تتنافس 4 أهداف على لقب الأفضل في الجولة الخامسة من بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز، بحسب ما أعلنت عنه رابطة الأندية.
وكشف حساب رابطة الأندية المصرية، على فيسبوك، عن الأهداف الأربعة المرشحة، بنشر فيديو بعنوان: تصويبة رائعة من السولية، رأسية ذهبية من الكرتي، إنهاء مميز من فاروق، صاروخية من دغموم ، اختر أفضل هدف في الجولة الـ5 من دوري نايل.
طالع| علاء عبد العال يفسر تصريح “الأهلي أكبر من ريبيرو”.. ويحذر من حسام البدري
ويتنافس على الجائزة 4 لاعبين، وهم: عمرو السولية لاعب سيراميكا كليوباترا، وليد الكرتي من بيراميدز، أحمد فاروق نجم وادي دجلة، وعبد الرحيم دغموم هداف المصري.
وتعرض الأهلي للهزيمة أمام بيراميدز بهدفين نظيفين، بينما خسر الزمالك من وادي دجلة بهدف مقابل هدفين، فيما فاز المصري على كهرباء الإسماعيلية 4-0، في الجولة الخامسة من الدوري. أفضل 4 أهداف بالجولة 5 من الدوري
هدف عمرو السولية لاعب سيراميكا كليوباترا أمام المقاولون العرب.
هدف وليد الكرتي لاعب بيراميدز الثاني أمام الأهلي.
هدف أحمد فاروق لاعب وادي دجلة أمام الزمالك.
هدف عبد الرحيم دغموم لاعب المصري أمام كهرباء الإسماعيلية.
Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde spoke about the win over Sevilla and highlighted the ambitions for the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup.
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Valverde describes the 'strangeness' of the Sevilla game
Real Madrid earn a clean-sheet after four games
The Uruguayan outlines Club World Cup ambitions
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WHAT HAPPENED?
After the 2-0 win over Sevilla in their penultimate clash of La Liga 2024-25, Federico Valverde spoke to expressing his delight at the result and turning focus to the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup. The midfielder emphasised the team's ambition to lift the trophy and bring more joy to the fans.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham found themselves on the scoresheet as Real Madrid defeated Sevilla and earned a clean sheet. Los Blancos midfielder described the atmosphere at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan stadium on Sunday as 'strange'. The Uruguayan also lauded the collective team effort and how they approached the game. Real Madrid underwent a dismal season, where they failed to clinch any silverware, and Valverde highlighted what the team wants to do for the fans in their next assignment.
WHAT FEDERICO VALVERDE SAID
Valverde spoke to Real Madrid TV (via SI), about the game: "A great match. The effort was from everyone. It was a strange atmosphere. In this club, you always play with everything on the line, and today we weren’t risking much. But you have to defend this jersey."
Real Madrid's maiden challenge under new manager Xabi Alonso will be the FIFA Club World Cup. Highlighting the approach for the competition, he added: "As always. With a lot of enthusiasm and excitement. Proud to represent Real Madrid. Just like this club demands. And something the fans deserve to enjoy, another title."
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WHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?
Real Madrid will next play Real Sociedad on May 24 in their last game of the season. In June, they will be back in action for the FIFA Club World Cup.
أعلنت رابطة البريميرليج عبر موقعها الرسمي، عن قائمة اللاعبين المرشحين لجائزة الأفضل في الجولة الثانية للدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.
واختتمت الجولة الثانية بفوز مثير لفريق ليفربول على نيوكاسل يونايتد بملعب “سانت جيمس بارك”، بثلاثية لهدفين، مساء يوم الإثنين.
شهدت الجولة أيضًا سقوط لمانشستر سيتي أمام توتنهام، بهدفين دون رد، فيما حقق آرسنال فوزًا عريضًا أمام ليدز يونايتد بخماسية نظيفة.
جايدون أنتوني، بيرنلي
قدّم الجناح أنتوني أداءً ممتازًا بتسجيله هدفًا وتمريرة حاسمة، مساهمًا في فوز بيرنلي الأول في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز هذا الموسم أمام سندرلاند بهدفين دون رد.
