USMNT star Luca de la Torre has revealed that he affectionately became known as “Frenkie de Jong from Aldi” during his time at Dutch side Heracles.
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Diana Edulji, the former India women’s captain, knew she was in the reckoning for the panel as Gopal Subramanium, the amicus curiae, had asked if she would be interested in such a role
Arun Venugopal30-Jan-2017In the afternoon, Diana Edulji had almost given up hope of anything definitive emerging from the Supreme Court hearing where a panel of administrators was due to be appointed. The former India women’s captain knew she was in the reckoning as Gopal Subramanium, the amicus curiae, had asked if she would be interested in such a role. But, while Edulji admitted to a tinge of expectation, the adjournment of last week’s hearing had made her “sceptical”. Now, she had seen no news of the hearing on television for nearly two hours and was going to turn it off when the phone rang.”I got a call from one of the channels congratulating me. I said, ‘There is no breaking news anywhere.’ Then suddenly, every channel started carrying the story one after the other,” Edulji told ESPNcricinfo. “Given the number of twists and turns this case has been taking, I was a little sceptical. This time also it [a decision] didn’t come up till 3.45 or 4pm. When the first time it didn’t happen [during the earlier hearing], I didn’t go deeper into it. I left it to God – if it is due for me, I will accept it. If it doesn’t come also, I am okay.”Edulji, who has played 20 Tests and 34 ODIs between 1976 and 1993, is the only cricketer on the four-member committee which also includes Vinod Rai, the former Comptroller and Auditor General of India, Ramachandra Guha, the historian and cricket writer, and Vikram Limaye, managing director and CEO of IDFC (Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation). She is also a part of the four-member steering committee, led by former union home secretary GK Pillai, that has been tasked with the responsibility of setting up a players’ association.Edulji felt her presence in the interim committee of administrators was symbolic of what the Lodha reforms aimed to achieve. “It is a very good thing because what I have wanted [to do], now I am in a position to implement it, if that is the role that is given to us,” she said. “I first thought it was the steering committee and the players’ association, but this is a bigger and more prestigious role given, that I am the only player in India to be nominated by the Supreme Court. I hope I will live up to the expectations.”Edulji hadn’t spoken with her colleagues yet – “I don’t even have their numbers” – and wasn’t sure about the nature of her role with the terms of reference of the panel yet to be issued. While she was aware it wouldn’t be an easy job, she was confident her experience as sports officer in the Western Railways would serve her well.”I was administrating 40 games and 40 teams there. Right from the recruitment to the promotions, to the practice sessions, to the departmental tournaments, everything was looked after,” she said. “It was a huge job but a very satisfying job. Tomorrow [January 31], I complete one year of my retirement – so this is my third innings, I would say.”Edulji also said she was prepared to handle the mudslinging – a possible occupational hazard of being an administrator, even if on a short-term basis – that might come her way. “I am quite used to it,” she said, adding that she would rather work “amicably” and hoped to be a bridge between the old administration and the new era.It helped that former board secretary Ajay Shirke and veteran administrator Niranjan Shah were among the first people to congratulate her. “In fact all MCA [Mumbai Cricket Association] office-bearers rang me up,” she said. “I immediately left for MCA. I wanted to be with them at this moment, because they have been so nice with me.”I got a message from the [BCCI] CEO, Mr Rahul Johri, congratulating me and looking forward to working with me. That was a good sign also. Because I am the only player, it may just work out in my favour, [everybody] may co-operate with me.”
The Bangladesh captain came out to bat with an injured hand and was peppered by bouncers, and one hit him behind the left ear
Mohammad Isam in Wellington15-Jan-2017Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim was hit on the back of the helmet on the fifth day and had to be taken to hospital. The incident took place in the 43rd over of Bangladesh’s second innings when Tim Southee bowled a bouncer that hit Mushfiqur just behind his left ear as he was trying to duck. Initial X-rays and scans to his neck suggested he was out of immediate danger.He returned to Basin Reserve later in the day and, though he did not take the field, attended the post-match presentation where he said he was “feeling much better” though “a bit of pain” persisted.For a moment or so after being hit, Mushfiqur seemed stunned, kneeling at the crease, trying to clear his head. As soon as he went down on his back and lay spread-eagled on the pitch, it became clear he was in trouble. Medical staff from both teams came out to offer him first aid and the ambulance on standby at the ground was asked to come on and take him off the field. He was taken to Wellington Hospital about 300 metres from Basin Reserve for further treatment.Tamim Iqbal, who was with Mushfiqur while he was receiving first-aid, said “He is fine. He spoke to us. He has been taken for precaution.”That Mushfiqur was out in the middle in the first place was remarkable considering he had injured his hand while batting in the first innings and did not take the field on days three and four. For the 53 balls he faced on Monday, he was peppered with bouncers as New Zealand tried to make life uncomfortable for him in an effort to push for a come-from-behind victory.While Mushfiqur was nervous against the short ball early in his innings, with time at the crease, he was able to pick the length early and duck under them comfortably. It was the fuller deliveries that caused him problems, his bottom hand flew off the bat in response to the pain from the jarring of ball hitting bat, which hinted at the possibility of a broken finger.The short balls didn’t stop though and with less than half an hour to go to lunch one kept lower than Mushfiqur anticipated and he was hit. He was the second Bangladeshi batsman to retire hurt in their second innings after Imrul Kayes seemed to suffer a thigh strain late last evening.
