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The pace bowler will provide experience and cutting edge to the attack

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Aug-2020

Shabnim Ismail will be back in the Sydney Thunder colours•Getty Images

Shabnim Ismail, the South Africa pace bowler who is one of the quickest in the world, will return for a second season with the Sydney Thunder in the Women’s Big Bash.Ismail, who can push the speed gun past 125kph, took 10 wickets in 13 games last season for the Thunder but it was her economy rate of 5.88 which was particularly impressive. She was then South Africa’s leading wicket-taker in the T20 World Cup with five wickets in four matches.”In the WBBL, you’re playing with a lot of experienced players and against some of the best in the world, so it’s a great challenge,” Ismail said. “I’m a senior player for my country and in the Thunder squad as well so I try to lead by example. Having played for my country for 12 years, I enjoy passing on some of my experience and knowledge to the youngsters.”The Thunder coach Trevor Griffin said: “Shabnim was outstanding for us last season. She was our most economical bowler and her pace caused a lot of trouble for opposition batters. She was a real competitor in the field too – some of the fielding that she did was just at another level.”She’s the world’s third-ranked T20 bowler but one thing that I noticed about Shabnim last year is that she still wants to learn and she’s constantly looking at ways to get better.”The Thunder will be captained by Australia better Rachael Haynes and Ismail is their first confirmed overseas player for the new season.The WBBL is due to begin on October 17 and run until November 29 although there are expected to be changes to the schedule due to the impact of Covid-19 around the country.

Atletico Madrid have reportedly held talks with Chelsea over signing midfielder Conor Gallagher this summer.

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Gallagher in last year of Chelsea dealMidfielder yet to sign new contractAtletico hold talks with Blues over transferWHAT HAPPENED?

According to , the Spanish side have had discussions with Chelsea about signing the England international, who is out of contract next summer. The report adds the 24-year-old has not been offered a new deal and Tottenham, Aston Villa and more are still interested in the ex-Crystal Palace loanee.

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According to , Atletico made an initial offer worth €20 million (£17m/$22m) but have been told by Chelsea that they will have to increase that offer as the Blues are pushing for closer to double that figure for the 24-year-old.

DID YOU KNOW?

Gallagher has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge in recent months and Chelsea are said to be eyeing former Manchester United player Andreas Pereira as one of their favoured candidates to replace him in Enzo Maresca's team.

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Gallagher, who made 50 appearances in all competitions last season for Chelsea before going on to feature in five of England's seven Euro 2024 matches, will hope to have his future wrapped up soon with the new season approaching.

Two men stood head and shoulders above everyone else on an attritional day as Zimbabwe compiled 228 for 6 in Mirpur.

