Opening batsman, offspinner and yoga expert, Jalaj Saxena reveals the intensely driven cricketer behind the self-effacing facade

Arun Venugopal02-Feb-2016It isn’t easy to mine information about Jalaj Saxena. When I tell him about my futile attempts at researching his story on the internet, he offers an almost apologetic smile. I ask him half-jokingly if he doesn’t give interviews. “I can’t possibly ask people to interview me, right?” he says, and offers a shy smile. “People who want to interview me, like you in this case, I never say no to.” The shy smile was on display as well when he won the Lala Amarnath award for being the best allrounder in the 2014-15 Ranji Trophy. It was recognition for his 583 runs and 17 wickets for Madhya Pradesh in that season.In a way it was a slightly belated reward for his performances in preceding seasons. In 2013-14, he had scored 545 runs and claimed 35 wickets, while in 2012-13 his corresponding numbers were 769 and 10. Jalaj’s performances have retained their gloss this season as well; so far he has scored 530 runs at an average of 44.16, opening the batting, while his offspin has earned him 46 wickets at 20.30, including a 16-wicket haul against Railways to record the second-best figures in Ranji Trophy history.It is this consistency that gives Jalaj the most satisfaction. “I have been quite consistent with both bat and ball over the last three-four years, and I will work even harder to ensure it continues this way,” he says. “Because if you perform well in one season and fail in the next then it means there is something wrong with your game as you aren’t able to perform consistently. It feels good that MP values me as a key player.”While Jalaj’s numbers no doubt make for impressive reading, you get the impression that, at 29, it has taken him a while to reach his current level. After all, for someone who prides himself on being a genuine allrounder, he was regarded as little more than a bits-and-pieces journeyman until recently. There were insinuations in some quarters that Jalaj was picked for the India A tour of West Indies in 2012 because Narendra Hirwani, who also hails from Madhya Pradesh, was part of the then selection committee.Jalaj admits to feeling hurt then but says it only made him decide to work even harder at his game. He feels he justified his selection with a half-century and three wickets in the third unofficial Test followed by a decent showing in the one-day series.”I did feel hurt at one point of time [at not being called a proper allrounder],” Jalaj says. “But then I told myself – not to prove to anyone else, really – that I had to improve my game. I feel really blessed that God has given me two skillsets. Not everybody becomes an allrounder. I make sure I don’t think about bowling while I am batting and vice-versa. As far as blooming late is concerned, there is a time for everything. I believe in destiny.”Jalaj’s quest for improvement gained traction during his IPL stints in recent years with Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers despite the fact that neither team gave him any playing time. Apart from greater attention to physical fitness, a big takeaway for Jalaj was the purposeful preparation that he saw among top international players.”Their work ethics are really strong. Once while batting I was concentrating for every delivery, but I was wondering why I wasn’t getting to the pitch of the ball,” Jalaj says. “Sachin [Tendulkar] sir made a minor change by asking me to spread my feet a little wider and it immediately made a difference.”Generally, at a lower level, you bat and bowl and train once or twice in a week. But the IPL experience taught me the value of training regularly, especially during the off-season, and it is something that I strictly follow now.”Jalaj’s efforts to align his mental energy with the physical have been aided by yoga, the practice of which is a tradition in the Saxena family. “My father learned it from my grandfather and has passed it on to me,” he says. “I also visualise during every single activity, be it breathing or stretching.” He then points to his shoulder. “If you are stretching out this part, then at that point you need to visualise the muscle being stretched.”There are times when you realise that your mind wants to do something but the body doesn’t cooperate. That’s why you see that when a coach instructs something there are some boys who quickly grasp it while others take a lot more time. It’s very important to coordinate your mind and body. Yoga helps me do that.”That he comes from a family that has a sporting background has also helped Jalaj. While his father was a state-level swimmer and has also coached at the National Institute of Sports in the past, his brother, Jatin, is an active cricketer who has represented Madhya Pradesh in all three formats. After their formative years in Bhilai, the Saxena siblings moved to Indore, where Jalaj was coached by the current president of the MPCA, Sanjay Jagdale, at the Cricket Club of Indore. Jalaj continued to idolise Jatin, his senior by four years, and feels Jatin is the better allrounder of the two.”I have learnt a lot from his experiences,” Jalaj says. “Whatever mistakes he made, I watched and learnt from him. I learnt about what could go wrong in a cricketing career and how to make a comeback from him. I am very close to him and discuss a lot of cricket with him.”Jalaj says every action of his is geared towards fulfilling his dream of playing for the country. According to him, one of the bottlenecks in this regard is his reticence. “Because of my shyness, I don’t end up talking to a lot of former players.”But whenever he has managed to seek out former cricketers for advice, he has invariably been the better for it. “Hirwani helped me become a little more side-on in my action, and pivot more. I also worked a lot with Anil Kumble at Mumbai Indians on strengthening my stock delivery. I want to talk as much as I can to senior players.”On the subject of a national call-up, Jalaj says he doesn’t feel hard done at not receiving one. “I think the dream of playing for India motivates me to improve my game,” he says. “If I haven’t got a call yet, then I don’t think I have done so much and yet haven’t been selected. I think I should be doing even better than what I am doing at the moment. I will keep trying till I am good enough. It’s my dream and I will work very hard to achieve that.”He then breaks into a smile and adds for good measure: “I don’t let shyness come in the way of performance on the field.”