Harry Kane has explained how David Beckham inspired him to leave Tottenham for a new challenge at Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.
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Superstar striker bid farewell to SpursTaken on new challenge outside of EnglandEx-Three Lions captain did likewiseWHAT HAPPENED?
The England captain has, following a record-breaking spell in north London, decided to go chasing trophies outside of his homeland. A £100 million ($126m) transfer deal has taken him away from his roots at Spurs and onto the books of the reigning German champions.
AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
There was a time when English players were reluctant to leave their Premier League comfort zone, but more and more are now spreading their wings. Manchester United legend David Beckham helped to set that trend back in 2003, when he left Old Trafford for Real Madrid, and Kane is delighted to be following the lead of a modern day icon.
WHAT THEY SAID
Kane has told of the reasons for his switch to Bayern: “Maybe my journey here can be an inspiration for the younger [English] players to do the same and take that step. I remember David Beckham making the move from Manchester United to Real Madrid. I was a kid and I was like, 'Wow, what an amazing experience.' Maybe I took Beckham as an example. I always wanted to see a different league, a different atmosphere. So far everything is going very well: on and off the pitch. I admired Robert Lewandowski when he was a young player, he took a fantastic path and set incredible records. I want to reach his level, and maybe even better.”
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Kane has already scored three goals through two Bundesliga appearances for Bayern. He missed the chance to secure major silverware on his competitive debut, with a shock 3-0 defeat suffered at the hands of RB Leipzig in the German Super Cup.
Aaron Finch said that Asela Gunaratne, who led Sri Lanka to a last-ball win in Geelong, was a particularly difficult batsman to defend against due to his ability to strike boundaries to any part of the ground
Brydon Coverdale in Geelong19-Feb-2017Sixteen off the last over would be a daunting enough challenge for any batsman in a Twenty20 chase. Sixteen an over for the final three overs is something else entirely. And yet Australia’s captain, Aaron Finch, said he felt that while Asela Gunaratne remained at the crease, Sri Lanka still had a chance of achieving their goal, an assessment that turned out to be accurate, to the delight of thousands of Sri Lankan fans at Geelong’s Kardinia Oval.Gunaratne took 12 off James Faulkner, then 22 off Moises Henriques, and the 14 that Sri Lanka then needed off the final over from Andrew Tye were completed when Gunaratne crunched the last ball over cover for four. Finch said Gunaratne, who had also scored a half-century in Sri Lanka’s successful chase at the MCG on Friday, was a particularly difficult batsman to defend against due to his ability to strike boundaries to any part of the ground.”The plan was pace off and wide,” Finch said. “If he wanted to go to the short boundary over the leg side, make him really fetch it with no pace on the ball. Geez, he hit some clean, didn’t he? He played a hell of an innings. That’s as good a striking as you’ll see. For a guy to be able to hit over fine leg and over mid-off, they’re pretty rare skills to be able to do both, and he hasn’t mis-hit a ball in two games now.Asela Gunaratne struck with bat and ball against Australia in Geelong•Getty Images
“With the dimensions of the ground, with an in-batter who was hitting them so clean, you know that you still have to execute. I felt all along that we had to get him out to win, or get him off strike a little bit more. We struggled to do that for the last three overs. We couldn’t seem to bowl enough balls at [Nuwan] Kulasekara and then [Lasith] Malinga. But when you’ve got a guy who’s in like that, it’s so hard to defend. The way our bowlers bowled up front and then through the middle was top-drawer.”Nearly 14,000 spectators turned out to the match, which was the first international ever played in Geelong, and a good proportion of those were Sri Lankan supporters. For almost two hours after the match ended, several hundred of those Sri Lankan fans celebrated outside the ground on Moorabool Street, with trumpets blaring as they waited for the Sri Lankan players to emerge on their way to the team bus.Although the result was a disappointing one for Australia, Finch said he was pleased with the way Geelong supported Kardinia Oval’s international debut. Crowd numbers might have been higher if it weren’t for heavy rain earlier in the day, which affected the women’s T20I between Australia and New Zealand that preceded the men’s match.”Being about minus seven degrees doesn’t help,” Finch joked, “and it was bucketing down with rain all day. But the crowd was still fantastic. The surface, after so much of a downpour, was unbelievable, the wicket played really well. No bigger test than the weather that Geelong had over the last couple of days. To be able to produce a world-class venue like that was unbelievable.”