جاك جريليش، إيفرتون
اللاعب المعار من مانشستر سيتي أثبت نفسه في أول ظهور له أساسيًا مع إيفرتون بأداء رائع، تضمن تمريرتين حاسمتين رائعتين، مساهمًا بفوز فريقه أمام برايتون بهدفين نظيفين.
فيكتور جيوكيريس، آرسنال
افتتح جيوكيريس الوافد الجديد لآرسنال، سجله التهديفي في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز ضد ليدز يونايتد بهدف بمجهود رائع، ثم سجل هدفه الثاني في الوقت بدل الضائع من ضربة جزاء.
اقرأ أيضًا | بتمريرة من محمد صلاح.. نجوموها يروي كواليس هدفه الدرامي أمام نيوكاسل
ريو نجوموها، ليفربول
قدّم اللاعب البالغ من العمر 16 عامًا أداءً لا يُنسى في أول ظهور له في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، وسجل هدف الفوز لليفربول أمام نيوكاسل، في الوقت المحتسب بدلاً من الضائع، بعد دقائق من مشاركته.
وبهذا الهدف، أصبح أصغر هداف في تاريخ ليفربول، بعمر 16 عامًا و361 يومًا فقط، ورابع أصغر هداف في تاريخ المسابقة، خلف جيمس فوجان وجيمس ميلنر وواين روني.
دانجو واتارا، برينتفورد
سجّل واتارا هدفًا رائعًا ضد أستون فيلا في أول ظهور له مع الفريق، بعد انطلاقة سريعة ثم سدد الكرة في المحاولة الثانية بعد أن تصدى إيميليانو مارتينيز لتسديدته الأولى.
جواو بالينيا، توتنهام
قدم جواو بالينيا أداء رائع في خط الوسط، ليضمن لتوتنهام تحقيق فوزه الثاني على التوالي تحت قيادة توماس فرانك، بفوزٍ تاريخي على مانشستر سيتي، وفاز بثماني مواجهات ثنائية، وقام بأربع تدخلات، وسجّل هدفًا حسم فوز فريقه بثنائية دون رد.
جواو بيدرو، تشيلسي
تألق البرازيلي، وسجل هدف التعادل وساهم في الهدف الثاني لتشيلسي في المباراة التي حسمها فريقه بخماسية لهدف.
تيمبر، آرسنال
قدّم تيمبر أداءً رائعًا ضد ليدز، وسجل هدفين وساهم بتمريرة حاسمة، وحافظ على نظافة شباك الفريق، وقد أصبح ثاني مدافع فقط من أرسنال يُساهم بثلاثة أهداف في مباراة بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، بعد ناتشو مونريال، ويُعد أول مدافع يسجل ويساهم في هدف في مباراة بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز مع آرسنال منذ سيدريك سواريس ضد إيفرتون في مايو 2022.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman struck Afghanistan’s fastest ODI fifty, but the 269-run target proved a bridge too far
Ashish Pant26-Aug-2023No Naseem Shah, no Haris Rauf, no problem, said Pakistan as they stitched together another splendid bowling performance to secure a clinical 59-run win over Afghanistan to sweep the ODIs 3-0. Crucially, with the win, they also zoomed to the top of the ODI rankings just ahead of the Asia Cup.Batting first on a two-paced Colombo surface, attritional half-centuries from Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan helped them reach 268 for 8. In reply, Afghanistan never really found their bearings on a pitch that seemed to have quickened up under lights. Mujeeb Ur Rahman tried his best to briefly throw a spanner into Pakistan’s works as he struck the fastest fifty by an Afghanistan batter in ODIs – off 26 balls and eventually finishing on a 37-ball 64. But the target proved to be a bridge too far.Eventually, they were bowled out for 209 in 48.4 overs with Shadab Khan being the pick of the bowlers taking 3 for 42.Chasing 269, Afghanistan needed a strong start from their openers which they never got. It did not help that Ibrahim Zadran couldn’t open, because he spent the last few minutes of the first innings off the field and hence had to serve time before walking out. Riaz Hassan and Rahmanullah Gurbaz were all at sea against the Pakistan fast bowlers, with Faheem Ashraf causing the most problems.Mujeeb Ur Rahman registered Afghanistan’s fastest ODI fifty•AFP/Getty ImagesShaheen Shah Afridi got the ball to nip around, but his radar was off initially. Ashraf, however, was exemplary with his lines and lengths. He kept the ball in the channel outside off, back of a length and had the batters