T20 working group also discusses uniform 10% release fee for boards hosting franchise leagues

Nagraj Gollapudi14-Jun-2023An ICC working group has recommended that no more than four overseas players, including those retired from international cricket, should feature in playing XIs in T20 franchise leagues. It has also recommended that playing XIs include a minimum of four local players, and that boards be paid a 10% release fee for allowing their players to take part in overseas T20 leagues.The recommendations are aimed at fighting the player drain that several Full Member countries face due to the exponential growth of T20 leagues.Related

• ICC agrees overseas players cap for new T20 leagues

• SA20 teams given R39.1 million salary purse to build their squads

• Russell, Narine, Roy, Ferguson join LA Knight Riders

• Roy agrees termination of ECB contract to play in MLC

• NZC agrees to release Boult from central contract

These recommendations, which were first reported in (UK) on Tuesday, will be further examined at the ICC’s chief executives committee (CEC) meeting during the global body’s annual conference, which is scheduled to take place in July in Durban. First approval must come from the CEC before it is presented to the ICC Board to ratify.Once approved, the recommendations will apply uniformly across all T20 leagues. Currently, only the International League T20 (9), Major League Cricket (6) and CPL (5) allow more than four overseas players in the playing XI.The working group met during the World Test Championship final in London last week. During discussions, some members argued that domestic leagues should be geared towards the development of – and opportunities for – homegrown players. And in case the local player pool is shallow, as is the case with the UAE-based ILT20, where a minimum of two local players is mandatory, then some local players’ spots could be filled by players from Associate teams.A counter view was that franchises and broadcasters invest money in leagues like the ILT20 and MLC and that they are ultimately a commercial venture, which requires putting out an optimum product – with the best players involved. In the last year, owners of IPL franchises have invested in overseas leagues including all six teams in SA20, three in ILT20 and four in MLC which will launch its inaugural season on July 13. In addition, Avram Glazer, co-owner of Manchster United, and Microsoft’s Satya Nadella have bought teams in ILT20 and MLC respectively.Multiple IPL team owners, including Kolkata Knight Riders’ Shah Rukh Khan, own teams in other leagues as well•PTI

With the money on offer rivalling retainer fees paid by most boards outside of the Big Three (Australia, England and India), some working group members pointed out that, with several leagues running parallel and without a hard cap on overseas players, several boards could be in danger of an exodus, with players releasing themselves from central contracts or retiring early. Trent Boult and Jason Roy are two high-profile examples of that.Boult opted out of a New Zealand central contract last year in search of a better work-life balance through franchise cricket: he plays for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL and MI Emirates, which is run by Mumbai Indians’ owners, in ILT20; and in July will be seen in the inaugural edition of MLC, the first major T20 league in the USA. Roy recently terminated his incremental England contract to feature in MLC – on Tuesday, Los Angeles Knight Riders announced Roy as one of their direct signings.

‘Unfair competitive advantage’

There was also an opinion in the the working group that emerging leagues like ILT20, Global T20 Canada (relaunching this July) and MLC had an “unfair competitive advantage” by luring top players from Full Member boards and turning those tournaments into a “poor man’s World Cup.” These emerging leagues, unlike those run by Full Member boards, did not need to invest in infrastructure and talent pathways including age-group cricket, first-class cricket and A team cricket, instead simply hiring players for leagues and handing them back.In 2018, Cricket West Indies’ CEO Johnny Grave prepared a paper on the growing influence of T20 Leagues wherein he warned that cricket would be in “jeopardy” unless the ICC and the Full Members found ways to keep international cricket top-priority.In 2019, the ICC CEC discussed setting a cap of five overseas players per XI in T20 leagues, though members rejected the option. But some of those objectors have reignited the debate. At the ICC annual conference in Birmingham in 2022, the PCB, along with several other Full Members, raised strong concerns over the nine overseas player slots in ILT20 XIs.After last year’s AGM, ICC CEO Geoff Allardice told ESPNcricinfo that there had been no “hard cap” on overseas players in XIs when the global body had cleared the ILT20.Trent Boult opted out of an NZC central contract to be able to feature in more T20 leagues•Associated Press

Recently, Wasim Khan, the ICC’s general manager of cricket, said ways would need to be found for international cricket and T20 leagues to “co-exist”. Khan sits on the ICC’s working group, which also includes Arun Dhumal (IPL chairman and BCCI representative on ICC’s CEC), Johnny Grave (Cricket West Indies CEO), Nick Hockley (Cricket Australia CEO) and Mubashir Usmani (Emirates Cricket Board secretary). In the London round of meetings, England and Wales Cricket Board CEO Richard Gould and outgoing New Zealand Cricket CEO David White attended as invitees.

