All posts by h716a5.icu

Tamil Nadu’s relatively inexperienced line-up was out-thought by Mumbai’s bowlers and out-batted by their batsmen

Kanishkaa Balachandran in Chennai17-Nov-2007

Tamil Nadu’s batsmen could have learnt from Abhishek Nayar’s counter-attacking 105 on Friday © Cricinfo Ltd
The result, an eight-wicket win, was predictable. Mumbai, the defending champions, were searching for their opening victory of the season; a young Tamil Nadu side was trying to establish an identity for themselves after an exodus of senior players. It wasn’t much of a contest: Mumbai spotted a weakness – the batting – within the first session and chipped away at that, inducing mistakes rather than walking away with gimmes.It was a good toss to win for captain S Badrinath but, as he and the coach, WV Raman, later admitted, the game was all but lost after the first hour. The first ball after the first drinks break saw a wicket fall and two more followed in quick succession. One of those was Badrinath, the team’s most consistent batsman and one on the fringes of national selection, who chopped one onto his stumps without opening his account.Despite chanceless half centuries from Dinesh Karthik and R Srinivasan, Tamil Nadu were shot out for 206 before stumps on day one. It’s easy to blame devils – real or otherwise – in the pitch and it was two-paced but, refreshingly, Badrinath and Raman didn’t go down that road. “We simply didn’t take advantage of the toss,” Raman told Cricinfo after the match. “It was the same pitch for both sides. Mumbai just made fewer mistakes.”What, then, caused Tamil Nadu to fold up for 206 and 214? One observation was that the batsmen at times failed to cover the line of the ball quickly enough, not knowing when the ball would suddenly shoot low. When sound technique was needed, Mumbai’s batsmen rose to the task on more occasions, covering the line and defending off the meat of the bat, the sound of leather hitting willow reverberating across the ground. Even defensive strokes were met with cheers and claps from the players’ tent, and it clearly wasn’t meant for fun.Of the 20 Tamil Nadu wickets that fell, seven were out bowled, and five of those were in the second innings, with the side under pressure to wipe out the deficit and build a substantial lead. Ajit Agarkar got one to sneak between bat and pad on the second ball of the third morning, and Aavishkar Salvi hit the timber in all his three dismissals in the second innings. Badrinath dragged one onto his stumps playing away from his body, R Srinivasan didn’t get his foot across to cover the inswing while K Vasudevadas paid the price for not knowing where his off stump was. Mumbai, by contrast, lost just two wickets in the same manner.The chief wrecker in both innings was Powar with match figures of 9 for 123 and it was clear the home team’s batsmen had problems tackling his slow and canny offspinners. Too rarely did the batsmen get adventurous and use their feet against him. Srinivasan survived a few nervy moments and close shouts for leg-before, attempting back-foot strokes. They could have followed the example of the young R Ashwin, whose willingness to get a good stride forward helped counter Powar’s spin. Abhishek Nayar’s aggressive 105 was the best example of how to counter-attack the conditions. His unusually wide stance helped him get to the pitch of the ball and cart it over the infield.Perhaps it’s hard to expect too much out of a young side, with a few pushed into the big league earlier than expected. Raman spoke of the happy dressing-room atmosphere and a few younger players, in turn, spoke about his positive influence. As Raman put it, with a young side, the only way, is up.

Gerardo Martino has sent a message to Inter Miami fans regarding Lionel Messi ahead of the MLS 2024 season.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Martino sends message on MessiInter Miami begin new season on February 22Messi and Suarez reunited at Inter Miami this seasonWHAT HAPPENED?

The Inter Miami manager has made it clear that he will occasionally bench star players including Lionel Messi during the new Major League Soccer season to protect against injury. Last season, the Argentine started his journey on a bright note but as the season progressed, he started facing injury problems and had to sit out several games towards end of the campaign.

AdvertisementWHAT GERARDO MARTINO SAID

Speaking to the , the former Barcelona coach said, "We have a responsibility to make sure the fans feel well represented on the field when our big stars aren’t playing. If the fans know that for different reasons Leo won’t be there or [Busquets] won’t be there or Jordi, but we will have a very competitive team, that is an important message.