Crystal Palace are tracking Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres ahead of a potential move to the Premier League, according to reports.
Is Viktor Gyokeres leaving Coventry?
Gyokeres will be out of contract at the end of next season meaning that the upcoming transfer window will present Mark Robins with his final opportunity to cash in on his prized asset, who won’t be short of potential suitors being his side’s top-performing offensive player last season.
Back in November 2022, Football League World first credited the Eagles with an interest in the 25-year-old but no deal ever came to fruition in January, though as a result of The Sky Blues, failing to win promotion to the top-flight, there’s a possibility that he could want to move elsewhere to compete at the highest level.
The Athletic recently stated that the Sweden international is viewed as more of an outside target for Roy Hodgson, but the following update makes it sound like he is seriously being considered by the hierarchy at Selhurst Park.
Who is signing Gyokeres?
According to Sky Sports, Gyokeres is firmly “on the lists” of Crystal Palace, West Ham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Fulham, alongside Sporting CP, who have also “joined the race” to sign him. Coventry are believed to be wanting offers “in excess” of £17m for their talisman, with bids above this fee needed in order for his club to part ways and sanction his sale.
During the 2022/23 Championship season, Gyokeres proved to be an absolute revelation – he was dubbed “unplayable” by his Coventry former teammate Maxime Biamou, and looking at his return in the final third, the centre-forward would be an outstanding acquisition for Palace.
The Building Society Arena talisman posted a remarkable 31 goal contributions (21 goals and ten assists) in 46 Championship appearances, form which saw him not only collect ten man-of-the-match-awards but also finish as the second-highest goalscorer in the league.
The SE25 outfit’s target was additionally a threat even when the ball didn’t hit the back of the net, clocking up 191 shot-creating actions which was more than any of his fellow teammates in the Midlands, as per FBRef.
Finally, Gyokeres is a versatile operator having been deployed in six different positions since the start of his career, including everywhere across the frontline and even in midfield, so making a play for his services is something that the board shouldn’t even have to think twice about.
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details4:26
Agarkar: Jadhav, Kohli almost seemed unflappable
England brought their heavy artillery to the MCA Stadium in Pune but still they were outgunned. They posted 350 and then had India 63 for 4 but could not finish the job. They removed Virat Kohli, the king of the chase, but others stepped into the breach. They saw off Kedar Jadhav, who scored a 65-ball hundred, but could not see off the rest. A match that aggregated more than 700 runs was finally settled in India’s favour with the 23rd six of the night. This could be some series.Kohli extended the imperious form that saw him reign in all formats in 2016 to score his 27th ODI hundred and he was ably supported by Jadhav, 31 years old and playing his 13th ODI, during a partnership of exactly 200 that set up India to achieve their joint second-highest successful chase. Victory was completed with 11 balls to spare as Hardik Pandya followed up his two wickets with a cool-headed and inventive 40 not out to guide India home.Kohli was visibly anguished to be dismissed with 88 still needed and Jadhav, struggling with cramp, fell shortly after to give England hope of pulling the match back. In the end, defending the short boundaries was too difficult a task, with only Jake Ball – who took 3 for 67 – and Chris Woakes going at fewer than India’s required rate of seven an over.Half-centuries of varying tempo from Jason Roy, Joe Root and Ben Stokes took England to what seemed a formidable total – the seventh time they had touched 350 since the 2015 World Cup – but, crucially, none of their early successes with the ball included Kohli. Stokes finally induced an error after Kohli and Jadhav had raised the double-century stand – India’s second-highest for any wicket in ODIs – and Jadhav was then reduced to standing and swinging as cramp prevented him from running.Stokes, with the fastest fifty by an Englishman against India, had provided the high-velocity finish England needed to set a challenging target. Their innings had threatened to subside after the dismissal of Root for 78 but Stokes hit the pedal in response, going from 14 off 19 to a 33-ball fifty in a starburst of sixes, as 105 runs flowed from the last eight overs to give England their highest ODI total in