10% solidarity fee

The working group also looked at a potential stipulation that will force boards hosting T20 leagues to pay a 10% release fee to players’ home boards every season.The IPL has been paying release fees since its inception – the BCCI pays boards a minimum 10% release fee per player. Other leagues, too, have negotiated similar amounts in bilateral agreements with fellow boards, in order to obtain no-objection player certificates.In the 2018 paper, the CWI had recommended a 30% release fee to obtain NoCs but the working group believed 10% was a realistic figure. Such a release fee (the group calls it a solidarity fee) would need to be arranged by the host board conducting the T20 league. Associate boards, howeveer, could find this difficult considering the limited funding they get from the ICC.Passing the onus to the franchise, at least one working group member said, wouldn’t be easy, since no such clause might exist in current contracts. The other solution, the group suggested, would involve deducting it from the player’s fee.The discussion will now be picked up by the CEC at the July meeting. While the status quo is likely to continue for now, the working group is clear on one aspect: leagues that have already received ICC clearance, such as the ILT20 and MLC, could be given an allowance to fill in the remainder of overseas slots with retired or Associate players, but any leagues sanctioned in the future will need to satisfy the new regulation as and when they are greenlit.

ارتبط مهاجم نانت ومنتخب مصر، مصطفى محمد في الأيام القليلة الماضية بإمكانية الانتقال إلى صفوف باوك خلال فترة الانتقالات الصيفية الحالية.

ويمتلك مصطفى محمد عقدًا مع نانت حتى 30 يونيو 2027، وسجل هدفين في مباراة لافال الودية قبل أيام، لكن هذا لا يعني أنه لن يرحل إذا كان هناك عرض مميز.

اقرأ أيضًا.. خاص | نانت الفرنسي يحدد لـ الأهلي سعر بيع مصطفى محمد

وكشف مصدر داخل نادي باوك، لـ بطولات: “حدث تواصل بالفعل بيننا وبين اللاعب، خاصة وأننا نبحث عن مهاجم جديد للفريق في الموسم الجديد”.

وتابع: “لكن الأمر أصبح مغلقًا الآن، وابتعد اللاعب عن خططنا، لأنه أبلغنا بأنه لا يرغب في التواجد في الدوري اليوناني بالفترة المقبلة”.

وأضاف: “الأمر كان مجرد جس نبض اللاعب، لكن لم يصل إلى مرحلة تقديم عرض رسمي لإدارة نانت”.

وبذلك يغلق باوك صفحة مصطفى محمد، بينما يستمر اللاعب في دراسة مستقبله مع نانت وسط اهتمام من عدة أندية في أوروبا والشرق الأوسط.

Celtic are now in talks over selling a defender this January, with the negotiations now in full swing, according to a report.

Celtic competing on all fronts

The Hoops picked up their first piece of silverware this season after defeating Rangers in the League Cup final last week, and Brendan Rodgers’ side are also faring very well in the league, currently top of the Scottish Premiership table.

As such, there is seemingly not a pressing need for Rodgers to strengthen his squad in the January transfer window, but there are signs the manager could be busy this winter, given that a number of players have been linked with moves to Parkhead.

Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney is the latest player to be touted for a move to his former club, and Rodgers refused to rule out a reunion with the left-back in a recent interview, saying: “We’ll always be linked with top players and especially players that are one of us. Kieran was an instrumental part of a really, really successful period when I was here.

“His talents then took him to another challenge but we’ll be linked with lots of names and with Kieran naturally because of his situation. But we’ll only talk about a player once he’s signed.”

Celtic’s upcoming Scottish Premiership fixtures	Date
Dundee United (a)	December 22nd
Motherwell (h)	December 26th
St. Johnstone (h)	December 29th
Rangers (a)	January 2nd
St. Mirren (h)	January 5th

There may also be some departures this January, perhaps to fund Celtic’s own transfer business, and it has now been reported they are in talks with Internacional over selling Alexandro Bernabei permanently.

Internacional president Alessandro Barcellos has confirmed that negotiations are in full swing, with the Hoops willing to lower the asking price to €5m (£4.1m) to facilitate the move, while also asking for a percentage of any future sale.

As such, Bernabei clearly does not feature in Rodgers’ plans going forward, and a permanent move to Brazil in January seems to be a likely scenario.

Sky Sports: Celtic receive January offer for 24 y/o and could accept it

Is it the right time to let him leave?

By
Henry Jackson

Dec 20, 2024

Good decision for all parties

The Argentine never managed to cement himself in the Celtic starting XI, but he has clearly impressed on loan at Internacional, given that they are determined to make his loan move permanent.

The 21-year-old is said to have “shone” in the Brazilian league, so Internacional is evidently a better fit for him than Celtic.

With the Hoops faring very well in Bernabei’s absence, it makes sense to sanction his departure for £4.1m this winter, and Rodgers can use the money raised to strengthen his side in other areas.

Chelsea have emerged as the frontrunners to potentially strike a head-turning transfer deal, following some intriguing news out of the Premier League this week concerning an England star.

Chelsea planning to sign new defender for Maresca in January

Credible media outlets and respected journalists are claiming that Chelsea are seriously considering the addition of a new centre-back in January, amid Wesley Fofana’s long-term injury and Benoit Badiashile’s absence.

Chelsea entering pole position to sign £38m midfielder after making contact

The Blues have been courting him for over a year.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jan 7, 2025

A report from The Sun this week even stated that Chelsea have already had a low-ball offer rejected by Crystal Palace for Marc Guehi, but this is yet to gain traction among the national press.