"The best players are usually on the field, but we also must make sure our team is healthy and can last an entire season. That was difficult last season, the issue of if we were selling more tickets or fewer tickets, people wanting to know who was playing. I would love for them to play every single game, but we can’t be worried about ticket sales. If they are healthy, they will play the majority of the games."

(C)Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

In his debut season in America, the 36-year-old played in 14 matches across all competitions where he scored 11 goals and provided five assists. Ahead of the 2024 season, he has reunited with his former Barcelona team-mate Luis Suarez who joined the club as a free agent.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR INTER MIAMI?

The Herons have started pre-season training and will begin their season on February 22 against Real Salt Lake. Before the start of the new campaign, the club are set to play a host of friendly matches including their clash against Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr in the Riyadh Cup on February 1.

Despite Manchester United's appalling results this season, Erik ten Hag is adamant that he has the support of the organisation's decision-makers.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Ten Hag's job reportedly under threat Dutchman says he has the club's support Graham Potter linked with the club Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

After losing to Bayern Munich and Bournemouth at Old Trafford back-to-back, United were eliminated from the European competition and lost ground in the fight for the top four. This set off a disastrous week for the team. Ten Hag will take his wounded team to Liverpool on Sunday, and there are rumours that a crushing defeat might have an impact on his career. Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos' impending investment at Old Trafford will bring a new power structure, and former Chelsea head coach Graham Potter is the favourite to replace Ten Hag.

AdvertisementWHAT TEN HAG SAID

Ten Hag said when asked if he had support from the club: "I feel that. They tell me. That's fine and that is OK. I am focusing on the process, I am focusing on making this team play better and making the individuals play better."

"That is my concern and what I am focusing on. No [I can't get distracted about talk of me losing my job]. That is of no concern. Now we are inconsistent and I have to work on making a squad that is going to play for longer periods at a higher level."

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

United are in poor form going into their matchup with Liverpool, having lost 12 of their previous 16 games, eliminated from the Champions League with just four points. Captain Bruno Fernandes is suspended for United, and Ten Hag has decided not to name his team's captain for the clash which the Red Devils lost 7-0 last season.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

WHAT NEXT FOR TEN HAG?

The Red Devils will take on Jurgen Klopp's league leaders at Anfield on Sunday, December 17 as they will look to diminish the gap between themselves and the top four with all teams struggling to build a gap to their competitors this season.

Moeen is the only man from the Test team defeated in Adelaide to play in the two-day warm-up match against a Cricket Australia XI at Richardson Park this weekend

George Dobell07-Dec-2017Moeen Ali has been named captain of the England XI that will play a two-day warm-up match against a Cricket Australia XI at Richardson Park in Perth this weekend.Moeen is the only man from the Test team defeated in Adelaide to play in the game. While the England camp insist he has recovered from a cut finger that compromised his effectiveness in Brisbane, they feel he failed to gain sufficient bowling ahead of the Test series due to a side strain that limited his involvement in the warm-up matches. Partially as a result, he has been comprehensively out-bowled by Nathan Lyon in the series to date. Moeen has taken two wickets at a cost of 98 apiece from 63 overs; Lyon has taken 11 at a cost of 22.72 from 109.1 overs.The variation in performance between Moeen and Lyon has been one of the key differences in the series to date. While Australia have been able to rest and rotate their seamers to maintain an attacking edge to their game (Lyon has conceded just 2.29 runs per over and taken a wicket every 59.50 balls), Moeen has failed to pose much threat (he has taken a wicket every 189 deliveries) or control the run-rate as much as England would have liked (he is conceding 3.11 runs per over). England hope he will gain some rhythm and confidence form the two-day match with both the coach, Trevor Bayliss, and the captain, Joe Root, suggesting he will retain his place for the Perth Test.Moeen will be joined in the side by the five members of the England squad who did not feature in Adelaide (Gary Ballance, Ben Foakes, Mason Crane, Jake Ball and Tom Curran) while six members of the England Lions squad (Ben Duckett, Keaton Jennings, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Liam Livingstone and Mark Wood), who are now based in Perth at a training camp, have also been included to make-up the rest of the team. Foakes will keep wicket.Perhaps the most intriguing of those inclusions from the Lions is Wood. If he is able to prove his fitness and bowl at his full pace, he could be added to the squad and could yet play a part in the Ashes. Leach, the left-arm spinner, is also included alongside other spinners Crane and Moeen.England 12-man squad: Moeen Ali (capt), Jake Ball, Gary Ballance, Mason Crane, Tom Curran, Ben Duckett, Ben Foakes (wk), Keaton Jennings, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Liam Livingstone, Mark Wood.