India – surpassing the 338 made in Bangalore at the 2011 World Cup (which also wasn’t good enough for victory). Only twice had India chased as many, during their 2013-14 series with Australia.Kohli, in his first match since succeeding MS Dhoni as ODI captain, may have been frustrated with his bowlers at halfway but he set about making up for it himself. He wanted to bat second and showed his relish for the chase, cracking his fourth ball into the stands and taking every opportunity to put pressure on England as the bowlers sought wickets. Five sixes rained from his bat in all, along with numerous more subtle dissections.Jadhav made an ODI century against Zimbabwe in 2015 but has had to bide his time with India, despite a List A average approaching 50. With Kohli looking as regal as ever, he just needed someone to stay with him, but Jadhav did more than that. He outscored Kohli during their partnership and was particularly severe on Adil Rashid, one of the stars of England’s white-ball revival, who was twice hit out of the attack. At 262 for 4 with 14 overs to go, India were favourites and late strikes from Stokes and Ball could not derail them.The outcome had been less certain after David Willey removed both openers, then India’s veteran middle-order pairing of Yuvraj Singh and Dhoni also fell cheaply. Yuvraj, playing his first ODI in more than three years, sent his first scoring shot over the rope at deep midwicket, a throwback to his days of youthful marauding, but was caught tamely down the leg side off Stokes; Dhoni departed in the next over, top-edging a misbegotten pull to midwicket off Ball to leave India in trouble.This England one-day side have come to India as both a curiosity and a threat. Their pumped-up approach has made them the fastest-scoring side in ODIs since a dismal showing at the last World Cup and subject of genuine interest in a country that knows more about limited-overs success than most – and one where England have tended to fail in coloured clothing. Eoin Morgan’s side have got into the habit of breaking records and you can now throw in the highest ODI total England have failed to defend.Some of that spark was provided by England’s daring run to the final of last year’s World T20 in India. Roy was one of the breakout stars of that tournament and he continued to show a liking for the conditions after Kohli chose to insert England. Roy played several crisp drive and flicks, either side of overturning an lbw decision after being given out on 18, to give the innings its early impetus.His endeavour allowed Alex Hales to settle in, as is his preferred method, but the partnership was broken on 39 when Jasprit Bumrah’s flat throw from deep-backward square leg caught Hales millimetres short. Roy’s blade continued to flash, the pick of his fours a beautifully timed straight drive off Bumrah, during a 36-ball half-century as England ended the opening Powerplay on 67 for 1 (Roy with 52 of them). Then came the challenge of spin.Root took his time to adjust and was mostly content to deal in dabs and deflections, although he did clear the ropes with a lofted sweep off Jadeja after reaching his fifty, from 72 balls. England played the spinners intelligently, with only Ravindra Jadeja taking a wicket, although Roy had a life on 66 when top-edging a reverse-swipe off R Ashwin to short third man, where Umesh Yadav couldn’t hold on. He was finally removed in the following over, walking past a non-turning delivery from Jadeja to be stumped.Morgan, back to lead England after opting out of the tour to Bangladesh, came into his first ODI since England lost to Pakistan at Cardiff in September having made scores of 3 and 0 in the warm-ups. After watchfully accruing four off 12 balls, he struck the first six of the innings, slog-sweeping over midwicket as Ashwin’s spell turned expensive, but just when he appeared set for some steady middle-overs accumulation a thin edge behind – undetected by the umpire but confirmed by DRS – ended his stay.
A big update has emerged on Celtic and their efforts to find a new manager ahead of the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership campaign…
What's the latest on Brendan Rodgers to Celtic?
According to The Guardian, the Hoops are on the verge of completing a deal to bring Brendan Rodgers back to Parkhead.
The report claims that talks between the Northern Irish head coach and the Scottish giants have progressed well and a move back to Paradise is now 'all-but sealed'.
It states that the club believe that they have landed their man to replace Ange Postecoglou, who joined Tottenham Hotspur last week, and that his strong respect for majority shareholder Dermot Desmond has played a key part in his decision to return.
Is Brendan Rodgers a good appointment?