guessing. He prised out the key scalp of Gurbaz, who missed a straight ball and was trapped in front of the stumps as he missed a flick. DRS confirmed the ball would have clipped the leg bail. Ashraf then claimed Zadran, who fell for a 11-ball duck. The two batters, who had amassed a collective 231 off 252 in the second ODI, could only muster 5 off 26 in the third.Hashmatullah Shahidi and Riaz added a brief 30-run stand for the third wicket but took 61 balls. There were plays and misses all through as the Pakistan bowlers stuck to a plan and more importantly, delivered.Riaz’s chancy 66-ball 34 was ended by Shadab, who then also sent back Shahidi in the same over as Afghanistan stared down the barrel. From 60 for 2, they slipped to 75 for 6 and then 97 for 7. At that point, it seemed another quick end was certain. But Mujeeb and Shahidullah Kamal held fort.They added 57 off 42 balls for the eighth wicket with Mujeeb doing the bulk of the damage. The only Afghan batter to show intent, he hammered five fours and five sixes during his knock which ended with him being dismissed for hit-wicket. He had his chances, took them on and frustrated the bowlers to no end.Earlier, Pakistan’s was an innings of two halves. The first 30 overs yielded only 103 runs, the last 20 got them 165. At no stage did the batters look comfortable. Babar and Rizwan added 110 runs for the third wicket, but took 145 balls and had 84 dots. As it turned out, it was their innings which formed the cornerstone of Pakistan’s batting.Babar Azam made a solid 60 on a tricky pitch•AFP/Getty ImagesThe under-fire Fakhar Zaman was off the blocks early climbing into Fazalhaq Farooqi, slamming him for five fours in the 20 balls he faced. Imam-ul-Haq, on the other hand, struggled all through. He played back-to-back maidens off Mujeeb and in general lacked timing.Pakistan still managed to get going at a tick over four an over, with Fakhar finding his groove. But a bowling change got the hosts back into the game. Gulbadin Naib, playing his first game of the series, made an immediate impact.A couple of outswingers beat Fakhar’s outstretched blade before he tried a release shot only to miscue a length ball straight up with the catch intercepted well by Riaz. Naib then removed Imam as well. He came dashing down the track to a short-of-a-length ball outside off, but could only manage a thick edge with Gurbaz doing the rest.Babar and Rizwan got together in the 13th over and for the next few overs, run-scoring became a massive task. Only four fours were hit in the next 18 overs, with the run rate dropping to below 3.50.But the duo flicked a switch after drinks. Pakistan collected 85 runs between overs 31 to 40 to up the ante. Rizwan was the one to break the shackles and he reached his tenth ODI fifty off 69 balls while Babar joined him soon taking 77 balls to reach the landmark.Both batters, however, failed to post a three-figure score. While Rashid Khan induced an outside edge off Babar’s blade, Rizwan fell lbw to Fareed Ahmed. In between, Afghanistan also ran out Saud Shakeel as Pakistan lost 3 for 9 in 15 balls. Mohammad Nawaz and Agha Salman, however, made sure to give Pakistan a good end. They stitched a 61-run stand off 47 balls for the seventh wicket. Afghanistan, who were brilliant in the field in the top half of the innings, started to make mistakes. There were a number of misfields and dropped chances with Pakistan going past 250 with ease, smoking 80 runs off the last ten overs.
Ruben Dias' ex-girlfriend has appeared to brand the Manchester City star a "monster" after he went public with TV personality Maya Jama.