Chelsea are reportedly interested in Olympique Lyonnais midfielder Rayan Cherki, in a move that could add significant firepower to Mauricio Pochettino’s side.

The Blues will be looking to right their wrongs from last season, after registering a disastrous 12th-place finish, 27 points away from the top four and miles from where the club is expected to be.

Pochettino is in for a busy summer at Stamford Bridge, as he gets to work on revamping the shell-shocked side he inherited from Frank Lampard, with changes to be made in and around the squad.

News emerging last week suggested that the Blues are eyeing Lyon’s teen sensation Cherki, with journalist Simon Phillips claiming that Chelsea are ‘exploring’ the idea of signing the Frenchman.

A separate report last month suggested that the French side would want a fee in the region of €50m (£43m) for the midfielder, making him a reasonably priced option for the west Londoners, who spent around £600m over last season’s windows.

Where could Rayan Cherki fit in at Chelsea?

Hailed as a “wonderkid” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the 19-year-old could prove to be a perfect asset for Pochettino to have on board at the Bridge.

A pivotal area that the Argentine is expected to get to work on is the attack, considering the Blues netted just 38 goals in 38 league games last campaign, highlighting a lack of clinical spirit and creativity in the final third.

There are plenty of areas for the former Tottenham boss to explore and manipulate, and lots of talent to both express and expel.

Criticised as being “so poor” by members of the media, Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher could see Pochettino secure an upgrade on his services in the middle of the park, should he opt to sign Cherki.

A product of Chelsea’s academy, Gallagher endured several loan spells before getting regular game time in the squad last season, however, the Englishman has failed to make an impact sufficient enough to aid the side’s woes in the final third.

At 19, Cherki could claim the 23-year-old’s place in Pochettino’s plans, with his numbers painting an exciting picture for the Blues to imagine their future to be in attack.

When comparing Gallagher and the Frenchman’s numbers over their respective 2022/23 league campaigns, it’s harsh viewing for the Epsom-born player who could face the reality of falling down the pecking order.

As per FBref comparisons, the teenager achieved a greater threat in his distribution, as highlighted through his average of 6.92 progressive passes per 90 to Gallagher’s 5.83, as well as averaging 3.17 key passes to his 1.17 per 90.

Another area of his game that Cherki could bolster Chelsea’s midfield with are his capabilities on the ball, topping the charts in Ligue 1 last season by registering 6.39 progressive carries per 90, scoring higher than Lionel Messi in this area, via FBref.

Gallagher managed an average of 2.22 progressive carries per 90 in the Premier League, suggesting the ways that the teenager could add to the Blues’ attack with his youthful and energetic spark in possession that could greatly benefit those around him.

Pochettino has a job on his hands this summer, however, the Argentine could get Chelsea back to familiar highs with a positive transfer window and a chance to craft his side.

Aston Villa have reportedly held talks over a move to sign Nottingham Forest forward Brennan Johnson this summer.

What’s the latest Aston Villa transfer news?

Unai Emery is set to be backed by NSWE ahead of his first full season in charge with a “huge” transfer budget, and the club have already spent €33m on Villarreal defender Pau Torres.

Midfielder Youri Tielemans has also put pen to paper on Villa Park terms this summer after his Leicester City contract expired, and it looks as if attention is now on a new attacker.