What appears certain, though, is Chelsea’s serious interest in a January deal for Guehi, with renowned transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano and respected colleagues sharing news that the 24-year-old Selhurst Park star is a serious transfer target for this month.

Chelsea’s next Premier League fixtures	Date
Bournemouth (home)	January 14
Wolverhampton Wanderers (home)	January 20
Man City (away)	January 25
West Ham (away)	February 3
Brighton (away)	February 14

Romano says that the Blues are also now in contact with Palace over a deal for Guehi, but it won’t be easy, despite the Englishman having just 18 months left on his current deal.

Other rumoured central defensive targets for Chelsea include Tomas Araujo [Benfica], Antonio Silva [Benfica], Ousmane Diomande [Sporting], Illia Zabarnyi [Bournemouth] and Dean Huijsen [Bournemouth] – as per reliable Stamford Bridge reporter Simon Phillips – so the club bringing in a big-name new defender certainly looks like one to watch before deadline day on February 3.

In terms of other positions, Chelsea did consider signing River Plate’s midfield sensation Franco Mastantuono this month, and they remain hard at work to sign the Argentine, but it is a move more likely for the summer as things stand – mainly due to the costs involved in a winter deal.

That being said, Enzo Maresca’s side now sense another golden opportunity to bring in one of world football’s most exciting young midfield starlets.

Chelsea emerge as favourites to sign Man United star Kobbie Mainoo

Indeed, according to The Daily Mail’s Chris Wheetley, Man United star Kobbie Mainoo is at the centre of a contract stalemate at Old Trafford.

PSR issues are making it hard to tie the teenager with a new and improved deal to reflect his status as a key Red Devils mainstay and England international, with the 19-year-old rising star unbelievably earning a meager £20,000-per-week right now.

This has put BlueCo on red alert over a potential opening to tempt Mainoo down south, and it is believed that Chelsea are now favourites to sign Mainoo from Man United, if he decides to leave over the next two transfer windows.

Wheetley describes this as a “sensational deal” if Chelsea manage to pull it off, and it is hard to disagree with the reporter who broke the news on Tuesday. Since this report broke, GOAL suggested that both Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho are valued at around £70 million.

Batsman, captain, innovator, inventor, mentor, commentator and writer – Martin Crowe was all of that during a career that did not end after he retired from the game