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Dias begins dating TV personality JamaCelebrity couple go public with romanceMan City star's ex appears to call him a "monster"Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Mariana Goncalves, aka April Ivy, posted a video of her new song where she sings about an old relationship and calls her former partner a "danger". The singer does not name Dias, while saying in it she had "created a monster", but the Daily Mail claims the timing of it and lyrics used are suspicious, just as Jama and Dias went public with their romance.
AdvertisementGetty/GOALTHE GOSSIP
Dias, 28, was reportedly in a relationship with Portuguese pop star Ivy, 25, between 2018 and 2021 and lived together in Manchester after his £61 million ($81m) transfer from Benfica. They are said to have split over lifestyle differences and now Jama, 30, and Dias are dating.
WHAT IVY SAID
On her Instagram page, she sang: "I saw a picture. You guys look so good together. The both of you, you both look so happy. Just as everyone says, I created a monster. He learned everything with me, then became a danger and left. To give some context, what you see doesn't come from thin air. I know you're going to love what was tiring me. What he wears, I bought. His perfume, I gave. His favourite song, I showed. He is me. Keep him now, he's yours."
Getty WHAT NEXT?
Aside from subtle, or not so subtle, jibes, Dias will hope to lead City to FA Cup glory when they take on Crystal Palace at Wembley on Saturday.
The legendary soccer coach was candid and believes his philosophy was shaped more by Americans than coaches from Europe and South America
Arena credits American coaches across major sports for his development
He praises the quality of current MLS coaching landscape
Arena also predicts elite future for American soccer
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WHAT HAPPENED
Legendary American coach Bruce Arena believes coaches from the U.S. are underrated – even compared to their peers from soccer powerhouses in Europe and South America.
"Yes, I don’t doubt that at all," Arena said when asked if he believes American coaches are disrespected or not respected at all, during an appearance on Alexi Lalas’ podcast. "And I tell these stories frequently, when I went abroad and met with coaches and sat down with them, and I was kind of surprised at where they’re at.
"And I still say to this day, I’ve learned more by talking with a coach in the NFL, the NBA, or Baseball than I have speaking with coaches in Europe or South America. And I think coaching in our country is simply outstanding, it really is."
Arena also expressed optimism about the future of U.S. soccer, pointing to the growing strength of coaching across the country.
"Have we trailed a little bit in our sport [Football]? Yes, but today you know, I look around the league and there’s some great American coaches in our league and I know that better than anybody because I’ve been around these guys for a number of years," he said. "We have some simply outstanding coaches in the league, and I think they have a great future, and our sport and our national team programs are going to be elite one day. I have no doubt about that."
Arena’s comments carry weight given his extensive experience in the American game. The legendary coach spent time with more than half a dozen MLS teams and led the U.S. men’s national team from 1998 to 2006 and again in 2016-17, crossing paths with some of modern football’s top coaching minds along the way. He is still the only U.S. manager to take the team to the World Cup quarterfinals in the modern era.
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WHAT BRUCE ARENA SAID
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Arena's comments reflect a growing confidence in American soccer's developing tactical and philosophical identity. This is echoed by Jesse Marsch’s success across Europe and Canada among others.
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WHAT’S NEXT?
For Arena and San Jose Earthquakes, they continued their MLS season with a 1-1 draw over the Columbus Crew, which kept them in 10th place in the Western Conference. They have 10 points after as many games and have lost just twice in their last six games, a streak that includes two wins and as many draws. They face Portland Timbers next on May 3 before hosting Sacramento Republic in the Round of 32 in the US Open Cup on May 7.
It’s only ten days now until Birmingham City know their exciting full set of Championship fixtures ahead of the eagerly anticipated 2025/26 campaign.
Chris Davies will be praying that his super-confident Blues side can win on the opening day to get their season off to the best possible footing, with a hope in the air that Birmingham can thrive in the second tier after making League One promotion look like clockwork.
To help make their transition up a league as smooth as possible, Birmingham will be prepared to spend in the transfer market to upgrade their team, with a deal potentially back on the cards for a former star to return to St. Andrew’s.
Birmingham still interested in former ace
As per a new report from Birmingham Live’s Alex Dicken, a spectacular reunion deal for Demarai Gray to return to the West Midlands shouldn’t be written off just yet.