Villa have reportedly had an opening €45m offer for Bayer Leverkusen’s Moussa Diaby turned down, with Joao Felix another player of interest. Contact has been made for the Atletico Madrid forward, however, Villa have competition from Manchester United and Newcastle United, so it looks as if they could turn their interest to Johnson.

The Daily Mail provided an Aston Villa transfer update on Thursday regarding Johnson, claiming talks have taken place over a move for the Wales international.

Forest have already rejected a £30m offer from Brentford for the forward but are thought to be willing to sell, should a bid in the region of £40m be submitted.

Johnson has serious admirers within Villa Park and is believed to be keen on a move to the Midlands after encouraging noises emerged from the player’s camp.

How good is Brennan Johnson?

Johnson shares the same agency as Jacob Ramsey and is just 22 years of age who can play as an attacking midfielder, winger or striker. He has progressed through the youth ranks at The City Ground and appears to be at the peak of his powers with a career-high €38m Transfermarkt valuation.

In total, Johnson has made 105 senior appearances for Forest, scoring 29 times and registering 12 assists. He enjoyed a productive first season in the Premier League last year as well, helping the Reds to safety in the top flight with 11 goal contributions in 38 games. Steve Cooper lauded Johnson as a “fantastic player” and a “great finisher” back in February after netting the winner against Leeds.

“He’s a fantastic player, we know he’s got qualities and is a great finisher. The guys didn’t get loads of service at the top end of the pitch but, sometimes you just need one moment.”

As per FBref, Johnson has been compared to the likes of Michail Antonio, Odsonne Edouard and Danny Ings over the past 12 months and ranks in the top 12% of forwards for progressive carries, top 9% for crosses and top 1% for tackles in the defensive third, showing how he could bring more than just goals to Villa Park.

Should a £40m move go through, Emery could be getting a player who may only get better in time, while also providing the Spaniard with an alternative option or potential partner to Ollie Watkins. Johnson could turn out in a wide area, behind Watkins or as another centre-forward, and by the looks of things, a move will be one to keep an eye on over the coming weeks.

The regular Monday column in which Steven Lynch answers your questions about (almost) any aspect of cricket

Steven Lynch19-Sep-2005The regular Monday column in which Steven Lynch answers your questions about (almost) any aspect of cricket:

Kevin Pietersen’s 473 runs in the Ashes puts him in joint second place for the most runs in a debut series © Getty Images
Shane Warne dismissed Andrew Strauss six times in the Ashes series – is this a record? asked Amin Shukla from Trivandrum
The amazing Warne also dismissed Ashley Giles six times in the epic series that has just finished. As it turns out these were the 45th and 46th instances of a bowler taking the same batsman’s wicket six times in the same series, starting in 1894-95, when England’s Tom Richardson kept removing Syd Gregory. But the record is seven, which has happened four times now: the first was the South African Jack Siedle, who fell to a previous Australian legspinning legend, Clarrie Grimmett, seven times in 1935-36. Another South African opener, Trevor Goddard, lost his wicket seven times to Brian Statham in England in 1960. The other two are more recent: in the 1989 Ashes series Geoff Lawson dismissed David Gower seven times, while in 1997 Glenn McGrath accounted for Mike Atherton on seven occasions. While we’re on this subject it might be worth mentioning the England opener Peter Richardson, who had eight innings in the 1956 Ashes series and was caught behind in each of them, although the bowlers were different.Before the end of Kevin Pietersen’s epic 158 at The Oval, a caption showed that he was approaching the record for the most runs in his debut Test series. Did he get there? asked Ben Elmington from Glasgow
He didn’t quite break the record for England, which is still held by RE “Tip” Foster, who scored 486 runs in the 1903-04 Ashes series, including 287 on his debut at Sydney. But Pietersen did finish up with 473 runs in his first series, which puts him level in second place for England with Paul Gibb, who made 473 in South Africa in 1938-39, in the series that included the famous Timeless Test at Durban. George Gunn (462 in 1907-08) and Brian Luckhurst (455 in 1970-71) also made more than 450 runs in their first Test series for England. The Ashes record is 557, by Australia’s Herbie Collins in 1920-21, while Arthur Morris (503 in 1946-47) also made more than any Englishman. But all of these are quite a long way adrift of the record for any debut series. In 1970-71 Sunil Gavaskar collected 774 runs in just four Tests in his maiden series, for India in the West Indies. He broke the previous record, George Headley’s 703 for West Indies against England in 1929-30.Who has scored the most Test runs without ever making a half-century? asked Nusrat Vohra from Pakistan
It’s quite well-known that Shane Warne, with 2767 now, has scored the most Test runs without a century, but I’m not sure that I’ve ever been asked this question before, The answer is Pakistan’s Waqar Younis, who’s actually the only man to make more than 1000 Test runs without the aid of a fifty – his highest score in 87 matches was 45. Fred Trueman of England lies second with 981, ahead of Craig McDermott (940), Derek Underwood (937), Courtney Walsh (936), Andy Caddick (861) and Bob Willis (840). Caddick did have a near-miss – his highest Test score was 49 not out against Australia at Edgbaston in 2001.Is it true that Jai Prakash Yadav’s 69 in the recent Videocon Series was the highest score by a No. 9 in ODIs? asked Ganesh Mali from India
Yes, JP Yadav’s 69 against New Zealand at Bulawayo last month did indeed break the record for the highest score by a No. 9 batsman in ODIs. The previous record was 64, shared by Michael Holding for West Indies against Australia at Perth in 1983-84, and Andy Bichel for Australia v New Zealand at Port Elizabeth in the 2002-03 World Cup. Tahir Naqqash hit 61 for Pakistan v New Zealand at Auckland in 1984-85, and there have been 14 other ODI half-centuries from Nos 9 or 10 in the order, three of them by South Africa’s Lance Klusener, and one by Irfan Pathan in the same match as Yadav.Recently Muttiah Muralitharan, almost unnoticed, went past Wasim Akram’s overall record of international wickets, and is closing in on 1000. Who else has more than 800? asked Haider Abbas from Pakistan
Murali’s nine wickets in last week’s first Test against Bangladesh in Colombo took him to 939 international wickets all told – 558 in Tests and 381 in Odis. (He also has 999 Test runs as I write!) Wasim Akram did indeed hold the previous record, with 916, but Shane Warne has equalled him now. The only other one over 800 at the moment is Glenn McGrath, with 842, although Anil Kumble had 790 before the first Test against Zimbabwe.Where does the name “Cross Arrows” come from? asked Stephen Sellick
The Cross Arrows Cricket Club is the one that plays matches throughout September on the Nursery Ground at Lord’s. It’s mostly made up of people who work there – MCC staff members as well as current and former groundstaff players. They play a high standard of club cricket, against local teams and organisations, as well as the occasional centenary or other celebration game. The Cross Arrows were founded in 1880, and legend has it that early on, before the club had a proper name, they had an away fixture out in the wilds of Middlesex. Asked where the match was, one of the players said “It’s across ‘Arrow way” (Harrow, home of the famous school, is out to the north-west of London) … and the name stuck. I’m not quite sure if it’s true, but it’s a good story!

Kevin O’Brien, Body Rankin and Simi Singh also made significant contributions to Ireland’s massive 226-run DLS win

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Mar-2018
ICCPaul Stirling and William Porterfield put on a 205-run opening stand to lead Ireland to a 226-run drubbing of United Arab Emirates in Harare. Stirling went on to make his seventh ODI hundred, a 117-ball 126 that included 15 fours and five sixes. Porterfield struck 10 fours and two sixes in his 103-ball 92. Together, they added the highest opening stand in ODIs for Ireland. Both sides, though, made the Super Sixes stage of the World Cup Qualifier after Netherlands lost to West Indies.Rain in Harare had interrupted Ireland’s innings twice, resulting in a reduction of six overs. After Stirling fell in the 38th over, Kevin O’Brien led the charge, smashing seven fours and one six in his unbeaten 26-ball 50. Ireland scored 75 runs in the final seven overs to post 313 for 6. Fast bowler Mohammad Naveed took three wickets.UAE made a steady start to their chase, before they lost wickets in clumps. At one point, they were 65 for 2 after 13 overs. However, a spectacular collapse saw them lose their last eight wickets for 26 runs.Fast bowler Boyd Rankin returned exceptional figures of 6-2-15-4, while Simi Singh finished with 3 for 15 from his six overs. UAE’s net run-rate took a beating after the result.

