. He came to the ground today for a fair while which is good. But we’ll kind of assess him over the next little bit.”Todd Murphy bowled with some side soreness in the fourth innings but managed to deliver 6.4 overs and collect the wicket of Virat Kohli.