Compiled by George Binoy03-Mar-2016Martin David Crowe was born on September 22, 1962 in Henderson, Auckland, to parents Audrey and David Crowe. He had a sister Deb and an older brother Jeff, who played 39 Tests and 75 ODIs for New Zealand. Russell Crowe, the actor, was a younger cousin.In 1968 at the age of around 6, Crowe joined Cornwall Cricket Club in Auckland, the start of a lifelong association. In fact, on February 27, 2015, during his battle with lymphoma, Crowe took part in a match to mark the club’s 60th anniversary. “My dad’s ashes are up there on that bench so I thought it would be nice to bat an over, if I last the over,” Crowe told ONE News ahead of the game “I was going to treat this as my last outing on the old ground.” He made 25 not out off 20 balls in his final innings.Crowe attended Auckland Grammar School as a 13-year old in 1976 and spent five years in the institution. This is what his headmaster Sir John Graham, a former All Black, wrote about him in 1980 (taken from martincrowe.com): “MD Crowe is one of the outstanding young men to have attended Auckland Grammar. He has excelled in every aspect of school life in which he has been involved and no boy in the School’s history has done more for his school’s reputation than Martin Crowe. He is a young man of the highest quality and all-round potential. He is dedicated and determined in all he does, he has the intelligence and the ability to do all things well. His character is strong, dependable and independent. I have the highest regard for him as a young New Zealander.”Crowe was fast tracked in domestic and international cricket. The rapid progress he made, however, wasn’t always beneficial. “From the age of 14 when I was picked for the Auckland under-23 side and then as 12th man for a Shell Trophy final. I was basically given a script that was way beyond my years. Emotionally I was totally unprepared and ever since, I’ve always been playing catch-up with that emotional stability,” Crowe told in 2006. “All I kept feeding was an ego. In terms of my emotional development I was always three years out of my depth and I’ve had issues throughout my career with it.”On January 19, 1980, at the age of 17, Crowe made his first-class debut for Auckland against Canterbury, scoring 51 in the first innings. His domestic career ended in the 1995-96 season and he finished with 19,608 first-class runs at an average of 56 in 247 matches, representing Auckland, Central Districts, Somerset and Wellington. His List A career comprised 261 matches in which he scored 8740 runs at an average of 38.16.The 1992 World Cup was the zenith of Martin Crowe’s career – he led New Zealand to the semi-final and was Player of the Tournament•Getty ImagesCrowe was 19 when he made his ODI debut , against Australia at Eden Park in Auckland, on February 13, 1982. He did not bat in New Zealand’s 46-run victory that day, despite them losing six wickets. Two weeks later, Crowe made his Test debut, at Basin Reserve, where he was run out for 9 in a rain-hit draw against Australia. “When I played for New Zealand when I was 19, against Lillee and Thomson, I rattled off scores of 9, 2, 0 and 9. And then I ran up to the far north of New Zealand to be with my sister. I couldn’t face anyone in public,” Crowe told in 2014. “And then I finally went down to the pub to play a game of pool. At the bar there was this big Maori man, and he said, “Hey, Crowe! I hope you can play pool better than you can play cricket. I was trapped. I couldn’t go anywhere. This was the farthest pub in New Zealand, and in that moment I realised I had to fix this problem of failure.”After seven Tests, in which he scored only 183 runs at 15.25, Crowe made his maiden Test century – a match-saving 100 against England in Wellington. “But Martin, the younger of the Crowe brothers, showed exceptional maturity for a 21-year-old, batting for 276 minutes without making a visible mistake until the stroke that got him out, an edge to slip that gave Gatting his first Test wicket,” reported. “Crowe’s driving, reminiscent of Greg Chappell’s in its rifling precision, accounted for most of his 19 fours.” Crowe went on to make 17 Test hundreds, a New Zealand record that still stands.Between 1984 and 1988, Crowe played county cricket for Somerset, where he replaced Viv Richards. Ian Botham was not happy at losing the West Indian batsman and disparagingly called Crowe “a good club cricketer”. Crowe went on to play 48 matches for Somerset, making 3984 runs at an average of 59.Crowe’s second and third Test hundreds were a brace of 188s in April and November 1985. The second of those came in a famous innings win at the Gabba, where Crowe’s performance complemented Richard Hadlee’s 15 wickets to seal New Zealand’s first Test victory in Australia. “Martin was sublime, really. Watching from the other end I was constantly amazed at the time he had to play his shots,” John Reid, who scored 108 in that innings, told ESPNcricinfo in 2015. “When they pitched the ball up, he drove it well. When they pitched it short he cut, hooked and pulled the ball. He dominated their attack to an extent I could not emulate. I was actually consciously feeding him the strike to ensure that his ability to dominate the attack could be utilised to better the chances of winning.” In contrast, the first of those 188s had been an exercise in patience that helped New Zealand draw a Test in Guyana. Crowe had batted nine and a half hours, longer than any of his previous first-class innings.In 2011, Martin Crowe attempted a comeback to club cricket at the age of 48. It lasted one match•Getty Images”At the age of eight, I said to my dad that I am going to score a century at Lord’s one day,” Crowe told . He made two – the first in July 1986 and the second in 1994.Bruce Reid struck Crowe on the jaw during the Christchurch Test in 1986. Crowe was on 51 when he mistimed the hook and had to leave the field to get ten stitches. He returned with New Zealand 190 for 6 in the first innings, in response to Australia’s 364, and counterattacked to make 137 off 226 balls. “It was a display which drew comparisons with Sutcliffe’s epic innings for New Zealand at Johannesburg in 1953-54,” Wisden reported.Crowe made 1348 first-class runs at an average of 103.69 for Central Districts in the 1986-87 domestic season to help win the Shell Trophy for his team. The 1676 runs Crowe scored that summer remains the New Zealand record for the most runs in a season.In early 1987, Crowe made 119, 104 and 83 in three Tests against attacks comprising Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner, Michael Holding, Courtney Walsh and Tony Gray to help New Zealand draw the series against West Indies 1-1. “Sometimes you got too conscious because you tried too hard to deal with the challenge,” Crowe told about what could trip him up in the middle. “And against West Indies you had to accept it was hit or miss. Out of five, you were going to have three failures but if you could have one good innings and a half-good innings, you would average 40 and that would be okay in that era of the ’80s.”Crowe captained New Zealand for the first time in a Test against Pakistan in October 1990. He led his country in 16 Tests – of which New Zealand won two and lost seven – and 44 ODIs (21 wins, 22 defeats). As captain, he averaged 54 with the bat in Tests and 45 in ODIs.Martin Crowe contributed to New Zealand cricket even after he stopped playing, mentoring players such as Ross Taylor and Martin Guptill•Getty ImagesOn February 4, 1991, Crowe made the highest individual Test score for New Zealand – a record that stood for 23 years – but also became the only batsman to be dismissed for 299. He batted 610 minutes in that innings against Sri Lanka, and said after the game: “It’s a bit like climbing Everest and pulling a hamstring in the last stride.” His 467-run partnership with Andrew Jones was also a world record at the time.In February and March 1992, Crowe led New Zealand to the semi-finals of the World Cup, the highlight of his captaincy career. He was Player of the Tournament for being the top-scorer – 456 runs at an average of 114 – and for his innovative captaincy: Crowe used a spinner to open the bowling and restrict batsmen during the fielding restrictions, and also deployed a pinch-hitter to exploit those very restrictions when New Zealand batted. “Marty was a very creative and brilliant thinker, the genesis came from him. Tactically he was light years ahead of anyone else I played under,” former New Zealand bowler Gavin Larsen said in 2014. “He was the boss, he ran the gig. He was like a chess master, the way he moved his players around. He was just clever.” Crowe, however, did not field in the semi-final against Pakistan, and New Zealand failed to defend their total. “With what unfolded, I had made a massive mistake in not taking the field despite a hamstring injury, because I was trying to be fit for the final as opposed to getting the team through to the final,” Crowe said in 2015.His international career ended in India, in November 1995. Crowe’s final innings was 63 off 62 balls in Nagpur, where New Zealand won by 99 runs to draw the ODI series 2-2. Crowe finished with 5444 runs at an average of 45 in 77 Tests, and 4704 runs in 143 ODIs at an average of 38.55.In 1996, Crowe launched his invention, Cricket Max – a shortened form of the game with a funky format and rules. “I invented and designed Cricket Max because I felt it was time to provide to our spectators and TV viewers a game of cricket that was short in duration, very colourful, kept some old traditions and highlighted the best skills in the game,” Crowe said at the time. The format was not played after 2003.Crowe began his broadcast career in 1997, when he joined Sky Television. “Marty embodies the quality that businesses often dislike but desperately need – the desire to change something before it gets stale,” Nate Smith, former Sky TV CEO, said on martincrowe.com. “I saw that way back when he saw the world of cricket needed a shorter formatted game. Did all the ideas tested last? No, but it did move the code forward in its thinking. Marty may not always say what people want to hear, but that is why he would be the perfect choice.”Martin Crowe was inducted into the ICC’s hall of fame during the 2015 World Cup•Getty ImagesCrowe was inducted into the New Zealand sports hall of fame and awarded an MBE for services to cricket in 2001. He had plenty more to give the game. Crowe was a mentor, most notably to New Zealand batsmen Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor. “Martin has been a mentor to me for almost my entire first-class career. In both the good times and the more trying times Martin has always been there for me,” Taylor said in a testimonial on martincrowe.com. “His advice, technical understanding and nous, coupled with his unwavering belief and loyalty in me have made my job as a professional cricketer that much easier. I shall always be grateful to him.”At the age of 48, in May 2011, Crowe said he was returning to club cricket at Cornwall with a view to making a comeback for Auckland, 15 years after he had retired. “Every now and then you find yourself drifting along. I needed to do something to stay at the top of things,” Crowe told ESPNcricinfo.” It’s a little bit of fun but it’s based on the need to get off my butt. When you get to my age, you need to do something. Physically, I am a person who needs more than going to gym. I need to fire myself up. I don’t like swimming, cycling, or lifting weights. I can’t climb, I can’t run; why not bat? It’s a serious goal to get fit but it’s a fun and light-hearted attempt to see if a 48-year old can play and at what level. Unless you try you will never know.” A thigh injury ended his comeback in his first innings.Crowe was diagnosed with lymphoma in October 2012. “In the past, on travels during my cricket career, suffering salmonella and glandular fever has compromised me,” he said at the time. “The result of a weakened immune system over the last two decades is basically why I have become exposed to this sort of disease.” After going into remission for a while, Crowe revealed the cancer had returned in September 2014. “After a brilliant year of self discovery and recovery, I have more work to do. My friend and tough taskmaster Lymphoma is back to teach me,” Crowe said on Twitter. “To say you can’t beat lymphoma is not quite true, many have. Yet follicular lymphoma is incurable, and can be treated and tamed for many long years.”On February 28, 2015, Crowe was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame, during the World Cup. His presence at the final at the MCG was his last public appearance.Martin Crowe died on March 3, 2016, at the age of 53. People around the world paid tribute to him.