Chelsea survived a late VAR check against Brighton, as the ball struck Levi Colwill in the face, but the resulting corner was not given. Here's why!

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

VAR intervened after penalty was awardedBall struck Colwill in the faceDrop ball given, not a cornerWHAT HAPPENED?

The referee gave a penalty after the ball struck Colwill in the face, with the official deeming that it had struck a hand, initially. VAR intervened, and the decision was overturned at the monitor, but with the ball having gone out after striking the defender, no corner was given, with play resuming via a drop ball situation.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE EXPLANATION

The reason the corner was not given is due to the intervention of VAR. Because referee Craig Pawson initially awarded the penalty, and the decision was overturned, play must resume with a drop ball, rather than any prior option of a corner or a free-kick. The rules dictate as much, so the officiating team applied the rules correctly.

DID YOU KNOW?

Brighton fans on X appeared to believe that a "robbery", seemingly referring to a number of decisions throughout the game. However, Chelsea did have a man sent off, and managed to hold on to claim all three points.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

The Blues are back in action against Manchester United in what is looking like an under-pressure derby between two of the league's most underperforming sides – even despite Chelsea's rare win on Sunday.

West Ham United insider ExWHUemployee has shared some big injury news ahead of their crunch Premier League clash with Man City this Saturday.

West Ham vs Man City

David Moyes' side have started the new campaign with real gusto and plenty of promise, even after they sold former superstar Declan Rice to Arsenal for around £105 million.

The loss of Rice was seen as a real worry for West Ham at the time, but so far, the east Londoners have really enjoyed life without their ex-captain.

West Ham are currently unbeaten in the top flight; winning three out of their opening four league games with impressive victories over an in-form Brighton side, big-spending Chelsea and newcomers Luton Town.

The likes of Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse, after signing in the summer transfer window, have dazzled with their displays so far; doing wonders to replace Rice in Moyes' new-look midfield.

"Fresh from their best start in 24 years, the Hammers can eye impending fixtures at home to Manchester City and away to Liverpool with confidence and much less trepidation," wrote BBC journalist Jon Bradshaw recently.

"Arguably, both are free hits and why shouldn’t they feel capable of getting something from the games, particularly after neutralising Roberto de Zerbi’s freewheeling Albion side at Amex Stadium two weeks ago. Last season it took until 9 October for them to hit 10 points.

"This time, sitting pretty in fourth, West Ham have sent their international players off around the world without any of the frenzy and anxiety of scrabbling for results at the bottom of the table."

Man City, who clinched an historic treble win last season, have begun in equally good fashion; clinching all three points in every single one of their matches so far.

In that time, Pep Guardiola's men have scored the joint-most goals in the league while conceding the fewest – making this West Ham's toughest game of the season to date.

West Ham vs Man City team news

In a boost for Moyes, City legend Kevin De Bruyne will miss the London Stadium bout with a long-term injury; while the likes of Jack Grealish, John Stones and Mateo Kovacic are doubts (Evening Standard).

For West Ham, they could hand a debut to summer singing Konstantinos Mavropanos after the Greek's recovery from a back problem.

Both Vladimir Coufal and Tomas Soucek will apparently be assessed ahead of the game, with club insider ExWHUemployee now sharing a big injury update on Ward-Prowse.

Reports last week indicated he picked up a knock in training, but luckily for West Ham, Ex says that the Englishman is fit and ready to play.

“We can confirm that James Ward Prowse was back in training today and took part fully,” said Ex on The West Ham Way Patreon.

“This will put to bed any fear that he could miss the Manchester City game, assuming no other injuries are picked up between then.”

The former Southampton star has been a mainstay for Moyes since making a switch from the south coast, and he was arguably unlucky to miss out on Gareth Southgate's England squad for this international break.