Dicken states that Birmingham are believed to still possess an interest in the entertaining 28-year-old winger, but he also reveals that there are many obstacles in the newly promoted side’s way in trying to get a statement deal over the line.
The obstacles include his lavish £76k-per-week wage at Saudi employers Al-Ettifaq – as per Capology – on top of the fact Dicken states that a number of Premier League clubs are also eyeing up the former Everton attacker.
But, Birmingham – who could seal Gray’s signature for £8m – have been successful in the past when going after outlandish deals deemed too unlikely to happen.
That was seen in Jay Stansfield’s £15m deal last summer – with Gray’s potential arrival onto the scene also perhaps culminating in him striking up an enthralling attacking duo with another target on the Blues’ ever-extending shopping list in Joe Gelhardt.
Why Gray could be brilliant alongside Gelhardt
Both Birmingham targets have shown flashes of their excellence at the very top of the English football pyramid, with Gray’s sublime strike against Arsenal just one of 19 goals the Jamaica international notched up in the Premier League.
Still in the infancy of his career, Gelhardt does still have eight-goal contributions next to his name in the elite division when he was deemed the next big thing coming out of Leeds United’s esteemed academy, meaning the pair together at St. Andrew’s could bring about a sense of class to proceedings, having tasted such lofty heights previously.
Leicester City
169
13
14
Birmingham
78
8
4
Everton
75
12
6
Al-Ettifaq
50
4
5
Bayer Leverkusen
12
1
2
Looking at the table above, Gray could also gift Gelhardt chances galore to score from if the pair are to don Birmingham blue together very soon, with the experienced 28-year-old forward up to 31 assists now from his varied playing days.
Even when he hasn’t been firing on all cylinders at current employers Al-Ettifaq, a frustrated Gray has at least been trying to carve out openings, with a healthy four big chances created by the ex-Blues attacker in Saudi Pro League action last season, despite no assists coming his way.
Whilst his teammates in the Middle East might not be finishing off his moves, Gelhardt could soon be the perfect companion to Gray based on his impressive Championship numbers last campaign with Hull City, with a promising five league strikes picked up from only 19 starts, while also spurning just one big chance.
With the aforementioned Stansfield also close by, both the “electric” winger – as he’s been glowingly labelled in the past by journalist Scott Saunders – and Gelhardt could really enhance Birmingham’s attacking numbers ahead of their second-tier adventure officially kicking off.
Stansfield 2.0: Birmingham now showing interest in “special” forward
Birmingham City could be about to land their next Jay Stansfield by signing this exciting attacker.
Viktor Gyokeres has been the name on the lips of Manchester United supporters over recent months, with the Sporting CP striker widely linked with a move to Old Trafford.
Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim previously worked with the forward during his time in Portugal, with such a scenario likely to have fuelled the rumours over a potential switch.
Talks have previously been held between the 27-year-old’s representatives and the United hierarchy, but no deal has yet to progress, with Arsenal also in the race for his signature.
Such a move is likely to create excitement within the fanbase, given his record of 54 goals scored in just 52 games across all competitions throughout the 2024/25 campaign.
However, with negotiations seemingly not heading any closer to completion, other targets will likely be considered ahead of next season, with numerous names emerging over recent weeks.
The latest on United’s hunt for a new striker this summer
United’s need for a new striker has become evident over the course of this season, with Amorim’s side only finding the net on 44 occasions in the league – an average of 1.15 goals per game.
Such a record is unacceptable, subsequently leading to links with the likes of Gyokeres and, in the last 24 hours, Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike, who is also on the radar of Liverpool and Chelsea.
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike
However, it appears that Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta has once again appeared as an option, according to Football Insider’s latest update.
It’s been claimed that the Red Devils have been in talks with Oliver Glasner’s side over a move for the Frenchman, who managed to find the back of the net on 17 occasions across all competitions.
The report also states that the hierarchy have been keeping a close eye on the 27-year-old’s progress at Selhurst Park, with a £40m price tag previously being mooted.