Chelsea are seriously pursuing a £12.6 million signing, and have been within the last few days, as the club look to replace a “big” player in Enzo Maresca’s squad.

Chelsea tipped to green-light host of January exits

Renato Veiga most recently sealed a loan move to Juventus, and many more are being tipped to follow the Portugal international out of Chelsea’s exit door by deadline day on February 3rd.

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Veiga’s desire was to play as a centre-back, and the former FC Basel star has been granted his wish, as he’s expected to be deployed by Thiago Motta in the heart of Juve’s defence rather than at full-back.

Alongside the 21-year-old, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Carney Chukwuemeka, Christopher Nkunku and Ben Chilwell could all depart Stamford Bridge in the coming days, according to various reports.

Man City (away)

January 25

West Ham (away)

February 3

Brighton (away)

February 14

Aston Villa (away)

February 22

Southampton (home)

February 25

Dewsbury-Hall and Chukwuemeka are attracting interest from West Ham, while it is believed Nkunku has agreed personal terms with Bayern Munich. Chelsea have been looking to offload Chilwell since way before the January window opened (Simon Phillips), so he’s another one to watch when it comes to outgoings.

Meanwhile, former Inter Milan gem and Chelsea midfielder Cesare Casadei is attracting serious interest from Serie A as well, with Lazio convinced they can strike a deal for the 22-year-old after making a £10 million bid.

Called “very big” and “physically strong” by Maresca in terms of stature, Casadei hasn’t exactly been a mainstay under the tactician, and it appears a move back to his homeland is firmly on the cards.

Chelsea pushing for Cesare Casadei replacement in Reda Belahyane

According to Sky Sports transfer reporter Gianluca Di Marzio, writing on his personal website, Chelsea already have their eyes on a replacement for Casadei in Hellas Verona midfielder Reda Belahyane.

Reuters/Daniele Mascolo

The Morocco international is a mainstay of Verona’s midfield, impressing with convincing displays this season, and Di Marzio writes that Chelsea are pushing hard for the signing of Belahyane – who’d cost around £12.6 million.