The Report by Liam Brickhill22-Feb-2020On an attritional first day’s play in Mirpur, two men stood head and shoulders above everyone else on the field as Zimbabwe compiled 228 for 6. Craig Ervine was the glue in Zimbabwe’s middle order, compiling the fourth hundred by a visiting captain at this ground,
and one that mixed studied defence with some exotic strokeplay. For Bangladesh, Nayeem Hasan twirled tirelessly through 36 overs to take 4 for 68, repeatedly pegging Zimbabwe back whenever they threatened to take control.Both men were somewhat fortunate to find themselves in their respective positions: Ervine is captaining Zimbabwe for the first time in this game only because regular skipper Sean Williams stayed at home to be present for the birth of his daughter, while an out-of-sorts
Mehidy Hasan’s absence from the playing XI opened the door for Nayeem to seize his opportunity.Mehidy has been off-colour since taking 15 wickets against West Indies at home in 2018, after which he took six wickets in four Tests last year. He missed the Rawalpindi Test earlier this month due to an injury, and was subsequently dropped for the first time in a
home Test since he made his debut against England in 2016. This gave, Nayeem, who took 13 wickets last week in a first-class match, his chance. His second delivery dipped and gripped to beat a groping Ervine’s outside edge, and he troubled everyone in Zimbabwe’s top order with fizz, bounce and an unerring line almost throughout.It was a sharp piece of fielding from Nayeem that brought Ervine to the crease this morning, Abu Jayed finding reward during a disciplined opening spell with the dismissal of opener Kevin Kasuza in the eighth over after Zimbabwe had won the toss. Three overs later,
Nayeem started a spell that would stretch on for a full 36 overs through the day, and an absorbing battle between the offspinner and the left hander began to unfold.Ervine certainly didn’t have it all his own way, Nayeem teasing his outside edge on several occasions early on, with leading edges flying through – and over – cover and point. Between times, however, Ervine held firm and his response to the sight of significant turn
and bounce even from a fresh, uncharacteristically grassy track was to unfurl a succession of sweeps both orthodox and reverse.Taijul Islam bore the brunt of his early strokeplay, leaking 43 runs from his first seven overs, and Zimbabwe surged ahead as Bangladesh turned ragged in the field, missing three chances – one of them very tough, but two clear drops – in the space of three overs.
With Prince Masvaure well set at the other end, having compiled a competent half-century, Ervine sensed an opportunity to go on the offensive, slashing Abu Jayed for three boundaries, some more convincing and deliberate than others, in the space of an over.The quick runs pushed Ervine and Masvaure’s partnership beyond 100, but Nayeem struck back with the vital dismissal of Masvaure, bending low to hold a drive slammed firmly back at him. Yet another sweep off Taijul took Ervine to fifty at the other end, but Nayeem
once again put the brakes on Zimbabwe by dismissing Brendan Taylor via a slightly fortuitous inside-edged reverse sweep.At 134 for 3, the innings was in the balance, and Nayeem kept threatening further breakthroughs, with iffy strokes aplenty against his probing bowling. While Taijul continued to mix tight deliveries with freebies, failing to bowl a single maiden throughout the
day, Nayeem changed his line of attack to a settled Sikandar Raza. Coming around the stumps, he had Raza playing for turn as the ball rushed on with the arm, a thin edge being safely snaffled by Liton Das behind the stumps.With Timycen Maruma focused on survival, Ervine continued to take the attack to the bowlers, stepping out to crunch Nayeem back over his head and cruising through the 80s with a pair of bruising thumps through the covers off Jayed. After a brief rest, Nayeem
resumed his battle with Zimbabwe’s captain, drawing some fidgety pokes outside off as he entered the 90s.Having used one review to good effect, Maruma wasted another when he was trapped plumb infront by Jayed shortly before Bangladesh took the second new ball. Ervine, meanwhile, was equally at home against the new pill as he was the old, flaying Abu Jayed once again through the covers and then moving to 99 with a pair of sweeps off Nayeem.A glance off Ebadot Hossain took Ervine to three figures, but it was Nayeem – who else? – who finally won the battle. In the penultimate over of the day, he followed up a loopy floater with a zippy quicker one that rushed through Ervine’s tired defence, castling him for 107.While the teams had stayed pretty much neck and neck throughout the day, with the advantage shifting back and forth, Nayeem’s late strike tilted the balance in Bangladesh’s favour. Just one frontline batsman, Regis Chakabva, remains for the visitors. Bangladesh will
go into day two fancying their chances of quickly rolling the tail over, while Nayeem while have his eye on a five-wicket haul and a milestone of his own to match Ervine’s.

Aston Villa’s recruitment over the last few seasons has tended to be spot on, as highlighted by the fact that they’re pushing for Champions League football this season.

Ollie Watkins, Boubacar Kamara, and Douglas Luiz are all prime examples of exceptional scouting.

None of the above were household names before developing at Villa, and it is very rare to find the club overpaying for talent.

However, among all the hits, there is bound to be a miss or two, with one particular player failing to live up to his price tag.

Emiliano Buendia before moving to Villa

Emiliano Buendia spent his youth career and early years as a professional at Getafe in Spain, before having a loan spell at Liga 2 side Cultural Leonesa, where he made a name for himself.

The club were ultimately relegated that season, but it didn’t stop the Argentine from shining, as he netted six goals and provided 13 assists. His performances caught the eye of Norwich City, the club he went on to join straight from his loan for just over £1m.

During his first season at the Canaries, Buendia helped the side earn promotion to the Premier League, thanks to his eight goals and 12 assists over the campaign. The 27-year-old continued to be a creator in the top flight, picking up seven assists in 28 games.

However, Norwich were sent straight back to the Championship, and in the 2020/21 season, the attacking star proved that he was far too good for the league, picking up 15 goals and 16 assists.