The 50-year-old coach could be a phenomenal appointment by the Hoops as he has the potential to be the perfect replacement for the recently-departed Australian chief.
During his two years at the helm, Postecoglou won five domestic trophies and proved himself capable of dominating Scottish football.
The 57-year-old won the League Cup and Premiership double in his debut campaign before completing the domestic treble this season by adding the Scottish FA Cup alongside the other two trophies.
However, the Greek-born tactician did not have it all his own way when competing in Europe.
Across the Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League, he won three of his 14 games on the continent outside of qualifying matches and did not win a single knockout clash.
Rodgers could come in and replicate the impact that Postecoglou had at Parkhead as the Northern Irishman has already proven himself in Scotland.
During his two-and-a-bit year stint in Glasgow earlier in his career, the ex-Swansea boss won seven domestic trophies and won back-to-back trebles in his two full seasons in charge.
This shows that the 4-2-3-1 coach knows exactly how to dominate the league and cups in Scottish football, in the same way that the now-Spurs chief did in the campaign just gone.
The former Liverpool manager, who was hailed as "very confident" by his former captain and Anfield legend Steven Gerrard, also struggled in Europe whilst at Celtic.
He failed to get past the group stage of the Champions League in two attempts but did win four knockout games in the Europa League, which suggests that the talented boss may fare slightly better than Postecoglou on the continent.
Therefore, Desmond could be about to land a perfect replacement for the Australian boss by securing this deal for the free-agent Northern Irishman, who could come in and hit the ground running at Parkhead.
Manchester United have been strongly linked with a move for Harry Kane this summer but now a new update has emerged that could put a dampener on the dreams of bringing him to Old Trafford.
What's the latest on Man United's interest in Harry Kane?
According to The Times, the Red Devils are losing hope of being able to secure the signature of the Tottenham Hotspur striker this summer.
As per the report, Daniel Levy remains firm on not wanting to part ways with his biggest asset whilst Erik ten Hag remains keen to make Kane his leading man in the forward line.
It is claimed that Man United have tried to strike a deal to secure the striker's services already but Levy is adamant that he will not be sold to strengthen a Premier League rival, despite having just one year left on his contract.
Should Man United continue their pursuit of Harry Kane?
There is no doubt that the Manchester giants will be desperate to strengthen in the centre-forward role this summer after the abysmal efforts from loanee Wout Weghorst and mainstay Anthony Martial, with no time to waste in finding the perfect player to take up the role ahead of next season.
However, giving up on the signing of Kane – dubbed "exquisite" by Jamie Redknapp – should not be an option for Ten Hag as the 29-year-old would be a huge asset in the forward line and would comfortably become the club's answer to Wayne Rooney, with the now retired striker never really replaced at Old Trafford.
The compatriots boast incredible similarities as Kane replaced the Man United legend as the most trusted centre-forward for the England national team, not only following in his footsteps to captain the side but also breaking his all-time goal-scoring record on the international stage too.
In terms of their style of play, the pair share even more likeness with Rooney often dropping deeper than a traditional number nine into a versatile play-making role towards the latter stages of his career.
That very much saw him trouble opponents in the same way the Spurs striker does for his team too, both comfortable, confident and prolific in a deeper role with quality wingers either side operating to provide chances for them.
Whilst taking all into consideration, the most striking and vital resemblance that the pair possess is their unrivalled finishing and ability to kill games with their vision for goal, something that would take Man United back to the elite level they were playing at when their all-time goalscorer represented the team in the final third.
Over 49 appearances in all competitions this season, the £100m-valued England captain – hailed as a "GOAT" of the Premier League by Christian Stellini – scored a whopping 32 goals and delivered five assists, as well as making up for 47% of Spurs' goal participations in the top flight and only finishing second to Erling Haaland in the race for the golden boot.
With that being said, if there is even the slightest chance that Man United could strike up a deal to sign Kane this summer they should grab the opportunity with both hands, as his leadership, style of play and hunger for goals could solve Ten Hag's biggest headache next season.
USMNT striker Folarin Balogun scored on his return to Reims as Monaco stayed top of Ligue 1 with a comfortable 3-1 win.
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Balogun got USMNT fans excited with his 21-goal league campaign with Reims last season, and it appears that he has hit the ground running at Monaco
The 22-year-old scored his third goal in five appearances for his new club since a €30 million (£26m/$32m) move from Arsenal, setting Monaco on their way to a 3-1 away win that keeps them top of the pile.