Why United’s £40m target would be better than Cunha
Over the last couple of days, United confirmed the signing of Brazilian international Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers, forking out a fee in the region of £62.5m for his services.
Wolverhampton Wanderers'MatheusCunha
The 26-year-old has made a huge impact in the Premier League in recent times, managing to register 15 goals and six assists in his 33 appearances in 2024/25 – undoubtedly the shining light of the West Midlands outfit.
Such a tally will massively bolster the options at Amorim’s disposal next season, hopefully looking to catapult the club back to the fringes of the Champions League places.
However, it remains unclear if he will feature as a striker or in one of the number 10 positions, opening the door to another attacking addition like Mateta or Gyokeres.
If the Frenchman is to move to the club this summer, it’s imperative that the manager drops the Brazilian into a deeper role and utilises Mateta at the top end of the pitch.
Crystal Palace's Jean-PhilippeMatetacelebrates after the match
When comparing their respective figures, the current target has dominated the new United signing in the final third – showcasing why he’s better suited to the centre-forward position.
Mateta, who’s been labelled a “monster” by one analyst, may have registered fewer goals, but has a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate – demonstrating his clinical edge in front of goal.
Games played
37
33
Goals scored
14
15
Shot-on-target accuracy
43%
40%
Goals per shot on target
0.4
0.3
Take-on success
45%
44%
Aerials won
2.2
0.4
Aerial success rate
37%
31%
He’s also managed to complete more of the take-ons he’s attempted, having the ability to beat the opposition with the ball at his feet before firing at goal, something which he’s done countless times this season.
The Palace star has also been dominant in the air, winning over four times more aerials per 90, whilst also posting a higher success rate in such a department – handing the side the focal point they’ve craved.
Such a fee appears to be somewhat of a bargain, with his experience in the Premier League key to the club’s ambitions of returning to their former glory in the coming months.
The prospect of the striker starring alongside Cunha at Old Trafford is one for the fanbase to get excited about, with the pair able to work together to overturn what’s been a dismal period for the Red Devils.
Van Persie 2.0: Man Utd set to be offered "incredible" Gyokeres alternative
Manchester United could be about to make a move for a player who could follow in Robin van Persie’s footsteps.
Her Test debut was as much a vindication of her talent as it was a bulldozing of perceptions around it
Annesha Ghosh20-Jun-20216:00
Mithali Raj – ‘I’m mightily impressed with the debutants’
Mohit Sharma remembers seeing some of the traits before. The intrepid strokeplay, the solidity in defence, the clarity in approach, the seeming lack of nerves. “Never before had I seen a girl bat like that or with that kind of an easy, fearless attitude,” he recounts.Sharma, who last played for the India men’s team in 2015, followed the England vs India Bristol Test on TV. “This is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to watch women play Test cricket,” he says over a phone call. But there’s an element of familiarity to this novel experience of his.About five months ago, at a camp of the Haryana men’s team, the domestic side he represents, Sharma played some half a dozen practice matches against Shafali Verma. And bowled at her at the nets, too. So the 96 and 63 that Verma, 17, scored in the one-off Test, becoming the youngest woman to hit twin fifties on Test debut, wasn’t entirely surprising to him.”At the camp, Shafali would handle the new ball with ease,” Sharma recalls. “It didn’t matter to her if the pacers were clocking 135kph or higher, or what the stature or skillsets of the bowlers were. In all of those five-six matches, she confidently survived a good 15-18 overs opening the batting. So, scoring runs wasn’t her only achievement.”That rang true for Verma’s performance in Bristol, too. She batted for the better part of days two and three, and a part of the morning session on day four, trying to get the better of England’s 396 first-innings tally and then a follow-on deficit of 165. The 235 balls she faced across the two innings, the second-most by an India debutant in women’s Tests, were as much a vindication of her talent as it was a bulldozing of perceptions around it.Shafali Verma became the youngest woman to hit twin fifties on Test debut•Getty ImagesBefore this Test, 75 percent of her 617 international runs had come in boundaries. Capped only in T20Is, her 29 sixes, the most by any woman player in T20Is since her debut in September 2019, and her No.1 ranking in the format, have been a testament to her ability. In the Test against England, her record three sixes, the most by a woman Test debutant, did her reputation as a big-hitter no harm.But broken down to its individual components, her Player-of-the-Match winning debut was remarkable also because of its more elemental, less dazzling facets. The blocking, the grinding, the restraint, all high elbow, supple wrists – and doing it for prolonged phases of play.”Shafali, [as] we know, does have a range of shots and she can be very effective in a format like this if she gets going,” Mithali Raj, the India Test and ODI captain, said after the match. “In no time, we could see the score would be somewhere else if she gets going. And once we knew it’s a used wicket and there won’t be much movement, we thought it would be a good time to give her a Test debut, and she lived up to it.”Related