Buendia’s time at Villa Park

Following his outstanding campaign, plenty of Premier League clubs were interested in signing the magician, but it was Villa who ultimately beat Arsenal to his signature for £35m.

However, the Argentine’s start to life at Villa Park didn’t begin with a bang, despite scoring against Brentford on his third start for the club. During his first campaign, Buendia would go on to play 35 matches, scoring four goals and registering six assists in the league, while only playing 55 minutes per game on average.

Despite this, the versatile attacker pretty much held his estimated market value from when he signed, only dropping around £3m.

Buendia's Value Over Time
Date (Club)	Value
June 2019 (Norwich)	£6.8M
April 2020 (Norwich)	£12.4m
June 2021 (Norwich)	£30m
June 2022 (Villa)	£27m
June 2023 (Villa)	£24m
Stats via Transfermarkt

His importance to the Villa team continued to grow in his second season, as he played every single game in the Premier League, however, his output in the final third actually decreased, with a record of five goals and just two assists. Nonetheless, Buendia still didn’t see a drastic drop in value in June 2023, as you can see from the table above.

During pre-season in the summer, the 5 foot 8 maestro was described as “unrecognisable” by football creator Ty Bracey, after his performance against Newcastle saw him score twice and provide another.

However, a cruciate ligament tear at the start of August hasn’t seen the number ten play all season, missing 35 matches. This is one of the main reasons why his estimated worth is now just £8.5m according to CIES Football Observatory.

The numbers he once displayed at Norwich are yet to be replicated at Villa, and considering the club forked out a rather hefty fee for the attacker, it is fair to say that the move has been unsuccessful so far.

But who knows? He could revive his career under Unai Emery once he’s recovered from his lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Raheem Sterling has revealed that he is taking his lead from Steven Gerrard as he attempts to guide Chelsea's next generation to stardom.

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• Sterling reveals Gerrard influence
• Liverpool icon took Sterling under his wing
• Chelsea ace aiming to do similar

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Sterling has revealed that Gerrard played a key role in helping him become the player he is now while he was making his breakthrough at Liverpool, and is out to replicate that role with Chelsea's youngsters this season and beyond. The former Manchester City star is 29, but only one player in the club's first-team squad is older than he is.

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  Chelsea have brought in a vast number of wonderkids as they attempt to future-proof their first-team squad. Sterling, as a result, feels it his responsibility to help the likes of Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke fulfil their potential.

• WHAT STERLING SAID

  Sterling told Chelsea's website: "I’m a person that just wants to see players do well and fulfil their potential,’ Sterling explains. ‘If there is something I feel I can help with..it’s not trying to tell them what to do, it's trying to be a positive influence. That’s what you need in football: positive influences.

  "Being a senior player and seeing a young player, there are two ways you can go about it. You can be negative and try to put them down or you can be positive and give them as much confidence in the group so they can perform on the pitch.

  "When I was coming through at Liverpool, Steven Gerrard literally put his arm around me when he had more than enough things on his plate. He showed me the right direction, gave me the right messaging, and led by example of how it is to be a professional."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Chelsea kick off their Premier League season against Manchester City on Sunday. Sterling will hope to make an impact against his old club.

Tottenham have made it clear that they will bid for a £150,000-per-week "class act" this summer, according to a rival club insider.

Postecoglou keen on new midfielder at Spurs

Much has been made about manager Ange Postecoglou's desire to bring in a new midfield running man, with reports in January stating that the Australian wants a new running man who can alternate with James Maddison (Miguel Delaney).

Spurs make contract offer to sign star who nearly joined Pochettino in 2018

He publicly admitted to considering a Tottenham move.

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The most standout name to be regularly linked with a potential move to Spurs is Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, but the club have alternatives to the Englishman in case he puts pen to paper on a new deal at Stamford Bridge.

Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey is one, with a report by David Ornstein in The Athletic claiming last month that Tottenham are big fans of the 22-year-old.

The homegrown ace can play further forward and in the middle of the park, with another appealing aspect being the fact Ramsey is also homegrown. Tottenham are said to be compiling a shortlist of summer targets already, and it appears a new midfielder may well be something to watch out for.

Rodrigo Bentancur arguably hasn't rediscovered his very best form since returning from a serious ACL injury, while Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's future at Spurs has been up in the air for quite a while amid a consistent lack of starting opportunities for the Dane.