Di Marzio writes that this has occurred within the last few days, and as soon as Casadei’s future is 100 per cent resolved, they’ll swiftly move on to a deal for Belahyane.after identifying the African as his ideal replacement.

أعلنت رابطة الأندية المصرية المحترفة، اليوم الأحد، عن جدول مباريات الأهلي في الموسم الجديد من بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز 2025-2026، وذلك عقب سحب قرعة المسابقة.

وأسفرت القرعة عن خوض الأهلي عددًا من المواجهات القوية في بداية مشواره للحفاظ على اللقب، حيث يبدأ مواجهاته أمام مودرن سبورت.

ويسعى الأهلي، بقيادة مديره الفني خوسيه ريبيرو، إلى مواصلة هيمنته على البطولة المحلية، بعدما تُوج بلقب الدوري في الموسم الماضي 2024-2025 للمرة الخامسة والأربعين في تاريخه، إثر منافسة قوية استمرت حتى الجولة الأخيرة مع بيراميدز.

طالع | مواعيد مباريات الأهلي في الدوري المصري 2025-2026

ويقام الموسم الجديد من الدوري بنظام مختلف، حيث يتكون من مرحلة أولى بنظام الدور الواحد بين 21 فريقًا، قبل أن يتم تقسيم الأندية إلى مجموعتين؛ الأولى تضم الفرق السبعة الأوائل للمنافسة على اللقب، والثانية تضم 14 فريقًا يتنافسون لتفادي الهبوط، على أن يهبط 4 أندية بنهاية الموسم، ويصعد 3.

ومن المقرر أن تنطلق النسخة الجديدة يوم 8 أغسطس 2025، وتستمر حتى نهاية شهر مايو 2026، في ظل ترقب جماهيري كبير لموسم استثنائي على مستوى التنافس الفني والتنظيمي.

طالع | بعد واقعة انسحاب الأهلي.. رابطة الأندية تجري تعديلًا على لائحة الموسم الجديد جدول مباريات الأهلي في الدوري المصري الموسم الجديد

الجولة الأولى – الأهلي ضد مودرن سبورت، على ملعب استاد القاهرة.

الجولة الثانية – الأهلي ضد فاركو، على ملعب استاد القاهرة.

الجولة الثالثة – راحة بسبب العدد الفردي لفرق الدوري الممتاز هذا الموسم.

الجولة الرابعة – الأهلي ضد غزل المحلة، على استاد المحلة.

الجولة الخامسة – الأهلي ضد بيراميدز، على استاد القاهرة.

الجولة السادسة – الأهلي ضد إنبي، على استاد المقاولون العرب.

الجولة السابعة – الأهلي ضد سيراميكا كليوباترا، على استاد القاهرة.

الجولة الثامنة – الأهلي ضد حرس الحدود، على ملعب برج العرب.

الجولة التاسعة – الأهلي ضد الزمالك، على استاد القاهرة.

الجولة العاشرة – الأهلي ضد كهرباء الإسماعيلية، على ملعب السويس الجديد.

الجولة الحادية عشر – الأهلي ضد الاتحاد السكندري، على استاد القاهرة.

الجولة الثانية عشر- الأهلي ضد بتروجيت على ملعب الكلية الحربية.

الجولة الثالثة عشر – الأهلي ضد المصري، على ملعب برج العرب.

الجولة الرابعة عشر – الأهلي ضد الإسماعيلي، على ملعب برج العرب.

الجولة الخامسة عشر – الأهلي ضد طلائع الجيش، ملعب الكلية الحربية.

الجولة السادسة عشر – الأهلي ضد وادي دجلة، على استاد القاهرة.

الجولة السابعة عشر – الأهلي ضد البنك الاهلي، استاد القاهرة.

الجولة الثامنة عشر – الأهلي ضد الجونة، ملعب استاد القاهرة.

الجولة التاسعة عشر – الأهلي ضد سموحة، ملعب برج العرب.

الجولة العشرين – الأهلي ضد زد، استاد القاهرة.

الجولة الـ 21- الأهلي ضد المقاولون العرب، استاد المقاولون العرب.

It is a very exciting time to be a Celtic supporter.

On Friday morning, having reached the Champions League knockout stages for the first time in 12 years, the Hoops discovered that they will be taking on six-time champions of Europe Bayern Munich in the first knockout round, with the first leg at Parkhead coming up in under a fortnight.

Domestically, Brendan Rodgers’ side have already beaten Rangers in the League Cup Final at Hampden, and sit ten points clear at the top of the Premiership table, with a game in hand, on course for an unprecedented sixth treble in just nine seasons.

However, off the park, before Monday’s January transfer deadline, the Hoops have plenty of work to do in the market. Despite having already bolstered their left flank with the return of Jota, the Portuguese wizard could be joined by a new partner in the coming days.

Celtic seeking defensive reinforcements

According to a report by Stephen McGowan for the Daily Mail, Manchester United left-back Tyrell Malacia is ‘on Celtic’s list’ of potential left-backs to sign before Monday’s deadline.

Why? Let’s break down the situation.