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Mithali: The girls have shown they can stand up even without much practice
Shafali's target on Test debut: 'Learn about choosing the right balls to play'
Before her dismissal in the second innings, Verma’s approach in the opening half-hour of the final day was a study in character as well as a test of it. Sophie Ecclestone, the No. 1-ranked bowler in T20Is, began with a slip and a short leg in place. Her left-arm spin was angled largely into the body, with the drift playing its part, and Verma responded with only forward presses and straight-bat back-foot plods.Three overs later, in Ecclestone’s third on the day, Verma threatened to cut loose, starting with an inside-out shot, right off the middle of the bat, over the bowler’s head. The tossed-up delivery carried all the way over the fence. Restraint be damned.The start to the over was reminiscent of the momentum-changing four she struck off Brunt on day two en route to her record 167-run opening stand with Smriti Mandhana. The end to that over, with Verma having offered up a catch off Ecclestone, was a reminder that the Bristol Test was, after all, the teenager’s first competitive red-ball game.”Personally, [I felt] her fifty in the second innings was a very beautiful fifty,” Raj said. “The 96 she scored was a good knock, but the fifty came with a little more sorted head and a little more experience. The sweetly timed drives… It was beautiful to watch her.”Verma was dismissed long before India saved the match, from where it looked like their four-Test unbeaten streak would not extend to five. The feisty draw, broadcast live to global audiences, could have wide-ranging, long-lasting ripples.
“I’m sure from here on, she’ll go from strength to strength and will be very, very important to the batting of the Indian team, in all formats.”Mithali Raj on Shafali Verma
For starters, Verma is still uncapped in ODIs. For the home series against South Africa in March, she didn’t receive a call-up for the 50-overs assignment. (The team management or selectors never explained why.) But the Bristol Test left little room for any uncertainty to cloud Verma’s immediate future.The England tour now transitions into its limited-overs leg. A maiden 50-over appearance for India in the three-ODI series should only be a matter of (a week’s) time. In the larger scheme of things, discussions around the playing combination and putting on competitive first-innings totals leading into the 2022 ODI World Cup must start revolving around Verma’s role.”I’m sure from here on, she’ll go from strength to strength and will be very, very important to the batting of the Indian team, in all formats,” Raj said. “She beautifully adapted to this format. She didn’t go like how she would go bonkers in the T20 format. Sensibly she played the new ball and it’s great to have her.”Shafali Verma had the opportunity to share the dressing room with the likes of England and Velocity batter Danielle Wyatt in the Women’s T20 Challenge•BCCIIt couldn’t be more ironic that Verma now sits atop the list of most runs by a Test debutant without a first-class cap. The Bristol draw was India’s first Test in nearly seven years. The three-day senior women zonal tournament, the only domestic red-ball domestic event, ceased to exist after the 2017-18 season. The absence of an Under-16 national competition means an entire demographic remains untapped or under-exposed or both until the players reach the Under-19s and Under-23 competitions.Against the backdrop of the dearth of a well-outlined pathway for female cricketers in India, Verma’s journey to a Test cap remains something of a study in the relation between intent and talent-nurturing. At the Haryana men’s camp earlier in the year, Verma was the only female player. It was the Haryana Cricket Association, her state unit, that ensured Verma got a regular hit at the nets, in practice matches, and took part in the fitness sessions alongside the men’s players.”I had to even remind my bowlers, ‘ (Don’t go easy on her because a girl; she might take you to the cleaners),'” Sharma, who led the opposition team in the practice games featuring Verma at the Haryana camp, remembers. “All of us bowlers gave our 100 per cent. There was no leniency because she is a girl. We knew we were up against a good batter.”For all the paucity of Test cricket for women internationally and of a structure that assists planned, long-term development of India’s female cricketers, Verma’s record-breaking debut in the longest format remains a success story like no other. Imagine what could happen if India got down to unearthing talent by design, not by accident.