Both Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr have been mainstays under Postecoglou while impressing, but their trips to AFCON last month highlight just how much Spurs could do with quality alternatives to the duo.

Sharing news on another midfield star who Tottenham could well move for this summer, West Ham insider Claret & Hugh have a very interesting bit of detail on Spurs' plans for Lucas Paqueta.

Tottenham "clear" they will bid for Paqueta

According to C&H, Tottenham have made it clear they will bid for Paqueta alongside the likes of Arsenal, Aston Villa, Man United and Man City.

This will be once his investigation surrounding gambling breaches is cleared up, and while this could be a tricky deal to pull off given both West Ham and Spurs' rivalry, there is little denying the Brazilian's obvious quality.

West Ham 3-0 Wolves

8.88

West Ham 3-2 Nottingham Forest

8.20

Luton Town 2-3 West Ham

8.02

Burnley 1-2 West Ham

7.86

Bournemouth 1-1 West Ham

7.79

Paqueta has bagged five goals and five assists across all competitions for David Moyes' side this season, with WhoScored listing him as their best-performing player by average match rating in the league.

Former Spurs boss Harry Redknapp has also branded the £150,000-per-week star a "class act".

"Lucas Paqueta has been a class act for West Ham recently," said Redknapp to BetVictor last year (via football.london).

"West Ham are playing their best football of the season right now and the pairing of him and [Declan] Rice in the midfield is a big reason why."

With Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS' investment at Manchester United now confirmed, there will likely be huge changes this summer. Despite a poor start to the season, one man has already caught the eye of the new owners.

Things on the up at Old Trafford

Whilst sitting in sixth place in the Premier League may be below the levels expected of a club of Man United's stature, things finally appear to have turned a corner after a troubling opening to the season.

The early passages of the campaign saw the Red Devils struggle for consistency in the league and drop out of Europe in embarrassing fashion. This poor start was emblematic of what has been a bleak few years at United. Constant battles between fans and ownership have left the team and management attempting to play both sides, usually with very little success.

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ByHenry Jackson Aug 12, 2024

Adding insult to injury has been the failure of high-profile signings to hit the ground running. The combined £158million spent on Antony and Jadon Sancho has yielded virtually no return, with the latter now back in Germany and his Brazilian counterpart yet to register a league goal for the Red Devils this season.

Despite this, the horizon appears bright at Old Trafford with six wins from their last seven games in all competitions and marquee signing Rasmus Hojlund scoring seven goals during this period. With Ratcliffe keeping a close eye on the club during the takeover process, it is reported that one individual has already caught the attention of the man now pulling the strings at United.

Ratcliffe impressed by Erik ten Hag

David Ornstein has shared that sources within the new ownership are already heaping praise upon the Red Devils' manager for his work this season. Ratcliffe, whose £1.25billion purchase saw him buy a 27.7% stake in the north west outfit, is eager to implement change at Old Trafford – not least with a new sporting director – but looks set to continue with Erik ten Hag in the dugout.

Since arriving in England in April 2022, the Dutchman has endured a tough time, working to overcome the negative culture both on and off the pitch that had hampered so many of his predecessors. His first season in charge saw the Red Devils finish third whilst also lifting the EFL Cup, their first silverware in six years.

His tenure at Old Trafford has also seen him scoop three manager of the month honours, racking up just shy of two points per game in the process. With a win percentage of over 60%, the Dutchman boasts a higher figure than any of his predecessors in the post-Ferguson era.

Erik ten Hag

97

59

60.82

Ralf Rangnick

29

11

37.93

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

168

91

54.17

José Mourinho

144

84

58.33

Louis van Gaal

103

54

52.43

David Moyes

51

27

52.94

Despite having a taste of success in England, ten Hag has always felt under immense pressure from both the fans and ownership. Hopefully, this vote of confidence from Ratcliffe and INEOS will be the boost United need to continue their good form and rise up the table.