20-year-old Álex Valle, who made 19 appearances for the Hoops during the first half of the season, was recalled by Barcelona this week so he could be loaned out to Serie A side Como, with Rodgers praising the Spaniard’s “fantastic” contribution, stating his “disappointment” that he’d left, intimating this was not Celtic’s decision.

Meanwhile, also in his pre-Aston Villa press conference, Rodgers confirmed that Kieran Tierney had agreed a pre-contract with the club, which will see him return to Glasgow in the summer, with Mike McGrath of the Telegraph reporting that Arsenal have blocked the Celts’ attempts to bring this move forward.

Thus, right now, Greg Taylor is the only recognised left-back in the squad, and even he is out of contract at the end of the season.

Back in September, Rogers described it as a “priority” to tie the “fantastic player” to a new contract, with the Daily Record claiming Taylor ‘wants to stay’, although a report by Croatian outlet Jutarnji List claims GNK Dinamo Zagreb have ‘sent an offer’ as they attempt to sign the Scotland international on a Bosman.

Taylor certainly divides opinion; former Celtic striker Chris Sutton believes his old side “must upgrade”, but journalist Josh McCafferty describes him as “such an intelligent player”, adding he “thoroughly deserves a new deal”.

Well, whatever you think of him, Taylor is going to rack up plenty more minutes this season, unless a high-quality deputy or rival does indeed arrive, with aim of combining with Jota – or Daizen Maeda – down the left flank.

What Tyrell Malacia would bring to Celtic

As Fabrizio Romano has reported, Manchester United are attempting to offload Malacia, who currently earns a whopping £75k-per-week, given that they’re about to sign a new left-wing-back, namely Patrick Dorgu from Lecce, costing around £30m.

Portuguese newspaper Record believes Benfica are ‘currently negotiating’ with Man United over a potential loan deal, but Celtic are still in the mix too, as are Real Betis, according to Caught Offside.

Malacia didn’t make a single appearance between 28 May 2023 and 28 November 2024, a period of 550 days, due to a knee injury, specifically an issue to his left meniscus, before making his long-awaited return in the Europa League against Bodø/Glimt, also starting in Bucharest on Thursday, his ninth appearance of the season.

Transfer Focus

However, following the 2-0 victory over FCSB at Arena Națională, Rúben Amorim essentially said that Malacia does not fit into his 3-4-3 system, stating “sometimes it’s hard” for a full-back to play wing-back, adding “we are going to help him”.

So, let’s see how Malacia and Celtic’s current incumbent at left-back Taylor compare?

Statistics (per 90)

Tyrell Malacia

Greg Taylor

Appearances

97

154

Minutes

7,451

12,525

Attempted passes

18.5

10.1

Pass completion %

86.9%

84.3%

Shot-creating actions

1.96

1.81

Touches

22

11

Take-on success %

45.9%

30%

% of dribblers tackled

58.8%

71.9%

Ball recoveries

1.76

0.65

As outlined in the table, since the start of the 2021/22 season, Taylor has played nearly twice as many minutes, but Malacia comes out on top for most per-90 metrics, which shouldn’t be too surprising considering Man United paid a reported £15.7m for his services during this period.

The Scottish international ranks significantly higher when it comes to tackling, but the Dutchman is statistically better in possession, which could suit how Celtic play, considering they’ve averaged over 73% possession in the Premiership this season, almost 10% more than Rangers, who are second on this list.

On top of this, with the returning Jota set to be the first-choice on the left wing, the superstar from Portugal and Malacia could form an unstoppable partnership down Celtic’s left-hand-side, with the Dutchman overlapping and the returning fans’ favourite cutting inside.

Louis van Gaal, who included Malacia in his 2022 World Cup squad, compared the full-back to a “pitbull’, adding “the defensive work he did very well”, suggesting the out-of-favour Man United defender could be the perfect short-term solution, assuming he can stay fit.

With that defensive base behind him, it could allow Jota to thrive in an attacking sense, safe in the knowledge that he has a quality asset behind him. What a partnership that could be.

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Hansi Flick was forced to sub off Robert Lewandowski due to an injury in Barcelona's comeback win over Celta Vigo.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Lewandowski picked up an injury in win over Celta
• Gavi replaced the forward in the 78th minute
• Barcelona beat Celta Vigo 4-3

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Barcelona conceded three goals in the first hour of the match after taking an early lead through Ferran Torres' strike. The La Liga leaders, however, staged a brilliant comeback thanks to Raphinha's brace, including a last-gasp winner and Dani Olmo's goal, to beat Celta Vigo 4-3.

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• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Despite the crucial win at home, the Catalan giants suffered a major injury blow as star forward Lewandowski was forced to leave the pitch in the 78th minute, as Gavi replaced him. The veteran forward went down on the ground clutching his left hamstring before stepping off the pitch.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The three points against Celta Vigo helped the Blaugrana extend their lead over arch-rivals Real Madrid to seven points at the top of the table. However, Lewandowski's injury will be a matter of concern for the club ahead of their crucial Copa del Rey final against Los Blancos next week.

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?

  Hansi Flick's side will next face Mallorca in La Liga on Tuesday before locking horns against Madrid in the Copa del Rey final on April 26.