Rahane misses ton but Mumbai dominate, while Tamil Nadu could get lucky
Shashank Kishore31-Jan-2025Kohli’s short stay
It lasted all of 15 deliveries in which he made six. Virat Kohli was beaten twice outside off, once to a full delivery that left him late and then a length ball that he jabbed and missed.He brought out a delightful straight drive in the next over, but was out off the very next delivery when Himanshu Sangwan, a Railways ticket collector at New Delhi Railway Station during the off-season, sent his off stump cartwheeling. Soon, Sangwan became a reel sensation for a superb nip-backer that sneaked through Kohli’s big gap between bat and pad.A strong crowd of around 15,000 who made a beeline for the exit, missed a quality knock from Ayush Badoni. The captain’s 77-ball 99 helped Delhi open up a 93-run lead against Railways, with three first-innings wickets remaining.Pujara 99, Saurashtra on course
The stars have aligned perfectly for Saurashtra. They needed two outright with bonus points, both games were at home in Rajkot on turners; they beat Delhi last week inside three days with Ravindra Jadeja taking 12 wickets.Related
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This week, they didn’t need Ravindra’s bowling because the other Jadeja (Dharmendrasinh), was among the wickets (four of them) as Assam were made to follow-on. That Saurashtra were in a position to enforce the follow-on was because of a solid batting performance in the first innings.Their 474 was set up by Cheteshwar Pujara, who was out for 99 early on day two having added four to his overnight score. Assam’s only source of resistance was Riyan Parag, who top-scored with 51 on his return to top-flight cricket from a shoulder injury.Kuldeep made to toil
Returning to competitive cricket after three months following a surgery for sports hernia, Kuldeep Yadav sent down 31 overs to pick up three wickets, but Uttar Pradesh were sent on a leather hunt. Double tons from Harsh Gawli and Shubham Sharma helped Madhya Pradesh post an imposting 670 for 7 declared. From a qualification standpoint, this game doesn’t hold much significance since with both teams are out of the knockouts race.Rahane 96 in mammoth Mumbai total
Ajinkya Rahane’s quest to convert his maiden first-class fifty this Ranji season into a century met disappointment as he was out for 96 against Meghalaya, but Mumbai opened up a 585-run lead.Meghalaya were 27 for 2 at stumps, giving Mumbai a sight of seven full points that will take them to 29 points and help them seal a quarter-final berth. Coming into the final round, they needed a favour from Jammu & Kashmir, and they’ve helped them along the way by pocketing not just a first-innings lead against Baroda but also opening up the possibility of an outright win.Jalaj continues to shine
Earlier this season, Jalaj Saxena – the Kerala allrounder – completed the double of 6000 first-class runs and 400 wickets. In the final round of matches, he picked up a five-for in each innings, both on Friday, as Kerala trounced Bihar by an innings to secure a quarter-final berth.Jalaj took his wickets tally in the tournament to 421, the seventh-best. This was the 10th time he picked up 10 wickets or more in a first-class game. Bihar lasted a combined 64.2 overs across both innings in which they made make 64 and 118 in response to Kerala’s 351 fuelled by Salman Nizar’s 150.TN stutter but knockouts chances burn bright
They need 97 and have only five wickets in hand against Jharkhand, but a scenario has emerged wherein Tamil Nadu can qualify for the knockouts despite a defeat. That’s because Chandigarh – who won three successive games outright in the first half – have now conceded the first-innings lead to Chhattisgarh in a game they needed to win with a bonus point. Tamil Nadu’s hopes of pulling off the chase are pinned on Vijay Shankar, who is unbeaten on 33.