The Strikers are looking to bounce back from a poor season and all eyes will be on AB de Villiers when he joins the Heat

Alex Malcolm and Andrew McGlashan13-Dec-2019

Rashid Khan celebrates another wicket in the Big Bash•Getty Images

Adelaide StrikersCaptain: Travis HeadCoach: Jason GillespieOverseas players: Rashid Khan (Afghanistan), Phil Salt (England)Full squad: Wes Agar, Alex Carey, Travis Head, Rashid Khan, Jake Lehmann, Michael Neser, Harry Nielsen, Liam O’Connor, Phil Salt, Matt Short, Peter Siddle, Billy Stanlake, Cameron Valente, Jake Weatherald, Jonathan Wells, Cameron White, Nick Winter, Harry ConwayLast season: 7thThe Strikers went from champions to second from bottom in a campaign that never really got off the ground with a four-game losing streak mid-season ending their hopes of a successful title defence.What’s changed for the season?Gillespie has used his Sussex knowledge to bring in top-order batsman Salt, who briefly featured in the England T20I squad earlier this year. Ben Laughlin, a long-time part of the Strikers attack, has moved to the Brisbane Heat for family reasons, with Harry Conway coming into the squad. Cameron White, in what is likely to be the final fling of his career, brings winning experience from the Melbourne Renegades.Australia impactHead and possibly Michael Neser will be featuring in the Test side until early January, and Alex Carey will be lost to the ODI tour India mid-tournament. There is a chance that if Neser remains in the Test squad he could be released for BBL duty if not needed against New Zealand.Player to watchWes Agar has been bowling very well in Marsh Cup and Sheffield Shield cricket this season and, after just two matches for the Strikers last summer, could get greater opportunity in this campaign particularly with the departure of Laughlin and if Neser is on Australia duty.Key stat (Gaurav Sundararaman)Rashid Khan’s form might have dipped in other T20s and ODIs in 2019 but his performance in the Big Bash is extraordinary. In the last two seasons, Rashid has taken 37 wickets at an economy rate of 5.93 and 45% of his deliveries are dots.AB de Villiers unleashes while down on one knee•Getty Images

Brisbane HeatCaptain: Chris LynnCoach: Darren LehmannOverseas players: Tom Banton (England – first eight games), AB de Villiers (South Africa – expected from January 9), Zahir Khan (Afghanistan), Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Afghanistan)Full squad: Tom Banton, Max Bryant, Joe Burns, Ben Cutting, AB De Villiers (overseas replacement), Cameron Gannon, Sam Heazlett, Zahir Khan, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Ben Laughlin, Josh Lalor, Chris Lynn, James Pattinson, James Peirson, Jack Prestwidge, Matt Renshaw, Mark Steketee, Mitch Swepson, Mujeeb Ur Rahman (overseas replacement)Last season: 5thThey had a lot of hype about them but failed to fire, missing the finals by a game. Their much-vaunted top order made a lot of bright starts but fizzled out quickly and the order was chopped and changed throughout the tournament. They saved their best work for the last two games with two magnificent chases but it was too little too late.What’s changed for the season?A new coach and a few new bash brothers. Darren Lehmann, who led the Heat to the title in BBL02, takes charge again after Daniel Vettori stepped down. The signing of AB de Villiers and Tom Banton made a huge stir. They will play half the tournament each with de Villiers available for the finals. The Heat have the best batting line-up in the BBL but historically the best bowling teams have won the tournament and they will need to bowl well. Laughlin’s return to Queensland from the Strikers having won a title in Adelaide is a nice addition.Australia impactJames Pattinson’s availability early in the tournament is subject to his Test duties but he could play more games than the Heat had planned for, given the form of Australia’s incumbent Test quicks. Joe Burns and Marnus Labuschagne will be unavailable in the early part of the tournament but both may even struggle to get a game for the Heat given the batting depth. It is unlikely many Heat players will head to India with the ODI team, although Labuschagne was named joint player of the Marsh Cup and Australia may want to look at him in a second format if they experiment with the side.Player to watchMax Bryant is the obvious choice. He has so much potential but capitalising on starts and finding consistency as a young player is his biggest challenge. He has had a lean season in 50-over cricket for Queensland but a couple of early scores in the BBL and he could go have a huge tournament.Key stat (Gaurav Sundararaman)Tom Banton comes into this competition with very high expectations. Out of the 41 players to have faced 200 balls in powerplays in 2019, Banton has the best strike rate of 160. He scores big and at a brisk pace. The Gabba pitch could be perfect for Banton to showcase his skills.